A double DVD of the whole of The Colerne Music Fund charity gig, with performances from four of the town’s best young musicians is now available.
All profits will go to the music charity which was set up 11 years ago after the death of a much-loved local music teacher. The charity supports all forms of local music through donations to individuals, groups and organisations. It is administered and run by Rodney and Janet Priest, from Colerne.
This annual event, featuring local teen chart talent, is organised and run by Mel Austin (Melodious Music and mobsta promotions), who works with talented youngsters to promote their songwriting and performance skills, through a small recording studio in Beanacre and regular music nights at The Pilot on Bowerhill.
Several acts who were supported by Mel in their early years have found success in the music industry – internationally, Thought Forms band, signed to Invada Records, and well-known producer, engineer and mixer Dan Austin (Pixies, Cherry Ghost, Mallory Knox, Doves etc) were George Ward School students, as were, more locally, Neil Gay, Andy Rimmer, and Dom Bailey, who runs Nine Volt Leap recording studio on Avonside, and bands Port Erin and Hell Death Fury.
The DVD contains performances from The Hound and The Mountain (aka Jordan Whatley, 21) who is working on a new album, after appearances at many summer festivals, and a track and ep plugged by Steve Lamacq on Radio 6; Heather Kerr (16) appeared at Party In The Park this year and also writes and sings with band Hangar 18; Courtney Buchanan (17) reached the TeenStar Finals in 2013 and is recording her second album; and Rioja Jacques (17) reached the final of the new national songwriting competition and is recording an ep with Andy Baker of Resound Media over the next year.
The whole show was filmed by George Day and edited into a double DVD, which you can buy from Mel Austin melaustin100@gmail.com or tel: 01225 705866, for £5.
You can also see most of those acts and plenty of younger new ones when they perform live at The Pilot pub, Bowerhill. The next gigs will be on Wednesday 18th November and Wednesday 16th December. Contact Mel for more information on these gigs and on how young local chart music performers can be supported.