It was encouraging that Monday’s story on why musicians should get paid is our most-read article so far this month, with nearly a thousand “likes” on Facebook alone.
And so it’s good to see that Mayoress of Camden, Marcella Puppini, is launching a new monthly bash with a similar aim: to give new artists as much of a leg-up as possible.
At The Mayoress Presents, which kicks off this Sunday evening at Proud, performers are promised assistance in the form of free backline and technical support. “I know from my own experience,” she says, “that bands who are not yet at a level when they can command good fees often end up losing out financially from doing small gigs, because of parking costs or taxis used to get their equipment to the venue. Removing these simple yet often overlooked barriers leaves the acts free to focus solely on their performance.”
Sounds fair. The monthly showcase for independent musicians is aimed at promoting “outstanding talent” through live events, running with an accompanying YouTube TV channel. As well as showcasing individual bands, The Mayoress Presents will allow viewers all over the globe to keep tabs on the night from the comfort of their laptops.
You’ll probably know that Puppini herself is the platinum-selling singer-songwriter and founder of the Puppini sisters. In May 2013 she was selected by the Mayor of Camden, Jonathan Simpson, to be the borough’s Mayoress for her outstanding contribution to the music industry.
“Camden is the creative heartbeat of London’s music scene,” she says, “and I’ve been looking to use my contacts and experience to provide a platform that empowers truly excellent musicians to reach a wider and influential audience.”
The Mayoress Presents is being supported by the Performing Right Society (PRS), and each performance will be professionally filmed as part of the new Mayoress Presents YouTube TV channel. The TV show will include interviews with the bands, managers, agents, press officers and other professionals involved in the night to benefit those aspiring to work in the music industry.
Three acts vie for the audience’s love this Sunday: indie band The Lottery Winners (whose catchy single Learn to Sleep sounds a tad Morrissey), 60s dance troupe The Actionettes, and, most excitingly, synth sensation Viktoria Modesta (see main pic). A genuine rising star, she’s currently working on a collaboration with producer Adamski (readers of a certain age will have fond memories of his No1 1990 hit single Killer). Check out this ace track below.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/62070174″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Want to play at a future Mayoress Presents? Head here. Follow her on Twitter @CMDNmayoress
