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Lauren Kaycee, founder of Kaycee Promotions is one of a new crop of promoters who have started grassroots ventures putting gigs on in Liverpool.
With gigs taking place in the city steadily on the increase with the opening of new venues, there has been a parallel rise in the number of people attached to the process of getting live music onstage.
Live and Original, which runs in Vinyl Bar on the last Sunday of every month, is a networking event for fledgling musicians, producers and industry people to get to meet each other.
With more and more band forming in the city, the forums to recruit new members and find like-minded musicians has become vastly easier in the internet age.
One of the USPs of Live and Original Nights however is that it enables musicians to meet each other without having to trawl through internet message boards. Held in Vinyl Bar, which is situated in the basement of the Pistachio Restaurant on Lark Lane, the event has been running since January.
Despite being out in the suburbs, usually a deterrent for gig goers, the number of musicians and students who have traditionally lived in the leafy bohemia of the Lane means that there is a steady supply of untapped talent.
Lauren said: “If someone’s looking for a band member, a writer, a producer or studio time, whatever they’re looking for they can find on that night.”
“I put acts on as well so they can showcase themselves, so if they want to invite certain people to see them, they’ve got a venue as well.”
Aside from this though is the invaluable experience of sounding out someone face to face, which is where the event comes in.
In addition to this, Lauren has organized one-off events at the Aloha Bar in Colquitt St in the city centre.
In addition to running the Live and Original Nights and other ventures, Lauren is also involved with Lost at Sea Records, founded by music producer Colin Jones.
The reactivated Sink Club on Berry St hosts events connected with the label in a low-key setting.
The aptly titled Unplugged at The Sink hosts another networking event, affiliated with Lost at Sea and overseen by Lauren.
San Tracuba Club on Allerton Road is the most recent addition to the roster, which hosts weekly Thursday night events.
Live and Original is the first night Lauren has set up. As a singer-songwriter she said she “fell into promotions work” after realising there was a lack of networking events for musicians to meet each other and make potential contacts.
When asked how important do you feel grassroots promoters are in Liverpool? Lauren explained, “I think promoters are like an umbrella, there’s loads of things you have to do.”
“I started Live and Original and I found I was getting inundated with emails and Facebook requests for gigs and I didn’t really know what to do, but then I thought I might as well just go with it.”
“People would ask me to get them a gig and put them in a venue and it just seemed to click.”
As more venues have sprung up, competition for gig goers has understandably become fiercer too. Although the internet has allowed events to be publicised to a potentially unlimited audience, Lauren still uses tried and tested methods in ensuring the gigs have the maximum ‘reach’.
Lauren said, “I make sure I work on events working up to them for weeks myself, I do the flyering and postering myself, make sure the Facebook links are updated everyday. You’ve got to nowadays to bring people in.”
Liverpool bands Lauren currently tips include grungers Built on Tradition and off kilter types R&R ft. Fluteman as acts to keep an eye on.
With Colin Jones travelling over the summer, Lauren has stepped into his shoes, presenting the gig guide on Pure Musical Sensations on BBC Radio Merseyside, which is broadcast from midnight on Sundays.
To contact Lauren: liveandoriginalnights@yahoo.com
Live and Original is on the last Sunday of every month at Vinyl Bar, Lark Lane
Unplugged at The Sink is every Thursday at The Sink Club, Berry St.
Pure Musical Sensations is broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside on Sundays from Midnight.
www.lostatsearecords.co.uk/