Hey all,

Below is a web flyer for my last Behind The Mic gig of 2009. Thank you to all you fabulous art lovers who have supported the night over the past year. I have plans to take BTM up a notch in 2010 and hope you’ll continue with me on the journey…more details in the new year! If I don’t see you on December 9th, have a great festive season!

Jen x

For our gig on October 14th I’ve hand picked a few cherries from the alt-country and folk orchard and oh how succulant they are! Details below…

Marcus Foster

http://www.myspace.com/marcusfoster

Marcus Foster is a London born musician and studies sculpture at the Royal College of Art. He grew up listening to Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and Sister Rosetta Tharp giving him a raw, honest and timeless sound. His songs are currently featured in two motion pictures; Twilight and Five Dollars a Day and he’s just returned from a tour of America. ‘Let Me Sign’ is written by Marcus Foster and Bobby Long.

The Cedars

http://www.myspace.com/theonlycedars

A UK based Alt-Americana quartet, with soaring vocals, infectious rhythms and blasts of slide guitar and banjo. Plying tales of lost love, revenge and rural homicide, The Cedars manage to straddle the divide between the dancehalls of the 20’s and 30’s and what’s going on in the scene right now.

“…this choice cut from a thoroughly juicy selection serves as a splendid introduction to a band currently at the forefront of the UK’s alt.country scene…”
R2 Magazine (Rock n Reel)

Her Make Believe Band

http://www.myspace.com/hermakebelieveband

Performing as a 4-piece band, Her Make Believe Band are renowned for their exciting and assured performances and well-crafted songs that beautifully blend their country, pop and jazz influences. Described as “sugary harmonies and classic songwriting coming together to create a truly gorgeous sound” by Rahda (MNYC at Proud Camden and Folkadot, London) and as “the best live act we’ve ever had” by Matt (Showcase 55, London) the full band version of Her Make Believe Band brims with lush guitars, vintage keyboards and stunning vocals.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14TH
The Library, 235 Upper Street, (opposite The Union Chapel)
London, N1 IRU. 8pm.

What a talented crew of artists we have lined up for this Thursday. Please do visit their myspaces and listen for yourself….

Behind The Mic at The Library, Thursday March 19th

235 Upper Street, Opposite Union Chapel, Islington. Nearest tube: Highbury & Islington. 8pm start.

Tickets: £3 if you’ve confirmed attendance on our Facebook event invite. Check it out here.

Hosted by our favourite vampy performance poet, Sophia Blackwell

Special Guests include:

TALLULAH RENDALL

http://www.myspace.com/tallulahrendall

‘One of the top Up and Coming Artists’ - Evening Standard
‘Tallulah’s got a wonderful voice’ - Shirley Bassey

KAYO CHINGONYI

Multiple slam winnning poet who’s performed in venues as diverse as Buckingham Palace, The Tate Modern and Stratford Circus.

CHARLENE SORAIA

http://www.myspace.com/charlenesoraiajones

A BRIT-school graduate and prog-rock enthusiast who does a neat line in smooth-voiced, Feist-style alt-pop. Finalist, Glastonbury New Talent 2008

ADAMS & REA, comic duo

“The songs are splendid…delicious deadpan” The Guardian

LAIL ARAD

http://www.myspace.com/lailarad

“Sparky melodies and lyrics full of warm wit and wry domesticity.” Time Out

Whoop! January 09 is starting off on a high. From Monday 12th we’re commencing our weekly Behind The Mic radio show on Resonance FM. Every Monday between 10-11pm we’ll be interviewing BTM artists, hosting live sessions and playing some great new music.  Just tune in to 104.4 FM or alternatively online via www.resonancefm.com. Guests for Monday include poet Tamsin Kendrick and mistress of music, Madam. Future guests include Claire Tchaikowski, Jake Morley, Sara Schiralli, Dan Raza, Sara Pascoe, Rosie Oddie,  Idan Rabinovici, Elena, Talullah Rendall and more. Presented by Rosie Wilby (Funny Women of the Year Finalist) and myself - if Rosie remembers to turn my mic up.

Other news…

On January 22nd we’re bringing our eclectic and high quality brand of nights to a new venue opposite the Union Chapel, endearingly named The Library. The venue is run by the Fratelli’s Management and boasts a divine wine list and food menu devised by a Michelin starred chef. The emphasis on this launch will be on spoken word; highlighting why it’s popularity is on the rise and it’s influence on music in the mainstream. So, to this end, we’ve invited back the brilliant Gideon Conn plus George Pringle, the wonderfully colourful Dockers MC and Andy Craven-Griffiths.

January 29th see’s our return to the rather glam Soho Revue Bar.  Typically, we have another stirling line up with lap tapping genius Jake Morley (’On the verge of making it’ The Times) highly acclaimed comedian Sara Pascoe (dubbed by Time Out as one 2008’s rising stars) Jinadu from the 4* rated The Beauty Room (Q magazine) plus Poetry Idol winner Joe Hakim. More details on that next week.

Above left, Madam. Above right, Tamsin Kendrick.

http://www.myspace.com/madammusic

http://www.myspace.com/tamsinkendrick

OK, so I have to say, this is a brilliant line up in a very cool new venue run by the Fratelli’s management. The Library is located just opposite Union Chapel and has a fabulous wine list and menu devised by a Michelin starred chef. There’s also the book shelves…*salivate*

I’ll be launching Behind The Mic there on January 22nd - it would be great to have your support.
Special Guests…

GEORGE PRINGLE

http://www.myspace.com/georgepringle

“…sharp, complicated, ambitious and savvy, producing work that is so far beyond the average tunnel-vision indie, it’s almost a genre of its own..” The Sunday Times

“Shoegaze-pop, poetry and electronica” The Guardian

“Takes a blog-esque approach to lyricism and pulls it through a Death Cab-meets-Patti Smith-o-scope” NME

Check out her recent feature in The Sunday Times

DOCKERS MC

http://www.myspace.com/dockersmc

Dockers MC was selected as one of the Top Ten Literary Talents for 2008 by The Times. She recently released the limited edition book/cd Hold To My Ear. Her first book, Mistakes in the Background was published by Harper Collins in November 2008.

GIDEON CONN

http://www.myspace.com/gideonconn

The infectious slab of hip pop created by Gideon Conn has been one of the biggest word of mouth stories in years. His summery sound has seen him rise purely on the power of his infectious vibes causing hordes to join the rapidly growing army of fans. Gideon is a creative obsessive; his sculptures, drawings, paintings, songwriting and performances fill his days. An eccentric approaching genius, his brand of folkish hip-hop emulates everything from Outkast to Beck, yet is a unique fusion of song-rapped lyrics that tell surprisingly personal tales.

ANDY CRAVEN-GRIFFITHS

http://www.myspace.com/cravengriffiths

Poet king of Glastonbury Festival and multiple slam winner as seen on BBC television and radio.

Plus more to be confirmed!

Tickets are expected to sell out fast for this event. You can purchase some at early bird rates here:

Well. Wow. Behind The Mic has been going well. The last gig was another sell out. Dan Raza (pitched as the ’saviour of English folk music’) performed a rather special set. He completely shone - moving seamlessly between tender and fragile folky ballads to dynamic and rhythmic rock’n'roll orientated songs. He’s a very mature storyteller for his 23 years on earth. I can’t wait until he has some well produced tracks available. I don’t think his MySpace does him justice. Poeticat was refreshingly down-to-earth and really made us think (and laugh), Greg Holden, bringing with him a strong audience from his successful YouTube series, was good with some strong, hooky songs and Sarah Barton Keeley, as always, shimmered with a magical quality behind the piano.

I went to visit a new venue opposite Union Chapel last week. It’s endearingly called The Library and is run by the Fratelli’s management. I’ll be starting a new Behind The Mic night there on January 22nd with a strong emphasis on spoken word but still with some really fresh, original music. So far, I’ve confirmed George Pringle (she had a good feature in The Sunday Times last week - did you see it?) and Gideon Conn. I’m still waiting to hear from a couple of dynamic performance poets. Scroobius Pip would have been ace but unfortunately he’s off the live scene in early 2009 to focus on writing new material. He said the line up sounded brilliant and would try and make it down anyway. Also, just confirmed this morning, is our return to Resonance FM.

We’ll be broadcasting from London Bridge every Monday between 10-11pm. Sooo…now, I have to find guests for the following dates:

Monday 12th, 19th, 26th Jan, 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd Feb

The last series we did was great fun so I’m looking forward to it!

Right, I gotta get back to work.

Over and out.

x