News

More Names Added To HMV's Next Big Thing

• 5th Jan 2011

HMV's festival-season-opener and live music showcase for emerging and breakthrough musicians – the hmv Next Big Thing has now signed over 100 new artists for its February 2011 shows, with more names to be announced early in the new year (see full confirmed line-up below).

The acts, which cover a wide range of music genres, will make up the bill at over 40 gigs to be staged at six HMV-owned MAMA venues in London – The Borderline, the Jazz Café, The Relentless Garage, Upstairs at the Relentless Garage, Heaven and the Camden Barfly as well as, for the first time, outside of the Capital at Birmingham's hmv Institute and at the hmv Picture House in Edinburgh.

The aim of the festival, which follows soon after the BBC announces its annual Sounds Poll winners, is to give music fans and gig-goers an early and affordable opportunity to see many of the new faces tipped for breakthrough success that they will have been hearing so much about. Tickets to any of the gigs are priced at just £10, and have been selling fast since they went on sale earlier this month, with shows by BRITs Critics Choice winner Jessie J, Fenech-Soler, Futures and Caitlin Rose already sold out.

There are 3 ways to buy: online at link; by phone at the hmvtickets call centre 0843 221 0100 or in person at hmvtickets box offices at selected HMV stores.

The hmv Next Big Thing 2011 is presented in association with Ted Baker – an enthusiastic supporter of new and cutting-edge talent, who will additionally host The Inbetweeners star James Buckley and his Common People at the Relentless Garage on February 4th to help kick off the festival, and Gaymers cider, who will host a number of the gigs and dance nights across the ten-day festival, including Caitlin Rose at the Camden Barfly, Jon Fratelli at the hmv Picture House and the Deconstruction label night at Heaven. Billed as Gaymers Hotspots , these nights will look to showcase the very best in breakthrough talent. The festival's media partners are Time Out and Xfm – and the nation's favourite broadcaster of Indie music will also stage a New Music Award night featuring Wolf Gang as part of the festival.

The hmv Next Big Thing first launched in February earlier this year, with its 2010 event helping to herald the arrival of a number of exciting new talents, including the likes of Ellie Goulding, Professor Green, Marina and the Diamonds, Paloma Faith, Eliza Doolittle and You Me At Six, who have all gone on to establish themselves in a big way following acclaimed debut albums.

Such has been the impact of the hmv Next Big Thing with fans and artists alike that this exciting new live brand will now also host a stage for new artists at The Great Escape 2011 festival in Brighton next May. The hmv Next Big Thing festival will additionally be recorded for broadcast as exclusive added-value content for the entertainment retailer's hmv.com, hmvdigital.com and purehmv offers – tying-in as 'bundle' deals with record labels to support future album releases by the featured new artists.

Clare Maguire, tipped by HMV and other Industry commentators to be the 'next big thing' of 2011, comments: “Growing up in Birmingham I was constantly in record stores, getting lost in music and fuelling my dreams of making my own record one day. HMV was one of the key places where I got my musical and visual inspiration from at that time, so it's fantastic to be given this platform from them now to play to new faces and potential fans. My music means everything to me and I hope this show and the other gigs they are putting on for Next Big Thing will trigger someone in the crowd to start their own musical journey, in same way all the music
I first heard there created belief in me.”

Marina Diamandis of Marina & the Diamonds, who opened the first hmv Next Big Thing festival in February 2010 with a great performance at the Relentless Garage, commented: ” HMV have provided a brilliant way for the public to see artists who are hopefully on the tip of something great, in an intimate setting very early on in their careers. It's also great for the artists, as it provides a platform to perform to a new range of fans, who will have never heard of them before, let alone seen them live.”

Jason Legg, hmvlive Manager and co-promoter of the hmv Next Big Thing, comments: “Predicting which new acts will breakthrough as we approach each new year has become a bit of a national past-time, so we're really pleased to be giving fans an early opportunity to see some of these fresh new faces that they will have heard so much about – and not just in London, but also in Birmingham and Edinburgh. Our aim is to further extend the scope of the hmv Next Big Thing as we open new venues around the country, and to take the brand to other festivals in time.

“HMV has always done its best to support new talent, and now that we have access to our own venues we feel the hmv Next Big Thing is a great way to take this engagement to a new level – not only does it represent a great opportunity for artists and labels, but, just as importantly, it has already established itself as a great platform for fans to engage with new talent at an early stage in their careers.”

Simon Fox, CEO HMV, comments: “The success of the inaugural hmv Next Big Thing earlier this year, which gave timely support to the likes of Ellie Goulding and Marina and the Diamonds as they launched their careers, has helped to lay the foundations of an even bigger and more exciting event for 2011, which I trust has now established itself as an annual event that marks the beginning of the festival season. We're also delighted to have on board two such engaging brands as Ted Baker and Gaymers, which, alongside our media partners at Time Out and Xfm, share our passion for music and new talent.”

MAMA Group Head of Special Events, Jim Benner, who is also co-promoting the hmv Next Big Thing, comments: “Last time out we had an amazing range of artists and themed nights for our first-ever festival, but for 2011 I am looking to build on this by having an even more eclectic mix of artists and events that truly reflects the vibrant and diverse nature of the wonderful new talent that keeps coming through across all genres, both here in the UK and internationally in Ireland and elsewhere.”

Clare Lusher, Head of Marketing at MAMA's Live Division adds: “We've been absolutely delighted with the response to this festival – not just from the artists and labels, but from the fans themselves. There were a couple of occasions during gigs at the first festival earlier this year when I overheard people say how they'd come along to see a particular artist, but had also been blown away by another act on the bill. And that's exactly the kind of thing we set out to achieve. My hope is that we've created something that's a bit different and special that can only grow in popularity and which will continue a much-anticipated fixture in the music industry calendar.”

“Ted's always on the lookout for fresh new talent,” says Craig Smith, Brand Communication Director at Ted Baker. “As no ordinary designer label, we like to engage with audiences in extraordinary ways, and that's why we're proud to support the up-and-coming musicians taking part in HMV's Next Big Thing.”

Victoria Walker, Brand Marketing Gaymers cider says: “Gaymers cider is the number one live music cider and is proud to support hmv Next Big Thing. This event will give music lovers a sneak preview of the hottest acts of the summer. Some of the acts performing at hmv Next Big Thing you'll no doubt later find on festival bills over the summer and there's something very special about saying you've seen them months before the masses. We'll look forward to seeing you there and checking out some new music talent over a pint of Gaymers cider.”

Universal Commercial MD Brian Rose, comments: “hmv's Next Big Thing has proved a really engaging platform for new and emerging artists to connect with fans and the wider public at the very point when their careers may be lifting off. It's an event that's helped to support labels as they seek to build momentum around key new talent, as we saw with Ellie Goulding earlier this year, and we look forward to a number of our priority artists taking part early next year”.

Columbia Records MD Mike Smith – whose 2010 priority artist Lissie performed at the Jazz Café, comments: “The Next Big Thing festival has proved an inspired idea. It's helped to present new and emerging talent to a wider audience at the very time when interest and awareness among music fans and the media is taking off. At the same time HMV has backed this up by delivering that all-important retail support instore and online for many of the participating artists, so Next Big Thing has worked on a number of levels for us, and we look forward to taking part next year.”

Feargal Sharkey, Chief Executive of UK Music reaffirms his support for the hmv Next Big Thing: “This is proving a fantastic initiative from HMV and MAMA Group. The music industry continues to evolve and embrace all manner of exciting changes, but it will always, and should always, be rooted in discovery and investment in the careers of new artists, composers and musicians. Next Big Thing acknowledges this and offers a great platform for a new generation to play some of London's best live music venues.”

hmv Next Big Thing 2011 line-up:

* THE BORDERLINE

Friday, 4th Feb – James Blake

Saturday, 5th Feb – Transgressive Records presents Gaggle + Dry The River + Marques Toliver + Transgressive DJs

Monday, 7th Feb – Alice Gold + Yellow Wire + Carmen Townsend (Gaymers Hotspot)

Tuesday, 8th Feb – Lauren Pritchard + Gabrielle Alpin + Natalie McCool

Wednesday, 9th Feb – XFM New Music Award night featuring: Wolf Gang + tbc + Luna Belle

Thursday 10th Feb – Communion night featuring Marcus Foster + Andrew Davie + Pete Roe + Daughter

Friday 11th Feb – Clare Maguire + Saint Saviour + Murray James

Sunday, 13th Feb – Funeral For A Friend + The Blackout + Canterbury

* JAZZ CAFE

Friday, 4th Feb – Skepta

Saturday, 5th Feb – Mighty Mouse curate > “> A Disco Circus”

Monday, 7th Feb – Monarchy

Tuesday, 8th Feb – The Pierces + Jonathan Jeremiah + Liam Bailey

Wednesday, 9th Feb – Josh Weller + Rose Elinor Dougall (acoustic set) + Mike Marlin

Thursday 10th Feb – James Rhodes

Friday 11th Feb – Wretch 32 + Yasmin + Jodie Connor

Sunday, 13th Feb – Sarah Blasko + Caro Emerald co-headline show + Andy Smith (Portishead) DJ Set

* THE RELENTLESS GARAGE

Friday, 4th Feb – James Buckley's Common People presents: Pete & The Pirates + The Heartbreaks + States Of Emotion (Ted Baker night)

Monday, 7th Feb – Chipmunk

Tuesday, 8th Feb – Little Dragon + Yoav + Stateless

* UPSTAIRS AT THE RELENTLESS GARAGE

Friday, 4th Feb – Blow Up night featuring Bongolian + Silvery + Baltic Fleet – followed by Blow Up club night with DJs Paul Tunkin and Ian Jackson – free entry to all gig ticket holders

Saturday, 5th Feb – Fenech-Soler + Mirrors + Is Tropical (SOLD OUT)

Sunday, 6th Feb – Sunday Girl

Monday, 7th Feb – Memphis Industries night featuring Dutch Uncles + The Phoenix Foundation + Banjo Or Freakout

Tuesday, 8th Feb – The Mummers + Family of the Year + Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Wednesday, 9th Feb – Spark + Ed Drewett

Thursday 10th Feb – Moshi Moshi night featuring: James Yuill + CocknBullKid + Trophy Wife + Visions of Trees

Friday 11th Feb – Mute night featuring S.C.U.M

Saturday, 12th Feb – Communion night featuring Matthew and the Atlas+ Treetop Flyers (acoustic set) + Matt Corby + Rachel Sermanni

Sunday, 13th Feb – Pete Lawrie + Leah Mason + The Roads

* HEAVEN

Wednesday, 9th Feb – Deconstruction night featuring Diagram of the Heart (live) + Retro/Grade (live and DJ set) + Babydrum (live and DJ set) + Burns (DJ set) + Mike Pickering (DJ set) plus very special guests> (Gaymers Hotspot)

Thursday 10th Feb – The Airborne Toxic Event + Sissy And The Blisters + Morning Parade

* CAMDEN BARFLY

Friday, 4th Feb – Anna Calvi + Sparrow And The Workshop + Paper Crows

Saturday, 5th Feb – The Milk + plus special guests 12 Dirty Bullets (Gaymers Hotspot)

Sunday, 6th Feb – Jessie J (acoustic set) + Alex Clare (SOLD OUT)

Monday, 7th Feb – Kassidy + Young The Giant + Kill It Kid

Tuesday, 8th Feb – The Japanese Popstars + Penguin Prison + Kid Adrift + Cassette Jam

Wednesday, 9th Feb – Katzenjammer + very special guest CW Stoneking

Thursday 10th Feb – Futures (SOLD OUT)

Friday 11th Feb – Caitlin Rose + Nathaniel Rateliff + Delta Maid (Gaymers Hotspot) (SOLD OUT)

Saturday, 12th Feb – Rival Sons + tbc + Sons of Icarus (formerly The Fury)

Sunday, 13th Feb – Funeral Party

* HMV BIRMINGHAM INSTITUTE (Temple Room)

Tuesday, 8th Feb – Kassidy + Carmen Townsend (Gaymers Hotspot)

* HMV PICTURE HOUSE EDINBURGH

Saturday, 12th Feb – Jon Fratelli + Morning Parade (Gaymers Hotspot)