Playing for Charity

Artists are always being asked to play for nothing because it’s a “charity gig”, and we can get rather annoyed about that. As we have moaned in the past, do security get asked to turn up for nothing, or the people who run the bar to donate all their profit? People now expect artists to make their music available for free, through youtube, streaming, soundcloud etc. They are constantly being asked to play for nothing, be it in bars - (where live music increases customers and therefore takings), festivals, venues etc. They are asked to bring along their (often thousands of pounds worth of) kit, give up their time, advertise the event to their fans beforehand, put on an entertaining show using skills that they have paid hard cash to learn and many hours practicing often with their original material which has been crafted over a long time. The audience enjoy fabulous music, the venue improves its reputation, media, broadcasters get great material. The artists get - well umm a few quid for petrol.

Then there are those things that we just get passionate about and feel the need to do something. We wrote about Emily Barkers response to the story of one immigrant child and her struggle to cope with her families hardships in an earlier blog. Emily was moved to respond by recording a song which she wrote in response to the little girls story. She recorded a track to highlight the plight of immigrants and refugees generally.

Another group that is inspired to reach out are the Ganda Boys.  Gloucestershire’s own Craig Pruess along with other band members Daniel Sewagudde and Denis Mugagga, world class musicians all of them, yet their biggest passion is to work to alleviate suffering in the country that has done so much to inspire them musically. So passionate about helping Ugandan people, they set up a foundation seven years ago and since then have worked tirelessly raising money and awareness through the Ganda Foundation. 

These guys are also planning great things to reach out to the world about the refugee crisis using their amazing gifts and talents. The Forgotten People Campaign, which is working through the World Peace One organisation is all about putting money and talents on the line to do what is right by the people caught up in this humanitarian crisis. Craig Pruess succinctly said of the campaign, “This will take you right to heart of what has fired up our hearts to go to Germany for the refugee crisis next week. Thanks to our Wonder Woman, Jeanne Holm (at World Peace One), and thanks to UCLA in USA, we have an amazing & concrete way to bring info, networking, re-training, language courses (and more) directly to the refugees in Europe, wherever they. Many were highly skilled professionals before fleeing a war torn country, since being reduced to becoming a refugee statistic in a strange land. Let's give them a chance! Find out more here, Donate here.”

We all have to put bread on our table, and the trappings of fame are often just about the fortune that can come with it. But there is only so much that one family can consume, and then these people open their hearts to the rest of humanity, to shed a spotlight on the need and suffering in the world, and to raise money where it is needed. Ganda Boys, we salute you.

The Youth of Today tut tut!

A quote from Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins) has been rolling round in my head he said “Artists that break through now have grown up thinking that being famous is the goal,” he said on stage at SXSW.

I interviewed a 17 year old a few years ago for a job in office administration, and I asked that old interview chestnut “where do you want to be in 5 years time” her answer

“I wanna be famous” impressed by her ambition and self confidence, I asked her what she does that could bring her fame (and I assume her belief was that the fortune would follow the fame), I then discovered that she had no particular skill, talent or passion to build on. I asked her how she thought people got ‘famous” and was shocked that she said “luck”.  

In the short lifespan of Ragged Moon (and our previous incarnation!) we have come across a few people of all ages that believe luck and a scatter gun approach will bring them the sought after fame and fortune. That ‘getting signed’  means you have ‘arrived’. The reality could not be further from the truth. There is no substitute for the hard graft, business sense and talent that it takes to make it as an artist. By making it I mean making a reasonable living, or supplementary living as a musician.

I love being around artists that have drive and ambition, and that can bring that enthusiasm to all aspects of their musical career. The work ethic that sits behind the practice - connecting with the fans and building a fan base, getting up on stages night after night and delivering the same set and having an audience believing the performance is heartfelt and genuine, understanding the complex business of the music industry and the multitude of revenue streams that are necessary to quarry in order to make ends meet - doing all of this and maintaining a style that weathers the storms and trends of a fickle public is a truly impressive thing to behold. Not many manage it, but I can honestly say when you meet people with that hunger, passion and energy to succeed in this industry- not for the sake of fame, but for the love of their craft it is truly inspiring. 

Living as a professional musician doesn’t have a destination, it’s more like a journey. There are  spectacular moments the hard work never stops there. For some of the ‘one hit wonders’, you wonder what has become of these people. Rarely if ever does the hit generate enough income to retire on but for those whose work is their passion, it can be better to aim for a career that has more longevity. That is to say, they may not be the most famous person in Britain, but for those fans who know and love their music, they will have a loyal following for the length of their career. (Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits etc.)

Many stories of artists who were ‘discovered’ are highly embellished (made up), for publicity. People looking for success can be mislead by these tales into thinking that some angelic label rep will one day emerge from the shadows at the back of a venue and offer them riches beyond their dreams. They omit the years of work that lead up to a strategic and contrived meeting with ‘the right person at the right time’, and the years of sales and graft that can come to pay back the generous advance and pop star lifestyle.

Over this summer we have had the privilege to work with some exceptionally talented, hard working and focussed people, both those signed to our label, those about to be signed, those performing at the awesome Stroud Fringe Festival, The Sacred Music Festival, Hellens Garden Festival and the many artists that have been through our doors to record this summer.   Musicians, I salute you. 

The Art of Heckling

In honour of the upcoming festival season we feel its important to inform you festival-goers on how to be a good audience. Don't worry we're not giving you instructions here. But what we advise might surprise you. Sure the normal thoughts are to be respectful to artists when they perform and perhaps trying not to yawn during the gig.

However lets be honest crowd engagement is what musicians truly thrive on. Forget standing around like a mannequin all set! Bands want you to give a response to their material and their performance. This is where our one slightly controversial piece of advice comes in. Get heckling.

Now bearing in my mind any heckle in good jest is totally acceptable but let's not get too involved in the other side of the spectrum. To give you all a good insight into the lost art of heckling we've compiled a list of do's and don'ts to ensure your one liners hit the mark.

DO - Be witty not cutting.
Finding a way to make a joke about the band without being offensive can be tricky. Add a crowd who are most likely huge fans and it gets even more difficult. Always remember to steer away from anything personal, it will most likely end in trouble that way and it will ultimately reflect badly on you. Anything light-hearted or witty will always get attention and will make for some fun interaction between you and the band.

DON'T - Shout random expletives at the band. 
As the old adage goes if you haven't got anything nice to say don't say it at all. Only heckle if it's in good humour and isn't just an insult. The novelty of swearing wears off fast and provides nothing engaging for you or the artist. So make sure you formulate what you're going to say before you go off on a loud sweary rant as it doesn't benefit anyone!

DO - Time your heckles well.
Timing is key to landing that perfect one liner. Make sure you wait for the right moment to heckle otherwise it will end up sounding like a half garbled shout whilst the lead singer is mid-speech. If you want to be heard find where a gap will be in the conversation or set. Wait for the right opportunity then go for it.

DON'T - Keep accosting the band throughout the set.
You have to remember the band have come to perform a show. There's nothing wrong with a little interaction during the set. But if you end up heckling throughout the whole concert chances are you'll be thrown out. Don't ruin the experience for everyone else just because you want to squeeze in a few more laughs. Be respectful to the artist and let them do what they came here to do. Just remember one or two is fine anything more is overboard.

And remember, if you can't think of anything witty to say, show your appreciation by dancing your socks off!

Some of our favourite memorable heckles in the office are:
-"Play one the drummer knows!"
-(From a blind man) "Get off the stage!" shortly after he asked "Has he gone yet?"
-Bono's infamous "Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies" "Well stop f***ing clapping then!"

To find out more about the history of heckling click here for more information.

8 Things to Know When Performing at a Festival

1. Always plan ahead
Festivals are notorious for being incredibly hectic. To save yourself from getting caught up in the madness make you sure you plan accordingly before you arrive. This includes sorting directions ahead of the trip in order to give you plenty of time to get there. Arriving early is key as you'll have to navigate separate entrances for artists, signing in and picking up passes all before you even step foot into the festival! You may even be asked to transport your equipment to the stage so leaving enough time to sort all of this out prior to your gig is incredibly important.

2. Contact the festival with your technical rider
This may sound demanding but a rider is simply a list of equipment that you will need for your performance. However make sure it doesn't come off as pompous, you may be playing there but they can take you off the bill if you're demands are too outlandish. Bearing in mind most smaller festivals will ask you to supply your own, it is worthwhile to see what the festival can already supply you with. This will save you from lugging expensive equipment all the way over to the site only to find out they already have most of what you need.

3. Always consider what you can do to help
When engineers are working around the clock, change overs between bands are short and sound checks are limited festivals can be quite stressful behind-the-scenes. In order to help consider what you can do to make things easier. A simple way to achieve this is by making sure your set is portable and quick to plug in. This will ensure that your soundcheck is effective and efficient. Not only that but it will make your band look polished, professional and hopefully it will make a good impression on the people involved.

4. Meet other bands at the festival
Networking is key for musicians so don't miss out on arguably one of the biggest opportunities out there. Where else will you find bands so diverse in genres and styles then at a festival? Now is the time to engage with as many people as possible. Who knows, that guy who's about to open up that tiny stage in the corner just happens to know the organiser of the event. Don't waste this chance to make connections and share contacts. Even better you may even end up invited onstage for someone else's set. You'll never know unless you try!

5. Look like you want to be there
As much as you feel like your rock band doesn't belong in this predominately country line-up doesn't mean you have to be glum onstage about it. You just have to remember that you were chosen to perform at this festival for a reason. Don't squander it! Sure the crowd may need a little more convincing but if you really put out a positive energetic vibe whilst performing your music will sound so much more inviting to the skeptics.

6. Perfect your stage talk
When you're on such a big platform it can be difficult to hold a diverse crowds attention. But if you have the right stage talk it will make the set flow so much easier. Make a joke, point out something about the festival or just simply introduce the members of your band to the audience. Just steer clear of the age old comments like "How are you doing tonight?" or simply screaming where you are to the crowd. It's pretty predictable and the most you'll get is a half hearted scream or two. Try to make your set entertaining in all aspects not just the actual performance. If you're engaging chances are people will stay around that much longer to hear you out.

7. Play a cover song
Now when it comes to festivals it's a common occurrence that you feel like the underdog of the lineup. That's not necessarily a bad thing if you use this to your advantage. The best way to achieve this is to include one recognisable classic into your set and make it your own. There has been some brilliant results from doing this. Just take Jay Z covering Wonderwall for example at Glastonbury he turned that song into something completely different and it got people talking long after the set had ended. So create a moment for this audience to remember you by. Once you've performed your cover you'll have so much more of the their attention and you might have gained a few fans in the process.

8. Give out free merchandise

You know what always goes down well? Free stuff. It's very rare to hear anyone complain about free things so why not capitalise on that? At the end of your set or when you're out and about at the festival be sure to hand out something that has your band on it. The most popular item seems to be bracelets as it's a handy way of spreading your social media contact details but in a fun and creative form. It's great for brand extension and it will get the people talking about you and your music so grab a few bracelets and spread the word!

By Melissa Tucker

10 Tips to Record Efficiently at a Studio

1. Visit the studio beforehand
Not many musicians take the time to come visit prior to their recording. We couldn't recommend this enough. It will help you get your bearings knowing exactly where everything is especially if it's your first time recording. It will also do wonders for pre-recording jitters as you'll feel more relaxed after understanding the surroundings of a professional recording studio.

2. There is no substitute for being well-rehearsed
In the run up to your recording session it is vital to use your time wisely. Make sure you and your band are clear as to what tracks you will be recording prior to your arrival. But more importantly rehearse like your life depends on it. Ensure your performance is clean and that you are in synch with one another. It will do wonders for your performance in the studio and it will make a great professional impression on the people who are recording with you. Besides you'll be able to make the most of your time in the booth which is both cost and time effective for you and incredibly helpful to the engineers too.

3. Record your most recent performance
Recording is not a forgiving process, just because your 45 minute set sounded good in the pub doesn't mean it will fully translate onto an album. A great idea to help improve your sound before entering the studios is to record one of your performances. This could be a rehearsal in your garage or a full on festival appearance. Just make sure you get the whole set not just a few select songs. Once you have your live recording bring it in to your session. It's a fantastic way to discover what areas you need to improve on instead of wasting time discovering that for yourself in front of the engineers. Sometimes you don't even realise yourself what you may be doing wrong. Whether you subconsciously increase the tempo or perhaps start to sing some flat notes, this can all be brought to your attention prior to anything being set in stone.

4. Rest well before a recording session
Now this sounds like a no-brainer I'm sure but you can't imagine the amount of over-stressed and highly sleep deprived artists that walk through the doors. The mere thought of recording sends some people into bouts of anxiety. The simplest advice is not to panic but to try to look forward to your session. That positivity will lead to a great night's sleep which is much needed for your vocal chords. If you're not singing the advice still applies. It will massively help with concentration levels and overall contribute to you playing to the best of your abilities when recording in the studio.

5. Warm up your vocals prior to recording
Remember to get up early enough to wake up your vocal chords as well as your brain, most people need a good hour or two in the morning before they start to sing. Just remember to do a few scales before you go to record. Waking up the vocal chords is essential for a professional take. The warm up will increase your expressive capabilities as well as opening up your range and will further improve your consistency. It will also help save valuable time so that you can get the best out of the session so don't forget!

6. Get to know the engineers
These guys are the masterminds behind your songs. They will be there every step of the recording process, therefore it would be wise to get to know them prior to getting into the recording booth. Sit down with them and discuss what kind of direction you would like your song to go in. Ask questions about the recording process. The more you discuss ideas and directions the more of chance they will be on the same page as you musically and creatively. This will in turn help produce an even better sounding song/album.

7. Plan what you want out of a session
Now that you've discussed your ideas with the engineer it's now time to put that into a plan. Write out exactly want you want to get out of that session and how you're going to go about achieving it. Knowing how you're going to spend your time is crucial. Everyone will benefit from understanding exactly what you want to achieve, especially a producer or engineer as they will be able to push your sound and music in the direction you have envisioned. The reality is a perfect end product is hard to come by so the clearer you are from the get-go the closer to a fully realised project you will get by the end of the recording process.

8. Be realistic to what you can achieve
We often have people coming in thinking they can achieve a polished to perfection album in only a half day session. Let's be honest here that's not going to happen. Don't come in expecting everything to magically come to fruition. Recording is a hard and arduous process that requires effort from both parties. Therefore if you're serious about creating an album always book an appropriate amount of time for it. Many musicians neglect to factor in mixing and mastering into the process let alone just being able to record everything. So allow plenty of time in order to produce the best overall product you can.

9. Seek advice and use the expertise of the engineers
It can be quite intimidating to record in front of engineers, but they're only there to help! If you think a track is missing something just ask. Because of their vast experience they can provide the best insight into what works and what doesn't. Never be scared to ask questions even if you think it's silly. Chances are they've heard them all before regardless. They are there to guide you so make the most of their knowledge while you can.

10. Perform as if you were in front of an 
audience
This sounds slightly strange but just picture it. A packed out audience before you all looking towards you with expectant eyes. If you picture this instead of the microphone in front of you you are guaranteed to put more into your take. This will ultimately translate into an emotive and expressive performance. Don't be afraid to mess up, the more you put into the recording the more you will get out of it. Just focus on trying to reach and connect with the listener as it will really bring an authentic feel to your recording.

By Melissa Tucker

5 Steps to Improve Your Chances of Being Booked for Gigs

1. Do your research

When it comes to planning gigs research is essential. It's not likely you'll be taken on at church if you're a death metal band so find venues that suit your style of music. Also check if the venue has any specific requirements e.g. bringing your own PA or a minimum of 50 attendees.

Make your approach personal. If you just include the venue in a batch email don't expect to be hearing from them any time soon. Don’t make people work hard to hear your stuff. Either send a link direct to your music, an MP3 or soundcloud link, or better still send a hard copy cd. If you send a cd take off the cello wrap, there is nothing more frustrating than spending ages trying to get the packaging undone. For someone who receives hundreds of cds a week, if it is difficult to access they might just not bother. You have to be sure that you can deliver all that they require of a band. If they want someone to play a 1 1/2  hour set and you only have 45 minutes of material then try elsewhere. 

2. Have a decent demo

Demo's can really make or break your band. It's like an audible business card, it establishes who you are as an artist/band and should accurately sum up your style. First impressions certainly count, especially in the music industry so choose tracks wisely. Labels, reviewers and radio stations are inundated with hundreds CD's every day. Therefore you need to impress and get their attention. Artwork can make your cd stand out, a photo or use of colour that reflects your image and style works best. 

How can I achieve this I hear you ask? Make sure you invest in your demo. A lot can be achieved by home recording, but unless you have good equipment and know how to mix well then get a professional job done. It may not be as expensive as you think, and is well worth the investment. Recoup your costs by having a small run of physical cds made, and sell them to friends, family and at gigs as well as sending them out to prospective venues and festivals.  

Recording studios can be a great help to you so don't be afraid to approach them with your demo ideas. Choose your studio wisely, check out recordings they have done in a similar genre to get an idea of what they can do for your music. Find out what you get for the price they quote- does it include VAT, will you have to pay extra for the engineer? If they are a good studio they can offer loads of advice and support, for no extra cost. They may also offer ongoing support by promoting your music through their networks, (we do at Ragged Moon). This can really add value to what you walk away with. Try to get some photos and video (filming on your phone can be good enough) whilst you are in the studio, they can be good for publicity.

3. Create a professional image

Let's be honest no venue is going to want you if you rock up in a onesie. Your image is crucial to securing gigs. Think about it, if a potential customer hears two bands of equal calibre they are then going to look at which band aligns to their style more. In order to create this image think about styling yourselves so that you look like a cohesive unit if you are a band, whether it’s ostentatious like the next Lady Gaga or something a little more understated, think of what impression you want to give to your potential investors and listeners. In the end if your music is good and you look professional you will be well on your way to to your next big concert.

4. Maintain a professional image 

Your image is only half the battle. Keeping up said image is the real challenge. In order to achieve this you must build up a presence. The majority of this can be achieved online through social media accounts and a separate website that is solely dedicated to the band. You must be willing to engage with people online as it will give you that approachable and engaging connection that fans love to feel. 

Once you have created these accounts it's all about updating and maintaining your image. Keep writing about what interests you and what you're currently working on as well as talking to your newly found followers. Not only will your online presence make it easier for people to find out who you are as band it will give off an air of professionalism to any industry execs or potential employers that may be scrolling through. Remember it’s not all about you- if all you promote is your next gig, talk about your next recording project or ask for likes and shares you can give the impression of being self obsessed. Talk about other artists (hopefully in a positive way), things in the news and new music that you are interested in. This helps to give your fans a sense of who you are. 

5. Network with other musicians and promoters

Word of mouth is a powerful thing in the entertainment business so use it to your advantage. Next time you're at a gig make a conscious effort to talk to the musicians afterwards. If you express an honest interest in performing live they're more than likely to try and help you out. Who better to give you advice than someone who has been in your position before?

Besides they may even share their contacts with you or ask for you to support them on future tours. It's cheaper and easier for them and it'll help you get your name out there, it's beneficial for both parties involved. Don't stop there however, keep contacting artists and promoters online as eventually your persistence will pay off.

By Melissa Tucker

Clear Conscience: The Thought Process Behind the Band

For most people when you think of the words "work experience" you picture yourself doing the odd bit of filing for a company or something along those corporate lines. Not here at Ragged Moon however! We took on five brilliantly talented musicians: Kally Hefferman-Jockel, Saskia Owen, Sam Judd, Immie Harrison and Rory Thomas-lawton and we set them quite the challenge. We wanted them to end the week with a fully realised track that was created by them as well as a music video to accompany it. Sounds daunting but this group of determined students were eager to tackle this task head on.

Their first mission was to come up with the lyrics to this future smash hit of a song. They put their heads together intently and before we knew it they had the words ready and raring to go. As a band they drew on the different styles of music they liked to listen to individually to come to a consensus on what direction they wanted to move forward in stylistically. Jazz, R&B with a pop twist was their chosen vision and so they began to work towards this melting pot of genres.

With all these ideas and harmonies buzzing around in the studio it was time to begin committing these sounds to something more permanent. Kally and Saskia provided the main vocals and harmonies. The unison between the two created such a memorable and catchy blend together they had us humming along around the office in no time. Then came the instrumentation. Sam had come up with some brilliantly groovy bass riffs and guitar licks that gave the track that much needed jazzy offset. Whereas Rory kept the pacing and the tune solid throughout with his excellent piano skills. To round off this insatiably catchy tune we needed the help of Immie and her fabulous flute which really added another dimension to the whole production. 

After listening back over what they had produced in the studio the band been to tweak and add new elements. The most effective of which was the wickedly impromptu rap like interjections courtesy of Kally that were added between the harmonies. That was the missing R&B piece to their multi-genre puzzle. All of this composing and recording happened over the space of three days, which is quite the achievement! Once the track was completed the next big task loomed, finding out their band identity.

It took some intense brain storming and many a bourbon biscuit but the band finally had a name: Clear Conscience. Similarly they looked over all of their lyrics and decided to name their debut track "Yellow Cars." Their vision then continued onwards to the concept of their very first music video. Wanting a cross between polished studio footage as well as fun and carefree shots out and around Stroud it was going to be a challenge to make. 

Enter Millie Baker video maker wiz-kid. With her direction and guidance Clear Conscience filmed and edited together their music video within a day. It was an amazing feat and the end result looked very professional. Now all that was left to do was to reach out via social media to push this debut as far as possible. We set them the rather imposing goal of achieving 1,000 views on YouTube by the end of the weekend. From the moment "Yellow Cars" had fully uploaded they all valiantly shared and posted the video as much as they could. By the end of the week we were so proud to see that they had reached the goal with an awesome figure of 1,074 views.

All in all we want to say a huge thank you to Clear Conscience for all the dedication, effort and hard work they have put in over the past week. They have consistently been excited and driven in all that they've put their minds to. It has been an absolute joy to watch them progress into a fully fledged band in such a short amount of time. To celebrate their debut effort make sure you check out their music video for "Yellow Cars" below.

By Melissa Tucker

Music Industry networking in the South West

For the last 6 months I have been travelling to Bristol on the first Wednesday of each month to BMIN meetings, I would suggest musicians and music industry professionals might consider making the same trip as it is becoming increasingly worthwhile. In the last two months I have got an invaluable listings database from another member, booked one of our acts for a Bristol radio live session, with the likelihood of more exposure for our other artists, and started conversations about some of the artists coming up to record in Stroud.

Now the name Bristol Industry Music Network might make you think that it is only for Bristolians, but it is very much a south west network. They have great speakers at many of their monthly meetings including UKTI representatives, and I always bring back a list of contacts and info to check out. The meetings are held in the Colston Hall and they supply sandwiches and coffee to oil the wheels of discussion. The membership are a lively passionate bunch who represent a cross section of interests, from Artists to studios, from radio presenters to artist mentors, and well established ‘institutions’ of the industry, to the bright young things that are forging the future of the scene in the South West. 

Membership at the moment costs just £10, and there are an ever increasing number of member benefits, you could probably save your membership fee on strings and insurance alone.

http://www.maisonderoquefort.com/bmin/membership-benefits/

To test out the waters you can go along to a social at the Colston Hall Wednesday 15th July (tomorrow), or go to their monthly meeting on the first Wednesday of every month. The meetings usually start with networking over coffee and sandwiches, followed by a business section around a big table, sometimes speakers attend, and then another networking session at the end. Speakers recently have included Conal Dodds from international booking agents Metropolis, Chris Knight from UKTI, Oliver Mochizuki and Derek Ahmedzai from Fundsurfer. 

Check them out at: 

http://www.maisonderoquefort.com/bmin/

Or better still go and meet them, they don’t bite, well not all of them anyway! The Colston Hall tomorrow Wednesday 15th July at 6-8pm or Wednesday 5th August at 12-2.

Sacred Music Festival

The first Sacred Music Festival in Stroud was an unforgettable event. The day was an enthralling mix of workshops, dancing and performance, the Festival was a non-stop celebration throughout. The event was brought to life with a performance outside the Subscription Rooms courtesy of Bhangra band RSVP with high energy chants and vivacious rhythms the crowd were soon tutored in some impressive Bhangra moves ready for the Bhangra procession through the town. When their set was over they started to bring everyone together into one big parade of spirited music. They wound their way through the streets of Stroud bringing with it a vibrant effervescent energy. Concluding with a peel of bells at the hub of this multi-cultrual event, St Lawrence's church, the Sacred Music Festival was in full session!

Both in the Church and outdoors in the sunshine many revellers took part in immersive druid dancing, taize singing and sacred songs. The event united together varying faiths in a beautifully harmonious fashion. However the much anticipated evening portion of the day was fast approaching. The church began to fill with noise and bustling visitors until there was barely any seating left. It was heart warming to see such a devoted crowd who valued this message of peace and unity so much.

The first act was the amazing Renewal Choir from Bristol. Using their impeccable harmonies, powerful vocals and infectiously danceable arrangements they brought gospel to a whole new level. They created such a resonance with the audience that the whole church ended up getting on their feet and joining in with enthusiasm. Embracing the psalms and teachings to the fullest they really produced an impactful and moving set.

Changing the direction completely to the soothing sounds of divine Sikh music, Qi-Rattan took centre-stage. Jagdeep's beautiful melodic vocals intertwined wonderfully around Amritpal's instinctual and driving rhythms which made for sincerely profound listening. So much so that the impact on the audience lasted long after their performance was over.

Moving towards a more traditional style of praise, Jenna Monroe graced the stage simply accompanying her vocals with her keyboard. She particularly entranced the audience with a creatively arranged take on "He's Got the Whole World" as it perfectly complemented the haunting quality of her vocals. Jenna brought with her a riveting sense of storytelling that made for a deeply sincere and captivating recital.

Cantabile Consort used their mesmerising a capella skills as they enraptured every listener to the extent that the church would have been quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Their voices really brought through a pristine clarity and focus to their message. Furthermore the raw and exposed vocals let their synergy, accuracy and pitching truly shine.

Tabla Tom and Friends delivered their inspirational Indian devotion sound to the Sacred Music Festival in a big way. What was really enjoyable was their clear understanding of pacing. They could entice the audience in with their effortless chants and automatically adapt their pathos to amp up the involvement. The rapturous beat changes made for a very involved performance overall. 

The Sacred Music Festivals very own house band Raga Baba's were certainly a crowd favourite. They gave atmospheric world music fusion sound in abundance with their stunning blend of voices and harmonious instrumentation. Their set opened with an expressive dance set to words by Eve Milleaur which was deeply moving. Their performance was complemented by the appearance of Craig Pruess, who is amongst other things an accomplished sitar player and skilful trumpeter. At the end of their set their engagement with the event was really moving as they asked all who attended to hold hands with one another to embrace their music and the message behind them to the fullest. They whole-heartedly represented what the festival stood for and that's what made their music so breath-taking. 

To round off this inter-faith event in style it was up to the internationally renowned Karama to deliver. They did that and then some. Karama practically brought the church down with their diverse musical landscapes. So much so that chairs were pushed away in ernest and swaying bodies soon filled the spaces they had left. There was a great deal of enthusiastic dancing and celebrating, it was the perfect end to a harmonious and thought-provoking festival.

By Melissa Tucker

Katharine Lady Berkeley's Battle of the Bands Reviews

Ace of Spades:

Starting the day off with a classic rock kick is the dynamic Ace of Spades. Blaring out “Sweet Child of Mine” and raising their defiant fists to the sky they immediately got our attention in completely the right way. Considering this band had only been together for two weeks it was a cracking performance with humour aplenty.

Bryony, Tae and Priya:

As the youngest entry of the day these girls certainly blew us away with their strong voices and lovely pitching. Playing some awesome tunes courtesy of Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran they really brought a summery vibe to the whole competition. 

Charlie and Travis: 

This rock and roll duo cooly covered a wide mix of classics whilst putting their own spin on things. They naturally handled big tracks such as “Crazy Train” and “Smoke on the Water’ with ease whilst still being humorous with their delivery.

The Anti-Christs:

With a name like that we really sat up and took notice! Loved their intro to their set with a grungy cover of the Universal theme tune. After literally rocking the truck with their performance and fun crowd interaction they took it one step further. They closed their set by making it rain KitKat Chunky’s amongst the audience with their comedic cover of “Play That Funky Music.” Amazing!

The Unstrung:

This cheeky lot had some serious guts playing the likes of Green Day and My Chemical Romance, but that’s why we loved them! Very engaging band who had the audience in the palm of their hand throughout. Inciting a stage invasion with the rebel raising Anti-Christs they brought the house down in true punk style.

Martha Clements:

As soon as Martha sang her first note we were in awe. Her beautiful vibrato tones made her cover of Kodaline truly come to life. Paired with the dulcet tones of her keyboard her powerful vocals left us speechless. Even the original songs she presented sounded polished and soulful. Love the light and shade in her voice, great performance all round!

Beth Butcher:

Beth was one cool character. Donned in her shades she effortlessly cruised through her set. What we really enjoyed was the clever mash-up of Taylor Swifts Blank Space and Stand By Me by Ben E King. The transition between the two were seamless and gave even more of a slick sound to her vocals. Fabulous quality to her tone which seriously packed a punch. 

Dan Watson and Gareth Hodgkins:

Another awesome duo who brought out the best in some of Nirvana's top hits. They were both incredibly talented, the bassist kept up an intense and high octane tempo whilst the lead guitarist belted out some raucous riffs. Great synergy between them.

The Rebellion:

Now these guys know how to engage an audience! With blaring guitar solos, hard-hitting drums and a big sense of fun The Rebellion are a tight-knit and well-oiled rock machine. Drawing in arguably one of the biggest crowds of the day they kept the entire audience enthralled predominately with their own material. Bonus points for the guitarist jumping off-stage and playing in-amongst everyone! 

Max:

Max bravely stood onstage as the first and only male vocalist of the day and what a range of vocal's he possessed. The low bassy tones of his cover of "Mexico" by The Staves sounded very mature and well put together for his age. He knew how to create a sense of intrigue with his voice, beautiful voice Max!

Steph:

Rounding off today's competition in style was the wonderful Steph. She has such a haunting quality about her tone that it drew us in from her very first track. We were extremely impressed with her musical arrangement of a poem by Rumi. It just added an irrefutable sense originality to her set.

It was a very tough choice but overall our winner for the battle of the bands was... Martha Clements! Congratulations Martha and a big thank you to everyone who performed, you did a fabulous job.

By Melissa Tucker

An Interview with Lila J

Lila J are the self-professed chameleons of the industry. From weddings where they played soft whispers of music at the altar to full on out-and-out clunky distorted noise at max volume in the middle of a bustling festival. They possess a repertoire that is highly lucrative for any self-respecting venue out there. Not only that, Lila J proudly sports two people and two guitars. Thats it. No overly-elaborate set-up, no added nonsense just them and the music they adore. "So many people think we have to have a full band. But it's really satisfying to know we don't actually need it." Lisa beamed as she said this. They’re a stage managers dream, little set-up with a huge-pay off.

What's even better is that their energy is simply infectious. The pair were bouncing off each other making jokes and giving off such an inviting vibe the entire time. An air of authenticity surround them. They were genuine salt of the earth people who didn’t care for the persona’s and pigeonholing of artists. They wanted to be taken for who they were and how they played their music. That’s where Ragged Moon stepped in. 

The pair had much to say about how Ragged Moon interacts with musicians. "They're hooked into the industry already and because they are musicians themselves they're looking out for us more so than most studios." The added value that they've gained was also a big talking point. "Our first stint of gigs in Stroud were entirely set up by Ragged moon and that was a really good thing for us. But there's the opportunity for management as well so there's more than just producing and engineering available at the studio."  

When reminiscing about their catalogue of gigs there were certainly some stand out moments. The most prominant moment thus far of 2015 for them involved a very iconic punk band. That's right, Lila J supported none other than The Damned at Gloucester Guildhall and they were chosen for the job by the band themselves. Being the acoustically driven storytellers they are it seemed like an odd line-up on paper. Lisa was incredibly dubious going as far as googling the gig to make sure it really was them and not a tribute act. 

"We didn't really know why we were chosen. My concern was that we are a bit quirky but we aren't punk!" All the doubt melted away however as the 400 capacity hall began to swarm with intrigued fans. "The room just kept filling and filling. What was a thrill for me was that people were coming in and staying in." The crowd were entranced by their raw rhythmic flair and they made quite the impact on a rather unsuspecting audience.

It’s not all punk-loaded madness though. The simple act of being the first band to play at a local coffee shop was also a highlight for the pair. The venue were slightly nervous about having them play but rest assured Lila J exceeded their expectations dramatically. "We had people coming out from the block of flats around the coffee shop to come listen to us!" With their unique and quirky sound it's easy to see why these guys have really picked up momentum in the past year. By that I mean they've released two albums and have been non-stop gigging across the country. They'll soon be disappearing off to the Isle of White over the weekend for a private party, how swanky! 

With this in mind we wondered what they looked for in their own music. Lisa pondered for a second. "Music has to be something you love, you have to have the passion for it and you have to be having fun. If there's no fun involved in the music it's evident in what you produce." It seems Lila J have embraced this mentality to the fullest as Gavin ellaborated further. "We were both involved in bands before this, for years I played in Foreheads in a Fishtank. But it just got to the point where I had to take a step back and walk away from something that no longer excited me." 


So their advice for eager musicians fresh on the scene? "You have to believe in what you are doing and don't make music for other people. Believe that your sound is something people want to listen to." For Lila J they have a very similar drive. "Our motivation is to do what we love for as long as we can and earn enough keep from it." There's no worry about this though. Because by the looks of the trajectory of their career and their achievements thus far it's only the beginning for this talented duo.

By Melissa Tucker