Made in Mann Concerts Prove the Value of Manx Talent
Made in Mann is a series of concerts championing original music by Manx bands, supported by The Arts Council. So far Voodoo Bandits and Biskee Brisht have been invited onto the Villa Marina stage to share their musical talents. Mixing up the musical genres, Sunset Jet and Mad Daddy are on the bill for the next two before the year is out.
As superfans of all things Manx live music, we at Sound Records had to find out more. We caught up with Jane Corkill from the Arts Council, Seamus Shea from Villa Gaiety and Ruby Biscoe-Taylor from Biskee Brisht to chat all things Made in Mann. They told us about the delightful mix of music genres and audiences they’ve seen at the gigs so far, the privilege of playing on the Villa stage and what they’ve got coming up next.
One of the first things Ruby mentioned when I asked her about Biskee Brisht’s turn on the Made in Mann stage last month was how much the band appreciated the space ー no, not just playing at the Villa, but also the literal space on stage. As an 8-piece band, they’re used to cramming themselves into pub corners and brushing shoulders on barely-raised platforms, so it was really nice, she told me, to have space for the band to breathe while playing their heartfelt, upbeat melodies.
The venue is making a real effort, it seems, to tailor the room around the bands themselves. At every gig, the room is orientated to put the focus on the stage, Seamus tells me, prioritising the talent. Ruby knew that everyone in the crowd was there to see the band, and could feel that energy in the room. Though it wasn’t the biggest crowd, “5 people in a room watching you attentively is better than 100 who don’t give a damn” ー though she was quick to assure me there were, in fact, definitely more than 5 people there!
A lot of younger music fans seem to be attending the Made in Mann gigs ー stemming, perhaps, from the fact that they are open to 16+. Of course, 16- and 17-year-olds can’t come to pub gigs, (which are, most of the time, where bands end up playing over here,) so a lot of these teenagers were experiencing something they hadn’t had the chance to see much of before.
Combine this with the fact that the gigs are all free to attend, and a lot of new music fans have been welcomed into the Villa Marina for the first time ー a venue which would not be able to host these free events without The Arts Council’s support. It goes without saying that the chance of a free concert is great for accessibility. Ultimately, Ruby tells me that Biskee Brisht like to play a mix of both free and paid gigs, that way covering more bases and therefore reaching more people. Everyone lives on some kind of budget so free gigs allow anyone to attend without economic pressure; at the same time, paid gigs show the public that live music has value.
Naturally, the tech capabilities of the Villa Marina Prom Suite are at the top end of what most homegrown bands are used to. For some, Seamus says, this formalised process of soundchecking and working with high level equipment is an essential part of the preparation for those bands who want to spread their wings and eventually tour across the water. Ruby mentioned that, as an upbeat band suited for summer and outdoor performances, she yearns to tour UK festivals with Biskee Brisht. Sadly, as we know well, this was not the year for that. However, events like Made in Mann are providing exciting opportunities on home turf. Getting to play a Hop Tu Naa gig was a fresh challenge, she tells me, and the band brought spooky vibes with them on 30th October with Halloween covers and scary costumes.
The Arts Council wants the bands that play at Made in Mann to feel taken care of, Jane tells me. Most of the talent brought to the stage has been supported by them in one way or another: either directly, as is the case for all the headlines so far announced, or through SoundCheck, a youth music project which now falls under The Arts Council umbrella.
Jenni Smith, project manager of SoundCheck, spoke to us recently about what they do to support young creatives on the Isle of Man.
And already the concerts seem to be “sewing the seed” for future musicians: audience members see local talent thriving, and their success is infectious. Seamus tells me that Keiran Ball was helping out at the September gig, helping Voodoo Bandits set up, and then ended up playing support for Biskee Brisht at the October gig.
Jane is keen to dispel the image that The Arts Council only supports disciplines deemed traditionally highbrow ー opera, portraiture or classical music, for example. They will consider an application from anyone, as long as it’s creative.
And these are more than just words. The Arts Council has been working hard recently to support the Manx music scene in a variety of ways. One particular connection we at Sound Records have is to recent funding recipient Chilli Jam Nights. They run open mic nights at The Secret Pizza Co., and are headed up by Fraser and Callum Rowe ー both of whom played at September’s Sound Records Presents event as part of psych band El Catraz. Biskee Brisht’s upcoming release, the festive single (Christmas) Maybe Next Year, has also been supported by The Arts Council.
We spoke to El Catraz between soundchecks at the gig they played for us back in September.
Right now it seems that the Isle of Man has a unique opportunity. Not only do we have a captive audience of music fans who want to attend gigs, we have a captive audience of Manx bands willing to play them. Indeed, Voodoo Bandits, Seamus tells me, like a lot of other homegrown Manx talent, were primed and ready to tour the UK before lockdown hit. Bands are over here with material ready to go and an audience eager to appreciate what’s on their doorstep.
The main aim of the Made in Mann gigs, Jane tells me, is to show that local bands rightfully have a stage here. And it seems like that message is getting through.
Written by Owen Atkinson
A week today (Friday 27th November), Made in Mann will present Sunset Jet, the winners of Band Battle 2020, who we interviewed a few weeks ago. Coming up next month is Mad Daddy with Man in the Woods on Thursday 17th December.
Biskee Brisht’s Christmas single (Christmas) Maybe Next Year will be out next week (27th November).
Photos via Vannin Photos.
