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Alongside gigs, the Southbank centre will also offer a range of art, poetry and dance exhibitions, as well as creative workshops for all ages. When speaking of the upcoming events, the Southbank Centre’s head of contemporary music Bengi Ünsal spoke passionately about the importance of celebrating the arts in such troubling times.

“While 2020 was undoubtedly a horrific year for our industry, we did see unprecedented demand for music streaming and on-demand gigs, showing – more than ever – just how much the UK’s cultural scene means to its people,” he explained.

Ünsal also spoke with excitedly about the artists announced to play; “One particular success story was Black Country, New Road who, on the back of just two tracks, found critical acclaim. We are delighted to be platforming the band as they release their debut album; we can’t wait to watch them take their alt-rock sound to international audiences.

“We also host the much-anticipated global stream from The Cinematic Orchestra; undoubtedly one of the most influential British bands of the last 20 years.”

MUSIC FEEDS, the at-home festival for charity to help fight #FoodPoverty | 28/29 Jan | Tickets/info: https://t.co/E0otrImWt0 | 40+ unique artist performances to aid @FareShareUK @StagehandFund @HelpMusiciansUK
| Presented by @coopuk and @weareEBH #MusicFeeds pic.twitter.com/yBlQsDuTy7

— Everybody Belongs Here (@weareEBH) January 8, 2021

Presented by Everybody Belongs Here and Co-op UK, the festival will be in aid of FareShare, a charity fighting food poverty, as well as Help Musicians and Stagehand, who are currently helping musicians and stage crew who have been affected by the ongoing corona virus pandemic.

Jo Whitfield commented on the company’s collaboration with the music festival stating; “The pandemic has brought a sharper focus on issues such as food poverty and many in the music industry have seen their livelihoods disappear overnight because of lockdown restrictions. It’s right that we should lend our support and co-operate with musicians to raise awareness and raise funds for such vital causes.”

Festival founder Saul Davies added to the statement, speaking of the event with excitement and passion; “At Music Feeds you’ll get never-seen performances from leading artists, uncover new bands, and get up-close and personal with interviews. The festival will be broadcast to your Smart TV and devices over two nights, and festival goers can even join the sofa mosh-pit via the simultaneous Twitter listening party.”

“it’s a big team effort”

We’re super excited that @jordanadetunji is joining us as our #IVW21 Ambassador for Northern Ireland, read more about how his local music scene and independent venues have supported him at the start of his career: https://t.co/RlaYU3G4wX pic.twitter.com/xpGqihhApt

— Independent Venue Week (@IVW_UK) January 7, 2021

The annual week-long event, will celebrate grassroots music venues across the UK, inviting a myriad of artists from across the UK to play digital shows in order to raise awareness for local venues and creative spaces. The organisation will also hold comedy, poetry, and craft events in order to raise support. So far, over 64 venues across the UK will take part in the celebrations

“I am delighted to have been chosen as the ambassador for Northern Ireland during Independent Venue Week 2021. Independent venues play a vital role in creating economic opportunities, while at the same time showcasing and promoting the works of many local artists like myself,” Adetunji stated. “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together venues, artists, events operators, and the public – especially in these challenging times – to highlight the importance of independent venues.”

An ambassador from Independent Music Week 2021 also expressed their excitement in teaming up with Adetunji. “As we step into 2021, it is clear we are a long way from any kind of opportunity to safely enjoy live music in grassroots music venues and the health and well-being of our whole community is our priority.”

 “IVW is responding by adapting the way shows are available across the week with a range of digital events. From ‘In Conversations’ with artists, labels, promoters, gig goers and other industry organisations to album listening parties, pre-recorded live streams, comedy and quizzes.”

Dear @BorisJohnson – we are the music business – we have thousands of skilled people capable of running events & empty theatres/clubs/arenas – give us the vaccines & we will work 24 hours a day to sort it ?

— John Giddings (@JohnGiddings01) January 5, 2021

Giddings’s announced the plan on Twitter, where he gave a passionate, brief outline of his idea; “Dear Boris Johnson, We are the music business – we have thousands of skilled people capable of running events and empty theatres/clubs/arena. Give us the vaccines and we will work 24 hours a day to sort it?” The tweet has received an influx of support, with both music fans and professionals encouraging the plan online.

Giddings also gave a more detailed outline of his plan when speaking to NME, as well as expressing his frustration with passivity. “I was lying in bed last night thinking: “Fuck all of this for a game of soldiers – why don’t I do something as opposed to waiting for people to tell me what to do?’ I sent out a tweet saying that I’ve got thousands of people who know what they’re doing, and hundreds of empty venues and it’s created a snowstorm,” he explained.

“We’re all sitting here moving tours left, right and centre, employing people for a year without any income, and everything I’m reading gives me less and less confidence in this vaccine being rolled out in time to make things happen,” he told NME. “It’s a very selfish thing – I want to make the Isle of Wight Festival happen. The only way it will happen is if we get enough people vaccinated and we’re capable of doing a test very quickly.”

The festival head also seemed assured that if his plan carried out, that 2021 festivals would be able to go ahead. “Live Aid happened in three weeks. Everything is possible if you’ve got the will to win. It’s about doing a job, doing it properly and quickly, and in the live music business we need to make things happen within a short period of time. We can’t make excuses. The people I employ know how to do this. I’m just fighting to help this happen.”

See you all later in the year with a new album to shove down your throats x pic.twitter.com/ed9O3UQOnX

— Lewis Capaldi (@LewisCapaldi) January 4, 2021

The artist announced the news through twitter, keeping his notorious dead-pan humour intact throughout the statement. “Going to fuck off for a wee bit now to crack on and finish the second album. Won’t be using social media so you’ll all have to make do without me talking shite and constantly trying to take your money by flogging you something,” he explained.

“Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year and I’ll see you big lovely bastards later in the year with some new music that imagine will be universally panned by critics and will fail to be as commercially successful as my last outing. “Thus spelling the beginning of the end of the 15 minutes of fame that quite frankly, I never deserved in the first place. IT’S ALL VERY EXCITING. LOVE YOU, STAY SAFE AND BYE FOR NOW.”

The young singer-songwriter turned head throughout 2020, receiving multiple awards and topping the charts with his hit single ‘Someone You Loved’ and his debut album ‘Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent’ was the UK’s best-selling album of 2019 and 2020. While the absence of the beloved artist is upsetting to fans, they can be rest assured that Capaldi will return with an album that is sure to excite.

HAPPY NEU YEAR

today we resume shipping to Europe pic.twitter.com/FdlX2Z4uYk

— Banquet Records (@BanquetRecords) January 4, 2021

The record store spread the word that sales would continue through Twitter, tweeting ‘HAPPY NEU YEAR. Today we resume shipping to Europe.’ Alongside the tweet, the store released a graphic that read; “With clarity around orders to Europe, we can resume accepting orders to EU countries.” The announcement received a wave of support through social media, with many expressing their admiration, and support of the company’s ongoing efforts.

The fear over a no-deal Brexit was relieved on the 30^th of December, when the British government voted to accept Boris Johnson’s latest trade deal with the EU. However, Brexit has still caused a myriad of issues for touring artists and their crews, prompting many notable music industry figures to speak out, and demand security for these workers.

While the government have not put any measures to protect touring employees yet, they assured NME in a statement that they “…are working closely with the arts and culture sector to prepare for the end of the transition period and recognise the importance of touring for UK musicians.”

Lupe Fiasco released his tribute through a freestyle rap, in which he shared sorrow for MF DOOM’s passing, the contributions the departed artist made to the music industry, and the impact he has on Lupe Fiasco personally. Emotional and expressive, the closing lyrics captured the impact of MF DOOM’s passing; “Crying like a grown man… we’ll take it from here, look how far you brought us.”

To whom it may concern:

I ask and propose that from this point forward all rappers from everywhere and from every style and every level in the craft refer to “Similes” as “Dumiles”
Pronounced “Doom-ah-lays”

A small gesture for a fallen master.

MF DOOM

Can I get a 2nd?

— TAPE TAPE & HOUSE EP NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 31, 2020

Alongside the rap, Lupe Fiasco expressed his grief through a series of tweets.. “To whom it may concern: I ask and propose that from this point forward all rappers from everywhere and from every style and every level in the craft refer to ‘Similes’ as ‘Dumiles’ […] A small gesture for a fallen master. MF DOOM Folded hands,” the artist wrote in his first tweet.

Thanx DOOM…I learned so much from you about the art of rapping. Studied and analyzed you for years as recently as a few days ago. I wish I could’ve met you to tell you that. …here’s some raps…rest easy…Amin… pic.twitter.com/1njyEArfzT — TAPE TAPE & HOUSE EP NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) January 1, 2021

He went onto express his personal gratitude to the departed rapper. “Thanx DOOM…I learned so much from you about the art of rapping. Studied and analysed you for years as recently as a few days ago. I wish I could’ve met you to tell you that. Folded hands…here’s some raps…rest easy…Amin…”

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MF DOOM’s departure was announced publicly through Instagram by his wife Jasmine. “To Dumile. The greatest husband, father, teacher, student, business partner, lover and friend I could ever ask for. Thank you for all the things you have shown, taught and given to me, our children and our family. Thank you for teaching me how to forgive beings and give another chance, not to be so quick to judge and write off. Thank you for showing how not to be afraid to love and be the best person I could ever be,” she wrote.

“My world will never be the same without you. Words will never express what you and Malachi mean to me, I love both and adore you always. May THE ALL continue to bless you, our family and the planet.”

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‘Love Is Back’ focuses on finding new love, with the artists soulful vocals gliding atop a horn-filled, bouncy instrumental. The track evokes an exciting, fresh energy, making it the perfect track to enter into 2021 with. The single follows a myriad of mew music the singer has released this year, with single ‘A Little Love’ being used in the iconic John Lewis Christmas advert this year. The singer also released ‘Little Runaway’ and ‘I Can See The Change’, which was produced by renowned artist Finneas.

This new music came alongside news of the artists debut album ‘Not Your Muse’, which is set to be released on February 26, 2021. “I know it’s been a long while that I have been talking about this, but the day has finally come that I can share this with you. For me it’s the beginning of finding my voice, the one that empowers me and hopefully those who it reaches,” Celeste explained when talking of the albums meaning on social media.

 

 

 

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“For me it’s the beginning of finding my voice, the one that empowers me and hopefully those who it reaches. Each song that has been written can pin-point a very specific moment in my life, so I look forward to you all hearing those stories… I hope you like it.”

The photos depict the band head banging and dancing while playing to an adoring crowd, who seemed equally as a frantic as the now-iconic band. Some photos even depict the members of the group stagediving into the middle of the audience, as was common in many punk gigs that took place at the time. The collection have quickly found viral fame, and been shared by music lovers globally.

Davis told the Manchester Evening News that he discovered the negatives of the photos mid-lockdown, having previously never developed them. “For years I was convinced that someone had nicked the negatives. But about two months ago I was going through my kids’ stuff and found it among the old primary school photos. I looked at it and thought ‘Oh my God, I thought I’d lost them,” he explained to the publication.

He also described his memories of the gigs, stating he was not familiar with the band when attending. “I didn’t know much about Nirvana at the time. I’d heard a couple of songs off Bleach, but I was a big fan of Sonic Youth, Mudhoney and Dinosaur Jnr, so I knew it was going to be good,” Davis stated. “I laugh about it now, but afterwards one of Nirvana’s team asked me if I’d like to interview the band and I turned them down because I was knackered.”

ICYMI: Vinyl and cassette sales surge as streamers collect the music they love in lockdown.

Read in full  https://t.co/NBNNu0xE0x pic.twitter.com/4pRZC6fZem

— BPI (@bpi_music) December 29, 2020

The soar in numbers have been accredited to campaigns such as LoveRecordStores, Record Store Day and National Album Day. When the physical music market was severely impacted by the national lockdown in March, these campaigns pushed music lovers across the nations to support their local record shops, leading to a massive increase in LP sales.

When speaking of the record-breaking sales, chief executive of the BPI Geoff Taylor spoke passionately of the nation’s support, despite the ongoing global crisis. “In a year when all our lives have changed, music’s power to inspire has never been more evident. The immediacy and convenience of streaming make it the go-to audio format for most of our listening, but more and more fans choose to get closer to their favourite artists and albums on vinyl,” he explained in a statement.

“It’s remarkable that LP and audio tape sales should have risen at all given the challenges we’ve all faced. The surge in sales despite retail closures demonstrates the timeless appeal of collectable physical formats alongside the seamless connectivity of streaming.”