Music Venue Trust announces acts for series of gigs at London’s Grassroots Music venues
Kevin Whitlock
Friday, August 5, 2022
Charity The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has partnered with FREE NOW (a leading mobility app provider and the headline sponsor of the Mercury Prize) has partnered with to announce a series of gigs by an eclectic range of artists in London’s grassroots venues
The dates are part of a series of gigs organised by MVT and supported by FREE NOW, in a partnership that will see the latter sponsoring the costs of 120 shows by future Mercury Prize hopefuls in 60 grassroots music venues in London, Edinburgh and Manchester. The series, which will take place in 2022 and 2023, underlines the crucial role of grassroots venues within the music industry’s ecosystem in providing platforms for emerging and established artists. Internationally renowned jazz harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and her Trio have already performed as part of the initiative.
The first tranche of gigs (all in London) announced are as follows: 5 August, The Sultan Stevenson Trio - Jazzlive at the Crypt and J.Ibz - The RecordShop, N22; 6 Aug, Faers + Debts + Joe Kellino's Miracle Medicine Show + Indigo apartment – Trinity Bar, Harrow; 11 Aug,
John Doherty - West Hampstead Arts Club; 12 Aug Big Dummy + BLOKE + Sierpinski - Paper Dress Vintage; 13 Aug, Jose McGill & The Vagaband – Green Note; 19 Aug, Seun Kuti - Fox & Firkin, SE13; 20 Aug, Ye Nuns - The Lexington, N1; 25 Aug, Longheads + Butch Kassidy - Bermondsey Social Club; 1 September, Rossa Murry - The Harrison.
Russell Occomore of Jazzlive at the Crypt, where The Sultan Stevenson Trio will be performing, said: “We’re delighted to feature some of the FREE NOW shows at The Crypt. We are a niche venue promoting jazz music and it’s often difficult to find sponsors and partners in the private sector who recognise the importance of grassroots venues in nurturing our wonderful music scene. Therefore, we are excited to take part in this initiative”
As part of the initiative, leading rock group Public Service Broadcasting will play a show at Peckham Audio on 23 August, the first of three ‘hero’ shows that will see big artists return to small grass-roots music venues.
To launch this new series of live music events, FREE NOW is also giving 50% off the first two rides (up to £8) when gig goers download the FREE NOW app.
For more info visit www.musicvenuetrust.com and www.freenow.com