The most Northern woman in Brighton has charmed the city with over ten years of gigs from quirky but heartfelt acts, and bands that branch off into all genres. Always substance over style, never booking flash in the pan or fashionable bands, her Melting Vinyl gigs are always interesting. This month she’s organising gigs for Car Free Day on Sunday 20th.
What do you love and hate about promoting?
I love when the show starts, the audience is in anticipation of the band starting and the act comes on to a big applause – that’s the icing on the cake. I enjoy teaching my job to other people, demystifying the music industry and offering an opening. I dislike the lack of support for promoters, sometimes you feel like you are the lowest run of the ladder in the music industry, it’s difficult to grow foundations in this business.
There seems to be a Melting Vinyl type of gig – do you think so, and what do you think it is?
I know what you mean, it’s on the tip of my tongue, I can feel it in my water, I know it instinctively, difficult to pin down but here goes: an element of surprise, occasion and good quality.
Why aren’t you involved in Brighton Live anymore after starting it up with Lisa Lout?
Brighton Live has a board that makes the decisions now, I’m still on the board but took time out from the day to day running last year because of a need to focus on the annual promotions of Melting Vinyl, the credit crunch took it’s toll. I feel there are elements of what MV brought to Brighton Live in the Bike week I booked in June and Car Free Day in September – unusual spaces, local acts that put on a good show from a spectrum of genres and the like.
What appeals about Car Free Day and the other offbeat projects you’re involved in?
It’s a challenge as it’s a new audience. I like the fact that it inspires people (and me!) to see gigs in unusual spaces, outside bike shops (Bike Week) and on wood cabin stages (Car Free Day). Like with the music world there is a sense of community amongst the cyclist and alternative transport folk in this city, it’s also good to see new converts through the channels of MV.
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