Editor's Note - 1 July 2015

Billie & Neil

As I am writing this editor's note (that's what I''m calling this now), it's a lovely sunny day and I'm working outside in the garden. It's days like these that make me appreciate the flexibility of running my own business. Last week I was on a mini-break in Spain arriving back to the UK on Friday afternoon and stepping right into a very hectic weekend.

Starting with performing solo at a lovely wedding at the Salterns Harbourside Hotel in Poole on Saturday morning singing at the ceremony and wedding breakfast of Neil & Billie. The venue was lovely with it's waterside views, and the bride was gorgeous in her 50's style dress. Neil was looking quite dapper too dressed in his military uniform complete with more metals that could actually fit on the uniform. It was a delight to be a part of this special occasion and I have to share with you Billie's very nice testimonial:

Gloria is a superb artist and was admired by all on our special day with a potential booking from my inlaws. My father, who has been a jazz player for most of his life was extremely impressed with Gloria's talent. Gloria is such a wonderful person inside and out that I felt I had known her for a long time making our experience even more enjoyable. Gloria mixed well with all our guests and was liked by all. I highly recommend her for any event xx

Later on Saturday I was at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea with my party band, Move On Up. Thanks to the great weather we're having, the venue was packed with very enthusiastic people and we had a fantastic night playing a bit of Soul, Funk, Blues and more.

Then on Sunday I was back in wedding mode as GME was exhibiting and providing entertainment for a Wedding Show at Tiger, Tiger at Gunwharf Quay. It turned out to be a good networking event, and I made some good connections with some of the other vendors.

On Sunday afternoon, I performed a short Diana Ross Tribute set at the Thundercats Racing Event also in Southsea, then I finished up Sunday night singing with Beau covering the vocals for their regular singer. When I was driving to the gig I honestly didn't know where I was going to get the energy to do two 45-minute sets of very high energy music, but as soon as I heard that music from the very talented musicians I was sharing the stage with ... that was all I needed to get me through.

So when I finally woke up on Monday morning I was quite exhausted, but looking back over the weekend, I wouldn't have wanted to spend it any other way.

Here at GME, we provide star-quality entertainment at affordable prices for Weddings, Corporate & Private Events, and Venues all across the UK, and now Europe too. While in Spain, I pitched my Tribute Shows to one of the top venues in the area, and they are interested in booking a show for either later this year or in 2016.

We are now accepting bookings for the remainder of this year and we're already confirming shows for next year. Do call me at 07504 611 173 to discuss your next event or click here to request a quote.

I am now presenting a weekly radio show on ExpressFM every Sunday night at 10pm. If you'd like to hear previous show, click here. And don't forget to tune in this Sunday for a brand new show. You can find the show locally on 93.7 FM or you can listen on-line.

This edition of GME News is the last weekly version. Starting with this issue, we are switching to a monthly format so the next update will be 1 August. Thanks to you all for reading these updates, and I am always thrilled to receive your feedback. You can find us on Twitter and Facebook and leave your comments there or you can email to gloria@gloriamillerentertainment.com.

That's it for now. When I write the next edition, I'll be another year older. I am turning 49 on 6 July ... wow, the last year of my 40's. I think I better live it up while I still have the strength!  LOL! Have a fabulous July!

Week in Review - 6 April 2015

Not much to report on the past week. Just a normal work week in the office getting caught up on paperwork, contracts and sorting out new events.

Thursday was the third heat of Southsea's Got Talent and I just may have to quite judging these heats because the talent is soooooo amazing this year that being a judge is extremely stressful. Sadly, the organizers won't let us put everyone through so we usually have to narrow it down to 3 or 4 people being put through to the semi-finals. We had 9 competitors ranging from solo performers to duos to instrumentalists, even an amazing 11 year old, each one bringing something fresh and unique to their music. We had 4 winners this heat and thankfully, each of the judges agreed on the top 4 performers.

The next heat is 7 May. Get in touch with Ross at The Jolly Sailor, 02392 295195 if you or someone you know would like to enter.

Marlene Hill

In the UK this past weekend was the Easter Bank Holiday, so I decided to take Friday and Monday off ... from the office at least because I still had gigs on Friday and Saturday! Friday was Motown/Soul Night at Phoenix Community Centre in Crookhorn, and Saturday I was in Horsham shaking my tail feather as Tina Turner at the Lintot. Because of the long weekend, my audiences were well up for having a good time and we definitely did. There was dancing, singing and for the first time ever, more men on the dance floor than ladies on Saturday night at the Lintot. At one point I had 5 guys in front of me singing 'I'm Every Woman' ... that was a sight to see!  Loved it!

On Easter Sunday I was off to the Isle of Wight for some family time with the hubs and in-laws and we had a lovely lunch by the sea. Then on Monday, I really had the day off ... I didn't look at emails or even open my computer the entire day. What?? That was awesome. And to finish off a lovely day being unplugged and had dinner with my good friend, and one of GME top Acts, Marlene Hill for a belated birthday dinner.

Last issue I announced a special offer and the response to the offer has been quite good. I've already booked a few shows on the offer, and only have a few dates still open for bookings. Here's the offer:

**Special Offer** - Diana Ross vs. Tina Turner double Tribute Show!

Click here for more details.

Here's a reminder that I am offering Performance Coaching at Mayfield Studios on Fridays. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about the tuition provided, click here for more information or contact me to schedule a consultation. 07504 611173.

Upcoming Events:

Friday, 10 April @ 9pm 

Everyday Sunshine
The Piranha Bar
Hayling Island
Free Entry

Also ...

Mayfield
The Jolly Sailor
Southsea
Free Entry

GME News is going on hiatus for a few weeks but will return with the 4 May edition. Try not to miss me too much and I will catch up with you in May!

Gloria

Week In Review: 16-22 February 2015

I had a rare Monday booking where Supremely, Diana Ross made an appearance at the Portsmouth Pride Fest Showcase held at Three Bar in Southsea. The evening was hosted by Drag Artiste, Linda Bacardi and Chairperson David Lee-Bastable was also on hand to officially open the event.

Other acts performing on the night were Blokezone, The Blues Brothers by The Disco Divas, & One for The Road! There was certainly a Variety Show feel about the evening, and all the acts were united in one purpose - to show their SUPPORT for Pride.

I will also be performing my Diana Ross Tribute show during the main Pride event on the 20th of June at Victoria Park with performances at the Portsmouth Guildhall. For more information on this event, click here.

On Tuesday, I took a cheeky day off and spent the afternoon with the hubs and in-laws on the Isle of Wight, and it was a bonus that it was sunny too!

Wednesday I had band rehearsal with Mayfield in the lovely Mayfield Studios. In between prepping songs to record for our second album, we have some shows coming up that we're preparing for, the next one being March of the Mods in Reading on the 15th of March. Tickets are still available so click here to purchase yours!

Thursday Move On Up performed our first gig of the year at The Wine Vaults in Southsea, and as usual we had a fantastic crowd that sparked us on to give a high-energy performance of Soul, Funk, Blues & Rock classics. We will be back at The Vaults on the 16th of July. Save the date.

On Friday I had a vocal coaching consultation with a prospective new student in the morning, and then headed to Southampton for my Social Media Class.

All week I was nursing a bit of a head cold, but on Friday the cold starting fighting back so I had to cancel my vocal session with Mayfield that was scheduled for Saturday, and spent the entire weekend in bed just trying to feel better.

GME is a leading provider of star-quality entertainment at affordable prices, so why not contact us today to discuss entertainment for your wedding, birthday, anniversary or for your venue. 02392 894 902.

Have a fantastic week!

Gloria xx

Week in Review - 6 February 2015

On Monday I had a normal day in the office. Slightly boring, but necessary. On Tuesday I had a meeting with a potential new client about organizing their entertainment starting in March. Watch this space for more info on the venue and the and the fabulous entertainment I am arranging for them.

On Wednesday, more boring office work including discussions with my website designer to put the finishing touches on the new GME website. We hope to launch the new site in early March. I ended my day rehearsing with Mayfield Band to work on the next song for the album. Amy Dall, the other lead vocalist in the band was in the studio with the guys on Saturday to start recording the next track. Our current release, Tempo of Your Soul, is available for purchase on-line. Click here to have a listen!

Thursday, in the office again finalizing some bookings, and then it was off to my weekly Social Media class. The highlight of Thursday was the launch of Southsea's Got Talent for 2015 and the first Heat set the bar way high for this year's competition. Here are the winners of the first heat:

Mayfield Studios is one of the sponsors of this competition which runs through the end of September with Monthly heats running through August, semi-finals in September and the final in October. For more information about this competition and how you can enter, contact Ross @ The Jolly Sailor, 023 9229 5195.

Just a reminder that Mayfield Studios is running a competition for a chance to win a fully produced and mastered 4-song EP. Click here for details on how to enter.

On Friday, I had a meeting with the representative from the Events Committee for Waterlooville High Street who approached GME to help with their launch event being held in May, with the entertainment continuing on a Monthly basis after the launch. We are looking for solo & duo performers, as well as small bands, so please get in touch if you are interested in performing.

Finally, on Saturday and Sunday I was in Manchester with The Midnight Soul Sisters (MSS) shooting our promotional video. We shot promos for the MSS show, plus The Supremes, Three Degrees, and the 60's Show. The studio we were filming in looked like a mini-department store had exploded in the room with wigs, dresses, shoes, and bling covering every available space. Saturday was strictly planning for the shoot, and Sunday we filmed from 12pm until, well I don't really know when they actually finished up. I had to leave at 6:30pm to catch my train. It is quite the journey for me to get from Manchester to the Portsmouth area, and by the time I was on my fourth train I could not fight the tiredness any longer. I had to set the alarm on my mobile to make sure I didn't sleep past my stop!

Don't forget that GME is the provider of star-quality entertainment and we are here to help you celebrate those special moments in life, or to add a bit of sparkle to your venue or event. Visit our website or call me at 02392 894902 to get an entertainment quote for your venue, event, or next celebration!

That's it for this edition. Have a great week!

Week In Review - 12 December 2014

Random Santas at Waterloo Station

The end of this week was so busy that I'm just getting around to writing this update and it's Monday the 15th! My week started with a cancellation for a solo gig I had booked for Friday, and I didn't have a booking for Saturday so I was quite happy to have a weekend off, especially during this very busy Holiday season. However, by Tuesday I had picked up two last minute bookings! We'll get to that in a minute ...

Besides the cancellation, Monday was just another day in the office doing the mundane office tasks that have to be done. Tuesday was more of the same, in addition to finalizing the two last minute bookings. Tuesday night I attended the Shaping Portsmouth Business & Enterprise meeting at the Innovation Centre in Portsmouth where we recapped the events of 2014 and started looking ahead to 2015.

I am new to this organization and my first few months on this work stream have been a great way to know what's happening in my adopted city, Portsmouth, and to be a vital part of supporting businesses in the area. Admittedly, my presence has been like a fly on the wall, soaking in the information and learning the ropes, but next year I intend to jump in with both feet wherever I can be of service. Watch this space to stay updated on Shaping Portsmouth activities.

On Wednesday, I spent part of the day preparing for the terrestrial version of my radio show, Glo's Music for the Soul, that will be airing weekly on ExpressFM starting in January. I currently do a monthly on-line version of the show for One World Radio.  In the afternoon on Wednesday I headed to the station to learn how to use the equipment and to record the first segment of the show. I was so nervous and had a very restless Tuesday night thinking about what the recording process would be like and how complicated the equipment might be to use. My worries were not totally unfounded, because when I walked into the studio, I was quite intimidated with the microphones, the unending rows of buttons and flashing lights thinking there is no way I'm going to be able to get through this. But, within 15 minutes, Station Manager, Rob James had walked me through the very few buttons I needed to be concerned with, including those on the two CD decks for playing music and the very large mixing board, then I was left on my own to do a few test recordings.

Move On Up Party Band

I recorded three takes of the first segment of the show, would have been four, but I forgot to hit record on one take ... LOL. The process was very straight forward and doable even with my limited knowledge of how it all really works. So next week, Thursday I go in to record the first show. I will let you know when the show will air!

If you are a performer with original music, please get in touch to be included in my 'Unsigned, But Should Be' segment where I will showcase emerging talent. If you want your songs considered, email me an MP3 or a link to where I can download your music. I'll also be interviewing emerging talent during future shows so do get in touch if you would like to be considered. gloria@gloriamillermusic.com.

Athena Network Luncheon

Thursday, began my four-gig weekend starting with an afternoon Christmas luncheon at Languish House in Petersfield for The Athena Network where I performed a short set of Christmas and other classics and the ladies even joined me for a bit of an afternoon boogie! Thursday night, I was with my party band, Move On Up at The Wine Vaults in Southsea. We absolutely love playing this venue and the crowd were well up for a wild night, and that's exactly what we had! We look forward to playing this venue again in the New Year!

Friday, I was up to Doncaster at The Earl of Doncaster with The Midnight Soul Sisters (MSS), for a night of Motown/Soul! This was the first of my last minute bookings and we were well received by the guests and the staff of this lovely, art-deco venue. Finally, on Saturday I took what was left of my voice to The Hotel Celebrity in Bournemouth for a Christmas fundraising event where I performed a set of Jazz & Blues with a few Holiday favs sprinkled here and there, finishing up with my 'Disco Divas' set of fun party classics.

I was rewarded on Sunday with a lazy afternoon spent with family on the Isle of Wight where we had a lovely, four-hour meal with mulled wine and American-sized food portions ... LOL! I am still full from that meal.

I also had two fantastic GME acts out this weekend ... Ubermeister at The Plough & Barleycorn in Waterlooville, and Peach & The New Beats Duo at The Piranha Bar on Hayling, both on Saturday night!

Well, that's it for now ... I do hope you had a fabulous weekend and I'll speak to you next week!

Week in Review - 21 November 2014

I am so thankful for a much needed easy week! Not that much to report, so let's dig in! On Monday I attended the Shaping Portsmouth Conference held at The Pyramids in Southsea featuring a fantastic lineup of speakers including the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr. Steven Wylie, Jonathan Goring of Ben Ainslie Racing and Stef Nienaltowski, Chair of Business & Enterprise with Shaping Portsmouth to name a few.

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday of this week I was in the office getting caught up on paperwork, working on Marketing with Creative Click and putting the finishing touches on my radio show, Glo's Music for the Soul, which will be aired on One World Radio next week! Speaking of radio shows, I've been in talks with ExpressFM to start a weekly radio show beginning in January! Watch this space for more details on my new terrestrial show as well as the on-line version!

Also, on Tuesday I had a great rehearsal with my original Soul band, Mayfield in preparation for our show at The Jolly Sailor on Saturday! We'll be debuting our latest song, 'Do What You Want With Me' along with performing songs from our current release, Tempo of Your Soul. I have featured our single, 'Ready, Set, Go!' on the radio show which is one of the new songs going on our second CD, Keep On!

Also thanks to having a light week, I've been able to put the finishing touches on the 60's version of Supremely, Diana Ross which I will be performing on Friday at Rock Zombie in Dudley with Jacqui Carroll of Ready Steady Go! If you're going to be in the Dudley area and you're looking for something to do, why not join us! Click here for more info.

Red Embers

On Saturday, one of Gloria Miller Entertainment's top bands, Red Embers, will be performing at a private event at The Lake Yard Club in Poole. Formed in August 2012, Red Embers are a group of musicians who have a real passion and intimate sensibility for jazz. Still a young band, Red Embers have that passion to succeed, and to make music that moves people by taking old and new tunes and making them their own. I am now taking bookings for Red Embers as well as all of the amazing performers I am blessed to book for! Contact me at 07504 611 173 or email me at gloria@gloriamillermusic.com today to discuss your entertainment for 2015!

Wedding Day 2009

Lastly, I will be exhibiting and performing at the Portsmouth Wedding Show on Sunday at The Pyramids. Sunday is also my 5th Wedding Anniversary ... Neal doesn't know yet that I'm working on our anniversary ... Shhhhh!!

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

Week In Review - 14 November 2014

My week started with a bang with a Supremely, Diana Ross Tribute Show at the Woodmancote in West Sussex. The venue had a very unique layout requiring me to roam around to three different rooms. Thankfully, I was able to plug my sound system into theirs which played my backing music in each room. What was so interesting was that each room seemed to have its own personality. Admittedly, it was exhausting roaming from room to room but also invigorating because of the unique energy in each room. By the middle of the second set I got trapped in one room because people started filtering in from the other rooms. Then it turned into a right party with everybody singing and dancing along to their favourite Diana Ross tunes and more. I ran out of Diana Ross tunes for encores, so I then performed Tina Turner, Gloria Jones and Pharrell all while dressed as Diana Ross ... that was fun!

On Tuesday, I attending a meeting with the Business & Enterprise workstream of Shaping Portsmouth where we discussed some fantastic upcoming events including the Shaping Portsmouth Conference being held on 17 November being held at The Pyramids in Southsea. This event kicks off Globel Entrepreneur's Week where Entrepreneurs Unite will be offering a host of workshops and discussions.

Also on Tuesday I had a songwriting session with Dominic Elton band leader of Mayfield working on music for our forthcoming second release ... Keep On! We walked away from the session with two new songs, one with a Gospel feel reminicent of Edwin Hawkings, Oh Happy Day and the other a soulful dance tune complete with a bit of choreography! Can't wait see how these two develop.

Wednesday was back-to-back appointments starting with a meeting at the Central Library with Elizabeth Caush, Business Support Officer with Portsmouth City Council to learn about the support being offered by the council to small businesses. Elizabeth is a great resource and sign posted me to funding sources, gave me access to some marketing tools, as well as set up a free 40-minute consultation with a Intellectual Property attorney to discuss copyrights and publishing.

Then I was off to meet Sue & Helen at Creative Click marketing company to discuss them handling my social media.  After a very exciting discussion with them, I am happy to announce that they will be building a new website for GME, branding my Facebook & Twitter pages and running the social media through these sites and sending email campaigns. Watch this space for the unveiling of the new website.

Lastly, I attended a workshop at the Innovation Space in Portsmouth sponsored by Entrepreneur's Unite on Branding. Lizz Clark of LCM and her associated gave the attendees valuable information on branding our businesses and this couldn't have come at a better time seeing how I'm in the process of reinforcing the GME brand with Creative Click.

Midnight Soul Sisters (Selfie)

Today I'm prepping for gigs performing my Diana Ross Tribute Show with Move On Up at the Jolly Sailor tonight from 9pm. Then Saturday it's up to Newcastle with the Midnight Soul Sisters performing our Motown Divas show.

Marlene Hill

And finally, this month's Artist of the Month, Marlene Hill will be entertaining at the Oxford Venus Awards. Marlene was the perfect choice to support this great organization that honours women in business!

Well, that's it for this week. Have a fabulous weekend.

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!

Week in Review - 5 September 2014

I am still unwinding from a very busy summer, and it actually feels weird having a bit of down time. September is my planning and goal setting month, so this week I've been thinking about areas in which I'd like to see growth. Of course, the obvious is book more gigs for my acts, but within the 'more gigs' I am also looking at the quality of those gigs. I currently have some great acts and over the course of this month will be adding a few more to my books. The challenge is now pairing these great acts with the types of bookings that regard the level of talent and professionalism my acts bring to their performances. I think a great way to meet this challenge is by connecting with local businesses and venues as well as branching out to other markets across the UK. This week I made some great connections through an organization that I recently joined, Shaping Portsmouth, when I attended my first meeting with the Cultural Partnership work stream on Monday.

It was great being in the room with the people who drive culture in our area, and I was amazed by the number of fantastic programs being offered ranging from opportunities to partner with Portsmouth University, to the Making Waves Film Festival happening 22-28 September, to a program I want to get involved with, Get Into Music. This program targets 14-24 year olds and works with local schools, colleges, universities, local business, venues, promoters and music industry professionals. Get Into Music aims to make young people aware of the opportunities available to them within the music industry, predominantly offstage opportunities.

Andy Grays of Portsmouth Cultural Trust invited me to attend a meeting held at the Guildhall on Wednesday to discuss Get Into Music, and I was also given a copy of their development plan. I am really looking forward to supporting this program. I will keep you updated on my involvement with their upcoming events.

I've been working from home since I started GME two years ago, and one year ago I was taken under the wings of the Cathedral Innovation Center in Portsmouth, which allowed me the use of office space a few days a week. As I go into year three of the business I thought I might want to secure a permanent office space outside of my home, and this week I viewed several small offices ranging from large office complexes, to small industrial estates and sadly, all out of my price range. I also emailed Francis Davis, of CIC informing him that I was looking for permanent space, and today I had a lovely chat with him. I am thrilled to announce that Francis has offered me several options to choose from for a full-time office space and each at a rental rate I can afford. So, in October, I will be moving into my own office. More details to follow ...

The Wine Vaults in Southsea is a venue I book acts in on a regular basis, and last night my band, Move On Up performed to a packed house, and enthusiastic crowd! Our sets were a unique blend of Jazz, Soul, Blues and a bit of Classic Rock covers and the audience really showed their appreciation for this eclectic mix of genres by singing and dancing along. What a great night!

Tonight, I am return to The Jolly Sailor to judge the first of two semi-finals of Southsea's Got Talent. This is going to be a terribly difficult night because we have put through some amazing performers from the individual heats that have been going on monthly since March. Tonight me and my fellow judges, Ross McInally, Landlord of Jolly Sailor and Cheryl Buggy of Express FM will be battling it out to determine who goes through to the Final and will be a step closer to claiming the £1,000 Grand Prize!

I have a rare weekend off this week, but the hubs has already assigned me some household duties. So, for the next two days I'll be 'fall' cleaning and organizing. Oh how I wish I had a couple gigs ... LOL!

GME is now accepting bookings for 2015. Get in touch to discuss the entertainment your special events for next year. Call me at 07504 611 173 or click here to request a quote for your next event.

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

Week In Review - 29 August 2014

In two days GME will be two years old. I am very happy with the success my business has had so far, and as I go into my third year I am focused on growing my business in every way from moving into office space to growing my roster of acts to increasing my customer base. Going into my second year I had four goals and have reached three of them. September is my planning month and I will look at how I've done this year, highlight the things I've done well, identify the areas that need improvement, and set new goals for year three. I hope you'll take the journey with me as I strive to be the best at what I do. Year two has been challenging and exhausting, and as the company grows I know the challenges will too. To be honest, it's dealing with the challenges that really make me feel like I'm running my company. Believe me, I have run my company this year. So here's to another year of providing premium entertainment at affordable prices ... Have we got an ACT for you! Soooooo cheesy, but true! Cheers!

Marley Blandford & Nathalie Gunn

This week Monday was the last day of the five Foodies Festival events I organized the entertainment for this year. We wrapped up in Oxford and a lovely, but rainy day and the entertainment was stellar. In the true spirit of 'the show must go on' each act was fantastic, starting with the very talented Marley Blandford, who was later joined my Nathalie Gunn performing a duo set. The genuine blues sound of 2Blue made me feel like I was back home in Chicago! The uniquely talented singer-songwriter, Bashema, mesmerized with her fantastic set of originals and covers and then the stunningly beautiful Ellie Rose had the crowd standing in the rain to listen to her fabulous songs and pitch perfect voice. It didn't take much for the crowd to go from standing in the rain to dancing & singing in the rain thanks to the classic 60's sound of One 4 The Road.

Bashema

Media Company Publications was one of my first clients when I started GME and they contracted me last year to organize five Foodies events and again this year to do five events, adding a new location ... Bristol, which was great because I had never been to Bristol before, and I discovered some amazing local talent including Bashema who also performed at Oxford, and The Funkinsteins who dropped some serious funk on the Bristol crowd. I never sat down through their entire set.

In looking for acts for the festivals, I ended up connecting with managers, agents and record companies which is allowing me to make really good connections across the UK. I want to extend a special thank you to Danielle Knights of Live & Love Music, Steve Parkhouse of Jelli Records, and Anna Marshall of Regency Artists for providing amazing acts who were not only talented, but also an absolute joy to work with.

On Tuesday, I took a much needed day off and with great difficulty I was back to work in Wednesday. I finished up Wednesday with a rehearsal with Mayfield in our new recording studio/rehearsal space as we prep for a very busy September including a charity event at The Jolly Sailor on the 20th, supporting Craig Charles at The Cellars on the 26th and recording a demo of our latest song, Ready Set Go, on the 13th & 27th. I am selling tickets for The Cellars gig and only have a few left. Please contact me if you would like to buy one. Your support would be greatly appreciated. The tickets are £10. Call me at 07504 611173 to get your tickets.

Finally, I'll be performing Supremely, Diana Ross at the Cosham Conservative Club followed by a high energy party set of Mowtown, Soul & Disco classics on Saturday starting at 8pm. This is a new venue for me and it would be great if you came along to get your dance on! It's gonna be a great night.

In case you haven't heard yet, Diana Ross is in talks to perform at Glastonbury next year! Here's hoping!!

That's it for this edition! Have a fabulous weekend.