The Project

Back in June, Britney Spears was miming her spangly socks off. If it were not for his tragic death, the next month would have seen Michael Jackson pretty much occupying London’s most glorified marquee for half a year. This is not because they were the most exciting, talented performers in the world. Deep down, we all know it’s true. Britney Spears and Michael Jackson were among the most exciting, talented performers in the world before they got older, insane and, in some cases, deceased. Their arsenal of tunes cannot be denied but their ability to perform them was always questionable; they were simply backed by organisations who knew that there was a substantial demographic of people who will pay large sums of money to say they’ve seen a legend. Simply: the profit to be made from the modern-day freakshow was enough to buy out the 02 Arena.

If we mere mortals were to approach the 02 Arena with our band and proffer our services for the winter, there’s a strong likelihood we’d be refused. You have to earn that level of lunacy, apparently. So for those of us not lucky enough to have our brains pickled by fame before they’ve fully developed, there’s the long and arduous gig circuit to traverse.

For the purposes of our discussion, I invite you to think of your band or invent one to be in. If your imagination is not quite up to the standard of Cher’s wigmaker, then you’ll have to deal with my hypothetical band. They’re called Big Fibs (still a better name than Vampire Weekend). Big Fibs are four friends from Norwich who decided to stick it to The Man by creating a raucous noise only appealing to the people who already adhered to their lifestyle. This instantly cancelled out Mum’s living room or any other public space so they had to look for a regular rehearsal room. Prices vary according to location, facilities provided and there are usually day, evening and weekend rates, but they were told to expect to pay approximately £10 per hour for the room. Luckily, they found Plug Studios which was almost half that price, had recording facilities and was practically designed for the amateur musician.

Big Fibs got gradually and gradually better until they could actually play their instruments. They wanted to show the world their new talents but the only gigs they were offered were Gary’s 20th and Uncle Eddie’s second marriage. However, as avid music fans, they had been frequenting live band nights at the B2, the Blueberry and King Edward VII’s and got to know a few local bands who offered them supporting slots at their gigs. These were initially unpaid but Big Fibs got to know promoters of local music festivals who always had too many slots to fill and they got their first paid shows.

Big Fibs were asked to play at the Queen Charlotte and then as part of a new band showcase at the Norwich Arts Centre. But in the midst of all these shows, something magical was starting to happen. Big Fibs got to know how to get the best out of their instruments and came to know their way around a melody. Before they could control it, people began to like them – the hits on their MySpace and Last.fm pages were ticking over every day. A few months later, Big Fibs were regularly headlining local clubs and an independent record company wanted to meet up to discuss a contract. This led to tours of clubs in other cities, including London, where they were mentioned in the major music press. The tours generated enough money for the independent label to get the Big Fibs recording time, so they released their debut album, ‘Lucky Bastards’.

This story ends happily for Big Fibs; they sell out the Waterfront and then play a loud homecoming gig at UEA. However, as their album title subtly entails, they are the lucky ones. Each band’s journey from the rehearsal studio to the thousand-seater venue is different but, during the early stages, the support of a local music scene is essential. No one begins perfectly; every career path is a learning process. No matter how big the band, they will have had to play smaller venues, not only to gain a following, but to hone their skills as musicians and songwriters.

This all sounds pretty obvious but there has never been a time when we needed to be reminded of the importance of these venues more. The recession means that pubs are closing everywhere as well as historic and much-loved music venues, such as The Charlotte in Leicester, due to lack of funds. The Astoria in London closed to make way for yet another railway station when Tottenham Court Road tube station can be seen from the venue and Charing Cross Overground is around the corner. And in our very own Norwich, the Queen Charlotte was served a Noise Abatement Notice on the predominantly student-rented Dereham Road. These venues are the overlooked foundation of British music and it is nothing short of a travesty to let them close unsupported. This applies to all venues for the arts; it is also for this reason that the Norwich Puppet Theatre cannot be allowed to close.

It shouldn’t come as a shock when you tell people that the Norwich Arts Centre (independently run, charitable status, 290 capacity) once hosted Oasis, Coldplay, The Manic Street Preachers and Muse (who, incidentally, are set to play the 02 Arena in November). Britain’s creative economy is now worth over £11 billion to UK plc supporting 2 million jobs. It produces a higher proportion of the UK’s total wealth - 8% of GDP – than anywhere else in the world. The £11.4 billion it contributes to the UK balance of trade is well ahead of the construction industry, insurance and pensions, and twice that of the pharmaceutical sector. Most of this is homegrown in the towns and cities of Britain and we owe it to the pride we are able to take in our artists to invest in our local music scenes.

MELISSA YORK
WRITER