Last night I went to Leeds College of Music to photograph a special Radio Leeds BBC Introducing show broadcast from their performance space, ‘The Venue’.

BBC Leeds and Leeds College of Music are literally next door to one another, and this event was a great collaboration of Alan Raw‘s BBC Introducing Raw Talent show (a great show on BBC Radio Leeds & BBC Humber championing upcoming and under the radar acts from all over Yorkshire), showcasing the cream of LCM’s musical talent.

Basically, a panel of  experts including Alan, Graham Albans (BBC Introducing), Richard Watson (360 Club) and Danny Cope, course leader in Popular Music at the College, chose 6 bands from loads of college entries, to perform live on The BBC Introducing show on Radio Leeds to over 5000 listeners.  You can read more about the night on the LCM page here.

Last year I was also on hand to snap the launch event for the ‘Music Happens Here‘ LCM student album at the Wardrobe Bar, over the road from LCM.

You can check the full story here, but Alan was playing tracks from it last night (and it’s available to buy here)

Last night’s gig was in LCM’s ‘The Venue’ – an wicked space hosting college projects & loads of interesting public concerts

As well as straight music courses (Jazz & Popular Music etc), LCM also do engineering and production courses.

So events like these make great ops for the students to get some real world experience throwing large gigs.

They don’t mess about neither.

Alan’s producer was a bit of a nut.

He MC’d the evening and here he is warming up the crowd & practicing the quiet / GO NUTS! boards.

I’ve documented Alan Raw doing his live show once or twice before with local Leeds bands.

Plus we’ve crossed paths on the BBC introducing stage at Leeds Festival (2010 images here and 2009 here).

He’s a terribly decent chap.

The first band of the night were rockers ‘Buffalo Bones

Alan usually has 2 live acts per show, but on this show they had 6!  And after each set he interviewed the bands.

It was cool for all to watch a Radio show being done.

Alan said it’s usually him talking to himself in a room, and the only difference between him and a mental is the mic.

Next up were ‘Sets’.

Although the name lends itself to many punny incantations (‘safe sets’ anyone? ‘the joy of sets’? ‘I ♥ hardcore sets’ etc), it’s a term so google unfriendly I had to search for ages to find their website.

But as with many LCM bands, they were rather good.

One reason for this I believe, is cos they have to be grade 8 at their instrument to enroll.

On bended knee

Again, Alan gave them a bit of airtime to 5000+ listeners.

During a break I had a quick chat with Richard Watson who promotes the 360 club at Library Pub on the edge of Hyde Park behind Leeds Uni.

I’d photographed him before for an I Love Leeds feature in the Leeds Guide (here).

Richard likes to help LCM by sharing his knowledge to help bands promote themselves and raise their profile, increasing their chances of surviving in the industry.

Next up was the excellent Sam Reck & his band.

They were featured on the ‘Music Happens Here’ album & have an ace funky big band sound, harping back to Jamiroquai’s Acid Jazz days

Getting 10 of them round Alan’s table was amusing

After that was hip-hop inspired pianist Ollie Green

He’d brought along some rapper mates

including the exuberant ‘Exclusive’

With a recent invitation to the BBC Masterclass at Maida Vale and a publishing deal under his belt, Ollie Green brought a great mix of UK hip hop and R&B

Malaika Shaw was next up, looking awful small against the large set, but she sure had some pipes…

…and a fine pair of spatz.

The final act of the evening were Little Parades, a band I’d also photographed last year at the amazing Left Bank former derelict church last year, supporting Corinne Bailey Rae (post here)

I’m a fan of ambient post rock (Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky & the likes), and these local soundscapers produce a fine sound

I believe this dude plays the macBook Pro.

It was a great night all round

And everyone seemed to enjoy it.

I’m not entirely sure who this lot were, but they asked me to snap them, so i thought I’d post it.

After quick hugs and back patting, it was off to the bar…

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