Due to current events we’ve had to move around our weekly music news, however we will still be here every Tuesday with a Leicester music update for you in partnership with PPL PRS Ltd.
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NEWS
Live Friday Night Jazz – Brick & Beam
Friday 25 September
Friday Night Jazz on the heated fooftop terrace featuring Groovy Melodies by The Bumblin’ Bees. Due to popular demand, they now have an early evening and late evening show! Early Evening Show – 6:30pm, Late Evening Show – 8:00pm, Happy Hour – 4:30pm – 6:00pm. Message them on Facebook to reserve a table.
Steve Faulkner – The Soundhouse
Saturday 26 September
The Soundhouse is hosting its first show back inside on the indoor stage. Join Steve Faulkner with a capacity of just 30 and tickets are free! Reserve your free spot online.
Garden Getaway – 2Funky Street Kitchen
Saturday 26 September
These beer garden based events bring you the best disco & house music, food, drinks and more! They will be following strict guidelines to run this event, so rest assured you can party safely! The event will be strictly held outside with a limited number of tables, seating 4 or 6 people. Drinks will be served to your tables, with our waiters all wearing the recommended PPE. Previous events have sold out so make sure you book a table. Event from 2pm.
Subculture – Natterjacks
Saturday 26 September
Enjoy the best of indie and Britpop on Saturday afternoon/evening at Natterjacks.Kicking off at 3pm and hosted by This is Madchester, enjoy the DJ spinning all of your favourite indie, motown and Mod anthems. Table bookings essential – 07875017080.
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INTERVIEW: Oli Page
Event Producer, Oli, has worked across numerous local festivals and events in Leicestershire, including programming international music artists and exploring event set-ups in some amazing city spaces. During lockdown he launched Eye On Leicester to provide a platform for interviews with various individuals across the city’s creative circuit. Already on interview 30 and nominated for an award, it’s been a great success. We caught up with him to find out more about Eye On and what’s coming next.
Tell us a little about your involvement in the Leicester music scene?
In my work as an Event Producer with ArtReach, I programmed numerous festivals and music events in the city ranging from music weekenders in Jubilee Square, one off concerts in specialist venues such as All Saints Church, Leicester Cathedral and Leicester Museum (formerly New Walk Museum). This is something I was also fortunate to do across the country as well, usually working in areas which had less access to regular arts and performance.
What have been some of your highlights work wise?
I will always be proud of the work we produced at ArtReach for Journeys Festival which is a series of events focused on refugee artists and exploring stories of those seeking asylum. I was able to work with not only tremendously talented artists, but extraordinary human beings. My favourite event was bringing Burundian singer-songwriter Mudibu and Ethiopean singer Haymanot Tesfa to Leicester Cathedral. It was a beautiful setting for two of my favourite artists I’ve ever worked with.
What do you think it is about Leicester’s scene that makes it so special?
It might be an obvious answer, but the city’s diversity plays a HUGE role in what is on offer. It can be a festival gig to thousands in Vicky Park or an intimate night in one of our many, many, many incredible venues. We are truly blessed with such a variety of spaces to animate!
Who are some of your current favourite local artists?
I have such a wide and varied taste in music that it is so hard to narrow it down. If I was pushed for one name, I would have to say HO.FU aka Nile Barrow. Not only is he an incredible artist and performer who is constantly dropping amazing tracks., but he is also one of the most genuinely kind and positive souls. It simply radiates off him! I’d highly recommend readers check him out.
During lockdown you launched Eye On Leicester and conducted interviews with some of the key individuals on Leicester’s arts scene, how did that go down and is it something you’re doing to continue?
When lockdown hit, I was at a little bit of a loss having just completed work at the Leicester Comedy Festival. Being freelance had definitely been a challenge even without a global pandemic! I wanted to put my energy into a project that would promote positivity and the wonderful array of creatives we have in the city. Thankfully, Eye On Leicester has taken off really well and I’ve been so thrilled with the response. I have just found out that Eye On Leicester has been nominated for a Creative Impact Award for Best Campaign which I’m over the moon about! You can vote too! I’m approaching interview number 30 soon and definitely have no plans to stop. With what’s happening in my next year, there might be some changes though!
What do you think is key for Leicester venues as they try to recover after the pandemic?
I think it’s going to be a real challenge, but one that I hope we can come through together. Collaboration is always a buzz word that goes round, but in order to get things going again (when safe to do so) there is definitely going to need to be even more collaboration and support. Every share, like, comment, recommendation and helping hand is going to be needed.
What do the next 12 months hold for you?
The next 12 months will actually be quite remarkably different for me as I’m pursuing a lifelong passion of teacher training. The pandemic has allowed me to take on some reflection and reassess what I want to do. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for so long, but I’ve finally taken the dive in! I’m very excited to have started studying for primary education at University of Leicester this month and I am buzzing for when I can get into the classroom.
I will, of course, still be involved in the arts scene with some projects like Eye On Leicester and hope to continue working with the amazing people we have in our city.
Catch up with Oli’s interviews over on the Eye On Leicester website.
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WEEKLY PLAYLIST
Enjoy this week’s best of Leicester playlist packed full of suggestions, recommendations and top local talent.
Have a listen and get in touch to tell us which tracks you’re loving.
MORE MUSIC NEWS NEXT WEEK
