Club Attitude to Make Waves at Village Underground
- Wave Machines + Yunioshi + IYES play Village Underground, Tuesday March 26th 2013
- Part of Attitude is Everything’s ‘Club Attitude’ series
- Club Attitude is a charity event raising awareness for live music accessibility
A year on from Attitude is Everything’s sold out Slow Club show last March, Club Attitude returns to London’s Village Underground with Wave Machines as headliners on Tuesday 26th March.Liverpool’s Wave Machines bring their electro-funk-pop to life onstage, lifting from their critically acclaimed new album ‘Pollen’, drawing high praise from The Independent, BBC Music, Clash and NME. After three years in the lab since their first album Wave If You’re Really There, the band embarked on a successful UK tour which finished last week, honing their skills to create a gripping live show.Attitude is Everything, a charity set up to improve Deaf and disabled people’s access to live music, use Club Attitude to demonstrate to the music industry how to put on fully accessible gigs, ensuring that Deaf and disabled music fans aren’t left out. Finding great venues with level access, accessible toilets and supportive management can be difficult, which is why Village Underground should be applauded for their commitment to improving their facilities for Deaf and disabled customers.Supporting Wave Machines are the robot-funk quartet Yunioshi and alt-pop duo IYES, complimented by DJ sets from Sheffield promoter Jared O’Mara and Stella Mortos label founder Jehan Harding, who released Foe’s debut EP ‘Hot New Trash’. Jehan supports the campaign for better accessibility in the music industry: “As a disabled artist, DJ and label owner, I'm proud to support Attitude is Everything as access to live music is more than a cause I believe in, it's an absolute right.”Hotly tipped IYES will be making their London debut at Club Attitude, having stirred up huge excitement in their native Brighton with their unforgettable pop melodies.Yunioshi drummer Rob Maddison has personal experience of the barriers faced by Deaf and disabled artists at inaccessible venues. “I always check access in advance” says Rob “but it's a bit depressing when I know that someone else with a disability won't be able to come see us play because they don't have a road crew to carry them up the stairs.”Stairs aren’t an issue at Club Attitude, as Village Underground have been creative about their access and been able to turn the venue around for the night. Utilising a street level fire door as the main entrance, and placing the stage in an area that is already ramped, Village Underground are able to eliminate the steps to the original box office and stage.Club Attitude events also feature a marked viewing area, lowered bar and free tickets for Personal Assistants. But the onstage Sign Language interpretation of lyrics is always the most popular access provision, having previously left audiences in a state of childish giggles during some of the racier lyrics.Accessibility at live music events is likely to improve as more Deaf and disabled artists hit the mainstream and are able to highlight the issues they face. Attitude is Everything Patrons Robert Wyatt, Amadou and Mariam and Blaine Harrison from the Mystery Jets, are icons for budding Deaf and disabled musicians to look up to, and proof that the barriers to performing can be overcome.“Think of all the great shows that you've been fortunate enough to see and hear, and how your life would have been less rich if you couldn't get in.” Tim Bruzon from Wave Machines.“We played Club Attitude early on in our career and they are really good memories for me. For the majority of promoters in town, disabled clubbers are barely on the radar so it’s incredibly positive to have events actively encouraging disabled people to get out and watch bands. Live music should be for everyone.”Blaine Harrison from Mystery JetsWave Machines frontman Tim Bruzon believes Club Attitude is addressing the lack of opportunities for Deaf and disabled musicians. “For many people the opportunity to develop talent is missing; these things take time to grow and need nurturing. I didn't write my first decent song until I was in my 30s” says Tim, “I think Attitude Is Everything's approach will inspire people that may think opportunities don't exist for them.”“We have had to turn down what would have been great opportunities for us due to the fact that we couldn't all get into the venue. Live music should be available to everyone. Full stop.” Rob Yunioshi“Last year’s sold out Club Attitude was one of our highlights, so we’re proud and excited to be welcoming them back and hosting the fantastic Wave Machines this time round. Inclusion is at the core of the ethos at Village Underground and our partnership with Attitude is Everything highlights how barriers can be overcome in order to make music accessible to everyone.”Dermot Hurley, Village UndergroundTickets available from We Got Tickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/208658Listings InformationHeadlining: Wave MachinesSupport: YunioshiIYESDate: Tuesday 26 March, 2013Doors: 8pmPlace: Village Underground54 Holywell LaneShoreditchLondonEC2A 3PQPrice: £7 AdvancePress Contact – Hugo Mintz hugo@namepr.co.uk 020 83577305Attitude is Everything Contact -Graham GriffithsBusiness and Operations Managergraham@attitudeiseverything.org.uk0207 383 7979
Attitude is Everything improves Deaf and disabled people’s access to live music by working in partnership with audiences, artists and the music industry to implement a Charter of Best Practice across the UK. Having worked with live industry leaders such as Academy Music Group, Glastonbury Festival, Festival Republic, Mama Group, Wembley Arena and Ticketmaster, Attitude is Everything is fast becoming the UK authority on access to music venues.The work with the Olympics was all initiated by the ISAN (Independent Street Arts Network) Access Toolkit: Making Outdoor Arts Events Accessible to All which was published in 2010 and got an Olympics Inspire Mark. Training to make Outdoor Arts Events was developed based upon the Access Toolkit and since then, over 900 people and over 141 organisations have received training and Access Auditing based upon it.About Club AttitudeAttitude is Everything run Club Attitude events to showcase the talents of disabled and non-disabled musicians and DJ’s, and to promote best practice by demonstrating to the industry how to put on a fully accessible gig. We creatively experiment with access facilities such as sign language interpretation of the lyrics and audio description for those with sensory impairments.Previous Headliners include Mystery Jets, Art Brut, Darren Hayman, Foals, CocknBullKid and Slow Club. There have also been DJ sets from Cornershop, Alexa Chung, Alan McGee, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and Ghostpoet. We have held club nights at venues such as Village Underground, Concorde 2, Rich Mix, Big Chill Bar, Islington Academy, Cargo, The Great Escape and Glastonbury Festival.Highlights include:
- Launching the career of Mystery Jets who were headliners in 2001. They have now released 4 albums and are signed to Rough Trade. Their disabled lead singer Blaine Harrison, is an Attitude is Everything Patron.
- Glastonbury Showcases in 2009 and 2010 – creating accessible conditions for artists and audiences at the world’s biggest festival.
- Selling out our event at Village Underground in 2012, with a line-up featuring Slow Club, Ghostpoet, Spaceships are Cool and Wildeflower.
About the Charter of Best PracticeAttitude is Everything help the music industry to understand the requirements of Deaf and disabled people at music venues and festivals by building equality into the strategic process. The ethos of the Charter is that Deaf and disabled people should be as independent as they want to be at live music events. Broken down into three stages, Bronze, Silver and Gold, each level lays out criteria for improvements and advises on how to achieve them. Attitude is Everything supports music venues and festivals to create a realistic action plan for working through each level of the Charter, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and by going beyond the Equality Law and achieving Best Practice. For further information visit: www.attitudeiseverything.org.uk/the-charter-of-best-practice