Kirklees Together

Alongside Music Cities Events we are thrilled to announce the artists that will feature in Platform, a career-changing Artist Exchange Showcase for Kirklees Year of Music 2023.

What is Platform?

The artists who were selected from an open call in February, will participate in a public showcase on 27 April. They will perform a 20-minute live session in front of an audience of esteemed music industry representatives, the public and fans. The showcase is part of a two-day programme of live music and industry panel seminars from 26 – 27 April at Huddersfield’s Lawrence Batley Theatre. Book your free tickets.

Who is performing at the Platform artist showcase?

From folk and psychedelic rock to R&B, the talented artists selected demonstrate the variety of talent in Kirklees. They are:

• Four-piece indie pop rock band, Boxteles.
• Don Gonzo, psychedelic rockers who blend elements of post-punk and jazz.
• Here’s The Steeple, who combines intricate textures and thoughtful lyrics with a wide range of folk influences.
• Klonk, an 8-piece klezmer/funk collective.
• Garage blues trio Knuckle.
• Lo-fi R&B artist Isaac Malibu.
• Singer-songwriter Lauren Mikki.
• Singer-songwriter Lucas Bernard.

The judges noted special commendations for runners up Deadbeat Brass, 10 of the North’s finest horn and percussion players, and Fishing4Compliments, a 5-piece indie-folk/pop band from Huddersfield.

The Judges

The featured artists were selected by a panel of representatives made up of local, regional, and Northern-based music industry professionals. They include James Smith from Fox Food Records, Noah Burton from Small Seeds, Sophie Cooper from hcmf//, and Eva Davies from Come Play With Me. The event promises to be an exciting opportunity for these talented musicians to showcase their work to a wider audience.

Music Industry Seminars

Platform will also consist of two music industry panel seminars on 26 April. The seminars will cover music publishing and artist development and management. The first seminar covers royalties, income generation, and the functions of a music publisher. Dan Jones from PRS for Music and Joel Dipple from Sentric Music, an independent music publisher based in Liverpool will deliver the seminar. The second seminar will focus on artist development and management, covering the role of artist managers and how they work alongside talent to develop their careers. It includes panellist Scott Lewis from Clue Records who are currently partnering up with EMI Leeds, prior to this Scott worked as an artist manager.

This exchange will support musicians in securing festival and concert bookings or to sign international record label and management deals. The opportunity will also be a strong investment into the Kirklees music ecosystem. Helping to develop career-lasting relationships between Kirklees music business stakeholders and music buyers. As well as providing valuable insights for the region’s music industry. Our region has historically been cut off, largely due to geographical restrictions. So, events like Platform are fundamental to plug early career Kirklees artists into the rest of the industry. They also highlight the incredible talent the area has to offer. Get your seminar tickets.

Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council said:

“This is an amazing opportunity for artists in the Kirklees area. It will also enable us to put our music offer on the map internationally. Working with a world-leading organisation like Music Cities will create opportunities and build relationships with the global music industry that will benefit Kirklees not just during the Year of Music, but well into the future.”

Councillor Will Simpson, Cabinet Member for Culture at Kirklees Council added:

“Here in Kirklees we’ve got a wealth of creative talent, and our Year of Music will shine a light on the brilliant artists right on our doorstep. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for local musicians to come face to face with top international figures from the music industry, develop career-defining partnerships and continue to put Kirklees on the cultural map.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to see some of the best local musicians live and learn from industry experts.

Keep up to date on everything Kirklees Year of Music on our website.