Although it stemmed from the large concentration of tech companies in the area, Kentish Cluster has always purposefully attracted people from a far wider range of industries. The monthly drinks meetings, (next one this Thursday, see below for details) have revealed the neighbourhood to be just as stuffed full of writers, historians, film-makers, charities, brewers, curators and other passionately creative types too.
One particularly successful case in point is the meeting of Vinita Joshi, owner of independent records label Rocket Girl, and Ben Osborne, the DJ and promoter behind Noise of Art events. An alliance was formed at #KCdrinks that has led to a showcase event tonight, as part of the Convergence Festival, which celebrates where music art and technology meet.
“I’ve attended a few Kentish Clusters and always thought it was a fantastic way to meet locals and integrate with the local community,” explains Vinita. “I met Ben at one event and we talked about music so I added him to my promo mailing list.”
Ben was looking for acts to join his Noise of Art event at Glen Max’s Convergence Festival. “The first two things Vinita sent me fitted the programme perfectly,” says Ben. “I’d also just had an act drop off the line up, so I mentioned this and Vinita suggested Andy Weatherall, which was a brilliant idea.”
Weatherall has been a long-time supporter of Rocket Girl, and joins the label’s ground-breaking 1960s electronic act White Noise Sound, who’ll play material from their forthcoming LP, plus the krautrock-influenced Eat Lights Become Lights, on the line-up.
“The night really began to take shape and I’m really excited to be part of the Convergence Festival,” says Vinita. “I’ve been a music fan from a very early age and have always been interested in sound. There are sounds, or music, everywhere from a heartbeat to a rattling pipe. WNS and ELBL will fit the bill perfectly.”
Meanwhile, Ben will launch his Boom Room concept, which harnesses large buildings – including the gin distillery at Adnams brewery in Southwold, and an aircraft hanger at an old US forces base – as live echo-chambers to add reverb effects to his music over broadband connections. Read more about the Boom Room here.
“Apart from both being Kentishtowners, Vinita and I have a shared musical history that goes back to the early days of her record label, when I was doing the dance show at Xfm,” saya Ben. “We have lots of mates in common, but hadn’t met each other before the Cluster events. It all just fell into place and it’s produced a great line-up too. I guess it’s a textbook example of how the Kentish Cluster is supposed to work.”
White Noise Sound’s album ‘Like a Pyramid of Fire’ is out on 6th April.
Register now for free to attend the next Kentish Cluster, this Thursday 19th March at The Fiddler’s Elbow, Malden Road from 6pm-9pm, including a free drink and live music.
