GME News - November, 2015

Editor's Note

Welcome to the November edition of Gloria Miller Entertainment News and there's loads to tell you about what's been happening around here this past month. For the past year I've been offering private vocal & performance coaching and I am now partnering with Mayfield Academy at Mayfield Studios for their Artist Development Program. Through this program, I will continue to offer vocal & performance coaching, plus I will be involved with songwriting sessions and song production for aspiring and emerging performers. We are now enrolling students into this program and if you know of anyone who might be interested in developing themselves either as a singer, musician or songwriter you can click here for more info. On 16 October I judged the final of Southsea's Got Talent at The Jolly Sailor and that was one of the hardest nights of my life! There were 12 finalists and all are hugely talented so I wanted everyone to win, including several of my  Acts and vocal students who were participating. But, there could only be one winner, so me and my fellow judges had quite the job on our hands whittling the 12 down to just three. I am thrilled to announce that the performer who placed first is a GME Artist. Now before you say 'fixed' just remember I wasn't the only judge ... LOL! Before I announce the winner, I must give a shout out to our lovely Gemma Anderson (left) who was a finalist and brought the house down with her Gospel song choice, Shackles. I must also mention the lovely Harriet Standen who is one of my vocal students. She did a very heartfelt version of Feeling Good showing off her soulful voice to this classic tune. Harriet won the Mayfield Studios songwriting competition and will be recording a 4-song album in 2016. I'll be working very closely with her on this project. There were so many other standout performances at the final, and I wish I could tell you about all of them. So, who was the 1st place winner? Check out GME Act News to find out! Lastly, on 22 October I attended the launch of the Portsmouth Venus Awards. Last year I performed at the Awards ceremony and was a Finalist for New Business. The launch was held at Changes Clinic in Portsmouth and the evening turned out to be a great chance to network and support other businesses. Changes offers some great surgical and non-surgical treatments for looking great and they performed demonstrations of several of their treatments at this event. I made sure to grab their contact info before I left cause, let's face it ... I'm not getting any younger. Thank you for taking a few minutes to catch up on what we've been up to in October and please take a look at our Act of the Month and Special Offer. That's it from me ... Gloria Miller GME News Editor

GME Act News

And the winner of Southsea's Got Talent is ... Congratulations to Russell Keith who won his semi-final heat and the entire competition! Russell wow'd the crowd with a very sexy version of Cry Me A River and had the judges right in the palms of his hands. Russell is the ultimate performer giving 100% to every performance and this is what pushed him over the top to win the competition! As part of Russell's prize package, he will be recording a song at Mayfield Studios. We are very proud of Russell's accomplishment and wish him all the best with his very bright future in entertainment. Congratulations are in order for the fabulous Bupsi Brown who made it to the Live Shows on The X Factor. Bupsi gave a powerful performance of Marvin Gaye's You're A wonderful One on the first live show on the 31st of October. Bupsi's star-quality was on full display on the show as she went up against a very strong group of competitors all fighting to impress the judges and the voting public. Bupsi is the founding member of GME Act, The Midnight Soul Sisters and is always a crowd favorite whether she is performing solo or with MSS. You go girl!

Act of the Month

The Midnight Soul Sisters The Midnight Soul Sisters are a female group who share a passion for music, a blend of amazing ladies where every sister will give you a different taste of soul! All professional singers, the Midnight Soul Sisters have years of combined experience as vocalists and dancers and have worked with original Artistes such as; Beyonce, Mary Wilson, Errol Brown, Edwin Starr, Martha Reeves and many more! The Midnight Soul Sisters are fully self-contained with professional sound & lighting and are ideal for cruise ships, weddings, corporate & private events, and festivals. We are now accepting bookings for 2016 so click on 'Get-A-Quote to submit details for your next event.

Special Offer

Receive 10% discount on your January, 2016 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 event! The discount covers entertainment for the period of  1 January - 31 January 2016 and must be booked prior to 31 December 2015. This offer expires 31 December 2015. Use discount code JANENTS16.

Editor's Note - 1 August 2015

The thing about switching to a monthly newsletter format is that there's so much more to talk about all at once. I promise to be brief and to the point, but it's gonna be hard because July was quite busy. Oh well, here goes ...

Midnight Soul Sisters

The Midnight Soul Sisters had a gig in Glasgow Scotland at the Thistle Hotel on 2 July and it took them the entire day to get to the venue to perform a 20-minute Motown set. The response from the crowd made the journey completely worth it, plus it was good bonding time with the girls being in the car together for several hours. Then on the 4th of July MSS headlined a festival in Kent. Click here to watch the promo video we put together from this show.

On 9 July I attended a Strategy Day with Shaping Portsmouth's Cultural Partnership group at Portsmouth Guildhall. It's great to be a part of the group that is setting the cultural tone of my adopted city and I look forward to helping Portsmouth grow in to an even more diverse cultural hub on the South Coast.

Groove Star

On 11 July Motown Singer, Marlene Hill performed at a private event at Esseborne Manor House in Andover, while Mayfield original soul band performed at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea to a very enthusiastic crowd.

My dynamic 70's act, Groove Star, performed at a private event in Rowlands Castle on the 18 of July and Gemma Anderson performed her Motown to Modern show in Blackpool on 25 July and my Diana Ross Tribute Act made an appearance at a Casino in Southsea on 31 July.

Me and James (Nephew)

I also found time to get home to Chicago for a family reunion and it was an absolute delight seeing my parents, family and friends during my way too short trip. I managed to eat in all my favourite food places around Chicago and struggled to get into that Diana Ross dress after a week of indulgence.

My radio show on ExpressFM, Glo's Music for the Soul, will be moving to Friday nights at 9pm starting this week. Some of my previous Sunday shows have been themed including Ladies of Soul, 90's R&B and Chicago Soul. If you'd like to here some of the past shows, click here. And please join me on Friday for a brand new show of Motown, Soul, Blues, Jazz, Funk & more!

Finally, I am looking to take on an apprentice starting in September to work with me up to 30 hours a week. This apprenticeship is ideal for someone interested in music or event planning, and who has good computer and social media skills. Please get in touch if you or someone you know might be interested. 02392 894 902.

I tried to update you as much as possible without being too wordy. How did I do?? Anyway, that's it for now. Have a great month!!

Check Out:  5-Tips for Booking Entertainment

Week in Review: 23 Feb. - 1 March, 2015

Marlene Hill

My good friend and GME Artist Marlene Hill lit up the stage as Motormouth Maybelle in the Portsmouth Player's production of Hairspray which enjoyed a 4-night run from the 24th though 28th at The King's Theatre in Southsea. When I don't have her booked on various events, Marlene is usually busy performing as a featured vocalist in the Swingin' At The Cotton Club Show with the Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra. Since Marlene was busy with Hairspray, she asked me to cover one of her Cotton Club shows and on Thursday, I did my very best to fill her very talented shoes at The Brook Theatre in Kent. With only a couple weeks to learn six songs, and one acoustic rehearsal with band leader, Maurice Dennis, I took to the stage with the eight-piece orchestra and six Jivin' Lindy Hoppers in front of a capacity crowd, and had one of the best performing nights I've had in a long time!

I was incredibly nervous right before my first song, and it didn't help matters that because I was wearing long gloves as part of my costume, I couldn't get my lyrics on the iPad to work. Here's a little tip: if you are dependent on lyrics, as I am, and need your iPad, as I do, the iPad won't respond to your touch if you are wearing long gloves. So, the band is vamping as I am desperately trying to pull up the lyrics. When I realized what was happening, I snatched off the problematic glove which sent the bling I was wearing over the glove flying across the stage! Yes, people I am a professional, but sometimes these things happen. Finally, after about eight measures of vamping, I finally started singing 'Miss Jenny's Ball' with one glove on and the other in my hand. During the instrumental break, I managed to get my other glove on, retrieve the rogue bracelet and pull myself together.

Thankfully, it was smooth sailing from there, I even got my swing dance on with the other singer, Megs, and the Lindy Hoppers for a raucous finale of 'It Don't Mean a Thing!' What an amazing experience and I'm so thankful to Marlene for getting me all the music and lyrics I needed, and to all the performers who warmly welcomed me into the fold. I do hope they call on me again if the need arises!

On Friday, I saw Marlene in action in Hairspray, and in my admittedly biased opinion, she was the best thing on that stage. Alright, there were a few other amazing performers on the stage too! It was a fantastic production, and the staging and costumes were excellent. Aside from a few sound issues, the performers really brought the music to life and the dancing was spot on!

Finally, on Saturday I performed with The Midnight Soul Sisters at Akamba Garden Centre, an African themed venue in Solihull, to a very rowdy crowd. There were four or five tables who were celebrating birthdays and a hen party sprinkled throughout the audience which made for a very celebratory atmosphere from song one. Normally, people sit and watch during our first song which is 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough,' but not this time. The dance floor was packed before the end of the first song.

If you would like to book Marlene Hill, The Midnight Soul Sisters, or any of the amazing GME Acts, please get in touch to discuss your entertainment needs. Call me at 02392 894902 or email: gloria@gloriamillermusic.com. 

That's it for this edition, have an amazing week!

Gloria xx

Week In Review - 9 January 2015!

I hope you had as lovely a Holiday Season as I did because honestly, taking those two weeks off was just what I needed to reflect on a very productive 2014 and set my intention for what I hope will be a stellar 2015! I have to confess there's a bit more of me to love, because I certainly didn't miss a meal during those two weeks, and I happily indulged in all those yummy foods that I tend to stay away from during the year. I am paying for it now having to work out like a mad woman so I can get into that lovely Diana Ross dress for my first gig of the year next weekend!

When I say I took two weeks off, that's strictly from admin work. I was performing quite a bit and ended the year with a bang by performing four mini sets of my Diana Ross Tribute Show at four different venues on New Year's Eve! It seemed like a good idea when I said yes to doing this type of booking, but I had no idea how exhausting it would be. It was interesting to see how the demeanor of the crowd changed at each venue. 

At the first venue I went on just after 8pm and the night was young, people were just starting to get their drink on so the mood was laid back and mellow. Venue two, and hour later and the crowd was a bit livelier as the liquid courage was just starting to kick in. I get to venue three and this crowd was marinated just enough to think I was the real Diana Ross and gave me the rock star treatment complete with being followed around and trapped by the pappirazzi with a line of people wanting a photo!

Then it was off to my final venue ... I arrived just before 11pm and the crowd was totally baked and well up for anything. I could have stood their barking and they would have loved it! I didn't, but I could have. I had a great time at each venue and was done at 11:30 and back home and in my onesie just in time to watch the count down and the fireworks on the telly. A special shout out to the hubs who was my driver, sound person & body guard for the night! I would not have survived without him!

Also during my Christmas hiatus, Mayfield Recording Studio was launched! I am so proud to be associated with this amazing venture and the buzz is already starting about this brand new, state-of-the-art recording facility located in Portsmouth. Visit the website to learn more about the studio and the 50% Introductory Offer!

There have already been a few recording sessions at the studio, and Mayfield the band was in on the 2nd of January recording the first track for our second album due to be released later this year. If you having any recording needs, do check out Mayfield Studios and take advantage of the discount while it lasts!

It was hard getting back to work on Monday, but moving into my very own office space at the Cathedral Innovation Centre in Old Portsmouth made it a bit exciting. I've been hotdesking at this location for the past year, and now the Gloria Miller Entertainment Ltd. office is now open for business. The space is proving to be quite the boost to productivity as this week I added quite a few bookings to the diary. Let's hope this keeps up!

On Thursday I had a meeting with Ross from the Jolly Sailor about Southsea's Got Talent, and I am happy to be returning as one of the judges for the competition that is going to be bigger and better as it goes into its third year. The first heat will be 5 February! Watch this space for more info. 

On Friday I did my first music business coaching session with a new client. Last year I started doing some vocal coaching and this year I am diversifying that service to include music business coaching as well. I will be officially launching this service later in the year in partnership with Mayfield Studios Tuition Services. More details to come ...

Finally, on Saturday I am off to Leeds for two days of intensive rehearsals with The Midnight Soul Sisters as we prepare for our promo video shoot and the growing schedule of upcoming shows!  I'll put up a good fight against the battle of the bulge this weekend as I try to turn one of my two left feet into a right foot and learn all the dance moves required for these shows. I had a look at the routines we'll be learning, and this is going to be a hard couple of days, but well worth it 'cause these moves will look amazing once it's all put together! I'll post the promo video when it's finished! 

Well, I think that's enough yapping from me this week!  Have a fabulous weekend ...

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 - 7 November 2014

Me and my brother Arthur!

I'm baaaaack! Did you miss me? It is always difficult getting back into the swing of things when you've had a break, but I was really ready to get back to work. To be honest, I worked a little everyday during the second week I was away. Just one of the many joys of running your own business and having no staff. I had a fantastic time cruising with the hubs on Royal Caribbean's Oasis and then spending some time with my family & friends in Chicago and Milwaukee. I even did some singing with the lovely and talented Jeannine Rivers at her Halloween/Birthday Celebration Gig in Milwaukee!

Bethany & Yasmin

Speaking of staff, the Cathedral Innovation Centre (CIC) where I'm based has offered me admin assistance from their two interns, Bethany Young and Yasmin Trueman, and I already feel the relief of having less on my plate so I can focus more on securing bookings for my acts and event planning opportunities for GME. I met with them on Wednesday and turned over several weekly duties that seemed to eat up all my time, but are necessary to keep things ticking along. CIC has been an incredible resource for me and their support is much appreciated.

David Williams

Also on Wednesday I attend the Brown Bag Lunch launch event hosted by CIC at the Portsmouth Library where David Williams, CEO of Portsmouth City Council  discussed why social enterprise and entrepreneurship is important to Portsmouth as a city. It was good to learn that there is support for small businesses from the Council and see their desire to help these companies grow and thrive in Portsmouth.

I think having had some much needed rest has opened up my creative channels, because I finished the lyrics to a song and wrote a song for my original band, Mayfield. We are in the process of opening a recording studio and launching a record company where we will record and release our second album, Keep On! Last year we released our debut release, Tempo of Your Soul, and on this next project we are definitely raising the bar with some great soul & funk tunes. Click here to see the video for our new song, Ready Set Go!

On Thursday, I had a meeting at The Woodmancote in Emsworth where I will be performing Supremely, Diana Ross on Monday. I have a full weekend of gigs starting tonight in Portsmouth at The Wellington for their 9th Anniversary Party. Then on Saturday I'm off to perform with The Midnight Soul Sisters at Akamba Garden Center in Birmingham. And, on Sunday I'm covering the lead vocals with Beau performing a fantastic set of Soul, Funk & Rock covers at The Lord Raglan also in Emsworth. I might have to give myself Tuesday off to recover from four gigs in a row.

Fedora Cafe

One of my top acts, Fedora Cafe will be performing at a private party on Saturday in Gosport. If you are looking for something unique for you next event, this is the act for you.

The sultry, sexy and slightly mysterious sounds of Fedora Café will transport you around the world and through the decades with their Cafe-Jazz meets Film-Noir brand of music! My client instantly wanted them for his event and Fedora Cafe were kind enough to learn a special song 'Nobody Loves A Fairy When She's 40th!' You might have guest that this event is a 40th birthday party!

Please take a moment to like my GME Facebook Page. Starting the beginning of the year, I will be posting gig, event and music updates to this page instead of my personal FB page.  Click here to like!

Marlene Hill

Remember to get in touch with GME for your entertainment needs. Get a jump on 2015 by contacting me about Fedora Cafe, my Artist of the Month, Marlene Hill, or any other of my fantastic acts. Call me at 07504 611173 or email me at gloria@gloriamillermusic.com.

Well, that's it for now. Time to prep for my full weekend of gigs ... LOL! Have a fabulous weekend.

Gloria Miller Entertainment

Weeks in Review - 3 October & 10 October 2014

New Business Finalists

I've got so much to tell you so let's dive in ... As you may know, this year I was nominated for a Venus Award in the categories of Customer Service and New Business and went on to be named a finalist in the latter category. The awards debuted this year in the Portsmouth area, and founder Tara Howard and her staff put on quite the awards ceremony at the Portsmouth Marriott on the 1st of October. The hotel was buzzing with excited hopefuls including myself as we walked the red carpet, posed for photos, and I had the privilege of performing during the ceremony! 'Simply The Best' went over a storm with this room full of powerful business women (and a few men) and added to the sizzling tone set by the showgirls of Manic Stage Productions who opened the show.

I didn't win in my category, however, I have benefited in a huge way simply by association with such a prestigious award, including being contacted by The News in Portsmouth regarding their various awards. On the 9th of October I met with Rosie Morgan from The News and we discussed a few awards that are coming up and explored areas that GME can partner with them for sponsorship and entertainment. Watch this space for updates on which events I'll be involved with.

Manic Stage Productions Showgirls

I also want to send a shout out to Francis Davis at The Cathedral Innovation Centre (CIC) for supporting me and the other Venus Awards nominees who run their businesses from CIC. They purchased a table for the ceremony and I heard them before I actually saw them as they cheered me on when I took the stage to perform. I so appreciate their support and thank them for providing me and so many other small businesses with affordable office space.

On Saturday the 4th I performed Simply, Tina Turner at the Carisbrooke Arms in Gosport for the second time ever! I was a bundle of nerves as I waited backstage for my intro, but as soon as I heard the music and felt the support of the audience, it was like I was possessed by Tina! It was amazing from my perspective because it completely felt like an out-of-body experience. I've been performing Diana Ross for over a year and absolutely love it, but what I experienced performing Tina was magical. Usually, it's the second set of a gig that get's everybody up and dancing, but right out of the gate with Tina the atmosphere was charged with energy, the dance floor was packed and the crowd was singing along to every song, many of them knowing the lyrics better than me ... LOL! The first time I performed the show back in July, I was like a deer in the headlights and barely remember it. The second time even though I was scared, I was more prepared and felt more confident that I could get the job done. I guess the fact that I'm already re-booked to do Tina again at the Carisbrooke next year is a good sign! Watch this space for upcoming show dates.

Nick Boles, Me, Flick Drummond

On Monday the 6th of October I was invited to attend a reception at the Cathedral Innovation Centre with Nick Boles MP, the Minister of State jointly for Department for Business Innovation and Skill and the Department of Education who was showing his support for the work that CIC is doing with apprenticeships as well as with small businesses. Click here to read the article The News Portsmouth ran the day after the event.

I will be resuming my radio show, Glo's Music for the Soul, in October and on Friday the 10th I had a lovely chat with the managers of One World Radio about future radio shows as well as performance opportunities in Cypress. I'm recording the show this week to be aired on Halloween so I'm looking for music to fit the theme. Any suggestions?

On Saturday I performed to a fabulous crowd at The Jolly Sailor with my covers band, Move On Up and ventured into London on Sunday for a private solo gig to help celebrity bodyguard Michael Hosking celebrate his 50th birthday! It was a small gathering of about 25 people, but we had a fabulous time singing, dancing and celebrating at The Grange, which is a lovely venue in Ealing.

I'm off on Holiday for a few weeks so my updates will be on hiatus until I return on the 3rd of November. 

I'll be back in touch early November ... until then have a lovely rest of October!

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 - 20 September 2014

The highlight of this week was attending Ladies Day at The Southampton Boat Show hosted by Sherry Claridge of UK Women Magazine on Thursday. The luncheon was held at Kuti's Royal Thai Pier and the food and company of 70 amazing women from across Hampshire were amazing! There was lots of networking, laughter and raffle prizes throughout the afternoon and I was delighted to be invited to make a 2-minute presentation about GME. The event was presented by Tara Howard of The Venus Awards, whose energy and enthusiasm are infectious. I was joined by my good friend and colleague, Janey Howl and we enjoyed a lovely late afternoon stroll around the Boat Show trying to work off the 3-course meal and dreaming a bit about the good life while touring a few of the amazing yachts on display. I left that boat show thinking that I definitely need to dream bigger ... LOL!

On Friday, I was at The Jolly Sailor judging the second semi-final of Southsea's Got Talent, and the seven contestants were outstanding. I wanted to put everybody through to the final, but sadly we could only put four through. The standout performance came from Harriet Standen, the teeny tiny singer with the huge voice! She wowed us with her version of 'And I Am Telling You' and earned first place in the semi-final. I can't wait to hear her at the final on the 3rd of October.

Tonight (Saturday) I am back at The Jolly Sailor with my originals band Mayfield hosting a charity event for Rowans Hospice. The night will be kicked off by Martin Jackson of SoulTime DJs spinning some great N-Soul, Soul & Motown. Mayfield will hit the stage around 9:15pm with two sets of funky soul originals and a few covers done the Mayfield way. We will also be debuting our brand new song, Ready Set Go, which we are currently working on in the studio. I'll give you a sneak preview once the track is finished. Watch this space.

Finally, on Sunday I will be joining my covers band, Move On Up to rehearse for our show at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho on 28 September. We will be performing original songs from my solo release, Let Go, as well as some Jazz & Blues covers. Tickets are still available for this show and your support would be greatly appreciated. Click here to purchase your tickets!

That's it for this week ... have an amazing weekend!

Week In Review - 12 September 2014

As I'm just completing my second year of running GME, I am starting to see a pattern developing for my busy season, definitely the summer, and my breathing season, September & January. This works great with my companies' year because I like to use the first month of my business year, September, for planning. That's exactly what this week has been about ... Setting my annual, quarterly and monthly goals, and laying out a plan for how to reach those goals. 

Red Embers, GME Act

I want this year to be more focused on the acts I represent and the clients who book them. This area was a little bit neglected last year as I focused on several large events. This year I aim to strike a much better balance between these two vital areas of my business.

On Wednesday, I attended a Marketing Strategy Workshop at the Innovation Space in Portsmouth. The workshop was led by Lizz Clarke of LCM, who I work with in the Business & Enterprise work stream of Shaping Portsmouth. As I go into my third year, I realize that if I want to grow my performer and client base, I need to develop a solid marketing strategy. The tips Lizz shared has given me the tools to begin this process. All of us who attended this workshop seemed to be unclear of what 'marketing' actually is. Before this workshop, I wasn't clear on the differences, if any, between marketing, advertising & PR. Here's my take on Lizz's definition of marketing:

Lizz Clarke, LCM

'Marketing involves tactics that drive revenue. Those tactics include: advertising, PR, sales, social media, promotions, networking, etc.' 

As I build GME's marketing strategy for 2015 I have to look at all these areas with the aim of driving revenue. That's a lot to think about, but vitally important to the growth of the business. I encourage you to develop your own marketing strategy, and find ways to make yourself more marketable, no matter what you do in life. For businesses, contacting Lizz Clarke is a great way to start this process.

Also on Wednesday, my originals band Mayfield had an amazing rehearsal in our very own recording studio! The studio is still being built, but our last few rehearsals have been in this awesome space, and the recording room is sounding great! We should be fully up and running by early 2015. 

On Saturday we are  recording a demo at River Studios in Southampton to have a trial run on one of the mixing boards that we are considering for Mayfield Studios. We will be releasing our second album in late 2015 and have already written several new songs for the project. The demo will be of our newest song, Ready, Set, Go! which we will be recording over the next couple weeks. Watch this space for your sneak listen to this track. We may even offer it as a free download! Stay tuned to find out.

In addition to preparing to go into the studio to record the demo, we are also getting ready for a couple big shows happening this month:

20 Sep - The Jolly Sailor, Southsea - Rowan's Charity Event w/SoulTime DJ Martin Jackson (free entry)

26 Sep - The Cellars, Southampton - Supporting Soul & Funk DJ Craig Charles of BBC Radio 6 (sold out)

If you can't wait for the sneak listen to 'Ready, Set, Go!' then come see Mayfield at The Jolly Sailor where we'll be debuting this new song! Can't wait to hear what you think of this new tune!

I've got a full day on Sunday, starting with judging the OpenMic UK auditions at Ferneham Hall in Fareham in the afternoon, then I'll be heading to The Pyramids in Southsea where I'm exhibiting and performing Supremely, Diana Ross at a wedding show. Getting married? Then join me at The Portsmouth Wedding Show on Sunday!

Finally, I am performing my own songs from my solo release, Let Go, backed by my covers band, Move On Up! We will be supporting Alt3r Ego at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, London on the 28th of September from 12:00 noon. Tickets are £15, but if you order your tickets in advance quoting 'Yemen7' the tickets are just £10. Click here to purchase your tickets!

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