COOL AS LEICESTER

Music fans, we’re here with your weekly Leicester music guide featuring news and interviews from across the local scene.

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NEWS

Jamie Lenman – Firebug
Wednesday 28 July

Jamie Lenman is best known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for underground heroes Reuben, who toured and released relentlessly for most of the noughties. Don’t miss out on table tickets. TICKETS.

Twin Atlantic – O2 Academy
Sunday 21 August

The Glaswegian quartet are back with the charming style of vocalist Sam McTrustry and their much loved heavy rock anthems. This is the rearranged date from their previously announced tour. REMAINING TICKETS

Live music is back and we have a whole host of socially distanced fun to look forward to over the coming weeks before restrictions fully lift. One of those shows is Andrea Kenny at The Soundhouse as she welcomes her new band members. We caught up with Andrea to hear more about it. 

Tell us what you’ve been up to during the lockdown period?

Writing music, trying to record music and generally seesawing between being super fit and healthy to over indulging and back again!

You’ve got a gig coming up in July at The Soundhouse, is this your first gig back? How excited are you to get back on stage?

I’m so excited for so many reasons! Not only is the line up fantastic with Daryl Kirkland, Amber Saqladi and Michael O’Hara supporting but i will be introducing my new band Token Boy! Its not actually my first gig back as I had a sold out gig supporting Jonny Eve and Liz Marriot (Whiskey Rebellion) at The Musician a few weeks ago. even though the shows still have audience caps on them i gotta say it feels just amazing to be performing in front of real live people again!

What can people expect from the show?

I don’t want to give too much away but expect something intimate, powerful, heartbreaking and transcending. This is a different feel to The Brandy Thieves for sure!

The show will also be recorded live for a live album that I will be releasing, of which 50% of the sales will go toward helping my dearest friend and co-producer of my solo album, TRIALS. 

The album recording is currently on hold as he is in hospital rehabilitating from an awful accident. He is a legend on the Leicester music scene and I am keeping his name private for his family’s sake, but the whole of Leicester is rooting for his recovery. The money raised will go toward a fund that is helping with any needs he has while he’s on the mend.

What have you missed most about performing live? 

Haha being able to heckle my audience and have fun with them. You couldn’t do that with live streams! I’ve missed that sharing of energy and connectedness 

Did you find it hard to stay creative during the last 15 months?

To be honest I found there was a lot to write about. Apart from lockdown I had some personal heartbreak and ups and downs and discovered my inner strength again. It’s just been a bit harder to be able to showcase material in a live setting… thank goodness for the internet!

It’s been amazing to start playing and creating with new musicians again. I have in my band for live shows, Helen Collins (Blue Skies in June) on keys, Natasha Pattison (formerly The Hardy Band) on strings and our ‘token boy’ Malc D’sa (GU-RU, Out of Karma) on drums… a bit of a super band I guess! It’s really exciting and I can’t wait for the people of have supported my solo music to hear the arrangements of the songs they’ve grown to love with band!

What music did you listen to most over lockdown?

I really love very heavy music actually, so I listen to a band called Jinjer alot, also got into an artist called Amber Run, but also old faves like Billy Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. I’ve got a very mixed up taste, like a brick-a-brak table top sale of musical tastes and influences.

Which local acts are you looking forward to seeing as venues open back up?

I would be interested to see what brand new talent no matter what age comes out of the wood work through lockdown actually, like who’s been inspired ? Looking forward to seeing Charlie Jones solo, haven’t seen her on her own yet! Defo looking forward to seeing Amber Saqladi at my gig, I’ve heard some of her stuff on Instagram, she’s one to watch!

Having had so long away from live music, if you could pick one artist and one venue who would you want to watch and where?

I’d love to see Florence and the Machine at Red Rocks, that would be epic!

What do you have planned musically for the rest of 2021?

Writing more music and booking more gigs to put it simply! I am also waiting to hear if ive been accepted for a place at derby uni to do Music Therapy MA…i want to help people with music…i could go on about that but thats a whole other interview!

Where can people hear more from you?

The best way is over on Facebook or Instagram.

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WEEKLY PLAYLIST

Each week we bring you a selection of favourite local acts to give you a flavour of the incredible range of upcoming talent.

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