GME News - September, 2015

Editor's Note

Welcome to the September issue of Gloria Miller Entertainment News and I am happy to debut our new newsletter design! 1 September is GME's third year anniversary and it's been an amazing adventure so far. Each year we have seen growth in our clients, artists and events and fully expect year four to be bigger and better as we aim to provide quality entertainment and events all across the UK and Europe.  In this issue we will bring you August At-A-Glace as we update you on last month's happenings. We will also introduce you to our very sexy Act of the Month. We are also rolling out a special offer for Christmas Entertainment. Thank you for your support over the past three years and we look forward to serving your entertainment needs as we enter our fourth year of business! Gloria Miller GME News Editor

August At-A-Glance

August started off with a bang as party band Move On Up took to the stage at Port Solent on the 1st and performed an extended 90-minute set to a capacity crowd at this fantastic outdoor event. On the 8th Elvis made an appearance at Crown Bingo in Cosham for their special anniversary show. Original Band Mayfield performed to a standing room only crowd at the Wine Vaults on the 20th and the Alverbank Hotel hosted a sold-out double tribute night featuring Gloria Miller as Diana Ross and Tina Turner on the 21st. The Alverbank were absolutely a delight to work with and their guests really enjoyed the night's entertainment. Watch this space for the next Alverbank performance. Gloria's other company, Mayfield Studios, were the sponsors for the Real Ale Stage at Victorious Vintage, and on the 29th & 30th we played hosts to some of the best talent in the UK. Over the two days the Real Ale Tent was bursting at the seams with music lovers packing in to see their favourite local band or to discover new music. Mayfield is looking forward to getting involved again at next year's event. The last bank holiday weekend of the year was definitely a busy one and in edition of being involved in Victorious, Gloria was out in Lee-On-Solent as Tina Turner on Saturday night, and GME Artist Gemma Anderson was also in Brighton performing herWhitney Houston Tribute. On Sunday Gloria was back in Lee with party band Move On Up.

Act of the Month

Laura Nixon as Marilyn Monroe Laura first started impersonating Marilyn Monroe at 16. She used to go to Jazz gigs quite a lot back then and at one show she saw a Marilyn impersonator, she wiggled on and the room fell silent. She sang “I Wanna Be Loved By You” and the audience went crazy. Laura knew straight away that’s what a wanted to do. It has taken Laura years to perfect the hair, makeup and voice to be just like Marilyn, and all of her dresses are bespoke with a contemporary twist! Laura like’s to think they’re what Marilyn would choose to wear were she alive today. In July 2004, Laura did my first ever corporate gig as Marilyn. She was hired by Chrysler to promote a new line of convertible cars and it was a fantastic event full of people, champagne and photographers! Laura had a ball portraying Miss Monroe. This Act can be paired with Elvis Presley for their ‘Alive & Swinging’ Double Tribute Show! Contact us today to enquire about this amazing Act! 02392 894 902 or click 'Get-A-Quote' with the details of your next event.

Special Offer

Receive 10% discount on Christmas Party Night Entertainment.    Tribute Acts Function Bands DJ's/Discos!   Contact us today at 02392 894 902 or click on 'Get-A-Quote' to submit details for your upcoming Christmas Party Nights!   The discount covers the period of 1 November through 25 December, 2015. This offer expires 30 September 2015. Discount code: 10%SEPT15

Week In Review - 5 December 2014

Most of this week has been spent planning for 2015 and there are some really exciting things developing for next year. More on that latter ...

On Monday, I joined Martin Bargent of Brown Sugar Events on ExpressFM to discuss The All Woman Christmas Shopping & Indulgence Show being held on Sunday at The Norton Park Hotel in Winchester. We had a lovely chat with Phil Russell on the morning show discussing the event and the charity it benefits, The Katie Piper Foundation. I will be one of several exhibitors, and will also be perform a few holiday favourites and more during the course of the day. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here!

Phil, Glo & Martin!

On Tuesday, I met with Helen at Creative Click to discuss my new website. I got a little peak at it and its looking very cool! I built my current website, and the new one will have a similar feel, but will be much more high tech because the professionals know how to do sooooooo much more than I do! It was very difficult letting go of the website, but after two years in business I thought this would be a good time to launch a new site. Watch this space!

One of the exciting developments for 2015 is that I will be presenting a weekly radio show on ExpressFM starting in January. I currently do a monthly internet show called Glo's Music for the Soul, which I will now turn into a weekly format focusing on an eclectic mix of music that soothes the soul! On Thursday I met with Rob at the station to discuss the show and next week I'm going in to learn the equipment and do some test recording. I have to admit, I am quite nervous about this weekly show ... but I'm equally as excited! This is like a dream come true! Doing a monthly show is challenging, and I know the weekly one will be even more so, but I am up for it and will give it my all!

I'm working on the December edition of the internet show next week and have a great show planned with soulful Holiday classics, and a bit of Funk, R&B and Jazz too!  Click here to listen to November's show!

Today I am gearing up for a three-gig weekend, with the first one tonight at The Phoenix in Crookhorn where I will be performing Simply, Tina Turner! On Saturday I am in Reading at Wokefield Park performing with The Midnight Soul Sisters. Then on Sunday, I will head to Winchester for the All Woman Show. I am looking forward to a busy weekend of performing.
Finally, I've got a couple of my top acts booked out this weekend. Tonight, Damiain Lodrick will be performing solo at The Piranha Bar and on Saturday, GME's artist of the month, Everyday Sunshine, will be performing at the same venue!  If you're looking for something to do this weekend, why not come to one of these shows! I guarantee you'll have a great time!

Damiain Lodrick

Remember, Gloria Miller Entertainment is a full-service entertainment agency and we provide premium entertainment at affordable prices for Weddings, Events, Venues, Festivals and Cruise Ships offering Solo Performers up to 8-piece Bands, Tribute and Variety Acts. Contact us at 02392 280829 today to discuss your entertainment needs for 2015.

That's it for now! Have a wonderful weekend.

Week in Review - 26 September 2014

Craig Charles

I usually start my weekly review with the beginning of the week, but in this edition I'm going to start with the weekend.

On Friday my originals band Mayfield did a show with the much celebrated Craig Charles at The Cellar in Southampton, and what an amazing night we had performing in a sold-out venue to a room full of Soul & Funk enthusiasts and sharing the stage with the most amazing DJ I have experienced since living in the UK! Mayfield performed a 1-hour set of our most Soulful, Funky tunes and the audience was with us from start to finish. At one point, I scanned the entire crowd that stretched right to the back of the venue, and each person was bouncing, dancing and grooving to our tunes. That was the most fabulous feeling! Many of our Portsmouth fans joined us in Southampton and we made many new fans who bought CDs and Vinyls after we finished. The hi-light of the evening for me was when Mr. Charles held up our album and the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. That was well cool!

Now, my plan was to stay for about 20 minutes of Craig's set because this is a 3-gig weekend for me and the mounting years means I need my rest ... LOL! Well, before I knew it I was drenched in sweat, dancing like a teenager at a rave, and more than an hour had past. I finally made the very tough decision to get my old bag of bones home and to bed. What a night!

Move On Up

As I write this, it's Saturday night and I just finished a sound check with my covers band, Move On Up, and will be heading back to Southwick Park Golf Club for a private event. Since we finished the sound check at 7:30pm and I live just 15 minutes from the venue, I decided to come home and do a bit of work :). On Sunday, it's up to London with Move On Up to perform songs from my CD, Let Go, at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho! I am deliciously tired, but looking forward to rockin' it tonight and tomorrow.

The earlier part of the week was all about photo shoots. On Tuesday, I drove to Somerset for a 12-hour power shoot with my latest venture, The Midnight Soul Sisters. Within MSS are several tribute acts, including Diana Ross (me), Tina Turner, The Supremes, The Ronettes, Beyonce, Whitney Houston and The Three Degrees. During the shoot there were many wig and costume changes, and much laughter and fun as we transformed ourselves into these great performers. My favourite wig of the day was the giant Afro I got to sport during The Three Degrees shoot. There is something very powerful about the Afro ... as soon as I got that thing on my hands went to my hips, my head tilted to the side, and I was dripping attitude ... LOL! Yeah, I was feeling that Afro! I'll post some of the pics once they're done.

Me as Tina Turner

On Thursday, I had two photo shoots, one for my new Tina Turner Tribute show in the morning, and then later for the four ladies of the Cathedral Innovation Center who have been nominated for a Venus Award. We're going to be featured in The News Porstmouth this week as we lead up to the Venus Awards Ceremony on the 1st of October. Hopefully, in next week's edition I'll be announcing that I am a Venus Award winner ... fingers crossed!

The rest of my week was basically prepping for photo shoots and gigs, while trying to fit in the daily running of GME. I had a little breather the beginning of September to recover from a very busy summer, but now it seems that I'm back to the grind through the end of the year. To be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way!

That's it for now ... I've got to get back to my gig.

Week In Review - 27 June 2014!

It's Foodies Festival time again and I am finalizing the performers for the Bristol event that is quickly approaching on 11, 12 & 13th of July. Despite cancellations and schedule juggling, the list of performers and the developing running order are quite impressive. I've managed to book several new acts for this location including Kick In The Crochet (yes, that's really their name), Bashema, and Elles Bailey! Some favourites from Brighton & Clapham will be returning, and I can't wait to introduce Bristol to Half Crown, Jipsy Magic & RemedySounds.

Mayfield @ IOW Festival

I promised some photos from my band Mayfield's performance at The Isle of Wight Festival. Here's one from backstage. I'm still waiting on more pics to come. We are now gearing up for our next show at The Cellar in Southampton. The event is being hosted by the Soul 45 DJs and we'll be sharing the stage with the legendary Craig Charles. If you will be in the Southampton area on Friday, 26 September, please come to the show. We'll be performing selections from our current CD, Tempo of Your Soul, and we are working on new songs as well, two of which we debuted on The Hipshaker Stage at the IOW Fest. Another new song is in the works, and we hope to have it ready by the 26th! Click here for ticket info.

This has been a busy week of organizing some private & repeat bookings for some of my acts. I also received some lovely feedback from the private birthday party I performed by Diana Ross Tribute at last week. 

"Gloria's [Supremely, Diana Ross] performance and preparation contacts beforehand were brilliant. We all enjoyed her amazing performance at Tony’s birthday party on Saturday, especially in the heat when she had to wear a Diana wig! The feedback from our guests was amazing, and they wanted to know where I had met her. I think if it hadn’t been such a hot day, more of us would have been up on the floor. I certainly was, as were some of our family, including some of our granddaughters, with whom Gloria very graciously shared the limelight! How can you not dance when she sings?

It helped to make Tony's birthday, unforgettable and he loves Diana even more now."

Joyce Seaman
June 21, 2014, Botley Community Centre, Hedge End

Joyce also gave me and the agency a 5-star rating on our client feedback form. 

I guess that's it for this edition ... have a fabulous weekend!

Week in Review - 16 May 2014

This week was a welcome light one with even an impromptu day off spent on The Isle of Wight with the hubs and in-laws on Wednesday.  I did attend an emerging artist showcase of Jerry Williams who I have been fortunate enough to book on the Foodies Festival at Clapham Common. Sadly, I was unable to stay for the entire show, but what I did hear was delightful. Jerry's voice is a unique mixture of vulnerability and sass and she is quite the performer. I was invited to the event by her manager, Jeff Powell who I met for coffee the previous week to discuss my original band, Mayfield, and I am looking forward to meeting with him in a couple weeks for further talks about the possibility of working together. I'm really looking forward to that!

Just a reminder that Mayfield will be performing at the Hipshaker Lounge at the Isle of Wight Festival 14 June @ 9pm! We had a fantastic rehearsal on Tuesday in preparation for this show as well as our next big show that's happening on 26 September where we will be appearing with Craig Charles of BBC Radio 6 at The Cellar in Southampton. We are great fans of the Soul 45 DJs and are thrilled that they have booked us on this show. We are debuting two new songs at the IOW Festival and hope to unveil a couple more at the Cellars.

It's good I had a light week, because the weekend is a bit hectic starting with two Supremely, Diana Ross Tribute Shows on the Friday & Saturday, and a power rehearsal with my covers band, Move On Up on Sunday as we prep for a busy summer of gigs.

Up against a deadline, I managed to record Volume 3 of Glo's Music for the Soul Radio Show which will air on One World Radio on Sunday at 5pm. This show featured several of the Foodies Festival performers and was so much fun putting together. It will be an interesting listen because the show is sooooo eclectic with a mix of acoustic, pop, hillbilly and blues! If you miss the show on Sunday, not to worry because I will post a link to the show in next weeks newsletter.

Well that's it for now ... have a wonderful weekend!!

Week In Review - 18 April 2014

Sunshine, Sangria, Spain!  I am on holiday in sunny Spain and loving every minute of it! It has been a slightly working holiday because I am still sorting out the first two of my five forthcoming Foodies events.  The Brighton event was 100% sorted last week, but due to a few last minute issues, it's now about 99% sorted ... LOL!  I'm just waiting on final confirmation from a couple replacement acts.  The Clapham Common event is quickly approaching, 6-8 June, and I am presenting the performer list to the Foodies organizers next week for their approval.  I hope to have both events done by the end of next week, but I think I'm dreaming a bit regarding Clapham!

Volume 2 of 'Glo's Music for the Soul' Radio Show, which airs on One World Radio, was released last weekend and I know I'm risking being thought of as vain when I admit that I've listened to it about 10 times already! The radio show is all about showcasing music that feeds the soul, and I'm really enjoying the song selection. Click here to listen and please let me know what you think. Also, if you have any song suggestions, that would be awesome. Next month's edition of the show will feature 'Foodies Festival' performers. Most of the acts I've booked on these events perform original music, and I'm looking forward to sharing their amazing music with you!  

I'm happy to announce that I'm working with a new venue in Southsea, 69 Wine Bar & Bistro and have booked the fabulous Marlene Hill to perform two R&B and Disco infused sets of music on Easter Sunday from 7:30pm! Marlene is the first act GME has booked into this venue, and I know she will set the bar high! If you're looking for something to do on Easter, join Marlene at 69 Wine Bar & Bistro and get your dance on!!

I mentioned last week that I'll be debuting my 'I'll Be Seeing You' wartime music show on Easter Sunday at an event at the Hayling Island Sailing Club. I've had a couple run-throughs of the show while on holiday, and it has come together quite nicely! The only potential problem is fitting into the cute little military number I purchased to wear for the event! Pitchers of sangria and pans full of paella seem like a good idea when you're indulging, but not so great when you're bulging!!  I barely fit into the outfit before I left for Spain, so I'm glad I sorted out a 'back-up' outfit just in case!  Here's hoping ...

That's it for this week ... have a fabulous weekend and ...

Week in Review - 28 March 2014

It's weeks like this one that make me so happy I've started my own business. It's been an incredibly exhausting and rewarding week so let's get into it!!

On Tuesday I had a lovely meeting with Steve & Chrissie of One World Radio to put the finishing touches on my next radio show, and I'm happy to announce that Glo's Music for the Soul Vol. 2 will be airing on Saturday, 5th of April at 7pm! I'm quite excited about this show and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts once it airs. In the mean time, click here to listen to my debut show that aired on Valentine's Day. You will be able to use this same link to listen to Vol. 2. Please let me know what you think about the shows. I would appreciate your feedback, suggestions and tips on how to make the show better.

Visit Their Website

Wednesday I went to a fantastic joint networking event held by the Hampshire & Dorset Chambers at Careys Manor & Hotel which is a delightful hotel and spa in the New Forest. Wow, what an impressive establishment run masterfully by their staff! We were given 5-star treatment starting with lovely, tropical pre-lunch drinks, followed by a delicious 3-course lunch! Careys provided a great atmosphere for networking and I connected with some fantastic people including Claire Oldham, a manager at Careys who gave us a delightful tour of the spa facilities. I was ready to book a spa day then and there!  I also met Carolyn Freeman of Revelation Marketing who spoke so passionately about marketing to people who are 50+. It was quite the 'revelation' speaking with her and I look forward to meeting up to discuss reaching this virtually untapped demographic.  It was also fantastic meeting Wendy Savage of Marie Curie. She was such fun and sat next to me during lunch. I am looking to partner with her on community fundraising events for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. 

Visit Their Website

I'm always surprised by the generosity of people at these networking events and how eager they are to help you connect with other people.  Carolyn made sure I met Jo Legg of Global Radio who run several radio stations. And then Jo made sure I met Kim Clayton, with Dorset Chamber. The more I run GME, I'm realizing that doing business is all about developing relationships with the people first and then through those relationships finding mutual ways to benefit each other in business.

With Tara Howard

My Wednesday didn't end there, later that night I went to the launch event of the Portsmouth Venus Awards. The Venus Awards acknowledges the achievement of women in business, and I had the pleasure of meeting the very enthusiastic founder, Tara Howard. It's so great to be a part of something when it's first starting, and you could sense the excitement in the room as several of the sponsors of this event spoke about why they were bringing the awards to the Portsmouth area. I am happy to announce that GME will be sponsoring the entertainment for the Portsmouth Venus Awards Ceremony being held at the Portsmouth Marriott on the 1st October, 2014.

If you know a woman in business who you feel deserves a bit of recognition, please do nominate her. Click here to find out more about the Portsmouth Venus Awards and place your nomination!

Thursday morning I attended a 'Coaching Skills Taster' at the Langstone Hotel on Hayling Island being run by Jane Child of JCA Learning. I am thinking about doing some coaching for people in or who want to be in the music business, and attending this taster gave me a great opportunity to see if coaching would be something I would indeed pursue. I absolutely loved the taster. I even got to do a 'mock' coaching session ... I was a bit rubbish, but also invigorated by the whole process. I am definitely going to pursue getting my qualification to coach, so watch this space!!

Because I am just a performer at heart, the highlight of the week was performing 'Supremely, Diana Ross' at the 'Spring Into Action' event put on by the very talented Nathalie Gunn and held at the Wedgewood Rooms on Thursday night. The evening was a true Variety Show with singing, dancing, magic, burlesque and a contortionist! Just fabulous!! The event was in honor of Nathalie's good friend, the late Kerry Harvey who bravely battled Pancreatic Cancer and the proceeds of this event will benefit those who are still battling this disease. The venue was absolutely packed with people, each thrilled to do their part to support this cause. I'm so glad I could be there too!

Supremely, Diana Ross

What a week! Today I'm recovering a bit before I sit in on vocals with the fantastic band, 'Beau' at the Woodpecker in Waterlooville on Saturday night. My friend, the lovely Chloe Dixon is their regular singer, but due to a bout with laryngitis, she has asked me to cover. I will not do justice to the songs like Chloe can, but I will give it my best shot :)!

I think that's enough for this week ... have a fantastic weekend!

Week In Review - 21 March 2014

Jack & Max

Happy birthday to Jack & Max who have turned 2 today! How do cats normally celebrate their birthday? I've got no idea what to do for them! Maybe some extra snacks?? I am open to any suggestions!

Mayor & Mayoress of Havant

This week has been great for bookings and making some new contacts. On Wednesday, 19 March I had a meeting with the Mayor & Mayoress of Havant who contacted me a couple weeks ago about performing at their upcoming charity event. After a bit of shuffling my diary, arrangements were made to meet to discuss the event. Everything is now final and I will be providing the Cabaret Show for Councillor Paul Buckley and Mrs. Jackie Buckley's 'Finale Charity Dinner' on 25 April 2014 at the Newtown House Hotel on Hayling Island. Tickets are £32 per person and the evening is in aid of Stroke Association, Combat Stress & RELATE Portsmouth & District. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact: Anne Thurlow at 02392 446152 or annie.thurlow@havant.gov.uk.

Janey Howl

On Thursday, 20 March I attended the Portsmouth Business Expo at the Portsmouth Guildhall. I have to admit, when I first walked into the exhibitors' area after collecting my name badge and goody bag, I was a bit overwhelmed with so many people vying for my attention. I wasn't feeling all that social at 9:30 in the morning so I headed to the back of the hall where it felt a bit calmer. The first exhibitors I spoke to were the lovely ladies at Wight First Aid. After visiting a few more stalls, I needed to find somewhere to sit down and organize all the business cards and flyers I had accumulated in just 30 minutes ... LOL. I went into the seminar theatre and much to my delight ran into a good friend who I hadn't seen in ages, Janey Howl! I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant about going to the seminar, but after seeing Janey's delightful face, I instantly realized why I pressed through to be there ... in order to reconnect!  It's not surprising that Janey would be at this event, because she is a dynamic business coach and is now working with The Colour Works company who are dedicated to unlocking potential!

Janey ended up coming by the house for dinner and a much needed catch-up session, then she joined me at my show with 'Mayfield' at the Wine Vaults later that evening. 

During the Expo I did manage to attend two seminars. Debbie Huxton gave a great talk about 'Big Wisdom' and being a business success!  Ian Dickson, one of the UK's leading business coaches, was a delight with infectious enthusiasm and practical tips about Mindset, Knowledge & Action.

The highlight of the expo was the speed networking session hosted by '4Networking.' During this session, we were divided into two sections and each section was divided into two rows of people facing each other. At the sound of the whistle, each person in the left side of the facing rows was first to give a 1 minute pitch to the person sitting across from them. When the whistle blew a 2nd time, it was the other person's turn. When you heard two whistles, the people on the left side moved one seat to the left and the lucky people on the right side got to remain in their seats. And then the who thing started over again. Having never been to a speed networking session before, I made the mistake of sitting on the left side. That was the longest, most exhausting hour I've ever spent talking about GME, but by the time I got to the last person (about 40 people in the room in total) I had mastered my pitch and made some very viable contacts. 

The organizers of the Expo, Memo Events & Exhibitions, will also be hosting the West Sussex Business Expo 8 May at Butlins Conference Center. I'm looking forward to attending this expo as well, and I promise you I will make sure I'm sitting on the 'right' side for their speed networking session!!

I had a fantastic gig with Mayfield at the Wine Vaults last night and it was great to see so many familiar faces and loads of new ones too.  On Saturday, 22 March I'm singing at a wedding reception in Fareham in the afternoon and then finishing off the night rockin' it out with my party band, Move On Up at The Alma Arms in Portsmouth! Then on Sunday I'm heading to the Isle of Wight to visit the in-laws and have a lazy afternoon with the hubs!  I am soooooo looking forward to that!

Well, that's it for now. Have a great weekend!

Week In Review - 14 March 2014

Not much to report this week because I've only had a two-day work week! I spent Monday through Thursday on a little getaway to Spain with my god-daughter Kayla and my friends Marlene & Cate. We had a lovely few days in Murcia, mostly drinking sangria, eating and laughing! A fab way to unwind and regroup before heading into my very hectic time of year ... Spring & Summer!

Friday was spent finalizing bookings for the upcoming five Foodies Event for which GME is managing the entertainment stage. My immediate attention is on filling all the slots for the Brighton event on 3-5 May! Here's a sneak preview of some of the fantastic performers I've already got lined up:

Tiger Lilly
Kyle Parry
Half Crown

Watch this space for more performer announcements. If you would like tickets for any of the forthcoming events, visit the Foodies Festival website!

Friday night I performed a short 'Supremely, Diana Ross' set at a charity event for Jack's Wishes at the Hilton in Portsmouth. It was great to invest my time for such a worthy cause.  Click here to learn more about this event. A special shout out to Stuart Ives of 'Entertainment Scene' for booking me and all the other fantastic performers on this event!

Next week Thursday, 'Mayfield' will be making our first appearance at The Wine Vaults and we've got some fantastic new music to share with our fans. If you are in the Southsea/Portsmouth area next week we would love to see you at The Vaults!

I don't normally do office work on a Saturday, but today I am playing catch up which is always the down side from having a few days off :)!  The sun is shining in the UK for a change so I think I'll work in the conservatory today. But first, I've got to work off some of that sangria and yummy food so I'm hitting the gym. Then tonight I'm off to Mike Preswell's Portsmouth Soul Club at Moneyfields in Portsmouth!

A special happy birthday to the love of my life, my hubby Neal!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Week in Review - 7 March 2014

This has been a typical work week for GME. I spent a couple days working from my office in Portsmouth getting caught up on marketing some upcoming events.

Today I attended a Hampshire Chamber event at the Portsmouth Marriott, 'Future Portsmouth,' and I am so happy to be a part of this growing area on the South Coast. They talked about planned development, grants and loans available for small to medium sized companies, and the main focus was Apprenticeships and how companies of any size can benefit as well as support our local economy by hiring an Apprentice.  

It was a struggle getting to this early breakfast seminar, especially after spending an amazing evening the night before at the O2 in London with Beyonce! I saw her last year at the O2 but was sitting in the nosebleed section of the arena ... this year, we were on Level 1!  What an amazing show. I was literally drained by the end of the night, and by the time I arrived home well after 1:00am I had major doubts about making it to my meeting. I'm so glad I did, though, because I left the meeting feeling even more connected to my adopted community!

On 8 March, Mayfield will be performing again at The Jolly Sailor. This is our first gig there this year and we are looking forward to spending a Soulful evening with our friends in Southsea!

My party band, 'Move On Up' will be performing at The Grosvenor Casino Osborne Road for their Wedding Fayre on Sunday, 9 March from 12p.  Hopefully, our performance will lead to a couple bookings. With our unique blend of Soul, Funk & Rock classics, we work hard to make any event sizzle from start to finish!  

Finally, I am gearing up for the first of five Foodies Festivals for which I will be managing the entertainment stage.  GME was scheduled to work on seven events, but the entertainment for the Marble Hill and Kenwood House festivals will now be handled directly through these venues.  Our first event is Brighton on 3-5 May. I will be announcing the performers for Brighton in the next couple weeks!  Watch this space.

That's it for now ... have a fabulous weekend!

Week in Review - 21 February 2014

I am on my second week of being on holiday and have had a wonderful time visiting friends and family in Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Wisconsin (heading there later today).

I've been living in the UK for four years and it's been that long since I've had a gig in Milwaukee, where I lived and performed for just over two years. Tonight, thanks to the fabulous vocalist and my friend Jeannine Rivers, I will be appearing with her and Scott Currier (one of the best keyboard players I've ever worked with) at The Delafield Hotel. Jeannine and I will be sharing the evening and singing some of our favourite Jazz, Soul & Blues songs. Jeannine and I sing so many of the same songs, but surprisingly, when we compared set lists, there was very little overlap. We both love singing 'Summertime' and we each put our own unique spin on the song, so that one we had to have a little discussion about. But, Jeannine is graciously allowing me to sing it tonight! 

Available on iTunes

Scott was very involved with arranging and performing on my solo CD, 'Let Go' and we performed together either as a duo or 4-piece band at venues all around the Milwaukee area. He was an absolute joy to work with and a bit of a musical genius (some of the chords he came up with on the CD, other musicians simply can't figure out ... LOL)!

Tonight's performance will be a bit of a reunion with many of my friends and family joining us for what promises to be a fun and unique evening of music! I will try to remember to take pictures tonight so I can share them with you next week! 

Until then ... have a fabulous weekend!

Week In Review - 31 January 2014

I started Gloria Miller Entertainment (formerly GMM Booking Agency) in September, 2012 and a year into running the business I thought I would check out office space to see if I could afford a small office outside of my home. I was not prepared for just how expensive taking on office space would be and soon decided to shelve that idea for another year. Then, through a divine turn of events, I happened to mention to my accountant Lee Scott that I wished I could afford to have an office, and he recommended me to Francis Davis of the Portsmouth Cathedral Innovation Centre. I am now one of several small businesses that the Innovation Centre will be supporting by offering us office space, mentoring and business opportunities within the Portsmouth area. 

This week I spent two days working from my new office space and I was so much more productive there than I am at home. And, it was also nice having other people around to talk to. I plan to work from my Portsmouth office 2 - 3 days per week, and from home the rest of the time. In May I will be performing my Supremely, Diana Ross Tribute Show at a fundraiser for the Cathedral. Please watch this space for more info on this fantastic evening.

On Wednesday, I attended an amazing Hampshire Chamber Networking event called 'Sharing the World of Porsche' at the new dealership in Portsmouth. It was absolutely amazing being surrounded by all those gorgeous cars, and I even sat in a few and dreamed! I've been a member of the Chamber for just a couple months, and already so many wonderful things have happened since I starting attending their networking events. Remember when I mentioned my accountant? Well, I met him at a Chamber event, so if I hadn't made that connection, I wouldn't be working with the Cathedral Innovation Centre!

Today I had the absolute pleasure of participating in a 'Visioning Day' with Lisa Sturge of Laughterlines Coaching! There were six of us attending and we shared, cried, laughed, played tag and ran around the house (my favourite part), and had a dance break! During all of this, I some how found some clarity in my vision for running GME and fine tuned what my focus will be for my company in 2014. 

Lisa Sturge

We started by writing down all the things we want ... whether those things were big, small, possible or impossible, didn't matter! The first thing I wrote was 'I want a Porsche' but I was still under the effects of having been in that amazing showroom. But, as I continued to write, my real desires and intentions started to take shape. Then we were asked to go over our list asking the question 'If I could have this now, would I have it?' Answering this question also provided huge moments of clarity because a quarter of the things I had written down, I didn't really want. Finally, we were asked to write 'I choose' before all the remaining items on the list. This was very powerful. We've got the power!! (Sorry, I went a bit self-help there!!)

The other participants were really lovely and after each of us introduced ourselves and shared what we hoped to get out of the day, it was comforting to see that we all had similar reasons for deciding to attend today's session. There was so much packed into this Visioning Day, and I left feeling focused, encouraged and ready to face the running of my business with a much clearer vision of what I want GME to be.

Tomorrow I'll be heading to Swanage to perform with Mayfield at 'The Legion!' Band leader, Dom Elton, and I sat down with Dave Taylor of Showplug to discuss Mayfield and the upcoming show. Here's a link to the interview.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Gloria

What's On! 29 January 2014 Edition

There is so much fantastic live music in and around Portsmouth. Please check out the events happening this weekend and support live music in our area by going to one of these shows!  Help us Keep Music Live! 

Move On Up Party Band,  Thursday, 30 January @ The Wine Vaults, Southsea - 9:00pm

 

The Jack Daniels Band, Friday 31 January @ The Auckland Arms, Southsea - 8:30pm 

 

Cheryl Cole Tribute, Saturday 1 February @ The Victory Pub, Portsmouth - 8:30pm 

 

The Fliks, Saturday 1 February  @ Alma Arms (Function Room), Southsea - Doors from 7:00pm

 

Something Else, Sunday 2 February @ The Admiral Drake, Portsmouth - 4:00pm

Nick Courtney Present Live Music, Tuesday 4 February @ Little Johnny Russells, Southsea - 7:00pm 

 To find out about other live events in our area, please visit Go On ... Go Out in Portsmouth's Facebook Page:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/289374424505803/