RADAR returns!

MusicConnex, ILUVLIVE and Music Week present:

RADAR

7pm Wednesday 5th March 2014 at Under the Bridge

Rascals / Ghetts / Joel Baker / The Lottery Winners / Ayanna Witter-Johnson / Glass City Vice

On Wednesday 5^th March, industry showcase RADAR returns to Under the Bridge, London with performances from Grime MC, Ghetts, and award winning cellist, Ayanna Witter-Johnson.

Born from a collaboration between Music Week, ILUVLIVE and MusicConnex and backed by new event partner, BIMM, RADAR gives the best unsigned and newly signed UK music acts an opportunity to perform in front of key music industry influencers.

Alongside the hotly tipped acts, the second instalment will include new slot, ‘BIMM Breaking’, an exclusive opportunity for BIMM Group’s industry ready students and alumni perform at the multi-million pound Chelsea venue.

Hosted by Music Week editor, Tim Ingham, RADAR once again aims to present some of the country’s brightest and freshest artists to a diverse and influential industry crowd.

Vaseema Hamilton, Principal of BIMM Brighton, Bristol and Manchester said, “At BIMM, we provide a range of music courses across production, management, business and performance but our mission is not just to educate; we aim to give our students the platform they need to launch long term careers in the industry.
Partnerships like this are another key component in enabling our students to make real industry contacts and showcase their talent to the industry and beyond.”

Jon Mansfield, CEO of MusicConnex commented: “After a very successful first event in November of last year, MusicConnex, ILUVLIVE and Music Week return with another exciting line up bringing with it the same level of entertainment and quality.

RADAR is designed to support artists who have already done an impressive amount of ground work and events such as this one hopes to propel the artists we the organisers believe will breakthrough in the coming months.”

Rachel Bee, MD of ILuvLive also commented: “There is such a need for industry platforms of this kind as demonstrated by almost ten years of ILUVLIVE and it's fantastic to be working with both MusicConnex and Music Week and creating a new platform that offers exposure both at the event and in Music Week itself.”

Are you on the RADAR? For more information about MusicConnex, RADAR and to purchase tickets, visit: www.musicconnex.co.uk
* Missed the first RADAR? Watch the highlights here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAHz1wX4SVU
* For more information about ILUVLIVE visit: http://iluvlive.co.uk/

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

* Members of the press and photographers are invited to attend. Please email info@purplereignpr.co.uk with your name, publication you represent and a contact number.
* MusicConnex provides a platform to network, develop skills, showcase and inspire. Its aim is to support and encourage artists and creative business minds to best position, manage and monetise their music career.
 * BIMM Group offers its students a broad range of course levels, from diplomas through to BA (Hons) degrees across all five colleges.  With over 3500 students courses include guitar, bass, drums, vocals, songwriting, live sound and tour management, music business, music production and event management.  Delivered by over 100 trained active professional tutors, all of whom have touring, performing and session experience and a background in the professional music industry. 

* Music Week has combined with ILUVLIVE and MusicConnex to launch a night showcasing the best unsigned and just-signed talent to the UK music industry. The aim is to make the night the go-to industry showcase, with Music Week not only publicising the event, but also providing extra exposure for artists.

* The Acts
GHETTS
Renowned British MC Ghetts is set to release new album ‘Rebel With a Cause’ in March 2014, following the unveiling of lead track ‘Rebel’. RWAC’s identity is born straight from Ghetts’ journey. A rebellious streak as a young man – which Ghetts describes as vibrant, energetic, and live or die – is tempered by his new Cause, a maturity that comes with age, hindsight, and his daughter’s birth: “It took a fair bit of me growing up; a fair bit of living to get here.”
Hailing from a religious, musical family, Ghetts was exposed to gospel music and jazz long before he tapped into the underground garage scene infiltrating East London’s airwaves and backstreets. At just 12, Ghetts locked in to jungle and garage, breathing in PAYG Cartel, Heartless Crew, and the raw mixes of friends and peers destined for the A-list. Before a stint in jail, Ghetts admits his own music had little focus or direction, labelling his efforts “just messing around”. Locked up, Ghetts embarked on a music and drama course to hone his skills. Friends on the outside assured him there was a space for his music and, on release, he joined local N.A.S.T.Y Crew alongside Kano, Stormin and infrequent guests like Dizzee Rascal, Durrty Goodz, and Wiley.

THE LOTTERY WINNERS
Born in Salford and raised on romance, The Lottery Winners can be found at the exact midpoint between the North West’s dual musical mecca’s of Manchester and Liverpool. The indie-jangle-pop quartet provides a melodramatic blend of momentous melodies coupled with wistful and insightful lyrics. Although the band have played extensively live, supporting the likes of The Futureheads, The Charlatans and The Enemy and building up a loyal family of fans in the process, they have only just chosen to release any music. On their limited edition debut EP, ‘Somebody Loved You’, you truly get the sense that every lyric and guitar hook has been crafted almost microscopically, with meaning and thought behind every single sound. Each one is a sing-along classic.

GLASS CITY VICE
Josh Oliver, Edward Lytton Cobbold, Dudley Powell and Lawrie Miller make up Brighton four piece Glass Vice City have certainly made a name for themselves since bursting onto the music scene in 2011. With their critically acclaimed debut EP No Direction, their distinctive sound struck a chord with press and fans alike and led to them playing over 200 shows across the UK in their first year alone. Word spread, and their fan base expanded through multiple social media streams.

In the months that followed, the band released their second EP Limelight, which saw them gain an increasing amount of media attention and garnered further live shows supporting the likes of Xcerts and Rival Schools. The single In My Head was released along with a video shot by photographer/director Chris Stockings, their third EP, Waves followed to a rapturous reception.

RASCALS
Growing up in legendary Bow, east London’s musical melting pot and surrounded by grime luminaries such as Tinchy Stryder, Roll Deep, Ghetts, Dizzee Rascal and Wiley – who’d regularly frequented the same circles, youth clubs and record shops – RASCALS have emerged from the underground in the only way they know how; shining like uncut diamonds in chasm of MCs.

RASCALS got their first slice of street success when they were just 12 and 13 with the debut smash New Era. Since then they’ve linked with fellow east London native Ryan De La Cruz to unleash the gritty Jay-Z sampling Re-Introduce, signed to EMI, the same label as Tinie Tempah, Professor Green and Conor Maynard – who they supported on a sell-out UK tour. Key players of the music industry have also recognised their musical output too and their deep discography also includes features on some momentous tracks.

JOEL BAKER
At the age of 21 Joel Baker left Nottingham with a degree in politics, a pleasant and humble personality and a guitar case full of covers. This was the beginning of a journey that Joel Baker did not even know he was on. Deciding on a career in politics Joel began his London life as an intern at Parliament, exercising his skill for writing by preparing speeches for the MP he shadowed. However by night Joel Baker attended regular live nights performing and fulfilling his hobby as a musician, a double life that was simply separated by his guitar. With a growing desire for music, Joel Baker compiled his covers and produced an EP project to give to the virtual world; ‘Between Kings Cross and Old Street’, including a rework of Kendrick Lamars ‘Bitch don’t kill my vibe’ which has attracted more than 190,000 YouTube views and an abundance of messages from admirers all over the world that eagerly awaited more. Together with long-time producers The Confectionary, Joel unveiled ‘Long Sleeves’, his first self-penned project which peaked in the top 10 of the singer-songwriter charts on iTunes. Joel, at only 22 years old, is well on his way to stardom.

AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON
An amazingly talented Singer, Songwriter and Cellist who is extraordinarily versatile having worked with the London and BBC Symphony Orchestras, Courtney Pine, Omar, Scored original music for Theatre productions in New York and has recently returned from a world tour with Anoushka Shankar. In 2010 she was the only non-American performer to win amateur night at the Legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Her first EP was produced by Marc Mac (4Hero) and her fans include Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum and Edith Bowman. With this incredibly strong foundation, she has recently released her second EP ‘Black Panther’.