Friday 15^th June 2012

 featuring

Missing Andy

Proxies

Doors 21:30

KOKO, 1a Camden High Street, London NW1 7JE

Tel: 0870 432 5527

Admission: £5 (strictly 18+) Tickets: http://bit.ly/GXCzNV

Club NME are bringing some of the finest bands from this year’s hottest rock festival, Redfest, to KOKO, Camden. This epic Friday lineup features Missing Andy and Proxies, both of whom will appear at this Summer’s Redfest- a long-time champion of the best new bands around.

Renowned for their absurdly catchy tunes, Essex-based contemporary mods MISSING ANDY will be captivating crowds with favorites such as jam-tinged fiery number ‘Alive’ and the escapist epic ‘Kings Of The Weekend’. Their recently released debut album Generation Silenced is confident and punchy and crosses punk, ska, widescreen balladry and singalong melodic rock and roll.

Electro alt-rockers Proxies will be along to melt the minds of Club NME attendees with their dubstep-dabbling new tune ‘If I Had a Penny to My Name’, recently championed on Radio 1 Introducing by Fearne Cotton. The Yorkshiremen will spend April touring with Hadouken! before playing their first headline show on May 1^st.

Students – come to Club NME vs Redfest for £2 before 10.30pm / £4 before Midnight every Friday with your student card.

Tickets for this event are available from the venue box office, and can be purchased at face value if payment is made in cash.

Official Website – http://www.nme.com/clubnme

Redfest Website – http://redfest.co.uk/

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/RedfestUK

About Redfest:

Redfest is a staunchly independent music festival close to London that is proud of its reputation for championing new, emerging bands, solo artists and DJs. With a line-up that includes dubstep favourite MODESTEP, white-hot hiphop/grime troop FOREIGN BEGGARS, bonafide stadium rockers YOUNG GUNS and Norfolk alt-rock outfit DEAF HAVANA, this year’s Redfest is shaping up to be the best yet. The festival takes place this year from 20 – 22 June.

• Event to feature Gorgeous George and Keston Cobblers Club

The Association of Independent Festival’s monthly ‘Festival Social’ night of networking and live music will feature Gorgeous George and Keston Cobblers Club this coming Tuesday 1st May. Taking a break during the UK festival season, it will be the last event before recommencing in October.

Gorgeous George, best described as a quirky gypsy-jazz, will be bringing their fusion of Eastern European folk and Cockney storytelling to the Social ahead of gigs at Camden Crawl, The Great Escape and Secret Garden Party. Keston Cobblers Club have gained a reputation for fun, jaunty folk, and will be heading out to Larmer Tree Festival in July.

The aim of each event is to start conversations between like-minded independent entrepreneurs in the festival sector, not exclusively AIF promoters or members. So far, the evenings have proved a great success as an informal hangout for promoters, agents and festival creatives.

Acts featured in the previous two events have made it into Bestival and Kendal Calling line-ups, amongst others.

The Festival Social will be free for the first hour and £2 after 8pm.  Readers should email social@aiforg.com to join the guestlist for guaranteed entry.

Event Details

Title:                                   Festival Social

Date:                                   May 1st 2012

Time:                                  7pm – 12am

Venue:                                The Social, 5 Little Portland Street  London W1W 7JD

Cost:                                    7pm – 8pm free/ 8pm – 12pm  £2 entry

About AIF

The Association of Independent Festivals is a not for profit body set up in 2008 to represent independent music festivals in the UK and Ireland.

Conceived by Bestival promoter Rob da Bank and Graphite’s Ben Turner, the association’s founder members included Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Creamfields, Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Secret Garden Party, Summer Sundae Weekender and WOMAD.

With 31 members ranging from Bromley’s 2000 capacity LeeFest to the 55,000 capacity Bestival in the Isle of Wight, AIF enables the promoters of some of the UK & Ireland’s most innovative and successful festivals to speak with one voice when addressing the wider music business and government.

AIF aims to establish best practice for festivals in a variety of areas such as security, the environment and beyond, providing a knowledge base for festival promoters, as well as creating collective purchasing and marketing opportunities for its members.

AIF operates as an autonomous division of the Association of Independent Music.

]]> http://namepr.co.uk/site/2012/04/26/last-festival-social-before-october/feed/ 0 http://namepr.co.uk/site/2012/04/26/the-futureheads-to-headline-nozstock-2012/ http://namepr.co.uk/site/2012/04/26/the-futureheads-to-headline-nozstock-2012/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:05:02 +0000 name http://namepr.co.uk/site/?p=2712

Theme: Myths and Legends

Bromyard, Herefordshire

27-29 July 2012

www.nozstock.com

• Second Wave of Artists also Include DJ ZINC, IMPERIAL LEISURE, THE RAGED and SICKNOTE
• New venue literary venue TENT OF TEMPORARY THOUGHT for 2012

20^th – 22^nd July

Robins Cook Farm, Red Hill, Surrey

www.redfest.co.uk

London, 14 March 2012 – With a line-up that includes Dubstep favourite MODESTEP, bonafide stadium rockers YOUNG GUNS and Norfolk alt-rock outfit DEAF HAVANA, this year’s Redfest is shaping up to be the best yet.

The festival’s specialty is showcasing of young bands on the cusp of greatness, but as can be seen by this year’s headliners, Redfest also mixes in established acts for the tastemaker audience.  The festival takes place over three days over five different stages The Main Stage, Introducing  Stage, Acoustic Stage, Dance Tent 1 and Dance Tent 2.

Alongside Modestep, Young Guns and Deaf Havana this year sit Cardiffian rockers KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES, ska outfit SONICBOOMSIX, contemporary mods MISSING ANDY and pop-rock act MALLORY KNOX amongst other bands shaping the future of British music.

Located in Surrey, Redfest is just 30 minutes from London, near Gatwick Airport and has a relaxed atmosphere appealing to a younger crowd who often attend this as their first festival experience. Three day weekend passes are available for £65 (£25 for kids ages 5-13), and include free parking and camping.

In its sixth year, Redfest remains staunchly independent with no major sponsorships and works hard to keep the tickets as affordable as possible. It is also proud of its reputation for championing new, emerging bands, solo artists and DJs. In 2007 the festival hosted a little known  singer songwriter Laura Marling and has over the years staged the likes of Enter Shikari, Pete and the Pirates and Brit award winning Ed Sheeran, who took to the main stage last year in a performance still cherished by all present.

As well as music, attendants will find a diverse range of quality food (Thai, Mexican, Burgers, Indian, Vegetarian, Vegan, smoothies, crepes, coffee & doughnuts) along with a cocktail bus and a massive beer tent.

-END-

Full Line-Up for Redfest, as follows:

MAIN STAGE

FRIDAY

Modestep (Dubstep)

Young Guns (Stadium rock)

Subsource (Dubstep/rock/metal)

Mallory Knox (Rock/metal/post punk)

SATURDAY

Kids in Glass Houses (Stadium rock)

Deaf Havana (Rock/metal/post punk)

Sonicboomsix (Rap/rock/metal)

Natives (formerly Not Advised) (Rock/metal/post-punk)

Clement Marfo and the Frontline (Rap/rock/metal)

Crowns (Celtic drinking rock)

Franko (Stadium rock)

Billy Vincent (Indie rock)

SUNDAY

The King Blues (Punk/Rock)

Missing Andy (Pop rock/ska)

The Skints (Dub/indie/rock/ska)

Don Broco (Rock/metal/post-punk)

Straight Lines (Rock/metal/post-punk)

Brother & Bones (Blues rock/Americana)

The Bronze Medal (Indie/alt rock)

GOZIBE INTRODUCING STAGE

FRIDAY

Shadows Chasing Ghosts (Screamo/rock)

Honour is Dead (Metal/hardcore)

Attention Thieves (Rock)

We Caught The Castle

New Ivory

Borderline Fire

Xenicibis (metal)

SATURDAY

Fei Comodo (Rock)

Up River (Melodic/hardcore/punk rock)

Mordecai (Rock)

Hearts Under Fire (Rock/punk)

Dan Blake (Rock/hip hop)

Ursa Major (Alternative/metal/hardcore)

Critical State (Hip Hop, rap, RnB, pop)

Loose Lips (Pop rock)

The Brilliantly Simple (Alternative/indie/rock)

SUNDAY

HildaMay (Alternative/punk/rock)

Proxies (Electronic rock)

Follow Wyliss

Yearbook (Alternative, rock)

Brightlight City (Rock)

Rising Tide (Alternative/rock/acoustic)

Kai (Alternative/electronic/rock)

Trevors Head (Rock)

ACOUSTIC STAGE

FRIDAY

Aaron Delahunty

Adam Barnes

Portia Conn

Sean McGowan

Marc Halls

Lewis Mokler

Rosie Vanier

Alice Dale

SATURDAY

Roxanne Emery

Kadijha Kamara

Monkey Trap

Aimee

Josephine Lloyd

Mark Bishop

Light Falls Forward

Taygan Paxton

Suicide SI

SUNDAY

Dan Hutchins

Anna Jo

Perkie

Sam Picket

Jazz Morely

Jasmine Little

The Boy I Used to Be

Matt Emery

DANCE TENT 1

FRIDAY

Southcentral (House/dubstep)

Animal

James D’Ley (Bass)

Eptune

Matt Weeks

SATURDAY

Logistics & MC Wrec

Document One (Live)

RBRT

Mike Chadwick

Project 91

DANCE TENT 2

FRIDAY

Kouncilhouse

Beat Assassins

Dan Stoves

Strictly DJs

SATURDAY

Mattix & Futile

Apply the Breaks

Sightek

Adam Ellis

Theme: Myths and Legends

Bromyard, Herefordshire

27-29 July 2012

www.nozstock.com

• Early Bird tickets now on sale
• Initial Line-up Announcement, more acts to follow

Now in its 14^th year Nozstock The Hidden Valley is proud to announce yet another stellar selection of acts that include legendary DnB pioneer ANDY C with MC GQ, sing-a-long rockers THE PROCLAIMERS and the mighty dance floor destroyers, DREADZONE.  Early Bird tickets are also now on sale.

The Hidden Valley is landscaped around a ramshackle Tudor farmhouse. A converted cowshed, the CUBICLES, pushes out sub-thumping drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep. Alongside the farmhouse is the GARDEN STAGE, which provides a more eclectic line up, turning electronic by sundown.  Meanwhile THE BULLPEN houses the festival’s Hip-Hop offering and THE COPPICE will keep the psychedelic trance pumping until the early hours.

Set at the side of the gently sloping valley is the ORCHARD stage. Further music, theatre, comedy stages and tents are located in secret woodland glades around the site.

Music Line Up revealed today:

THE ORCHARD STAGE:

THE PROCLAIMERS / DREADZONE / JUAN ZELADA / DOLLAR BILL / SON OF DAVE / BRASSROOTS / SKINNY LISTER / THE ELECTRIC SWING CIRCUS / WILLY MOON / BY THE RIVERS

THE CUBICLES:

ANDY C and MC GQ/ CAMO AND KROOKED / TOMB CREW / DRUMSOUND AND BASSLINE SMITH / OCTANE AND DLR / DUB PHIZIX / ED RUSH / YOUNGSTA

THE BULLPEN:

THE FOUR OWLS / DIRTY DIKE AND JAM BAXTER / FLIPTRIX / 3 AMIGOS

SIKA STUDIOS -  hip hop takeover featuring the cream of underground UK hip hop talent, with graffiti art workshops

GARDEN STAGE:

SONNY WHARTON / ED SOLO

London’s MOOCH Saturday night takeover www.moochlondon.co.uk - underground House & Techno.

THE COPPICE:

Bristol’s TRIBE OF FROG host psychedelic trance stage www.tribeoffrog.com

THE BANDSTAND:

MUSICBORN from London host Friday night www.musicborn.com – elite bands’s from the London circuit with a mix of indie, rock and electro

This is the first of line-up announcement from Nozstock The Hidden Valley and there are many more acts to follow.

 ‘A veritable explosion of colour and whimsy tucked away in the rolling hills of Herefordshire’ Clash

‘..the most friendly festival I’d been to in years…a real mix of different people, ages and cultures.’ Creative Boom

Nozstock The Hidden Valley is a small family-run event now in its 14^th year is set in a beautiful rural part of Herefordshire. It started life as a party for relatives and friends and has grown organically over the years into an experience where a sense of belonging still holds true.  The warm inclusive welcome with its ethos of fun and participation and its incredible array of entertainment for such a small festival  – a mix of all genres of music over six stages, with additional areas hosting theatre, comedy, cinema, workshops and kids’ activities  – is a most welcome summer escape from the pressures of modern life for party-goers of all ages.

Other Fun Activities:

Nozstock The Hidden Valley strives to bring a whole cornucopia of fun, games and happenings. 2012’s extravaganza will bring you:

Sock Wrestling, Walkabout Theatre, Ballz Out Circus Troupe, Fire Dancers, Jive and Ceilidh evenings, Sound Art, Spoken Word and Poetry, Talks and Forums from the Tent Of Temporary Thought with guest speakers

KIDS AREA: THE ENCHANTED GLADE

Circus skills, Tall Tales, Puppet Procession, Kidi Yoga, UV Disco and Dance Workshop, Gaffer Tape Roses, Bubble Making, Workshops

THEATRE:

Nozstock: The Hidden Valley is pleased to bring on board Birmingham University whose students will be running the technical side of this stage as part of their final degree project. Cabaret and more to be announced….

COMEDY:

Nozstock regulars STEPHEN FROST AND THE IMPRO ALL STARS are confirmed with a whole host of pre-Edinburgh Fringe sketches making their way into our Laughing Stock tent.

This year Nozstock is working with STAND UP AGAINST RACISM as part of the SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD campaign to raise awareness.

CINEMA:

Programming an array of experimental short films, animations, music videos and with live VJ performances, the cinema offers kids’ shorts by day, sound art workshops and visionary works.

HEALING AREA:

The healing and therapy area will be offering thai massage among other healing therapies. It is run by www.yelenisupport.co.uk who will be donating a percentage of their takings to cancer patients and their families.

FOOD AND DRINK:

As ever, Nozstock will be creating a varied menu combining local delights with foods of the World. A plethora of tasty meals and snacks will be offer with a chill out café for those seeking coffee-scented sanctuary.

TICKETS:

Gates open at 10am from Friday 27th July. Shuttle services will be on offer from local town Bromyard and to and from Hereford and Worcester before and after the festival.

ON SALE NOW

Early Bird Adult: £70

Early Bird Teen Ticket (13-17 yrs old): £50

Child Ticket (under 13s) FREE (must be accompanied by adult)

Camper Van/Live in Vehicle Pass £28

Parking Pass Full Weekend £5 in advance

ON SALE SOON

Adult Advance Weekend Tickets  £80

Advanced Teen Weekend Tickets £55

Boutique Camping – details to follow soon

All those aged under 17 must be accompanied by an adult aged over 18.

Location: The Farm, Rowden Paddocks, Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4LS

Capacity: 5,000

www.nozstock.com

twitter.com/Nozstock

www.facebook.com/nozstockthehiddenvalley

• Accompany End of the Road, Bestival, Camp Bestival, Kendal Calling, Creamfields and Secret Garden Party

A band that needs no introduction – Radiohead – have decided that fan club tickets for their forthcoming UK tour will be fully exchangeabe by via the Ticket Trust ethical fan to fan ticket exchange. 

Once the UK tour is announced and goes on sale, any tickets sold via Radiohead’s w.a.s.t.e. fanclub will be exchangeable for face value via the Ticket Trust if a fan can no longer go. The Ticket Trust service will be flagged up to fans in their confirmation email on purchase.

The move is a bid to enable more Radiohead fans to see the band via tickets bought at face value, rather than at inflated prices from the secondary ticket sites, whose inner workings were recently revealed on Channel 4’s Dispatches programme. It accompanies a tightening up of terms to reduce touting, with fans limited to purchasing two tickets via the fanclub, with names registered and photo ID required for entry.

Joining Radiohead are The Eden Sessions, the summer series of concerts at the Eden Project, Cornwall.  The Eden Sessions have already listed their July Blink 182 show with the Ticket Trust, and further sessions will be listed with the Ticket Trust as they sell out, enabling fans to exchange tickets at face value.  The Eden Sessions will promoting the Ticket Trust site via their web site, social media and local press.

Meanwhile Secret Garden Party has just listed with The Ticket Trust and Kendal Calling, Bestival and Camp Bestival are in the process of registering their 2012 events.  In 2011, tickets were ethically exchanged for End of the Road, Bestival, Camp Bestival, Kendal Calling, Creamfields and Secret Garden Party.

Said Chris Hufford & Bryce Edge, Courtyard Management “Radiohead are fortunate enough to have a loyal and passionate fan base cultivated over many years. Their live shows are well anticipated and rightly create a tangible sense of excitement through innovative staging. In recent years however, the band’s enjoyment of their own shows has been marred by the knowledge that a great many of their fans have been obliged to pay well over face value for their tickets.

“Secondary ticketing is wrong on so many levels and as management, with ultimate responsibility for the welfare of the band, we must ensure that their fans are treated fairly. This is why we are happy to work with The Ticket Trust”

Commented John Empson, The Eden Sessions “The Dispatches documentary on secondary ticketing further establishes the vital role of the Ticket Trust in establishing a fair market place for the public .

“The Eden Sessions fully supports the Ticket Trust and we will be encouraging our ticket holders to trade unwanted tickets there and not at sites that charge prohibitively high premiums. We respect our customers and giving them the chance to resell unwanted tickets at a fair price further endorses that.”

Ben Turner, AIF co-founder, stated: “The Ticket Trust was created by AIF with Sandbag, who work closely with Radiohead, and we’re delighted to now confirm that the band will use our face-value ticket exchange on forthcoming tour dates. There can be no greater response to the recent media spotlight on the secondary ticketing market than this development. AIF welcomes other bands and managers to join the Ticket Trust as the music industry finally starts to look within to put its house in order.” 

Added Sofia Hagberg, Director, End of the Road Festival “Watching Dispatches about the secondary ticketing market raises important questions and it made me feel even more proud to know that we are one of the independent promoters that are doing what we can to combat this problem by making sure that any of our tickets that are being re-sold by our fans are only done so via Ticket Trust – the ethical ticket exchange site.”

Said Toki Allison, Festival Coordinator, Nozstock “It’s always been a major concern of ours that there appeared to be such a compromise of fairness and value for money with secondary ticketing sites charging such high fees, and we were shocked to discover the amounts of money being swindled from fans across the country.

“It’s something we’re conscientious about here at Nozstock The Hidden Valley, selling the vast majority of our tickets directly from our own site with a minimal booking fee. We are fully in support of the AIF’s new initiative the Ticket Trust and stand full square behind legitimate, morally ethical and genuine fan-based swap sites such as this.”

About TheTicketTrust

The exchange, at www.thetickettrust.com, will enable festival and gig goers to  safely, securely and ethically sell and purchase tickets to listed events at face value, without the fear of fraud.

Ticket holders who need to legitimately return unwanted tickets will register them onto the site, and then send the tickets to The Ticket Trust for verification before they are made available for sale by The Ticket Trust.

The tickets will be sold on at the normal ticket price, plus a handling fee, capped at a maximum of 10%, payable by the buyer.  On purchase, the tickets will then be either dispatched securely or held at the event box office for the buyer, with the seller being credited the full ticket price to their bank account.

Only authentic tickets will be used by the service and counterfeit tickets will be intercepted and confiscated, helping to protect against fraud.

The Ticket Trust has been created by the Association of Independent Festivals in partnership with leading ethical merchandise and e-commerce specialists Sandbag Ltd

About AIF

The Association of Independent Festivals is a not for profit body set up in 2008 to represent independent music festivals in the UK and Ireland.

Conceived by Bestival promoter Rob da Bank and Graphite’s Ben Turner, the association’s founder members included Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Creamfields, Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Secret Garden Party, Summer Sundae Weekender and WOMAD.

With 31 members ranging from Bromley’s Leefest to the 55,000 capacity Bestival in the Isle of Wight, AIF enables the promoters of some of the UK & Ireland’s most innovative and successful festivals to speak with one voice when addressing the wider music business and government.

AIF aims to establish best practice for festivals in a variety of areas such as security, the environment and beyond, providing a knowledge base for festival promoters, as well as creating collective purchasing and marketing opportunities for its members.

AIF operates as an autonomous division of the Association of Independent Music.

www.aiforg.com

• Sofia Hagberg (End of the Road Festival) and Dominique Czopor (The Boileroom / we:Live) Finalise Line-up for ‘Get Plugged In’

Sofia Hagberg, director of the hugely successful End of the Road Festival and Dominique Czopor, Owner of Guildford venue The Boileroom complete the lineup for MusicTank’s music promotion course Get Plugged In: Live Music, Promotion and Venue Management. Following the success of its oversubscribed debut in 2011, MusicTank is again partnering with Andy Inglis, the hugely respected co-creator and manager of north London venue The Luminaire.

Inglis will be joined by a raft of leading industry figures such as Jonas Vebner (head of Music Export Norway’s UK office), Steve Tilley (National Promoter, Kilimanjaro), Dave Newton (founder, WeGotTickets) and now Sofia Hagberg (Director, End of the Road Festival) and Dominique Czopor (Owner, The Boileroom).

Designed as a much needed best-practice roadmap of the processes involved in live music promoting and venue management, the five part course draws on Inglis’ two decades of experience, sharing lessons learned and highlighting the pitfalls plaguing promoters and venue operators UK-wide.

The course will cover an extensive range of topics concerning venue owners, promoters and programmers such as promotion, ticketing and licensing legislation as well as the future issues facing Britain’s venues.

Despite the 100 Club’s rescue from the brink there have been some much publicised London closures of late, The Luminaire itself not escaping the recession’s icy clutches. Part of the course will investigate the events that led to its closure, as well as what this award winning venue did to gain such an avid following and a special place in the hearts of Londoners.

Appealing to venue promoters and owners as well as tour managers, booking agents and artists, this extensive course promises to guide and encourage those learning their trade as well as identify the risks felling even the industry titans in one of the last sectors of the business still able to generate income for new bands.

Jonathan Robinson,  Programme Director MusicTank said “Despite the economic challenges that lie ahead, 2012 could be a breakthrough year for small venues across the UK.  With reforms to the Licensing Act set to ease the sector and the appetite for big ticket arena concerts on the wane, there’s no better time for small venue operators and promoters to update their knowledge, refresh their skills and drive new business.”

Said Andy Inglis; “The Luminaire was a six year long education for me in customer service, what’s right and wrong with the live industry in London, and what’s so important about socks and 9v batteries that they appeared on almost ever backstage rider I ever saw. I’ll lay bare my experiences without concern for my own embarrassment, celebrate those who helped both artist and audience in their search of a fulfilling gigging experience, and castigate those who seek to put obstacles in their way. And I’ll swear reasonably frequently.”

Course: Get Plugged In: Live Music, Promotion and Venue Management

Date & Time:

18.00 – 21.00 Feb 27 2012, Mar 05, 12, 19 & 26

Venue:

The Boardroom, University of Westminster, Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW

Prices:

MusicTank Members: MT student members £150 | MT Individual members £170 | Full price £229

Speakers:

• Course tutor: Andy Inglis, co-creator and manager, The Luminaire

• Jonas Vebner (head of Music Export Norway’s UK office)
• Steve Tilley (National Promoter at Kilimanjaro)
• Dave Newton (founder of WeGotTickets)
• Sofia Hagberg (End of the Road Festival)
• Dominique Czopor (Owner, The Boileroom / we:Live)

Book here: http://www.musictank.co.uk/events/courses/get-plugged-in-live-music-promotion-and-venue-management-2012

2012 COURSE

Course Tutor: Andy Inglis, co-founder The Luminaire

Targeting tour managers, promoters, booking agents, marketers, DIY artists and small-to-medium sized venue owners and operators, this innovative 5-part course will provide all with a thorough grounding in the business of live music. Current practice will also be analyzed in an open forum, to distill ways of improving revenue and maximizing opportunity.

Drawing from an extensive pool of experience, Luminiare co-founder Andy Inglis, with industry guests, will be looking at the live music industry’s continually evolving ecosystem providing pointers for best practice and comparing UK and European markets and help inform and inspire a new wave of live industry entrepreneur.

COURSE OUTLINE

1. The Lie Of The Land: Sector Overview – 27^th February 2012
From 150 capacity rooms like The Windmill in Brixton, to 20,000 all-seated arenas, we’ll examine both the common issues (marketing and promotion, how to turn a profit, customer service) and the unique issues they face (how to keep the regular bar punters happy while there’s a Japanese noise core band playing in the corner, in the case of The Windmill). This introductory session will also consider the changing nature of the audience in a world where attention spans are shortening, where technology and an explosion in media makes never leaving the house an attractive proposition, and how venues can adapt to cope and survive in the teeth of arguably the worst economic crisis in history.

2. Selling The Gig: Marketing & Promotion – 5^th March 2012
From promoting the barely-breaking-even backroom gig, right up to sold out arena shows, we’ll consider the full gamut of marketing methods available. From traditional press ads, flyers, posters and street teams to the constantly evolving digital methods and platforms: e-lists, Facebook, Twitter and whatever else has appeared in the past five minutes, we’ll establish what works, what doesn’t and what’s best value for money. What tricks can be learned from the likes of Live Nation and Kilimanjaro and what do the cream of indie gig promoters keep up their sleeve?

3. Selling The Gig: Ticketing – 12^th March 2012 
From Ticketmaster and WeGotTickets to the new direct-to-fan companies snapping at their heels, we’ll look at booking and administration fees, kickbacks, paperless tickets, entry systems, fraud and what new technology has in store for the future of ticketing. For those with sell out gigs on their hands we’ll also consider the new front opened by a contentious secondary ticketing market jostling for a slice of a particular huge and tasty pie.

4. Compliance – 19^th March 2012 
Venue owners and promoters face a slew of legislation top-down; from the proposed changes to the Licensing Act (seldom out of the news) to a burgeoning raft of health and safety legislation, noise abatement issues, security and temporary event notices. How does this affect the day-to-day of the live sector, who exactly is responsible for what and how is this legislation best managed?

5. Learning By Example – UK & Overseas Case Studies – 26^th March 2012
The Luminaire…from award-winning venue to shut-down in under six years. A thorough examination of why it was opened, how it tried to be different, how it was received by the audience, artists and industry, what went right, what went wrong and what its legacy was – if indeed it left one – from one of the people who built and managed it. For an international perspective, we’ll look at other markets covering mainland Europe, how things differ to the UK, particularly where state funding is concerned. We’ll also take a look at that super-rich anomaly of Norway – the world’s third largest oil exporter, pumping tens of millions of pounds into culture a year.

-ends-

NOTES FOR EDITORS

ABOUT MUSICTANK

Unique among the music business’ many and various interest bodies, MusicTank is the country’s leading, independent, sector-specific business development network for the UK music industry.

Established in 2003 to inform and guide the future shape of the music business through engagement with industry, change and innovation, MusicTank has built an enviable reputation for its ongoing and unique programme of think tank debates, events, occasional courses and conferences, a natural progression from which has been the delivery of incisive reports commissioned from key industry figureheads.

Its content-rich website – www.musictank.co.uk – contains a wealth of industry information and resources, together with event transcripts and podcasts, news and research papers. Visitors to the site can sign up to a free monthly e-mail newsletter, and for a small annual subscription become members, giving access to premium content.

MusicTank is owned and operated by University of Westminster.

PRESS CONTACT

Hugo Mintz, Name PR

hugo@namepr.co.uk / 020 8357 7305

Structural and Crowd Safety Conference

11:30am -6:30pm February 3rd 2012

Level 5, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre

SE1 8XX

• Panels to Include Chris Kemp, Bucks University; Simon James, Event Safety Shop; Andy Yates, Webb Yates Engineers

26th January, London:- Following the tragic festival stage collapses that shocked the world last summer, Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) will host a Structural and Crowd Safety Conference that examines the engineering details of outdoor structures, emergency planning procedures and insight into climate issues and resulting safety implications.

Throughout the day there will be a range of panels and presentations from some of the industry’s most experienced and innovative structural safety and health & safety experts including Chris Kemp, International Centre for Crowd Management and Safety Studies (ICCMSS) /Bucks University; Simon James, The Event Safety Shop; Andy Yates, Webb Yates Engineers; Roger Barrett, Star Events Group; Richard Bryan, Bearded Theory Festival and Rudi Enos, Special Structures Lab.

The stage collapses last festival season and the ensuing loss of life occurred in extenuating weather conditions although at an alarming amount of international festivals. The tragedies highlighted shortcomings in both the large temporary structures that are available on the market and the implementation of emergency procedures. Despite the fact that none of the festivals affected were British or AIF members, safety issues affect the whole of the festival industry and they need to be investigated and addressed with the help of safety and structural experts to prevent such disasters closer to home.

The morning of the conference will consist of a workshop from the crowd management specialist, Tony Ball (ICCMSS) who will investigate emergency crowd evacuation and accompanying health and safety training.

The workshop will then be followed by two panels and two presentations:

• Presentation One: Rudi Enos  senior designer and Co-founder of Special Structures Lab will display footage of the Pukkelpop and Indiana State Fair stage collapses and address the fundamental causes for the collapses from an engineering perspective.
• Presentation Two:  Chris Kemp, Bucks New University and ICCMSS, will discuss the European response to climate issues and resulting structural safety implications.

• Structural Safety at Outdoor Events Panel will cover how to make structures safe at outdoor events, what to look for when booking them and strategy for handling adverse weather conditions.

The following individuals will make up the panel:

Andy Lenthall, PSA (Production Services Association) – Moderator

Andy Yates, Webb Yates Engineers

Richard Bryan, Spring Music Ltd / Bearded Theory Festival

Roger Barrett, STAR Events Group

Simon James, The Event Safety Shop

• Emergency Planning for Crowd Safety Panel will explore preparing for emergency crowd evacuation and minimizing damage should disaster strike.

The following individuals will make up the panel:

Chris Kemp, Bucks New University / International Centre for Crowd Management and Safety Studies

Simon James, The Event Safety Shop

Jim King, Loud Sound

Those attending the entire day’s workshop, presentations and panels will receive a certificate of attendance accredited by Bucks New University.

Roger Barrett of STAR Event Group said “In my experience, the lack of basic engineering knowledge shown by a great many suppliers of temporary structures to festivals is nothing short of disgraceful, so whose fault is it that they get the work?”

Ben Turner, Co-founder and Deputy Chair, AIF commented “AIF feels that not just hired experts, but the festival owners themselves need to understand the reasons for an increase in these incidents. It is important that the key stakeholders and the industry at large have a clearer understanding of this critically important aspect of putting on live events. From the initial response to this seminar it is also clear that this is a feeling shared by many in the industry.

——————————————-

Event Details

Date:                                         3^rd February 2012

Time:                                         Morning Session - 11:30 to 13:00

Afternoon Sessions – 13:30 to 18:30

Venue:                                                      Level 5 Function Room, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road,

London SE1 8XX

Cost:          Full day Conference:   £35 + vat Full day AIF Members / Student concession : £20 + vat

Afternoon Panels :      Complimentary for industry and events students

Tickets must be purchased in advance from www.musicindie.com/events/aim/2012/02/03/1123

Full Schedule

11:00 -11:30 (30 mins) MORNING REGISTRATION

11:30 – 13:00 (1 hr 30 mins) WORKSHOP

Bucks University / International Centre for Crowd Management and Safety Studies

13.00 – 14.00 (1 hr) LUNCH BREAK 

13:30 – 14:00 (30 mins) AFTERNOON REGISTRATION

14:00 – 14:30 (30 mins) PRESENTATION

Rudi Enos – TBC

14:30 – 14:45 (15 mins) PRESENTATION

Insurance Presentation

14:45 – 15:15 (30 mins) PRESENTATION

Chris Kemp – European Response to Climate Issues

15:15 – 15:30 SHORT BREAK (15 mins)

15:30 – 16:45 (1 hr 15 mins) PANEL / Q&A

Structural Safety and Outdoor Events

16:45 – 17:00 SHORT BREAK w refreshments (15 mins)

17:00 – 18:15 (1 hr 15 mins) PANEL / Q&A

Emergency Planning for Crowd Safety

18:15 – 18:30 CONCLUSION

Closing comments, conclusions and action points

18:30 – CLOSE

About AIF

The Association of Independent Festivals is a not for profit body set up in 2008 to represent independent music festivals in the UK and Ireland.

Conceived by Bestival promoter Rob da Bank and Graphite’s Ben Turner, the association’s founder members included Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Creamfields, Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Secret Garden Party, Summer Sundae Weekender and WOMAD.

With 31 members ranging from Bromley’s Leefest to the 55,000 capacity Bestival in the Isle of Wight, AIF enables the promoters of some of the UK & Ireland’s most innovative and successful festivals to speak with one voice when addressing the wider music business and government.

AIF aims to establish best practice for festivals in a variety of areas such as security, the environment and beyond, providing a knowledge base for festival promoters, as well as creating collective purchasing and marketing opportunities for its members.

AIF operates as an autonomous division of the Association of Independent Music.

The great Scottish singer and song writer Jackie Leven passed away on Monday, 14^th November, at 8 o’clock in the evening. He had suffered from cancer.

“There are spiritual story tellers and there are soulful story tellers. I hope to be a soulful story teller. I see the two kinds as two different directions. Spiritual is ascending. Sky, God and all that. I hope my story telling is going down into the earth, is wetter, has more moisture.”        Jackie Leven

Born on June 18th 1950 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, Jackie Leven had a richer and more eventful life to draw inspiration from than most other dedicated followers of the bardic tradition. And when Leven sang so sonorously of the depths of pain he knew what he was singing about as much as when he sang of wild adventures in far flung places in Europe, love found and lost in a drab corner of Birmingham, and defiantly different loners like the Irish transsexual hitman who was the inspiration behind the title-track of his 2008 album “Lovers at the Gun Club”.

Childhood taught Jackie Leven what it meant to be an outsider. His father an Irish Cockney, his mother a Geordie, the family were treated as intruders by the close-knit and conservative Glenrothes community, especially as they also came from a Romany background. Typical for Jackie’s rollercoaster life is the time in the early 1960s when he won the national Scottish Round Table School Essay competition (he had written about his dream of becoming a travelling musician) only to become the first boy in Scotland a few weeks later to be expelled from school for the possession of drugs. Married at 16, Jackie worked in a missile factory when, at 17, he became the target of a local gang that prevented him from returning home for weeks. In the end, Jackie grabbed his guitar and began a peripatetic life that lasted well over a decade. He worked as a farm labourer in all corners of Britain, spent time by the wall in Berlin, lived in County Kerry, Ireland, and ended up in Madrid where, under the name John St.Field, he released his first album, “Control” (the title is not without ironic undertone, since Spain was then still under the rule of the dictator Franco).

Back in London, on the cusp between Punk and New Wave, Leven formed Doll By Doll, a band whose ferociously intense Rock sound and existential lyrics were at odds with the much more playful attitudes prevalent at the time. Like all truly innovative bands, Doll By Doll sharply divided opinions. Unforgettable to anyone who ever experienced them live, they were several years too early for their own good. “People used to say that our songs were depressing.” remembers Leven: “What the fuck were they talking about? I cannot hear them as depressing at all. Probably they meant depressing to us the record company because we know we can’t sell it.”

Doll By Doll released four albums – the last of which numbered Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour amongst the guest musicians – before splitting up in 1983. Shortly after, Leven signed a solo record deal with the then laudably diverse Charisma/Virgin Records – it was an act that changed his life in a tragic and not at all anticipated way. Walking down Market Street in Islington late at night after a recording session, he was attacked at random by a complete stranger, strangled and slashed across the throat. He was unable to speak for several months before discovering he had also been robbed of his ability to sing falsetto. Leven turned to heroin for solace. For several years, the drug became the centre of his life. First, he painfully but successfully weaned himself off the drug thanks to a course of traditional Chinese five-element acupuncture as well as psychic healing. Following his recovery, he co-founded the CORE Trust, an organisation still operating today in the central London and dedicated to a holistic approach to dealing with addiction.

The first public signs of Jackie’s re-birth as an artist came in 1994 when he released two new albums, “Songs from the Argyll Cycle, Volume 1″ (a “Scotland only release”, said the sleeve), and the richly textured “The Mystery of Love is Greater than the Mystery of Death”, a cast-in-stone classic that featured in a good number of “best of the year” lists that December and served to define Jackie’s style ever since. Helping him on an album that combined Rock with hints of Blues and Gospel and melodies steeped in Scottish and Irish tradition, were Waterboy Mike Scott as well as the American poet Robert Bly whose “Men’s Movement” philosophy Leven admired at the time. “I didn’t have a conscious aim in the sense of a manifesto,” says Leven. “But I think I wanted to be a severe writer. I like things that are severe. That doesn’t mean I like harsh music or harsh art. But I love it when someone puts you into that intense moment of what they’re doing. I can’t live without that in my own writing. Nothing would ever shake me from that intense, severe thing in the song.”

Those two albums in 1994 marked the start of a exceptionally varied and fecund second artistic life for Jackie. He has released twenty-four albums since, all of which are filled to the brim with his unique sense of melody, dramatic story-telling and lyrical depth. Amongst these, in 2004, was “Jackie Leven Said”, a remarkable recording of the combined forces of Leven and a long-term fan, the Scottish author Ian Rankin, creator of the hard-drinking, hard-thinking Edinburgh cop D.I. John Rebus. Around the same time, the fascinating pairing of Leven and Pere Ubu himself, David Thomas, could be seen performing in various European venues under the heading Ubudoll.

The usual music business habit of releasing a new album every two years or so was no longer enough to contain the thick flow of music generated by Jackie Leven’s intense muse. This was, of course, a reflection of Jackie’s similarly intense thirst for life. Those who knew him best tell of a bear of a man bursting with wit, humour and spirit, always springing a trick or two on unsuspecting friends, and counting amongst his greatest achievements a whiskey called “Leven’s Lament”, especially bottled in his honour by the Scottish distillers of Islay Mist. Long after having eased himself into a more settled life in rural Hamphsire, he still set off once a year with a sleeping bag and a handful of books for a very long walk in the countryside. Jackie’s creative force was unstoppable. In 2009 alone he released no fewer than five albums. Four of these contained two albums each that had previously been available only through “The Haunted Valley”, a sort of secret society that published a quarterly magazine and one album a year for the inner circle of Leven-appreciators. In the same year, 2009, Leven also released his third album under the pseudonym Sir Vincent Lone, an alter ego invented for the sole purpose of creating more room to release records and to give vent to some of his more experimental ideas.

After that, Jackie Leven released two more albums, “Gothic Road” (2010) and “Wayside Shrines and the Code of the Travelling Man” (2011), the latter featuring – as have many of the albums before – Michael Cosgrave. It featured songs written mostly in German and Austrian hotel rooms. Martin Goldschmidt, the Cooking Vinyl Records founder, another long-standing Leven fan who has released all Jackie’s albums since “Argyll Cycle”, rightly regards it as Jackie’s best album after “The Mystery of Love…”. Jackie, with a typical twinkle in the eye, described it as “the world’s first homeopathic record”: “In the true homeopathic way, we have taken a sound – in this case a sound which represents grief – grieving is something we are not so good at in the West, and we have diluted that sound in the songs so much that you can no longer hear it, but the “memory” of the sound is still there. For this reason, the more you listen to this record, the better you will feel about the real sadness in your life.”

For an introduction to his music or if just to reminisce click below:

Jackie Leven – The Mystery of Love (Is Greater Than The Mystery Of Death)

§  AIF launches Entry Level Membership option to introduce budding festivals into the fold

1 September 2011, London:- Despite discouraging accounts of the festival scene this year, all is not doom and gloom as a number of AIF festival members have sold out, some for the first time and others at record speed.

AIF members Secret Garden Party, Camp Bestival, Green Man and as of last Friday, Bestival have all sold out this year joining dance powerhouse Creamfields and boutique festivals Kendal Calling and End of the Road which all sold out in record time. Womad, the large capacity world music, arts and dance festival also had a 30% increase in sales over last year.

Ben Turner, co–founder of AIF states “In what is clearly a troublesome year for the UK in general, it is incredible that so many of the independent festivals have sold out or had record years for ticket sales. I think it shows that people are finding warmth and inspiration from the more creative end of the festival sector. The love being put in by our promoters is being sent back by consumers voting with their feet.”

Says Rob da Bank, Bestival, Camp Bestival and AIF board member, “Obviously it’s been a tricky year for festivals, but there doesn’t seem to be a set trend. Some of our AIF festivals have sold out in record time, others haven’t sold as well as in previous years. I’m glad that Camp Bestival sold out and that Bestival just sold out over the weekend, for its fifth year running. But as I always say to other promoters around the AIF boardroom table – we’re only as good as our last year so we never rest on our laurels…”

Sofia Hagberg, Director of sold out End of the Road Festival claims, “Saleswise, this has been a vintage year for us. The festival capacity has grown slightly, and we still sold out in record time, around two months earlier than last year. It’s always hard to say why, but we think there are two main factors. The increase in capacity basically allowed us to book an even better lineup than ever before. Secondly, every year we’ve noticed that sell-out happens sooner. We’re still one of the younger festivals on the circuit and our growing reputation and word of mouth means that new people are still finding out about us each year.”

Director of Kendal Calling, Ben Robinson says, “Kendal Calling increased capacity and sold out in record time this summer. Now in its 6th year Kendal Calling has grown from 900 capacity to 10,000 in that time and has increased numbers, stages and entertainment with each festival.

“The team behind the festival also launched a new series of shows called ‘Jodrell Bank Live – The Transmissions’. Selling out of tickets in just three weeks the mini one-day science and music themed festival featured Astronomical talks and activities as well as shows from The Flaming Lips, British Sea Power and OKGO. It’s been a superb summer for us and tickets for our events are becoming ever more desirable.”

James Barton, Creamfields says “This is the fastest selling Creamfields to date and the 3^rd consecutive year we’ve sold out. Demand for tickets was such that we increased the capacity by an extra 10,000 taking it to 50,000 people and this has still been our fastest selling Creamfields to date. Over the last 14 years we have consistently invested into all areas of the show, from line up to production and security – all of these factors are important to maintain and improve on.  If there’s one thing we’ve learnt over the years, it is to never become complacent.“

AIF’s board members have vast experience in festival promotion and a good feel for what makes for a successful festival. Factors include a good understanding of the audience, willingness to plough profits back in for constant improvements, having the flexibility to try new creative ideas, and the ability to run a safe festival site. A good relationship with local communities and authorities, and a site that works well whatever the weather will help events along the way.

With a view toward sharing this knowledge with festivals in their difficult early years, AIF have developed a new low cost membership level, tailored to early stage promoters, especially first year festivals with a capacity of under 10,000.  This will enable budding festivals to receive basic support in the fundamentals of organising a large event for as little as £250.

From supplier discounts to networking opportunities AIF can offer a great deal to the up-and-coming promoter Claire O’Neill, General Manager of AIF explains.” AIF can open the door to a host of good contacts, initiatives and an experienced team to give advice and help to avoid some of the fundamental mistakes that can be made in early years.”

Two new members have just recently taken AIF up on this opportunity and been welcomed into the association: London Green Fair, a free and environmentally conscious fair in the heart of London and Lubstock, a flourishing acoustic festival in Leicestershire.

The fact that these and other festivals are popping up and others selling out in a saturated market during a recessionary period is a testament to the buoyancy of the UK live music sector.

Entry Level Member benefits Include:

• Free entry to AIF organised networking and discussion events.
• Learning about issues such as theft and crime, to help create a safer and more enjoyable festival experience via newsletters, contacting the Association and at AIF hosted and discounted events.
• Up to 20% discount on event insurance with industry experts Robertson Taylor and Doodson.
• Lobbying power on legal and industry issues.
• Inclusion in audience surveys and economic impact assessments, plus exclusive access to full survey results.
• Access to advice regarding environmental management in association with A Greener            Festival.
• Discounted admission to industry events and conferences.
• Advisory body for issues in the overall live industry.
• Access to Members section of the AIF website to view online resources, special offers and job applications.
• Introductions to key service providers: security, legal, financial, ticketing, insurance and more.
• Exclusive member discounts and offers with key service providers and subcontractors.
• Email updates on essential issues and diary dates
• Work experience scheme bringing music & event business students into independent festivals.
• Shared resources and skills with the Association of Independent Music.

Upon completing their membership at this level, festivals will be able to upgrade their next annual membership which will include the key advantage of invitation to the bi-monthly member meetings and the Friends of AIF Annual Networking Event in order to make alliances and share knowledge/resources with fellow festivals and international partners.

Membership Options:

Less than 10,000 Capacity Start Ups                                                         £250 +VAT

Registered Charity / Free Event / Less Than 1000 Capacity             £500 +VAT

1000 to 5000 Capacity                                                                                     £750 +VAT

5001 to 7500 Capacity                                                                     £850 +VAT

7501 to 10000 Capacity                                                                   £1,000 +VAT

10001+  Capacity                                                                                               15% of licensed capacity

In addition to these membership levels, festivals outside the UK that are run by UK based promoters receive a 30% discount and international festivals receive 50%.

Claire O’Neill, General Manager of AIF said: “Organising a festival is a massive and risky endeavour. We don’t encourage anyone to embark on this path… however, many out there will choose to get started on this rocky road each year. The new entry level membership is a way for new, young festivals to gain information via an experienced support network whilst organising their event.  Of course the success of a festival is dependent upon the festival’s own uniqueness and internal organisation. What AIF can do is open the door to a host of good contacts, initiatives and an experienced team to give advice and help to avoid some of the fundamental mistakes that can be made in early years.

“People will continue to want to organise festivals, driven by their passion for music, some form of entertainment or message. We’re faced with an oversaturated market – but at least it can’t be called stagnant. Whilst we don’t encourage people to start new festivals, what we do aim to encourage is best practice, innovation, diversity and creativity.”

For enquiries on how to register as a member of AIF, please contact:

Emmy Buckingham / emmy@aiforg.com

The Association of Independent Festivals is a not for profit body set up in 2008 to represent independent music festivals in the UK and Ireland.

Conceived by Bestival promoter Rob da Bank and Graphite’s Ben Turner, the association’s founder members included Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Creamfields, Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Secret Garden Party, Summer Sundae Weekender and WOMAD.

With 31 members ranging from Bromley’s Leefest to the 55,000 capacity Bestival in the Isle of Wight, AIF enables the promoters of some of the UK & Ireland’s most innovative and successful festivals to speak with one voice when addressing the wider music business and government.

AIF aims to establish best practice for festivals in a variety of areas such as security, the environment and beyond, providing a knowledge base for festival promoters, as well as creating collective purchasing and marketing opportunities for its members.

AIF operates as an autonomous division of the Association of Independent Music.

For press enquiries please contact:

Hugo Mintz/ hugo@namepr.co.uk   020 835 77305