Mercedes Feat Chocolate Blonde: Tribute to 80's group L'trimm
Tuesday 25 January 2011
Monday 24 January 2011
Up The Tempo
THE FIRST EVER Up The TempoDate: Sat 5th February 2011: 2-6pm
Venue: 16 Katharine St. Croydon
SUCCESS IN MUSIC NEEDS INSIGHT, YOU WANT IT? WE’VE GOT IT!
UP THE TEMPO Is an informative music industry networking event for young
people aged 13-21 who live in or around Croydon. With music being the most
powerful art of expression among young people today, this event will
enlighten, motivate and provide an opportunity to engage with the hottest
industry insiders at the moment.
Up The Tempo will include an Open-Mic session for attendees, free
workshops including equipment demonstrations and taster sessions for music
production, vocal guidance and DJ tutoring. Also, local music-based services
will be present on the day to network with attendees and share their
opportunities. An artist and industry panel will share their music career
journeys, give industry advice and take questions from the audience.
Confirmed panel members include Goldielocks, G Frsh, Nu Brand Flexx,
Chantelle Fiddy, Jak Frsh & Yasmin.
Many young people have dreams of becoming successful in the music
industry, we will help attendees explore the options available to them and
switch the focus from negativity, barriers, lack and limits to the power that
music has to engage young people, through positive activities and personal
and social development.
Aspiring to meet the needs of both musical novices looking for somewhere to
learn and emerging performers wanting to take their work to the next level, at
Up The Tempo we may just find home-grown talent that could put Croydon
back on the map.
Up The Tempo is a partnership project between The 4WD Foundation,
IGNiTE and BELS and has been kindly funded by Sound Connections.
For more Up The Tempo info contact:
Naomi: 07814878005 or Sarah: 07957998656
Email: upthetempoevents@gmail.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/UpTheTempoEvent
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Review: Fat Talent @ Proud Camden
Last September marked the end of Fat Talent LIVE at Proud Camden; Stuart Bell reviews our penultimate showcase...
With a chill in the air and with seven unsigned acts on the bill, it was set to be a very interesting evening of music and fashion. The acts broke down as two guys and a girl all straddling acoustic guitars, three breakthrough urban and garage acts and one girl spinning pop with an edge. The whole night was hosted by Chocolate Blonde, who to her credit, kept things simmering away nicely between acts and utterly owning the floor during her set, sporting both the infectious hooks of numbers like ‘Ick on my Forehead’, as well as the slower acoustic jams of ‘U Get Me’. Up in the grill of almost everyone in the front row, it was obvious the Chocolate wasn’t at all intimidated by an unfairly lax crowd, and exhibited herself as a perfect host for the nights showcase.
First act to officially grace the Proud stage was, born with a tooth, Janiece Myers, arguably the most prolific RnB act of the night. Performing for the first time outside of her native Liverpool, she opened with tried and true number ‘Four Steps’, and Janiece’s set steadily slowed into what was three songs well chosen; fast, slower, slow, it worked well and proved a rounded showcase for her varied vocal talents, which are a cut above a lot of the RnB being put out in recent years. Janiece recently signed a management deal with Onehundred Global Management ; heres to her hopefully picking up some radio play.
A quick change of pace and the stage was filled by Josie Akers, wielding her guitar and her own brand of acoustic slow tunes. Chatting away to the crowd and myself, respectively, Josie made clear that she is no push over, and definitely put herself across very well. Describing her set to me as ‘two of her fast tunes and one slow to break it up’, I found I had a hard time figuring out what was exactly what, and while its true her music and certainly her voice, shows its soul a lot more when being played live, its hard to really see the kind of target audience Josie is shooting for with her uninspiring acoustic love songs.
The night held two other ‘one man and his guitar’ style acts; one, Ed Mayhew, sitting down soulful, the other, Dan Zappi, standing and conversationalist. With so many acoustic artists gracing the spotlight in the last few years, I took Ed aside before his set and asked him how he expected to breakthrough with such an act. A well travelled young man, Ed’s reply was simple, in that he could always rely on his ability to surprise, and surprise he did. Speaking to him, you’d never second guess his voice, which aside from being incredibly soulful, he knows exactly he to use. Also, strangely enough, despite having original material for the platform, Ed’s set was made up completely from acoustic covers; ‘Seven Nation Army’, a sensational ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley, and ‘Hit the Road Jack’. Whatever the reason for it, Ed was easily one of the evenings most entertaining acts, and if his ability to write songs is anything compared to his ability to re-imagine them, then we should all look forward to seeing him in the future.
As Dan Zappi prepared to bring the evening to its conclusion, Penny was flying the flag for straight down the line popular music. While not balls to the wall excitement, there was something oddly intriguing about cox little Penny and her soft rock, pop tunes, reminiscent of artists such as the B-52’s at the best moments.
The last man to grace the stage, was Dan Zappi; Charismatic with a good falsetto and yet another acoustic guitar. His overly conversational tunes hit a flow now and again, but never the hustle that Mayhew did, although its admittedly unfair to compare the two; songs like ‘Common Love’ and ‘Human Condition’, sell him short as something of an optimistic Morrissey. In any case the night was a good showcase of young talent, and I definitely have an interest in seeing how some of these guys do next year
The next Fat Talent takes place on Sun.13th Feb 2011 @ Inn On The Green, West London.
Click here for details
Reviewer: Stuart Bell
Tuesday 11 January 2011
AUDITION FOR THE BOXETTES
Sadly, one of our dear Boxettes has decided to concentrate on other things, which leaves us in need of one more Boxette! Is it you? It could be you. Or your sister, or your friend. No, really- it could!
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Female between 20-28 years old (negotiable!)
Someone who can commit twenty hours a week, including evening and weekends to rehearsing, recording and gigging with the likelihood of this becoming increasingly demanding through 2011 and 2012.
A musically talented individual who enjoys working with others and experimenting and developing their sound.
Aside from this we need to find a girl who can add that special something that we never knew we could do without. We’re a tight-knit bunch, all good friends as well as complementing vocalists - so the fifth Boxette needs to not only be a quality musician, but she has to be our friend too (note: we are lovely!). There are no egos or pop-complexions in this band, just talented friends.
HOW TO APPLY
Simply send the following to: auditions@theboxettes.co.uk
CV/Profile telling us about your musical background, experiences and ambitions (keep it relevant - we don't need to know your GCSE results!)
A digital demo of your voice (audio or video) - this doesn't have to be high quality, even a clip recorded on your iphone will do!
A photo or two Closing date for applications is January 28th. (Auditions are by invitation only. All applicants will be informed of their audition date within one week of applying)
THE AUDITIONS
The first round of auditions will be held in London between 17th - 24th February. You will be asked to sing up to three songs (unaccompanied) that you think will best represent your voice before a panel of current Boxettes and a few select associates. We will try to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible as we want to bring out the best in people!
Successful first round applicants will be invited to the second round, which will involve learning and workshopping some Boxette material.
The final round will involve further rehearsals, a more social aspect, and opportunities to demonstrate your performance skills in front of a live audience.
The applicant that we feel demonstrates the most potential to become a great Boxette will be asked to join the Boxettes for our summer and winter tour, recording projects and video shoots. If all goes well, we hope to invite this person to become a permanent Boxette.
Throughout the whole process we will be looking for the gold in people. We will be giving applicants feedback and encouragement to see how they respond and demonstrate the ability to grow as a potential Boxette. Remember that we want to find the perfect person to join our band, so we'll let each applicant know exactly what they need to work on for next time.
If you think you have what it takes, or know someone who does, then please either apply today or pass this opportunity on.
Click here to view the latest video by The Boxettes
Time
Time is the inexplicable raw material of everything. With it all is possible, without it, nothing. The supply of time is truly a daily miracle, an affair genuinely astonishing when one examines it.
You wake in the morning and lo! Your purse is magically filled with24 hours of the unmanufactured tissue of the Universe of your life. It is yours. It is the most precious of possessions . . . no one take it from you. It is unstealable. And no one receives either more or less than you receive.
In the realm of time there is no aristocracy of wealth and no aristocracy of intellect. Genius is never rewarded by even an extra hour a day. And there is no punishment, Waste your infinitely precious commodity as much as you will and the supply will never be withheld from you.
Moreover you cannot draw on the future. Impossible to get into debt! You can only waste the passing moment.
You cannot waste tomorrow; it is kept for you.
I have said the affair is a miracle, is it not? You have this 24 hours of daily time to live. Out of it you want to spin health, pleasure, money, contentment, respect and the evolution of your immortal soul.
Its right use, its most effective use is a matter of the highest urgency and the most thrilling actuality. All depends on that. Your happiness - the elusive prize that you are all clutching for my friend - depends on that.
If one cannot arrange that an income of 24 hours shall exactly cover all proper items of expenditure, one does muddle one’s whole life indefinitely.
We shall never have any more time.
We have and have always had, all the time there is.
Monday 10 January 2011
Sunday 9 January 2011
Fat Talent LIVE: 2011 Gig Dates
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