Keith Ames

News & events

Hootenanny online

05/02/202505/02/2025

An extremely useful meeting today in Adam Street, the Strand, with Chris Peabody and Grace Taylor, the principal executives behind the Hootenanny initiative for the industry. This aims to connect artists with fans, build community, and drive revenue effortlessly. The facility offers a single platform for music and community, generating exclusive events and fan-only opportunities. Chris and Grace kindly explained in detail how artists and bands directly benefit from the business, plus expressed interest in my own album releases.

News & events

Ripley celebration

02/02/202504/02/2025

Julie and I drove over to Ripley this evening, to join our friends Dave and Anya Williamson in celebrating their birthdays of note and to enjoy performances by two of his bands. Gigs of all types are such an important element of the music industry in this country and bassist Dave is a prime example of a homegrown musician who has delivered sublime playing and stage presence for decades.

News & events

Bristol visit

01/02/202502/02/2025

A very relaxing trip to Bristol for the last couple of days, as I caught up with several long-standing contacts in the city. First up was a night out with songwriter and journalist Neil Crossley and top designer Chris Stenner. I worked for twenty years with Neil, principally on The Musician magazine, and it is always rewarding to exchange news of our most recent activities.

News & events

Americana UK

22/01/202504/02/2025

I have just spent three very rewarding days at the AMA-UK Conference 2025, the annual celebration of Americana artists and music, which this year has been sponsored by travel business Sweet Home Alabama. Once again the event was centred around venues in the Hackney Central area, namely Night Tales 1 and 2, Oslo, The Moth Club and the Paper Dress.

News & events

New Year Borders

03/01/202504/02/2025

In addition to our trips to Rome, Liverpool, Jersey and Christchurch this year, we have just returned from a week in the Scottish Borders. Although delayed by 24 hours at Heathrow thanks to the heavy fog last weekend, we finally flew from London City Airport and arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday evening.

News & events

Power Pop Radio

30/12/202412/01/2025

My thanks to Simon Lloyd of Power Pop Radio, who played my track Nicoll Road today on the internet based station. Power Pop Radio is a popular Hit Music Radio Station in the East Midlands, broadcasting across Long Eaton, Derby and Nottingham and surrounding boroughs.

News & events

Crisis at Christmas

26/12/202427/12/2024

Crisis was formed in 1967 as a response to growing homelessness across the UK. Since then the charity has helped tens of thousands of people out of homelessness and campaigned for change. The organisation now has a comprehensive network of premises designated as hotels and day centres.

News & events

West End lights

23/12/202425/01/2025

Julie, Ben and I could be found in the West End today as we had tickets for the Fawlty Towers recreation at the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue. Our seats were right up at the top of the steep balcony and certainly presented a challenging view of the stage!

News & events

BBC reception

16/12/202417/12/2024

An upbeat evening at the offices of the BBC in Portland Place for their annual External Affairs drinks reception. My thanks to Vanessa Elliott, Senior Head of Communications, for the valuable invitation.

News & events

Carol concert

09/12/202410/12/2024

Each year the Lords Taverners, who have been empowering young people through cricket since 1950, host a fund-raising carol concert. This year the event was held in the glorious surroundings of the ‘Cathedral of the Arts and Crafts’, the Holy Trinity Church in Sloane Square, Chelsea, and I was kindly invited as a guest of the Music Committee.

News & events

Music Makers

04/12/202407/12/2024

A packed crowd of names from across the music industry squeezed into The Editor’s Tap in Fetter Lane tonight at the invitation of the Council of Music Makers. Another of the events arranged to mark the year’s end and to bring together members and friends of The Ivors Academy, the Featured Artists Coalition, Music Managers Forum, Music Producers Guild and the MU.

News & events

Neighbourhood

30/11/202401/12/2024

A superb evening at the Neighbourhood Church Hall in Beckenham as organisers Steve and Ben hosted a sold out ‘Neighbourhood Session’ featuring the vocal talents and songwriting of Lady Nade and Lydia Clowes.

News & events

PPL party

29/11/202429/11/2024

PPL, the UK’s music licensing company for over 140,000 performers and recording rights holders, hosted their pre-Christmas drinks reception at Skylon this afternoon.

News & events

Across the river

26/11/202430/11/2024

I met the wonderful Debbie Rogerson, BBC music supervisor, over lunch at the Crown & Sceptre, Great Titchfield St, W1 today. Always a total pleasure to catch up with her.

News & events

Rosemary Branch

24/11/202427/11/2024

A fun afternoon at the upstairs theatre in the classic Rosemary Branch pub in Shepperton Road, London N1, courtesy of the superb songwriter Robb Johnson and the cast of his musical drama, Murder at the Grange.

News & events

Vinyl labels

07/11/202418/12/2024

More news on the vinyl manufacturing front: gracious supplier David Noonan has kindly offered to produce a small run with The Vinyl Factory of my Waterloo Sunrise album with revised black and white labels. The test pressings for these arrived today and once the test discs have been given approval, courtesy of a listening session on 22nd November at Mike Thorne’s excellent studio, this latest manufacturing run will be underway.

News & events

Bandcamp

05/11/202402/12/2024

I am delighted to confirm that the Birdcage album is now available from my artist site on Bandcamp. The collection of twelve tracks has been remastered and can be downloaded and purchased in 16-bit / 44.1kHz.

News & events

FAC

30/10/202405/11/2024

I attended the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) AGM this evening at the KEF Gallery in central London and met many leading lights in the organisation including CEO David Martin, Blur’s David Rowntree and renowned songwriter Katie Melua.

Selected archive