GINGER UP……

GINGER UP.

What did you do last Friday? Did you watch Gardeners World? Monty Don’s take on the changing season in your garden was off the scale. Or what about Children in Need! Did you see that!? Oh man! Some bloke came on with a cheque – but it wasn’t like a regular cheque, no, no, no…get this…it was a massive one! It must’ve been the size of a door!

Such LOLzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Sigh………..

Last week the government announced that a levy would be imposed on the ticket price for larger venues like Wembley or The O2 to help support smaller, grassroots, venues. But why? Why should we keep small venues open for bands that are just starting out, when it would appear most people can’t be arsed to drag themselves off the sofa? Down at Water Rats last Friday there were three cracking bands on for a tenner.

Ten Quid!

Less than the price of 2 pints. Gingerella, The Paisley Daze and Oli Harris. Never heard of them? No, not many people had heard of Bob Dylan or The Pogues or The Courteneers or Katy Perry or Oasis when they played Water Rats. But if any of them were playing Water Rats next Friday, you’d gnaw your right arm off to get in there.

Just imagine how many amazing bands have thrown in the towel because not enough people were turning up at their gigs and they simply couldn’t afford to carry-on. How many bands could’ve gone on to sell-out Wembley or out-sell Oasis? All because too many people chose Monty Don’s gardening tips over the wannabe smash hits of that funky new band. All for the price of a pint or two.

It seems there’s a real reluctance for people in the UK to go and see an artist that is completely fresh. It’s as though we are embarrassed to be seen watching them. With our heads down we shuffle past buskers, or we stay in the pub until the last possible minute to avoid that support band we’ve never heard of.

Why?

It doesn’t happen in Europe. Crowds gather to be entertained by buskers. They flock to live music. Last week Gingerella played a couple of gigs in France. They sold-out 500+ Capacity Venues. Few of the French gathered in that sweaty club could appreciate the nuances of Gingerella’s idiosyncratic English lyrics; but they turned up in their hundreds. (And didn’t stand at the back staring into their Pastis). What they, as everyone gathered at Water Rats experienced is one of the most exciting new bands to emerge for many years.

The UK arguably produces the best, most original, music in the World. Unique artists with amazing talent are out there to be enjoyed. You don’t have to wait until they’re headlining The O2 or Wembley. You should be out at those tiny venues embracing the diversity and freshness of all those new bands. Then you can smugly say you caught them before they were big. And if you don’t like tonight’s band? So what -there will be another one along in a minute. Trust me. It’s a damn site better than staying in and watching Gardeners World.