This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

‘Showcase UK’ at the Soul Cellar in Southampton is expected to become the place to hear the latest recordings from south coast musicians.

Every Monday night from 11th May Xan Phillips will be playing four hours of albums, singles or demos all from CD and all made by unsigned and independent acts.

If it is made in the south it is made for ‘Showcase UK’.

Many venues have gigs for local music but very few dedicate a whole evening to this kind of music. In fact it could be a UK first.

The evening is hosted by Xan Phillips who currently writes a new music column for the Southern Daily Echo and also presented the Original Showcase on Original 106fm until the station shut down.

During the two years it was broadcasting across the south coast Xan played over 1000 songs from unsigned bands and is hoping to make this evening a place for musicians to not only play their latest recordings but also network with fellow artists.

The Soul Cellar serves food until 9pm and also has the best range of continental lagers (pictured) in Southampton. Another great reason to support this venue and the night itself.

Plus the Soul Cellar also has free Internet access so the audience can give instant reactions on Twitter or Facebook.

The ‘Showcase UK’ evening starts at 7 and finishes at 11pm, with free entry.

Xan is always looking for new music: from beats to folk, indie to jazz, metal to soul – they might be unsigned but they are not unloved. Contact Xan here

Updates and playlist will be available from the Showcase UK section of www.xan.co.uk

Showcase UK at the Soul Cellar
78 W Marlands Rd
Southampton, SO14 7FW
023 8071 0648
www.soulcellar.com

Every Monday night from 7pm (opening night 11th May 2009)

With the first pressing of their debut EP almost sold out and a couple of great supports lined up things are looking good for the Southampton trio Broken Links.

And for front man Mark Lawrence it is even more bizarre as the band are quite new out of the box: “people can’t believe we’ve only been together since December”

Another aspect people might not believe is that their EP is a home recording which you’ll find suitably metal in an indie style.

“Based on the CD,” Mark told me, “people think we’re heavy, but we’re on the wavelength as Muse. We have a pop element but are also dark. Live you’ll find some songs that veer towards Joy Division.”

The four song collection can also be downloaded from iTunes and Amazon as the band use the site TuneCore.com.

Its a fee based service that gives you the opportunity sell your songs on these essential sites. All you have to do is create the buzz and Broken Links are putting every effort into that.

The next step is this Wednesday (29th April) supporting Scottish band ‘The Cinematics‘ at the Hamptons.

Then on May 22^nd it’s possible Mark’s gig of the year as they support ‘My Vitriol‘ at The Joiners.

“This was the band of my teenage years, their music has so much depth. So when I heard they were playing The Joiners I really hassled the venue for the gig.”

With such determination they’ll go far.

If you’re feeling that music has become stale and your ear lobes need livening up then this Sunday (April 19th) in Southampton you have two opportunities for a refresh.

‘Bang The Bore‘ at the Hobbit is an evening of experimental music while ‘LogJam3‘ at The Hamptons will provide solo musicians an opportunity to improvise.

Seth Cooke hosts ‘Bang The Bore’ and his ethos is based on Brian Eno’s mind expanding thought: “what more could music be.”

“People have a fixed idea about music,”Seth explained, “and there’s methods of working with music that need exposure.”

He has gathered five acts from the Southampton area who approach music with a fresh and experimental attitude. Headlining is Bristol based ‘Teambric’ who is signed to Portishead’s label ‘Invada’.

Across the city The Hamptons will experience the third Log Jam; a night where music is given a twist of the creative juices.

Organiser Barney Lanman is aiming to get Southampton’s musicians, artists and thinkers to break free of their inhibitions and the shackles of having to perform to a paying audience:

“People can come to Log Jam and draw, play music, listen, look, drink, talk without any of it seeming inappropriate.”

Both events have free entry and bring a sense of creative freedom to the area.

Article published in the Southern Daily Echo April 17th 2009