LAUNCHING WITH JESSE WONG PERFORMANCE OF NEW SINGLE ‘UPSIDE DOWN‘
West London’s favourite live musical institution, The Notting Hill Art’s Club, has added a new feather to its indie-music cap; The Hatch. A collaboration with renown East London coffee experts ‘Climpson & Sons’ – the new addition comes in the form of a multifaceted kiosk serving cocktails, beer and a dash of live music.
The collaboration has proved to be hugely popular, drawing in crowds from around London for a taste of West London and in support of the popular independent venue which has helped launch the early careers of countless global stars such as Ed Sheeran, The Libertines, Lily Allen and Mark Ronson.
The Notting Hill Arts Club’s longstanding commitment to championing new talent has been steadfast throughout the ups and downs of 2020, signing newcomer Jesse Wong to their eponymous label; Notting Hill Arts Club Recordings.
Last week, Wong brought his idiosyncratic brand of heavy R’n’B coupled with cinematic cathartic lyrics to The Hatch (is single ‘Upside Down’ is out now – listen here) and will be followed by other up and coming recording artists, further drawing in London’s music fans to the venue.
“It’s essential to keep venues like Notting Hill Arts Club going for so many reasons – aside from them being a platform for new artists to cut their teeth and hone their craft, if we’re to hope for any kind of ‘scene’, that requires a physical space in which to exist and for people to network.”
Jesse Wong
“It’s so important the when all this eases and we can have live music again, that venues like this are still here,” says Notting Hill Arts Club co-owner and Relentless Records MD Shabs Jobanputra, “They are the lifeblood of the UK’s extraordinary musical legacy, providing artists with place to develop, to find an audience and for fans to support and enjoy music from its inception.
“We opened The Hatch for a few hours a day and people started coming to pick up their drinks, then head to the park. It was a way of us using the venue while it is closed during the pandemic. We hoped it would recoup some of the losses but it’s actually generating real income that could save the venue. But like so many venues around the country, we still face a massive challenge to stay viable. We just want to thank everyone for their incredible support so far.”
Beyond being a music venue The Notting Hill Arts Club is a veritable hub for London’s creatives. By day, the venue is a classroom for the Notting Hill Academy Of Music – a music business school that offers vocational courses to get young people in the door of the music industry (a hugely successful venture with many alumni now working in their dream jobs, such as Rob Ukaegbu who signed Headie One to Relentless Records, Dan Owusu, label boss at Dream Life Records and David Sonubi, who alongside his brother, Jojo, founded No Signal radio station).
We look forward to supporting this incredible endeavour, indulging in some wonderful new music and grabbing a perfect cup of coffee in the process!
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