Hi and welcome to issue 70 of your free SLAP Magazine - and another bumper edition it is too. In fact I think I’ll be spending most of June apologising for what I’ve had to leave out!
If, like me, you spent the last weekend of May in a field or large tent, either dancing, watching or just listening, you’ll know that the Summer festival season is well and truly upon us. This month alone we have at least a dozen local festivals to choose from, which can’t be bad can it?
With so much happening it’s been particularly difficult to know where to start this month. We have plenty of gig reviews from all corners of the shires, we have news, views, interviews, features and updates. We take a look back at the incredible Swingamajig festival and look forward to just a few of this month’s events.
Hopfest, The Jinney Ring Folk Festival, Upton Jazz, Mappfest and the Tenbury Music Festival are all in the mix, as well as the latest information on the Drunken Monkey and Worcester Music Festival. We also bring news from Worcester LitFest so, as usual, there really is something for everyone this month..
We say a final goodbye to Sid, Sand & Coz from the Boars Head in Kidderminster which sadly looks like it will have to close unless you fancy taking it on...? The last night on Saturday 10th June should be an occasion to remember with Stiff Joints, Citizen Fish, Malarkey & Flat Stanley.
On the subject of venue closures we at Slap found this proposal in a certain party’s political manifesto - ‘Music venues play a vital role in supporting the music industry’s infrastructure and ensuring a healthy music industry continues in Britain. We will review extending the £1,000 pub relief business rates scheme to small music venues. And we will introduce an ‘agent of change’ principle in planning law, to ensure that new housing developments can coexist with existing music venues.’ - We couldn’t agree more, the small independent venues are the lifeblood for emerging artists and grass roots performers. So whatever your political persuasion, this should be music to the ears for venue owners and musicians alike.
We are living in turbulent times, but I’m sure that we, as artists & musicians or lovers of the arts, ‘have far more in common than that which divides us’, to coin a phrase...
In - fest - ed