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News just in

Friday 26th June 2009

Leicester band The Heroes opened the BBC Introducing stage at the Glastonbury festival

See photos of the band playing at the world's most famous festival. The band's appearance was not announced until the week before the festival started, by which time all the tickets had been sold and fans of the Heroes were unable to get there to support them. They therefore played to a fresh crowd, although a few Leicester festival goers turned up to see them. We are told that they won the crowd over and got a lot of favourable comments from those who could get there to see them, including Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens.

The Heroes' set list was

1. Blue Rave
2. Only Living for Tonight
3. My Fault
4. Save Today
5. Wake up Radio
6. Flowers in Golden Times
7. Look at Me

Lots of good comments left on the BBC page, even from people who discovered them only on Radio 1. The band is attracting new fans all the time. Plays on their Myspace have increased dramatically. The bands' appearance at the festival was announced by Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe on Wednesday night.

Not heard of THE HEROES before? Check them out on the BBC web site

3rd March, 2009

Calling All Digital Music Makers in the East Midlands: CDR is back seeking digital music makers of all styles, acoustic, electronic, fusion, hip-hop, drum n bass, folktronica or the downright unclassifiable

Creative gurus burntprogress are bringing CDR back to the East Midlands, hitting Leicester, Nottingham and Derby with a series of music nights and creative seminars aimed at bringing a new community of digital music makers together to network and collaborate.

Leicester is the first city to play host with a free Creative Knowledge Seminar, Many Hats, One Head, taking place at De Montfort University, Leicester, on 18 March as part of FAME The Creative Industries Show the largest creative industry event in the East Midlands. Music makers just have to turn-up to take part.

The CDR Creative Knowledge Seminar from 6.30pm to 8.30pm will see pioneering music producer and dubstep bastion Loefah discuss and take questions on how he maintains and develops a music production career, whilst DJing and hosting club nights around the UK. Music producer Tony Nwachukwu, of Attica Blues fame and one part of the duo behind burntprogress will be chairing the discussion.

The CDR event then continues at Leicester's Sophbeck, from 9pm to 2am. Here, music makers and producers can hand in CDs to get their tracks played live and loud to an audience of like-minded music makers. Loefah will be playing a special set of his own works-in-progress with DJ sets from local Leicester-based producers Psychomantus (Donuts), Pure Phase, Jimi O and Biscuit Tin Soundsystem.

CDR in the East Midlands is based on burntprogresss hugely successful CDR night at Londons Plastic People twice nominated Best Club on Radio 1s Worldwide Awards. This is the second year that the project has run in the East Midlands and the next CDR night will take place at Muse in Nottingham on 2 April.

More events will follow in Leicester, Nottingham and Derby. For more information, check myspace.com/burntprogress.

Charlotte might re-open

The Charlotte closed down earlier this month but according to the Facebook group set up to campaign to save, there is hope that it might re-open under new management. According to a post on the Facebook group:

" Punch Taverns are adiment that they want 'The Charlotte' to stay open as a live gig venue, and are looking for a land lord and someone to invest and keep it going and to RE-OPEN it very soon!"

Help keep the Princess Charlotte open on facebook

Top live music venue The Charlotte faces an uncertain future, according to The Leicester Mercury (January 15th). The front page story tells that the venue is facing closure. Tickets sales have been hit by the recession and the credit crunch is devastating the live music venues. The Operating Company, run by Manager Andy Wright, has gone into administration.

Read full article in the Leicester Mercury

23/2/2009 - Government backdown on noise control

Following a petition against government plans to introduce noise controls into live music venues, Number 10 has issued a response:

"We are pleased to tell you that there is no truth in claims that the Government is planning to introduce a requirement for entertainment venues to fit noise control devices."

Noise Control - e-petition response

24/1/09 Get Your Band on announces showcase gigs

Leicester based national band agency, Get Your Band On, today announced that it will mount a series of showcase events over the year ahead to present the best rising bands in Leicestershire to the music industry.

The gigs will be heavily promoted to record labels, producers and the music media in order to solicit their interest in the best of our local bands. Dates for the events will be appearing in our gigs list over the next few days, as confirmations come in from the venues. Most will be in Leicester but some are planned for other cities where there are extraordinarily good bands.

12/1/09: Arts in Leicestershire Announces big charity show on May Day

Formal Warning band © Sewell Photography

We are pleased to announce that we plan to put on a Gala Show in aid of Leicester charity LOROS. This will be held at the Shed Live Music venue on Friday 1st May. We have already booked Leicester pop rock band FORMAL WARNING and Nottingham Ska band THE HARRINGTONS for the lineup. They will be joined by Leicester signed band THE UTOPIANS.

We are also hoping to book a TV celebrity singer as our star attraction and a good singer from London, to round off what will be a great night of live music.

RAZMATAZ

Another Leicester band, RAZMATAZ have also been taken on to the GYBO Management Roster for the year ahead.

Photo © Jennifer Anne Simpson

Autohype

Leicester indie band AUTOHYPE have recently been signed to Size Records. The deal will release a new single and they are having a release party at the Charlotte on 21st February.