DIY music: putting on a live show
Post categories: Live
| 15:38 UK time, Thursday, 28 January 2010
As well as Radio One, my working week also involves organising gigs in Cardiff's Buffalo bar every Thursday. This is a great opportunity to be able to support Welsh bands beyond the realms of radio, and to really see new bands develop, and pair up some bands who I think musically might inspire and challenge each other.
The live arena is a great way to get to know the musicians behind the tunes I play on the radio, and find out more about their music in every way.
I've been running the nights since early summer last year, and despite it being quite a challenge to keep coming up with a totally fresh line up every week, we've had bands travel across the UK, we've had hip hop showcases, and even live art to coincide with a co-hosted showcase.
Coming up in the next few weeks I'll be holding a surf night, a country night, a few local showcases, and at the end of Feb I've invited North Wales' Tim and Sam's Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam down to launch their new album at the gig.
Each week there's guitars blaring, singers crooning, drummers sweating, and someone awkwardly trying to tell jokes in the long pauses between songs - it's guaranteed.
Last week we had Manchester's post-rock Spokes come to play their first show in Cardiff, and they were joined by local favourites Sweet Baboo, who was airing new songs from his new forthcoming album, Spencer McGarry playing his new musical theatre material, and Ivan Moult, who is a very talented young singer from Cardiff.
Here's a video of the acts that played, including some interview clips. Apologies for the quality of the camera phone footage!
You can watch loads of past gig videos from the shows here too:
Its been fun and stressful putting the shows together, and I maybe had no idea how much work goes into a live gig night, from sound engineers, to hired drum kits, bands travelling long distances, sound checks, the nitty gritty is quite incredible.
I've learned a lot over the past few months, but had some fantastic help too from a regular group of contributors, from filming the bands to doing the door - and I've really appreciated all their help.
I'm sharing this in the hope that perhaps you reading might feel inspired to get involved in your local music scene, it really is full on commitment, but most enjoyable at the end of the evening when everyone's buzzing and making plans to gig together again or collaborate musically.
DIY is empowering, just do it, and maybe see you at a gig soon.
I've been running the nights since early summer last year, and despite it being quite a challenge to keep coming up with a totally fresh line up every week, we've had bands travel across the UK, we've had hip hop showcases, and even live art to coincide with a co-hosted showcase.
Coming up in the next few weeks I'll be holding a surf night, a country night, a few local showcases, and at the end of Feb I've invited North Wales' Tim and Sam's Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam down to launch their new album at the gig.
Each week there's guitars blaring, singers crooning, drummers sweating, and someone awkwardly trying to tell jokes in the long pauses between songs - it's guaranteed.
Last week we had Manchester's post-rock Spokes come to play their first show in Cardiff, and they were joined by local favourites Sweet Baboo, who was airing new songs from his new forthcoming album, Spencer McGarry playing his new musical theatre material, and Ivan Moult, who is a very talented young singer from Cardiff.
Here's a video of the acts that played, including some interview clips. Apologies for the quality of the camera phone footage!
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Its been fun and stressful putting the shows together, and I maybe had no idea how much work goes into a live gig night, from sound engineers, to hired drum kits, bands travelling long distances, sound checks, the nitty gritty is quite incredible.
I've learned a lot over the past few months, but had some fantastic help too from a regular group of contributors, from filming the bands to doing the door - and I've really appreciated all their help.
I'm sharing this in the hope that perhaps you reading might feel inspired to get involved in your local music scene, it really is full on commitment, but most enjoyable at the end of the evening when everyone's buzzing and making plans to gig together again or collaborate musically.
DIY is empowering, just do it, and maybe see you at a gig soon.
Adam Walton
Bethan Elfyn
James McLaren
Laura Sinnerton
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