HMV’s festival-season-opener and live music showcase for emerging and breakthrough musicians – the hmv Next Big Thing – has now signed over 100 new artists for its February 2011 shows, with more names to be announced early in the new year (see full confirmed line-up below).
The acts, which cover a wide range of music genres, will make up the bill at over 40 gigs to be staged at six HMV-owned MAMA venues in London – The Borderline, the Jazz Café, The Relentless Garage, Upstairs at the Relentless Garage, Heaven and the Camden Barfly as well as, for the first time, outside of the Capital at Birmingham’s hmv Institute and at the hmv Picture House in Edinburgh.
The aim of the festival, which follows soon after the BBC announces its annual Sounds Poll winners, is to give music fans and gig-goers an early and affordable opportunity to see many of the new faces tipped for breakthrough success that they will have been hearing so much about. Tickets to any of the gigs are priced at just £10, and have been selling fast since they went on sale earlier this month, with shows by BRITs Critics Choice winner Jessie J, Fenech-Soler, Futures and Caitlin Rose already sold out.
There are three ways to buy: online at www.hmvnextbigthing.com; by phone at the hmvtickets call centre 0843 221 0100 or in person at hmvtickets box offices at selected HMV stores.
The hmv Next Big Thing 2011 is presented in association with Ted Baker – an enthusiastic supporter of new and cutting-edge talent, who will additionally host The Inbetweeners star, James Buckley ,and his Common People at the Relentless Garage on February 4th to help kick off the festival, and Gaymers cider, who will host a number of the gigs and dance nights across the ten-day festival, including Caitlin Rose at the Camden Barfly, Jon Fratelli at the hmv Picture House and the Deconstruction label night at Heaven.
Billed as Gaymers Hotspots, these nights will look to showcase the very best in breakthrough talent. The festival’s media partners are Time Out and Xfm – and the nation’s favourite broadcaster of Indie music will also stage a New Music Award night featuring Wolf Gang as part of the festival.
Please scroll down for quotes and artist/Industry testimonials, below…
The hmv Next Big Thing first launched in February earlier this year, with its 2010 event helping to herald the arrival of a number of exciting new talents, including the likes of Ellie Goulding, Professor Green, Marina and the Diamonds, Paloma Faith, Eliza Doolittle and You Me At Six, who have all gone on to establish themselves in a big way following acclaimed debut albums.
Such has been the impact of the hmv Next Big Thing with fans and artists alike that this exciting new live brand will now also host a stage for new artists at The Great Escape 2011 festival in Brighton next May. The hmv Next Big Thing festival will additionally be recorded for broadcast as exclusive added-value content for the entertainment retailer’s hmv.com, hmvdigital.com and purehmv offers – tying-in as ‘bundle’ deals with record labels to support future album releases by the featured new artists.
hmv Next Big Thing 2011 line-up:
The Borderline
Friday, 4th Feb – James Blake
Saturday, 5th Feb – Transgressive Records presents Gaggle + Dry The River + Marques Toliver + Transgressive DJs
Monday, 7th Feb – Alice Gold + Yellow Wire + Carmen Townsend (Gaymers Hotspot)
Tuesday, 8th Feb – Lauren Pritchard + Gabrielle Alpin + Natalie McCool
Wednesday, 9th Feb – XFM New Music Award night featuring: Wolf Gang + tbc + Luna Belle
Thursday 10th Feb – Communion night featuring Marcus Foster + Andrew Davie + Pete Roe + Daughter
Friday 11th Feb – Clare Maguire + Saint Saviour + Murray James
Sunday, 13th Feb – Funeral For A Friend + The Blackout + Canterbury
Jazz Café
Friday, 4th Feb – Skepta
Saturday, 5th Feb – Mighty Mouse curate ‘A Disco Circus’
Monday, 7th Feb – Monarchy
Tuesday, 8th Feb – The Pierces + Jonathan Jeremiah + Liam Bailey
Wednesday, 9th Feb – Josh Weller + Rose Elinor Dougall (acoustic set) + Mike Marlin
Thursday 10th Feb – James Rhodes
Friday 11th Feb – Wretch 32 + Yasmin + Jodie Connor
Sunday, 13th Feb – Sarah Blasko + Caro Emerald co-headline show + Andy Smith (Portishead) DJ Set
The Relentless Garage
Friday, 4th Feb – James Buckley’s Common People presents: Pete & The Pirates + The Heartbreaks + States Of Emotion (Ted Baker night)
Monday, 7th Feb – Chipmunk
Tuesday, 8th Feb – Little Dragon + Yoav + Stateless
Upstairs at the Relentless Garage
Friday, 4th Feb – Blow Up night featuring Bongolian + Silvery + Baltic Fleet – followed by Blow Up club night with DJs Paul Tunkin and Ian Jackson – free entry to all gig ticket holders
Saturday, 5th Feb – Fenech-Soler + Mirrors + Is Tropical (SOLD OUT)
Sunday, 6th Feb – Sunday Girl
Monday, 7th Feb – Memphis Industries night featuring Dutch Uncles + The Phoenix Foundation + Banjo Or Freakout
Tuesday, 8th Feb – The Mummers + Family of the Year + Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Wednesday, 9th Feb – Spark + Ed Drewett
Thursday 10th Feb – Moshi Moshi night featuring: James Yuill + CocknBullKid + Trophy Wife + Visions of Trees
Friday 11th Feb – Mute night featuring S.C.U.M
Saturday, 12th Feb – Communion night featuring Matthew and the Atlas+ Treetop Flyers (acoustic set) + Matt Corby + Rachel Sermanni
Sunday, 13th Feb – Pete Lawrie + Leah Mason + The Roads
Heaven
Wednesday, 9th Feb – Deconstruction night featuring Diagram of the Heart (live) + Retro/Grade (live and DJ set) + Babydrum (live and DJ set) + Burns (DJ set) + Mike Pickering (DJ set) plus very special guests (Gaymers Hotspot)
Thursday 10th Feb – The Airborne Toxic Event + Sissy And The Blisters + Morning Parade
Camden Barfly
Friday, 4th Feb – Anna Calvi + Sparrow And The Workshop + Paper Crows
Saturday, 5th Feb – The Milk + plus special guests 12 Dirty Bullets (Gaymers Hotspot)
Sunday, 6th Feb – Jessie J (acoustic set) + Alex Clare> (SOLD OUT)
Monday, 7th Feb – Kassidy + Young The Giant + Kill It Kid
Tuesday, 8th Feb – The Japanese Popstars + Penguin Prison + Kid Adrift + Cassette Jam
Wednesday, 9th Feb – Katzenjammer + very special guest CW Stoneking
Thursday 10th Feb – Futures (SOLD OUT)
Friday 11th Feb – Caitlin Rose + Nathaniel Rateliff + Delta Maid (Gaymers Hotspot) (SOLD OUT)
Saturday, 12th Feb – Rival Sons + tbc + Sons of Icarus (formerly The Fury)
Sunday, 13th Feb – Funeral Party
hmv Birmingham Institute (Temple Room)
Tuesday, 8th Feb – Kassidy + Carmen Townsend (Gaymers Hotspot)
hmv Picture House Edinburgh
Saturday, 12th Feb – Jon Fratelli + Morning Parade (Gaymers Hotspot)
QUOTES and TESTIMONIALS
Artists
Clare Maguire, tipped by HMV and other industry commentators to be the ‘next big thing’ of 2011, comments: “Growing up in Birmingham I was constantly in record stores, getting lost in music and fuelling my dreams of making my own record one day.
“HMV was one of the key places where I got my musical and visual inspiration from at that time, so it’s fantastic to be given this platform from them now to play to new faces and potential fans.
“My music means everything to me and I hope this show and the other gigs they are putting on for Next Big Thing will trigger someone in the crowd to start their own musical journey, in same way all the music I first heard there created belief in me.”
Marina Diamandis of Marina & the Diamonds, who opened the first hmv Next Big Thing festival in February 2010 with a great performance at the Relentless Garage, commented: “HMV have provided a brilliant way for the public to see artists who are hopefully on the tip of something great, in an intimate setting very early on in their careers.
“It’s also great for the artists, as it provides a platform to perform to a new range of fans, who will have never heard of them before, let alone seen them live.”
HMV & MAMA
Jason Legg, hmvlive manager and co-promoter of the hmv Next Big Thing, comments: “Predicting which new acts will breakthrough as we approach each new year has become a bit of a national past-time, so we’re really pleased to be giving fans an early opportunity to see some of these fresh new faces that they will have heard so much about – and not just in London, but also in Birmingham and Edinburgh.
“Our aim is to further extend the scope of the hmv Next Big Thing as we open new venues around the country, and to take the brand to other festivals in time.
“HMV has always done its best to support new talent, and now that we have access to our own venues we feel the hmv Next Big Thing is a great way to take this engagement to a new level – not only does it represent a great opportunity for artists and labels, but, just as importantly, it has already established itself as a great platform for fans to engage with new talent at an early stage in their careers.”
Simon Fox, CEO HMV, comments: “The success of the inaugural hmv Next Big Thing earlier this year, which gave timely support to the likes of Ellie Goulding and Marina and the Diamonds as they launched their careers, has helped to lay the foundations of an even bigger and more exciting event for 2011, which I trust has now established itself as an annual event that marks the beginning of the festival season.
“We’re also delighted to have on board two such engaging brands as Ted Baker and Gaymers, which, alongside our media partners at Time Out and Xfm, share our passion for music and new talent.”
MAMA Group head of Special Events, Jim Benner, who is also co-promoting the hmv Next Big Thing, comments: “Last time out, we had an amazing range of artists and themed nights for our first-ever festival, but for 2011 I am looking to build on this by having an even more eclectic mix of artists and events that truly reflects the vibrant and diverse nature of the wonderful new talent that keeps coming through across all genres, both here in the UK and internationally in Ireland and elsewhere.”
Clare Lusher, head of Marketing at MAMA’ss Live Division adds: “We’ve been absolutely delighted with the response to this festival – not just from the artists and labels, but from the fans themselves. There were a couple of occasions during gigs at the first festival earlier this year when I overheard people say how they’d come along to see a particular artist, but had also been blown away by another act on the bill.
“And that’s exactly the kind of thing we set out to achieve. My hope is that we’ve created something that’s a bit different and special that can only grow in popularity and which will continue a much-anticipated fixture in the music industry calendar.”
Supporters
“Ted’s always on the lookout for fresh new talent,” says Craig Smith, brand communication director at Ted Baker.
“As no ordinary designer label, we like to engage with audiences in extraordinary ways, and that’s why we’rre proud to support the up-and-coming musicians taking part in HMV’s Next Big Thing.”
Victoria Walker, brand marketing, Gaymers, cider says: “Gaymers cider is the number one live music cider and is proud to support hmv Next Big Thing.
“This event will give music lovers a sneak preview of the hottest acts of the summer. Some of the acts performing at hmv Next Big Thing you’ll no doubt later find on festival bills over the summer and there’s something very special about saying you’ve seen them months before the masses.
“We’ll look forward to seeing you there and checking out some new music talent over a pint of Gaymers cider.”
Music Industry
Universal Commercial MD, Brian Rose, comments: “hmv’s Next Big Thing has proved a really engaging platform for new and emerging artists to connect with fans and the wider public at the very point when their careers may be lifting off.
“It’s an event that’s helped to support labels as they seek to build momentum around key new talent, as we saw with Ellie Goulding earlier this year, and we look forward to a number of our priority artists taking part early next year”.
Columbia Records MD, Mike Smith – whose 2010 priority artist Lissie performed at the Jazz Café, comments: “The Next Big Thing festival has proved an inspired idea.
“It’s helped to present new and emerging talent to a wider audience at the very time when interest and awareness among music fans and the media is taking off.
“At the same time HMV has backed this up by delivering that all-important retail support instore and online for many of the participating artists, so Next Big Thing has worked on a number of levels for us, and we look forward to taking part next year.”
Feargal Sharkey, chief executive of UK Music, reaffirms his support for the hmv Next Big Thing: “This is proving a fantastic initiative from HMV and MAMA Group.
“The music industry continues to evolve and embrace all manner of exciting changes, but it will always, and should always, be rooted in discovery and investment in the careers of new artists, composers and musicians.
“Next Big Thing acknowledges this and offers a great platform for a new generation to play some of London’s best live music venues.”
ENQUIRIES
Gennaro Castaldo, HMV Press & PR
+44 (0)20 7432 2033 / +44 (0)7801 1941 39 / gennaro.castaldo@hmv.co.uk
Liam McMahon, PressOnPR
+44 (0)20 7688 8929 / +44 (0)7734 739 794 / liam@pressonpr.com
Gail Dobinson, Head of Marketing & PR, Ted Baker London
+44 (0)20 7255 4816 / Gail.Dobinson@TedBaker.com
Sarah Belizaire-Butler, Clarion Communications on behalf of Gaymers
+44 (0)20 7343 3726 / sarahbb@clarioncomms.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About HMV
First established in 1921 through its Oxford Street store, and famous the world-over for its iconic ‘dog-and-gramophone’ trademark, 90-years on entertainment brand HMV enables its customers to get even closer to the artists and to the music, film and games they love whether in the home, on the move or via the ‘live’ experience. HMV offers a specialist range of products, services and experiences that give unrivalled access to today’s popular culture through a number of complementary channels:
* 275 stores around the UK & Ireland offering a comprehensive selection of music, film, games and also books across all genres and platforms; a broad and growing range of technology devices and accessories; as well as artist merchandising and t-shirts, licensed products and fashion clothing ranges inspired by music housed within HMV’s newly-launched ‘Studio’ sub-brand.
* An online store at hmv.com with free home delivery and content download service at hmvdigital.com powered by 7digital (50 per cent HMV owned)
* Live music and entertainment through the sale of event tickets via hmvtickets online and instore.
* HMV ownership of MAMA Group venues including the hmv Hammersmith Apollo, hmvforum, Jazz Café and Heaven in London, the hmv Picture House in Edinburgh and hmvInstitute in Birmingham; and festivals Lovebox, High Voltage, Great Escape, Global Gathering and the hmv Next Big Thing.
About Ted Baker
Established in 1988, Ted Baker London has grown from its humble roots as a shirt specialist in Glasgow, to a global lifestyle brand with over 100 locations in Europe, the U.S., Australia, Middle East, Far East and Southeast Asia. No ordinary designer label, Ted Baker offers menswear, womenswear, accessories (and everything in between), and is renowned for its quality and distinctive use of pattern and colour. The brand’s unconventional approach to fashion, irreverent sense of humour and, above all, unswerving attention to detail appeals to style-conscious men and women who trust Ted to deliver that certain something… a little out of the ordinary.
About Gaymers
Gaymers, the UK’s no. 1 live music cider, is the official cider of hmv Next Big Thing. You’ll also be able to find Gaymers cider at the following festivals in 2011: Gaymers Camden Crawl, Glastonbury, Lovebox, Reading and Leeds, The Big Chill and Bestival.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by HMV. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Gennaro Castaldo
Phone: +44 (0)20 7432 2033 / +44 (0)7801 1941 39
Email: gennaro.castaldo@hmv.co.uk
Website: http://www.hmv.co.uk
