London Calling, a live music showcase at the International Live Music Conference, is set to return for its second year. The event features unsigned music from across London and offers performers a platform to play in front of over 1,000 agents, promoters and live music professionals. Taking place across five venues in Soho, the event attracts emerging talent from across the city. Acts performing at the London Calling event have shared advice for other rising artists about the challenges and rewards of playing live in the current climate.
Lala Hayden, an up-and-coming artist, shared some insight into her experiences of gigs on the road with the NME. She highlights that starting artists can find themselves spending large amounts of money on touring logistics without taking into consideration budgeting and costs. In her experience, this can set a negative tone and depression for upcoming shows.
Hayden also spoke about the impact of touring on musicians’ health, urging artists to ensure they focus on recovery as they perform. She has learned to check her diet and sleep cycle, among other healthy practices, but the most important thing is to ensure touring is sustainable and live performances are not affected negatively.
Hayden believes that ensuring live performances are the best they can be is essential as it allows performers to showcase their work to an audience and helps establish their career. Hayden’s reputation as a solo artist has flourished since she split from her previous band, Anteros. She explains that her solo EP “Girl Becomes” is about her experience of becoming a woman, dancing in front of the mirror while singing into a hairbrush. Hayden has described her experience of performing live as “really liberating” and enjoyable.
The London Calling event provides vital opportunities for emerging talent such as Hayden, offering artists a platform to perform and potentially transform their careers. Despite the challenges of touring, the benefits of playing live can result in a positive impact on budding musicians’ careers, as it allows their music to be heard by a wider audience and can attract profitable gigs
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