I could be found tonight at the excellent Under the Bridge venue, Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, for the inaugural Drake Yolanda Award event.
Tag: Events
Ivors Academy
The Ivors Academy was launched this week, following the renaming and rebranding of BASCA, the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
StradFest
The Strad magazine in partnership with John & Arthur Beare Violins hosted the first ever StradFest at the Royal Institution, Albemarle St, Mayfair today. The event consisted of a series of workshops, presentations, seminars and exhibition stands across two floors, with the MU stand positioned outside the entrance to the main theatre.
John Edney
This afternoon I walked from Eden Park to Elmers End, so that I could attend the memorial service to orchestral trombonist, educator and MU activist John Edney at Beckenham Crematorium.
Showstopper!
Julie, Ben and I caught the train into town this afternoon from Eden Park to meet up with Lisa at Covent Garden station. We walked around the corner to Masala Zone and enjoyed an excellent meal, before Lisa and Ben headed for Charing Cross and home, while Julie and I walked to Shaftesbury Avenue where Julie had bought tickets for the improvisational musical show, Showstopper!
Chandos Arms
I was turning 60 on Monday 18 February and so it seemed totally appropriate to mark the moment with live music. By happy chance, there was to be a Just East of Jazz promotion at the Chandos Arms in Colindale, north London, featuring the legendary sax player Derek Nash from the Jools Holland Band.
UK Americana
I have spent the last two days working at the excellent Americana Conference 2019, hosted once again by the UK Americana Association at Hackney House, Curtain Road. This consists of a series of panels and presentations, all of which were kicked off this year by keynote speaker Rhiannon Giddens, who introduced the 2019 Conference theme of diversity, equality and inclusivity.
Talentbanq
A fun evening at Holborn Pizza Express thanks to an invitation from Ray Jones to attend the December Talentbanq showcase.
Stamford blues
It what is now apparently an annual fixture, AFC Bournemouth were drawn away to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup once again. The timing of the quarter final game, in midweek and just before Christmas, meant that it was relatively easy to purchase tickets from the official Cherries site.
Christmas fayre
It’s been a busy social period, as the UK Music lunch was followed by tonight’s annual festive drinks at Republic Media in Highgate Village, superbly hosted as ever by Sue Harris and the team.
UK Music party
My thanks to UK Music today for the invitation to The Library, Shoreditch House, Ebor Street, London E1, for their annual Christmas lunch for communications representatives and journalists in the music industry.
PPL at St James’s
An early sign that the Christmas drinks season is underway, the PPL and PRS for Music December reception, took place this afternoon at its now regular venue, 7 St James’s Street, near the end of Pall Mall.
BBC Introducing Live
It has been a busy but compelling three days at Tobacco Dock in east London representing the MU at ‘BBC Introducing Live.’ The event – now in its second year following its launch in 2017 as ‘Amplify’ – is hosted and administered by Get On Music Media, who I understand have licensed the BBC name for up to five years.
Martyn Joseph
I drove down to St Edith’s Hall in Kemsing near Sevenoaks this evening at the invitation of the superb singer/writer/guitarist Martin Joseph as he kicked-off his 33 date tour of the UK.
Westminster action
My colleagues Maddy Radcliff and John Shortell joined me outside Parliament this morning as we met highly-respected sound engineer Olga FitzRoy and many other names from the entertainment world in supporting the second reading of the “Shared Parental Leave and Pay (Extension)” bill.
MP4 v Homelessness
I was invited by Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West, to the launch this evening of MP4’s new EP at the State Rooms of the Speaker of the House in the Houses of Parliament.
Venues Day
Music Venue Trust held their 5th national networking event today in the Islington Assembly Hall and MU Live Performance Official Kelly Wood and I ran a stand in the Main Hall throughout the day.
UK Music Album Quiz
To mark National Album Day, UK Music held a quiz this evening in the Silver Cross pub in Whitehall and fifteen teams gathered at 7pm in the basement ready to meet the challenge of the organisation’s quiz masters.
Debut with the Blues
With the completion of the Labour Conference in Liverpool, I travelled down to Birmingham by train on Thursday 27th to work, for the first time, at the Conservative Party Conference.
Labour Conference
I travelled by train to Liverpool on Friday 21 September, to attend and work at this year’s Labour Party Conference taking place at the Arena and Convention Centre in the Royal Albert Docks.
Night of the Proms
Courtesy of my booking an advertisement for the MU in the Proms programme (140,000 copies on sale throughout the eighth weeks of concerts and events), I was offered two complimentary tickets to the Last Night concert at the Royal Albert Hall this evening.
Kent cricket and golf
I travelled down to Canterbury early this morning to take part in the autumn Kent Legends’ Golf Day. A healthy turnout of 22 teams took part and I lined up alongside Canterbury GC President Kerry, plus local members Neil and Richard.
