The supporting of new music is a strange and sometimes frustrating road to travel but occasionally you stumble across a great moment.

Last year Amazing Radio invited me to be the first new voice on their national station.

This year I embark on a new show for Playdio who are adding shows to Spotify, the piece of software that has made listening to music a simple and beautiful pleasure.

For example as I type this I’m listening to Jackie Leven’s ‘Forbidden Songs of the Dying West’. It’s a great slab of Celtic rock but something I would never have owned due to lack of funds.

My CD collection is not as extensive as you might imagine, most of it will have stickers from second-hand shops and it’s currently in storage thanks to Spotify.

The good news is that many of the South coast’s musicians are on there too: Birdpen, Dlugokecki, Broken Links, The Moulettes and Band of Skulls.

The new show is called ‘Xan Phillips presents…” will not only feature acts like them but also top names visiting the area. The first show has an interview with Badly Drawn Boy from the 2010 Eastleigh Music Festival

There is no denying a pure south coast show would be fantastic but new bands need new listeners and the bigger the name the bigger the exposure.

So following the BDB interview will be Andrew Foster, Lou Brown and Haunted Stereo.

It’s a great opportunity to get their music heard on a wider platform and once again promote the great song writing scene we have in the south. Visit www.playdio.com

First published 8th Agust 2010 in the Southern Daily Echo

First published in the Southern Daily Echo, Friday 2nd July 2010

The biggest opportunity for local unsigned bands to pick up a healthy dose of festival fever is the 4^th Eastleigh Music Festival and Mela from Friday 9^th to Sunday 11^th July.

During Saturday afternoon there will be two stages featuring some of the brightest talent around and regular readers of South Scene are bound to recognise Dluogkecki, Scarlet Soho, Charlie McCauley, Broken Links, The Queue and The Rebs.

Add to them Ben Goddard, Cat Nickless, Chris Ricketts & Mark Willshire, JayetAl, Kumiss, The LCD, Martin Crowley, Natalie Hall and Spitdust and you have a great mix of music and all for free!

Along with bringing people into Eastleigh, and aiding the regeneration of the town, festival co-ordinator Marie Negus says the weekend is, “a great opportunity to nurture new talent” and gives “unsigned bands inspiration and belief.”

The inspiration will come from Saturday night’s headlining act is Badly Drawn Boy.

His quintessential approach to English pop is deal for a sultry summer’s evening and proof that ‘different’ can succeed.

Your evening ticket will also get you in to see indie-rock band Field Music, punk-rockabilly-folk duo Peggy Sue and the latest Sotones signing Haunted Stereo who are an alternative-folk-indie six-piece from Southampton.

On Friday night Cara Dillon headlines an eclectic folk line-up with support from Lau, nu-folk artist Jim Moray and local band Bemis.

The weekend is rounded off with the Eastleigh Mela so there should be no excuse for making a short trip north.

More details and tickets www.eastleighmusicfestival.co.uk