PROVIDING local musicians the opportunity to play alongside established UK acts is crucial to the future of the Island’s music scene, a festival organiser has said as he launches a new event next month.
Warren Le Sueur, who is behind both the Weekender and Lib in the Square festivals, said preparations are under way for his latest venture Lib Live – an acoustic event that will be held in the Royal Square and which will feature headline performances from Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Jamie Webster and Zutons frontman Dave McCabe.
The event will also feature performances from members of the Songwriter’s Society, a group that supports and showcases local musicians – something Mr Le Sueur said was “really important”.
“This will be something completely different for Jersey,” he said. “We have got the Songwriter’s Society involved with a few locals acts to do the support. It was really important to us to make sure some of the local talent is part of something which we think – and hope – will be very special.
He added that opportunities for local musicians can be “relatively thin on the ground” as the number of venues has reduced in recent years.
“There is a lack of available venues that will promote live music – there used to be many more,” he said.
“It would be great to see more local venues offer more than just dance or chart music, because people do want to go out and experience music in all forms.
“We have seen that with some of the events that Island Music have been putting on recently, and it is important to note the great work the Sundown has being doing in terms of providing live entertainment. That will help build the live music scene in the Jersey.
“It is crucial to provide those platforms to allow local musicians a chance to shine.”
Discussing Lib Live, which utilises the balcony of the United Club as its stage, Mr Le Sueur said the event would be a “completely unique experience” from other large events in Jersey.
“It’s a new concept from the Lib in the Square team and gives people who aren’t necessarily into dance music the opportunity to experience music in the square because it is such a unique venue.
“We’re bringing in a couple of artists who have played Weekender that we know will put on a great show.
“Jamie Webster is on a huge rise and is a cult hero in Liverpool, while Dave McCabe is the genius behind Valerie – one of the biggest hits of the 21st century – so it will be a great event.
“It is a truly unique space that we have been very lucky to utilise for the last few years for Lib in the Square, which is definitely on the events circuit now among big-name DJs.”
Lib Live will take place on Friday 1 May and is limited to a 1,000-person capacity. The dance event Lib in the Square will take place over the following two days and is set to be headlined by DJs Roger Sanchez and MK.
