This Year’s BBC Introducing Live event at Tobacco Dock built upon the foundations laid by last year’s successful expo, attracting an audience of around 18,000 rising artists and business representatives to the east London venue.
Category:News & events
Events Forum
I was invited by the Events Industry Forum and James Heappey MP to attend the launch this afternoon, in the Churchill Room at the House of Commons, of the Forum’s report into the value of UK outdoor events to the economy.
MU in the media
In partnership with the team at Kindred PR, the MU yesterday launched its campaign to combat harassment in the music industry.
Addington Palace
I made the brief journey from Beckenham to Addington Palace Golf Club today to play in the autumn event in the Hayes’s Four Seasons competition.
UK Music Comms
I arranged with UK Music for the MU to host this month’s Comms Committee meeting at our Oval HQ today and so, at half past three this afternoon, I welcomed representatives from all the organisation’s members to 60-62 Clapham Road.
The future of food
My thanks go to Sailesh Mehta of accountants HW Fisher, who very kindly invited me to their event at the Victoria & Albert Museum this evening dedicated to sustainability and the future of food.
Venues Day
I could be found at Islington Assembly Hall early this morning, setting up the MU mini-stand at the Music Venues Trust ‘Venues Day’, which is an annual event for several hundred managers and proprietors of grassroots venues across the UK.
Beckenham CC
I attended the first meeting of the Beckenham Cricket Club Junior Section Committee this evening, in which we reviewed how the matches in the summer of 2019 were administered and how we could collectively improve the experience for players and parents, plus put plans in place for encouraging membership in 2020.
Conference season
The last two weeks have seen the MU raise its profile once more at both the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences, in Brighton and Manchester respectively.
The Musician (Sept)
I am pleased to report that the autumn issue of the MU’s award-winning magazine, The Musician, is being posted to UK based members in sustainably sourced and fully recyclable paper envelopes for the first time.
Ashridge GC
Last night I drove from MU HQ in Oval to Hemel Hempstead, where I stayed overnight, so that I could make an early start at Ashridge Golf Club, the venue for the annual PPL and PRS for Music Golf Day.
Kingston kicks
I spent an enjoyable afternoon visiting Kingston. Firstly dropping into Printstore where designer Steve Ames was ready to assist in creating “Musicians’ Passport” images for our promo materials ahead of the impending party political conferences.
Wembley sunshine
My son Ben and I caught the train from Marylebone out to Wembley Stadium this afternoon and, having enjoyed the England band playing the classics around the Bobby Moore statue, met up with my long-term England match friend Peter Brown before taking our seats in the F Section behind a goal (in what was once the home fan C Section at the old Wembley).
Upstairs at Ronnie’s
A fun evening in Soho in the company of Mark Batchelor as we shared a curry at the Delhi Brasserie and dropped in at Ronnie Scott’s following an invitation to the Cuban music night being held in the Upstairs’ bar.
Meeting AFCB
My son Ben and I are spending a few days in my hometown of Bournemouth, enjoying the summer sun and visiting old haunts around the town and in the neighbouring Christchurch and Poole.
Two days in Bath
I completed my regular mid-summer visit to magazine publishers Future Fusion in Bath today. I caught the 8am train from Paddington yesterday and arrived in good time to have a full day working on the autumn issue of The Musician magazine.
Brighton 2019
I travelled by train on Sunday from East Croydon to Brighton to attend and organise the MU’s Delegate Conference, which occurs every other year and is an opportunity for members to hear of, and question if appropriate, the work of the Union’s Executive Committee (EC) and Officials in the previous two years.
Tileyard Studios
I drove Naomi Pohl and John Shortell to Tileyard Studios in London N7 this afternoon as we delivered a comprehensive supply of MU promo materials to Girls I Rate.
PPL turns 85
The top floor of the Oxo Tower on London’s southbank was the venue for PPL’s 85th anniversary event this evening. Artists, journalists and representatives of all the trade organisations, enjoyed the summer sun burning up the outdoor walkway, which offered a superb view of the river.
Songwriting camp
I have spent a superb few days at Tilton House, near Lewes in Sussex, in the company of eleven musicians, at a songwriting camp hosted by lyricist Chris Difford of Squeeze fame. Chris has arranged over twenty-five of such retreats and it proved a fascinating exercise in co-writing with new contacts.
MPA Summer Party
I attended the third annual MPA summer party this evening at Kings Place in Kings Cross. Also there on behalf of the MU were Jamie Pullman and Natalie Witts from our London office and we spoke to many friends from across the industry, including Peter Leathem and Andrew Ames of PPL.
Prince’s GC
A superb day at a Joe Denly Testimonial event in the company of a number of Kent county cricket professionals at Prince’s Golf Club, Sandwich. I arrived mid-morning after driving down from Beckenham to find the course, sited directly next to the easterly facing coastline, benefiting from warm summer sunshine and a noticeably fresh breeze.
Delegate Conference
The contents of the MU’s 2019 Conference Report have been edited and laid out in the eye-catching new format, which significantly benefits from supporting graphics, illustrations and photos.
