Making Music: London Gay Symphonic Winds

LGSW at Pride

Formed in 2005 as a sister group to London Gay Symphony Orchestra, London Gay Symphonic Winds (LGSW) comprises 40+ mostly LGBT brass, woodwind and percussion players from a mix of backgrounds and playing abilities, from professional musicians, to people rediscovering an instrument they played at school. And of course, everything in between. 

Their musical aim is to be both fun and challenging. They want to encourage improving musicianship in an enjoyable and supportive environment. LGSW play a wide variety of music to suit our diversity, including concert band classics, orchestral arrangements, show tunes and of course, the odd bit of cheese in the guise of Abba and Madonna. 

The band performs two main concerts of its own each year, and plays at a range of other public and private events, including Pride London, and performances for charity, notably The Food Chain and Opening Doors London (Age UK’s LGBT project in London), two charities with which it has enjoyed a close relationship for many years. 

The band has a tradition of dressing up in the second half of concerts, and themes have included Halloween, national dress and The Proms and Jubilee. This next concert has music from TV and film as its theme, so in the second half, LGSW will be dressing up as our favourite film and TV characters.

Known for their Second Act Costume changes

The band is not just about the music though: more like a big extended family. After every rehearsal we go for a few drinks, and we regularly have other social events such as our summer picnic and our annual Fun Days. "Most of our members join the band to meet new people and we’d like to think we’re the friendliest band in London."

The next gig will include programme highlights include Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Selections from Aladdin, Highlights from Mary Poppins and Harry Potter's Wondrous World. It takes place on 26 October at St Sepulchre-Without-Newgate, 7.30pm. Tickets in advance from £8.

Rehearsals are held in central London every Thursday, and the band welcomes enquiries from new players*.

*welcome via the band’s website: www.lgsw.org.uk

By LGSW

Interview: Lucy Spraggan talks to us about fans, life and the future

Beer Fear, Boobs & Pride 

Following a short-lived appearance on X-Factor, something which she is clear to acknowledge was a spring board to all that's happened in her career throughout 2013, Lucy Spraggan has rocketed onto the pop music scene. No stranger to writing, gigging, recording, with her quirky, extremely likeable, original acoustic-folk-hip-hop style, it's fantastic to see this young musician take off in a scene that has been dominated by boys with their guitars for the last few years. 

And she's stayed as humble as she came across in those early X-Factor audition days, still stating she's just a girl who likes to play her guitar.

She lists her influences amongst the likes of Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Judy Garland, Petula Clark, Offspring, Limp Bizkit and Kirsty McColl - an ecclectic mix of styles that reflect her songs - beautiful lyrically told stories, that often pierce deep down or express humour of situations her fans will surely be familiar with.

Lucy says that she appreciates her loyal fans, and that "Its really nice to be able to hear from the young gay people around the world and when they say that I inspire them it's amazing." There aren't many young, out gay singers in the charts, so Lucy is carrying the flag. 

It's great to see her keeping a strong connection to the LGBT scene, playing numerous Pride events this summer, she says "it's great to be playing Pride on bigger stages than I have done before. I’ve played Manchester Pride since 2009 so it's always been really important to me." 

And the fans appreciate that Lucy is out there gigging and performing. Some show their appreciation more than others, and Lucy describes her best reaction from a fan at the V Festival, when an audience member flashed the singer mid-song - "and they were great tits!" she reports.

As well as the live performances, it's been a successful year in the studio too - Lucy's favourite moment of the year was getting signed to Columbia Records (Beyonce's label Lucy's always proud to state). The first single from the forthcoming album Join the Club, Lighthouse, charted in July, and the popular Last Night the song that introduced Lucy to the ears of many eager fans, is being released next week. Lucy is "really looking forward" to the album release. [And so are we!]


Happily the new album is followed by a tour, of venues around the country, with the highlight being what will be Lucy's biggest gig to date at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on October 30. For that, Lucy says she "Can’t bloody wait!". [Ditto].


For more...

• Keep up to date via the very active Facebook page, on there you will find links to the music videos, and the weekly album update, and dates of all the upcoming gigs and album signings
• Lucy's new album Join the Club is out on Monday 7 October, and you can pre-order from Itunes it here
• Lucy's next single Last Night (Beer Fear) is out on Monday 30 September, view the music video

By Katie

New Music: Kenelis EP Launch

The new EP Launches this Friday at 100 Club in Central London. The launch event promises to be an exciting, entertaining celebration of this EP.

You can view the Music Video of the new single, GFY below - it's modern punk rock (a cross between Blondie and Hole) with a great Pop Art look.

 

'MOVE' EP Release!

The EP 'Move' will be released next Monday 10th December on itunes & all major download sites. For those of you that enjoy the whole creative package of a music release there are eco-friendly CD digipacks with full lyrics & exclusive Artwork by jTayam (AKA Jessie Thomas), which is available for pre-order NOW on www.kenelis.com/music. Pre orders will be sent out immediately so you will receive them before the release!

Pre-order now on www.kenelis.com/music

Read the EP review from music loving Donald Strachan from Generate Radio http://dstrachan.tumblr.com/search/kenelis

 Follow Kinelis us on Facebook & twitter to stay totally up to date @Kenelis @MelSanson

You can attend the launch event! 

Get there early to see fantastic support acts, Joan Ov Arc & Words From Willis
If you haven't got your tickets yet, do not fear! You can still order now on www.kenelis.com/tourdates
You will receive email confirmation for your tickets which you can use to get your tickets on the door.

Kenelis Stage time 10pm (45 mins)
Age restrictions: 18+ (bring ID)
£8 in advance 

Interview: Rosie Wilby, comedian, musician, writer and broadcaster

Rosie Wilby's website

Planet London managed to grab 5 minutes with Rosie before she compered the Funny Women slot at the Big Gay Lifestyle Show. Rosie has been involved with Funny Women since she made the final of their competition in 2006.

Rosie also hosts Femmes by the Thames, a diverse cabaret night held every 2-3 months on a Wednesday night at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. The night showcases female music/comedy/character/poetry performances and has been running at the RVT since February 2010. The night is a spin off from Rosie's cabaret night 'Femmes on the Thames' that used to be held monthly on the Battersea Barge. "The RVT doesn't bob up and down quite so much" Rosie remarked.

Rosie told us she thinks LGBT events such as Pride are an important feature of the gay scene, but they need to be clear on what their message is and who they are for. She said the gay lifestyle is very social and also political but otherwise is pretty much the same as everyone elses.

Additionally, Rosie also presents a radio show called 'Out in South London', Tuesday nights at 6.30pm on Resonance104.4fm. The radio show has become a big success, and it started out as a monthly show on South City Radio, a community radio station based in Peckham, but when that lost its funding for adult programming Rosie moved the show to Resonance FM as it had developed a good following, where it is now a weekly fixture. The show has attracted some high profile guests including Stella Duffy and Sarah Waters and features only LGBT guests and music by LGBT artists, receiving excellent reviews in The Guardian, Time Out and South London press.

But that is not all Rosie is up to at the moment, she will be touring with a 90s nostalgia-based comedy show 'Rosie's Pop Diary' (which she has already taken to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe earlier in 2011) which looks back on stories and memories, fan letters and reviews of Rosie's time in a 90s brit pop band. Look out for her London tour dates on Planet London's events calendar, and find out more about everything Rosie is up to on her website. 

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Read our overall review of the Big Gay Lifestyle Show here.

To listen to previous episodes of the radio show, visit the Out in South London website.

Review by Katie and Naomi