JodieBowie: How I Got Into Being A Promoter (My Journey) – Part 6

THE FINAL!! At last it feels right to make a start on PART 6 of my Journey of being a Promoter blog series. I’ve talked about how I started, through every gig right up until the first ever Nozfest and even shared some of the downsides of this journey too. Now it’s time to close this series with a blog talking about where I am NOW in my journey. So I hope you guys enjoy! You can read part 5 here.

“You’re Not The Only One Who Hangs Out With Rockstars You Know!!”

I love including quotes people have said to me as titles in this series. I’ve had all sorts said to me over the last however many years, they seem to get more and more ridiculous. Of course I’m going to address this quote very plain and very clearly. Ready?
I DO NOT ‘hang out’ with ‘Rockstars’. I WORK with musicians.

What a journey it has been! I wonder if you have felt that at all whilst reading this series. Sorry it’s taken so long to get to the final part!
It feels like I have lived many lives. I have definitely learned many lessons, and grown many layers of thicker skin, even changed as a person. I mean I started this journey as an 18 year old… I’m now 28. Wow, a decade!

In those 10 years I have worked with 52 bands in total, and 38 of those bands have been part of Nozfest. Such an honour to have a number like that put their trust in me. I honestly thought I’d only work with the same 4 or 5 bands for the rest of my life.

There isn’t a formula for success. You can’t just copy and paste and expect the same results. It takes a hell of a lot of time to perfect any craft, and some can never be perfected. Sometimes it’s just about taking a chance, shutting your eyes, crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. But it always takes hard work.
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, if it was then everyone would be doing it. You’ve got to have a fire burning deep within, you have to believe in it so strongly that you’d protect that fire with every fibre of your being no matter what. At the end of the day, when you’re stood there looking at the end result of all your blood, sweat, tears and sleepless nights, you will see EXACTLY why it is you do what you do.

SO, I guess I now have to speak about what I’ve done since Nozfest 2019! Well, I can safely say we are on Nozfest 2024 now which will of course be the 5th Anniversary of Nozfest! I’ve had 4 sold out Nozfest’s so far, I mean that is more than incredible. Not to blow my own trumpet, but that isn’t usually something that happens to every one every year. If I am lucky enough to say I have 5 sold out festivals in a row under my belt, I think that’s a big enough life goal achievement, definitely cannot grumble at that.

Nozfest’s
Wow, we’re on number 5 (which at the time of posting has 70 tickets)… I never thought that five years down the line I’d still be doing this. Truthfully. I really thought it was going to be a one and done, see if I could pull it off, move on to something else. To do that 5 times… Blows my mind! I have worked with so many incredible bands and have been so lucky to have each one I’ve put on, to end up sold out! What an achievement. I am honestly so eternally grateful. I’ve had the likes of The Treatment, Mason Hill, Florence Black, Chez Kane, Collateral, Scarlet Rebels, Sam Millar, Hollowstar, SKAM, The Hot Damn, Massive, Black Lakes and so many more. I do genuinely feel so lucky that so many of these bands trust me, put their faith in me that I’m going to treat them well, put on a good show and in return they treat me well too. Putting on Nozfest over these last 5 years has been such an amazing experience, I’m surprised at myself for being able to pull it off each year. I can’t believe there are so many people coming back year after year, buying a t-shirt every year, even buying pre-sale tickets as soon as they go on sale, it blows my mind! People love my little festival.
My favourite festival I think had to be 2021, it was one of the first indoor festivals to go ahead after the pandemic and you could just tell that everyone was so ready for it. It was the first time for a lot of bands to be playing again after a year of not gigging, so the bands were excited, the audience was excited, the venue was excited and the whole day was just a sea of people with the biggest smiles. It was amazing! So many fantastic memories were made that day, I look back on it a lot when I feel lost. I also got the bands to use my vlogging camera to capture the essence of the show (something I have done every year since), the footage was so good I think it really does show what Nozfest is like.

Sold Out During Covid
I managed to put on a SOLD OUT show at The 1865 in Southampton during a pandemic! All in aid of keeping the glorious venue I get to call my home open… and what a night that was indeed. I was very lucky to have such a cracking line-up too. The 1865 approached me to put on a socially distanced show in October 2020, and I jumped at the chance. I was missing bands so much and couldn’t wait to get my teeth stuck into another gig. I put some feelers out online and before I knew it I had Crooked Shapes, The Dark and South of Salem as headliners. Of course it sold out! It was such an exciting gig, everyone from the bands, to the venue to the people attending were just so excited to be playing or watching a gig after the pandemic. It didn’t even matter that it had to be seated, people were just gagging for some live music and bands were so keen to go out and play! It was an amazing atmosphere. I’m so proud it was something I can say I achieved. To see so many people happy after so many months being stuck in doors, away from something they love, it was a very heart warming moment. It gave me back my ambition too. I ended up putting on a further two socially distanced shows – one with Stop, Stop and Spyder Byte and another with Gin Annie, Gallows Circus and Crooked Shapes.
Covid had to have been one of the toughest thing we’ve all faced in the most recent years, and I think it’s fair to say that the world and music industry has definitely felt the impact of the pandemic and changed… not a lot for the better in areas. There was a huge boom when the doors got reopened again, people couldn’t get enough of being OUT. That soon changed though, and I think some of the effects of that are still happening to this day. People tend not to buy in advance so much anymore, people turn up on the door or wait it out which means we are seeing more gigs either being cancelled or badly attended.

NozLites
I think I need to potentially look back into starting these beauties back up again. How many did I do? I think I only did 2. It would’ve been more if the pandemic didn’t happen smack bang in the middle of things. The first one was a rather cracking line-up I won’t lie. There was a bit of drama getting to the final line-up, but I think it worked out for the best because it ended up as Florence Black headlining with support from Marco Mendoza, Scarlet Rebels, White Raven Down and The Wicked Jackals. I’m actually a bit envious of my own line-up there… got to get a pat on the back for that!
I should probably explain the concept behind Nozlite. Nozlite started after the very first Nozfest, unfortunately it was postponed due to Covid. So it was meant to take place in May 2020, but ended up going ahead in November 2021. After the first Nozfest was so well received, I wanted to put something else on with similar bands, but for people that perhaps can’t make August, or couldn’t afford to go to a big festival. I let the Official Nozfest Facebook group choose the name for this project, and they came up with Nozlite. It even has its own cheeky little logo, which is a mini skull winking, which is so cute. I only ended up putting two on in the end. I found it quite hard to keep the momentum up if I am honest. It was also quite hard to make it affordable to put on, especially with the sort of bands I was booking. Perhaps they’d go down better this time around, as the climate was very different/difficult just coming out of Covid.
My second Nozlite took place in May 2022, I had Bad Touch headlining and support from Skinny Knowledge, Ethryfield and Daxx and Roxanne. I will hold my hands up and say it was very poorly attended and it was a very big struggle to get people through the door for that show, even though the bands were absolutely on fire and pulled off such a cracking show. After that we all sort of lost interest in Nozlite… it was very disheartening seeing something you’ve put a lot of time, money and effort into not do very well. It’s no one’s fault, sometimes these things happen, but you have to weigh up the risks of moving forward and trying again, sometimes you know in your heart it’s for the best to move on.

Charity
I raised money for Ukraine! It was originally Jimmy from Black Water Redemption’s idea, but unfortunately they were unable to play, so it was down to me in the end and I’m actually really glad I did it. I think I managed to organise it in under 48 hours. I know it was the quickest gig I have ever had to plan. I managed to get some pretty awesome bands involved to be fair, I had Crooked Shapes, White Raven Down, Black Tree Vultures and The Outlaw Orchestra! I’m pretty sure we raised over £500 which was amazing. It was an awesome turn out as well, so many people even just used the ticket link to donate which… honestly, the generosity of some people is so lovely. So many bands were so keen to jump on board too, it was a pleasure to do something like this. To have pulled it off in under 3 days is mind-blowing, and I did that, so I’ll definitely keep patting myself on the back for that. Not sure I’d be able to pull it off again mind.

Booking Agent/Manager
I’ve even tried my hand at being a booking agent/manager. I believe I could actually be a good manager. Having a go at being a booking agent was rather fun, but a HELL of a lot of work. I have the most respect for anyone who is successful at being a booking agent because it is probably one of the hardest jobs in the industry. It wasn’t for me, and I am 100% okay with that. I am much better at putting on the gigs than I am trying to get the gigs. HOWEVER, I’d like to have another go at managing. I think that is something I could do well in and potentially an area I could thrive in. If anyone is brave enough to give me a chance, hit me up! I’d love the opportunity.

Mentality
My mentality is very different. I used to be quite the push over if I’m honest, I’ve always let myself be spoken down to, let people use me as a stepping stone etc, but these days… I honestly just don’t have the time for it. I KNOW what I want, I KNOW who I want to work with, I KNOW who I want to associate with and I KNOW where I want to go and I’m not changing my course in direction for anyone. It is very harsh but you know, it isn’t always about the quantity, it’s about the quality. I want to be seen as a woman who is strong, independent, confident, takes no bollocks, knows what she wants and works hard.
My only hope is that I am taken seriously by my peers and that I can continue to grow not only as a person, but also as someone in the industry.

Where am I as of now?
I am a totally different person to who I was when I first started writing this series. How I feel about my career, ambitions, wants in life in general and who I am within myself… is VERY different, I almost don’t recognise myself. Music is always going to be the biggest fire that burns inside me, it’s been a part of my life since the age of 3… it isn’t something that’s going to be put to bed.
Where I want to go in terms of my music career, I’m not actually entirely certain, but I have the ultimate faith in myself that I will KNOW what it is and I’ll make the right choices to get there. Sometimes, honestly… sometimes I want to close the chapter, and then I’ll see a band do something so awesome, it kicks starts that fire in my belly again, and besides, there’s still A LOT of bands I haven’t worked with yet… so my bucket list is yet to be completed.

Do I Make Money From All Of This?:
I suppose that is something a lot of people are going to want to know isn’t it. Nozfest is an investment, and I put a lot of personal life goals on hold in order to keep achieving what I have so far. I invest whatever I make into the following year in the hope my festival can continue to grow and keep going ahead. The first year I made nothing at all, I broke even but that was it. It wasn’t until the 3rd year I made the smallest amount; but each year I’ve put it back in the festival so I can get bigger bands etc. It’s HARD! Don’t do it for the money, there is no money in this business. Do it for the love and eventually who knows where you could end up.
There’s a lot of people in this industry that play the game, put on a good front on social media, but behind closed doors it’s not as easy and wonderful as they are making out – don’t be fooled by other people’s success. The reality is it is incredibly hard to do this full time without depending on a job for income that pays the bills. Just because I’ve been selling out (touch wood) doesn’t mean I’m making enough money to live a whole new lifestyle, that simply is not true. If I went into this for the money, I’d be bitterly disappointed right now and probably worse for wear – but luckily I went into this game because I just love bands and music, and have always had the most fun hanging out with my friends in the company of blimmin’ good music and musicians.

From The Heart Advice:
There will always be people out there waiting to rain on your parade and make as many digs as they can. It is most likely jealousy and sometimes it really hurts, especially when it comes from people you regarded as friends or family. However, if you let anything like that affect you, then you’ll only drag yourself down to their level… and it really isn’t worth being that bitter.
Don’t go giving up, no matter how hard it gets, keep pushing through it if you truly believe it is worth it. You’ll never regret fighting for a dream.
Be a good person. A REAL good person. As long as you are real and genuine as a human being and you also truly believe in yourself and your own capabilities, you can do anything. Learn to let things go as well, don’t take things along your journey with you, if they are no longer adding to your life… that goes with anything. I’d also say some advice worth taking is to “get good”, invest a lot more time into your craft.

My childhood dream was to work with The Rolling Stones. I was 3 years old when I knew that was my ultimate dream in life, and of course still always will be. I’m 28 years old, and I may not be doing what a 3 year old me would’ve dreamed of… but I’m doing something that she definitely would be proud of and I know she would be LOVING what I am doing right now and so would The Rolling Stones, and as the person I am now, I am living the dream every day. I have every single person who has ever supported me, believed in me, had faith in me, bought a ticket to one of my shows, I have all of you to thank for this journey and I mean it with my whole heart that I am eternally grateful for what all of this has enabled me to do, and the opportunities it has given me. Thank you. Thank you all so much.

And that concludes this blog. I hope you guys have enjoyed and learnt something along this very long journey in real life and also in written form!

That is the end, the final chapter in this series. I hope you have enjoyed it!
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Thank you for your continued support!

Jodie x ❤ x

Life Update: 4th Sold Out Nozfest, Amazing Friends, Perfect Normality and Growth

It’s around that time of year again when I do a life update! I think the last one was back in April, and I can tell you a lot has changed since then… but in a good way!
I feel like I have grown so much this year, I feel like I’m growing into more of the person I am going to be as a fully fledged adult, if that makes sense. I feel so grounded within myself these days that I feel a bit more confident to aim for some of the goals I used to have. Anyway before I give out too many spoilers…. keep on reading to find out more!

Focusing on myself
We all need to take some time for ourselves sometimes. Right now, I feel like that is something I need to do. How I’m going to do it, I’m not entirely sure yet, but I think it could do me a lot of good!
I know I definitely need to change the way I use social media. I want to draw back from it quite a lot, figure out exactly what I’m using it for. I want to use it in a more positive way, but I also want to be able to share some fond memories too.
I almost feel like I want to be completely alone, but I of course don’t ‘really’ want that. I just need to focus on myself, as plain and simple as that is. I’m trying to spend a lot less time on my phone as well, it’s proving hard to do, but I know I need to stay away from it.
I think that my perception of the world would become a lot more positive if I work on myself and the mindset I’m currently in. However, in recent times I have come to the realisation of just how much my festival actually saves me mentally. I think that’s all I’m going to be able to say on this bit…

Rats
Can you believe they are around 18 months old now! They’re growing up fast… they are still the cheekiest little angels ever though.
Unfortunately I found a little lump on my girl Dotty during the week of Nozfest. I took her to the vet because it’s very important to act sooner rather than later with rats, and things can happen rapidly/over night. As the vet put it, it’s more likely to be something sinister – but luckily it hasn’t grown, it’s half a centimetre and it’s attached to the skin (so it’ll be easier to remove if needs be) and it has in no way affected her quality of life… so for the time being she is totally fine! Just got to keep my closest eye on her and of course give her all the love she can possibly get. We don’t get long enough with rats, so make the most of it.
I’m such a proud little rat mum too, and I am so very passionate about the care for those animals. I want them to live their best rat lives whilst they are under my care, and I do everything I can to research and be the best I can be for them. I do actually get a bit upset when I see people just not really follow any form of basic rat care, and just ‘assume’ rats are like hamsters and rabbits and just go with anything they can find in pet stores. I try so hard to not care, but I love rats so much it does hurt my heart. However, I do need to learn that you can only lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink from the river. I mean in some cases you can’t even do either haha,

Nozfest
As weird as it sounds, this was the first Nozfest I actually got to attend! I can safely say Nozfest is a banging festival! Haha, I never knew what it was like before because I’ve always been busy running around, speaking to bands, upstairs, downstairs, filming, checking up on things, I’ve never been able to fully immerse myself. However, my amazing team has absolutely perfected the system that we have now and I got to actually see what Nozfest is like for everyone else. Bloody brilliant really, what a lovely festival… and I mean that genuinely, not in a big headed way, I mean it as if it wasn’t my own (like I said, I’ve never really attended).
Anyway, Nozfest 2023 went so much better than expected! I don’t know what I was expecting, but I definitely didn’t see it going without a hitch. It was just the most perfect day, and I think all the photos really capture that. All the bands were on top of their game, each one giving such a fantastic performance. Everyone was just so lovely, it was an actual pleasure to work with all those amazing artists. My family even came down to see the event, which has literally never happened. Not too sure what they made of it, but to be honest I’m happy my Mum finally came along after all these years. Dad is always there of course and he seemed to have a pretty good time. Oh and I can’t forget my friends! ALL my friends were there, gosh I was living my best life. I actually got to enjoy the day with my friends. Usually they don’t get to see me.
Let’s just say it was such a great day that it made me really want to pull out all the stops for 2024 ❤

New Friends
I have friends! I mean I’ve always had friends, but I mean I’ve made some new ones and even regained a few old ones. They are all so friggin awesome, I appreciate them so much. I just love the fact that despite what we do outside of our day to day lives, we are so down to earth and just normal people. I massively appreciate how supportive they all are, but also how down to earth they are too. None of them pretend to be something they are not or big up my ego (not that I have one at all) or try and make me feel small or bad by making digs. They are just happy for me and are happy to see me do okay. I feel the same towards them too! I love seeing them all be happy and accomplish all the things they want, whether that’s a new career or starting a family… I’m just happy for them, and I wouldn’t dream of being unkind to them. I feel very lucky to have the friends that I do right now, I feel I’ve finally got the perfect mix. I have new friends who I’ve always wanted to be friends with, and it turns out they are the loveliest kindest people, I’ve reconnected friendships and it’s like no time has passed at all, but we’ve realised how much we’ve missed each other. And I also still have friends who have known me way before ‘Nozfest’ and all the other things, and they still see me as the person they’ve always known. ❤

New things
In my last life update I would’ve most likely indicated that I would’ve been starting a new job. Well, I have been there 3 months now and I won’t lie, it is the best job I have ever had! I am so happy there. I still feel like the new girl, and I’m a bit shy but I’m really enjoying being part of that team. I actually don’t mind going to work, I’m not grumpy, I’m not tired, I’m not irritable, it’s so lovely to go to work and do the job and come back home. I’ve always wanted to work at this place as well, and I’m so glad the stars aligned for me to get this position. I’m really looking forward to seeing what the future holds and just making new work friends and getting better at my job.
There are going to be some changes to what I am currently doing musically, I’m not going to say anything yet just in case I change my mind haha! I have lost quite a lot of confidence over the years, but I want to push myself to where I should be, and as nervous as I am… I’m also quite excited to see what happens when I push through.
I’ve also shortened my booking agency roster by quite a lot. I only have 3 bands on there now. I’ve given it a good go, and I’ve come to the decision that it isn’t really something I enjoy or feel like I am good at. I feel like I am much better at putting on my own shows and working with bands that way than I am trying to get gigs for bands if that makes sense.

The Rolling Stones
No, I haven’t seen them live! However, I have visited Carnaby Street a few times since my last life update. If I spoke about it in the previous one then I apologise but… unless you’ve been to the Carnaby Street store, then you don’t get how exciting it is; especially for a long time die hard fan like myself! I would live there if I could.
Anyway, I have treated myself to a few things that I have always wanted. The best feeling is actually purchasing them with your own money as well. They’d be absolutely incredible gifts, but I think the fact I bought them myself with my own money just adds to the ownership and the feeling of possessing such things.
The first thing I got myself on my first ever visit, was a genuine sheep leather jacket, which is limited edition and has some very fancy lining as well as a very vibrant Stones lick on the back. I have wanted a proper leather jacket since forever, and when I saw that the Stones had brought out their own line I was desperate to make one of those mine! Finally, I was able to see for myself and I just knew I had to get my hands on one, so I did. I love it so much, I cannot wait to wear it more often and it’s also going to be great for both hot and colder weather so it’s definitely going to get some good use out of it. Luke from Beth Blade even wore it onstage for a bit, which is awesome!
Secondly, I bought myself a limited edition of Ronnie Wood’s iconic painting “Wild Horses II” print. Wasn’t expecting to do that on my second visit, but I also never expected to actually be able to own one myself. I cannot explain how much I love that artwork, ever since I saw it in its full glory it took my breath away. I’m not one for artwork admittedly, of course I’m always going to want something from Ronnie Wood’s collection, however this piece is something incredibly special. The horses are absolutely beautiful, they are elegant and stunning, the band look iconic and I LOVE the fact the audience is blocked out in glitter and you can see different parts of the stage and horses through their phones. LOVE IT! I’m so happy that it was something I bought with my own money, and I am never going to let anyone make me feel bad for getting things for myself that I love. Why not? Why should I feel bad or be made to feel bad?

Changes…
I feel l’m going through a lot of growth as a person. It’s a little bit daunting, but also I’m pretty ready for it and I want to accept it with open arms and see what sort of person I’m about to grow into.
I have a new admiration for ‘normality’. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being normal or wanting normal in life. Sometimes we have such busy, hectic, ‘different’ lives and sometimes it’s just nice to be able to do what everyone else really does, which is sit down, watch TV, eat some food they enjoy and chill out. I love being with my friends and going to coffee shops and talking about ‘normal’ things like the weather, boys, working, random gossip etc, I don’t want to sit there and chat about my festival and my work with bands, I like to have that private. I enjoy that sort of normality so much, I’ve done the whole going out drinking thing, pretend to be ‘well known’ and have an attitude… I don’t want that anymore. I want to feel happy and relaxed and at ease.
I want to be surrounded by grounded people, and make some really pleasurable memories. That’s why I love my friends so much, because they genuinely love me for who I am on the inside.
As well as normality, I also want to succeed in my field and at least be sort of recognised for that. Not as a celebrity or anything, just like a nod of “she does a good job”, that would mean a lot to me. Yeah, I’d like to do well as a promoter ❤

Motley Crue
Ah yes I got to see the mighty Motley Crue and Def Leppard at Wembley Stadium. By gosh is that a venue and a half… utterly inspiring place, breathtaking, especially for someone who does what I ‘do’. Imagine a festival at Wembley! Well… LiveAid!
Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed both bands. I didn’t think Vince Neil was anywhere near as bad as some people were saying, okay maybe he can’t do what he used to do, but at least he’s still up there giving it a go. Got to respect that. I would’ve liked to have seen the band with Mick Mars, I felt like they had a bit of an empty sound for such an iconic band, but that could’ve been down to the venue rather than the band. Def Leppard wow! What a band! I’m not a massive Leppard fan, but they are an absolutely cracking live band and I’m so glad I got to see them. Would recommend them to anyone for sure. I’d love to experience some more gigs at Wembley for sure, I was a bit worried because I don’t really like ‘big’ venues… I like to have my own space at gigs if I’m honest haha.

With all that said, I think that is the end of this life update! I hope it has been somewhat entertaining, I know it’s also been a bit random in places but getting things off your chest can sometimes be a good help. Saying things out loud also means you have to do them… right? 😉

Feel free to follow me on any of my social media accounts:
INSTAGRAM: JodieBowie
INSTAGRAM: Nozfest
FACEBOOK: JodieBowie
FACEBOOK: Nozfest
FB GROUP: Nozfest
WEBSITE: www.nozfest.org
YOUTUBE: JodieBowie

See you on the next one!

Jodie x ❤ x

JodieBowie: Things I’ve Learn’t Before Turning 27!

Of course this is a birthday post!! I do quite like to do these types of blogs too as I can see how much I have grown and learnt over the years, and maybe others can take some of my advice too before they reach this age.
I’ll tell you something… never expected to gain 2 stone and have eye wrinkles at this age, that’s something your elders will warn you of… but of course we never listen 😉
HERE WE GO!!

I have no idea how many things there will be in general! But I’m going to give this a go. I feel the most grown up I have probably ever felt, but I also still feel incredibly young. Perhaps I’m stuck in some sort of void-y vortex! I do feel like I have learnt an awful lot though, I’ve definitely grown a lot as a person too, even if it isn’t in height.

1. Be careful what you eat! Because it’ll catch up on you.
   I was told this when I was about 16 years old, and I never took this advice because, food is yummy! But recently I’ve put on 2st in 4 months and I have never been so unhappy in my own body. Although, your body does change throughout life too. I’m 27, so my body is going to reflect being 27… I have hips, and thighs and boobs now etc.
2. Be who YOU want to be, who you ARE!
   That good old Dr. Seuss quote of “people who mind, don’t matter. People who matter, don’t mind” is very much true. Life is too short to people please.
3. Your friends can be wrong, and so can your family.
   People can give you advice until they are blue in the face, and you don’t have to take it. Truth is, no one knows you or your situation better than YOU. So if people get annoyed at you for ‘not listening’, remember, they only know what you chose to show/tell them… so they don’t know the whole picture. Only you do.
4. There’s NO rush.
   Just because everyone else is learning to drive, moving out, getting engaged or married, having children etc, doesn’t mean you’re behind. Everyone’s life is different, and it’s okay to go at your own pace or allow your life to take the form it’s working out with.
5. Research before buying a pet.
   Trust me, this is some proper adult advice here. Not every pet is going to be suitable for you and your lifestyle, so it’s super important that you know 90% about that animal before you go and buy it. Plus it’s a lot harder than buying it food the pet store sells because 90% of the time, it’s not good for your pet.
6. Maintaining friendships grows harder with age.
   I have less than a handful of friends, and I see none of them regularly. It is hard and sometimes lonely, but life gets in the way a lot, people move away, people’s jobs can be restricting, people have families, sometimes you just fall out.
7. Your taste buds WILL change.
   They really do! I can now eat olives, marmalade and twiglets without heaving! I actually enjoy them. Obviously not together though.
8. Always have savings, or money put-by.
   With this current climate it’s more important than ever to save for a rainy day. You never know when butter is suddenly going to cost you £9.
9. You will love more than one person.
   I know movies like to tell you that there is only ‘the one’, but that isn’t always true for everyone. You may have many ‘ones’ and you’ll love them all, for all completely different reasons, and that’s okay. That is life.
10. You’ll grow to really love a card.
    I’ve never really been a huge card person to be honest. I don’t really give cards etc. But this year, I have actually really appreciated getting a Birthday card, Christmas card etc. It’s just nice to know someone thought about you enough to buy a card. It’s actually a really lovely gesture. We take cards for granted when money is in them haha.
11. Drama no longer interests you.
    Come on, we all love a bit of gossip. But when there’s proper drama and you happen to be involved, it totally isn’t a vibe anymore. BUT it does mean you’re more likely to just get on and resolve issues, rather than sit in the whole “we’re not talking” stage.
12. You learn a lot about your own mind.
    Honestly, I know a lot about how my brain works now. I know when something is going to cause me to wobble, or if I’m feeling a particular way for a certain reason and why my brain is saying the things it is. So you learn how to control your thoughts a bit more, and how things work. I mean therapy was probably a big help too. Learning how the mind works is such a useful technique for life.
13. Being happy with your own company will be your saviour.
    Being lonely is a horrible feeling, and we all experience it at some point. But learning to enjoy our own company and do things by ourselves can actually be a really good thing. I try to take myself out sometimes and go to the cinema, or for breakfast, for walks, shopping etc.
14. You will not be everyone’s cup of tea.
    And it isn’t your responsibility to change that. Some people just don’t like you, there doesn’t even have to be a reason, people will have opinions of you without even knowing you. We are all guilty of it. Don’t let it eat away at you though, because there’s literally nothing you can do about it. As long as you believe in yourself, love yourself, are confident in yourself… then those ‘haters’ don’t mean anything.
15. It’s important to do things you might not necessarily want to do.
    Make memories! Just because it isn’t ‘your thing’, doesn’t mean it won’t be fun. Sometimes you have to go out of your comfort zone to actually enjoy life. Do the things that scare you sometimes, push yourself a little and you’ll end up creating fantastic memories for yourself.
16. You CAN do it.
    People throughout your life will tell you that you can’t do things. I don’t know why, but sometimes people like to restrict others potential to make themselves feel better. It’s important to remember that you CAN do things though. Just because one person says you can’t doesn’t mean it’s not true. You don’t know until you try.
17. You’re never too old.
    People often say “I’m too old for that”, or “you’re too old for this” etc… but it simply isn’t true. You’re never too old for anything. Ever. Have FUN man, you have one life. Don’t be a spoil sport.
18. It’s Okay To Take Time Out
    Especially at this age/period of life. If you want to take time out for a moment to either figure things out, or explore, or work on a project your passionate about. Just do it. You may not get another chance in your life to fully enjoy this moment, this age. So if you’re feeling like you just want to do your own thing for a bit, even if it’s for a minimal amount of time… just do it. Why not…? (Unless you really can’t obviously).

I can’t think of any more! Damn it! But I hope there is something here that people can relate to, or even take note of before they turn my age ahaha. I’m preparing you! But I suppose this could also count for all ages really.
We only get one shot at life, do things that you want to do, feel how YOU want to feel, form your own opinions, learn from others, embrace that weird thing you love without feeling bad about yourself for it, be a little too much for some people, drown out negativity with really loud music, learn a new skill, change jobs if you want to, don’t be scared of the future.

Don’t forget to check me out on social media:
INSTAGRAM: JodieBowie
INSTAGRAM: Nozfest
FACEBOOK: JodieBowie
FACEBOOK: Nozfest
FB GROUP: Nozfest
WEBSITE: www.nozfest.org
YOUTUBE: JodieBowie

See you on the next one!

Jodie x ❤ x

JodieBowie: TIPS For Putting On Your First GIG

Recently I’ve had quite a few people come to me asking for advice with how to put on their own shows or festivals. My honest and 100% truthful answer is “I don’t know, I am just winging it” which is true when it comes to what I am doing (as bad as that sounds) BUT I do also have some general tips that I can share with you which may help you put on your own show with your own bands in your own way.
The JodieBowie formula is like the KFC recipe… a secret 😉

1. Outline your idea
   Like with anything, it is probably best you attempt to plan it before you actually go ahead and start making real life decisions. You can either put pen to paper or type things up on a word document, but as long as you have rough outline of what you want to achieve that you can look at and refer back to, it’ll help you have some sort of idea of where to start and all those things you need to do in order to achieve the end goal.
2. Financing
   Like with anything, gigs cost money. Putting on gigs are not cheap, and if you’re only in it for the money then you should probably quit whilst you are ahead as the first few shows are more than likely going to end up costing you money and not making you any.
   I think it goes without saying that you should have a budget in your head for what you are willing to spend comfortably. There are a lot of things you will need to budget for, venue, bands, sound, lighting, rider, merch, promotion, staff, hotels, and backline. These are just some of the things to take into consideration.
3. Venue
   When choosing a venue, you need to think about not only location but also capacity, costs and also sound and lighting. Some venues don’t supply sound and light (not in house) so you may have to hire someone to come in and do that. When it comes to capacity, you’ll need to consider the type of event you want to run and also the sort of bands you are going to be booking. If you’re going to well-known artists then you may need to look at a 300+ capacity venue, if it’s more local bands you may be able to stick to a smaller venue of maybe 150 capacity. Some venues won’t charge you to rent the place out, and other venues will charge however their fees depend on them individually so it’s best to look around first before saying the big ‘yes’ as you may be able to get a better deal somewhere else.
4. Booking bands
   Some bands will have managers and or agents, and others you’ll be able to book via themselves. The best thing to do is reach out to the band and they’ll direct you to the best point of contact. Make sure you outline, who you are, your general location (i.e South Coast), any previous work you may have down or things you’re currently doing and then put forward your idea and if they band would be interested. Then you can usually go from there if they express and interest, then you can discuss the date and venue before moving on to the finance side.
5. Paying bands
   Bands don’t come cheap. Bands can range from hundreds to thousands of pounds. However, sometimes you are able to negotiate on the final figure. This is where your budget will come in handy because you’ll be able to work out how much you can afford to pay bands and if they’re able to meet you somewhere in the middle, so everyone is happy. Some bands you just won’t be able to book, and it’ll make you feel sad at the time but sometimes it just isn’t possible – luckily there are so many bands to choose from so there won’t be too much of a problem to try again.
6. Pricing
   Figuring out how much you are going to charge is down to you, but you’re also going to want to consider making some money back. So, think about how many tickets you’ll need to sell at a certain price to break even and then double check that that works with your capacity of the venue also as you can’t sell more tickets than what the venue will hold. You may want to see what other venues are charging for your style of shows as well to see how much people are willing to pay.
7. Promotion
   How are you going to spread the word about your event? These days a lot of promotion is done via social media, although sometimes it’s not a bad idea to also use the old-fashioned method of also handing out physical flyers.
   You’ll also need to make sure that the venue and the bands are equally pulling their weight in this area to ensure the best turn out you can get. Not everyone who likes the bands know who you are and vice versa, which is why it’s so important to make sure everyone shares the information.
8. Is it for charity?
   It’s a little different if you are putting on a show for a charity. I don’t have a lot of experience in this as I have only ever done one charity show, but I can share how I made that one work; however other charity events may be run differently.
   The way in which I ran my show was to ask any bands who would be happy to ‘donate their time‘ to put their names forward to play the show and booked bands from there. Then any money made on ticket sales was donated to charity.
9. Your Turn
   Have confidence in yourself, believe in yourself and push forward and don’t look back. Don’t be disheartened by knock backs or discouragement, as long as you encourage yourself to reach those ambitions that you have… you’ll ace it!

Hopefully this wasn’t to scary or complex for you to understand and hopefully it hasn’t put you off trying!
These are just my personal tips and opinions, someone else may have different ideas and advice but also feel free to do your own research and gain your own experience for what works well for you. What works for one person might not work for everyone. So it’s best to be open minded and just give things a go if you’re brave enough!
You might even just enjoy the results 🙂

Don’t forget to follow me on social media if you’d like to:
INSTAGRAM: JodieBowie
INSTAGRAM: Nozfest
FACEBOOK: JodieBowie
FACEBOOK: Nozfest
FB GROUP: Nozfest
WEBSITE: www.nozfest.org
YOUTUBE: JodieBowie

See you on the next one

Jodie x ❤ x

Tips on Getting Through Lockdown 2.0

As Lockdown is set to begin on Thursday 5th November, I thought I would get in a quick advice/tip guide on things to keep you preoccupied and ideas to take care of you’re mental health before we’re all in a similar position again. I hope this is a little helpful, feel free to put forward from suggestions yourself 🙂

Just thinking about burgers….

Hopefully this Lockdown is only a month long, we it should be a little more bearable in theory, but then again… it was Boris who said it would end on 2nd December and the last time he said something along those lines we were indoors for 3 months, so who knows at this point.

Just a quick little message – no matter what your beliefs, views or opinions are on this entire situation, I know how annoying it is, I understand it is difficult and irritating BUT… just follow the rules. Just do what you’re told, even if some of the rules seem completely pointless and useless, just do it… because the more of us follow these rules and guidelines, hopefully the quicker we can go back to a version of ‘normality’. The more of us being little rebels and reliving our youths by stockpiling, and having house parties and whatever else you feel like doing then the longer we all have to suffer the consequences. So social distance as much as possible, wear your mask when required, sanitize your hands… and BE KIND!!!

1. Use This Extra Time To Express More Creativity
   If there is anything creative that you love doing, spend some more time doing it. Even if it something new you want to try, now is the time to pick it up and give it a go. We have a whole month of watching TV again, so use this time wisely and do more of the things you love. Creativity is one of the best ways to express yourself as well; I’m going to try and do a lot more blogging and putting more into my YouTube videos. I also love experimenting with makeup and I definitely have more time to play around with creating different looks. I’ll obviously be doing something musical as well because, I can’t NOT be doing anything music related – so singing, playing guitar, dancing… anything. Give it a go!
2. Learn Something New
   Going on from what I just said, now is the time to learn something new. If there was anything you wish you did during Lockdown 1.0, you’ve been given a second chance at now completing that goal. I wish I spent more time learning about things that interest me, so I’ll probably be watching documentaries on subjects that interest me and getting more of an insight into those things. I also really enjoyed doing my CBT work – I’ll be getting counselling throughout lockdown so now is the perfect time for me to learn something about my mental health AND also learn how I can use what I learn from my own sessions to help others.
3. Don’t Lose Contact With Those Who Keep Your Mind At Peace
   It is very rare in life that you will come across people who help you feel at peace. You know, those little gems of human beings that whenever you’re around them you feel like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders, or you feel like you can breathe again and relax? Don’t lose touch with those people, those are the people who will help you get through this uncertain time. They’re probably struggling too, so give them a little message now and again to see if they are doing okay. It wont hurt 🙂
4. Read Some Books
   I’ll be reading again for sure! I managed to read a lot of books during Lockdown, which I’m so glad about because I wanted to get back into reading this year. My mind and life has been a little too swings and roundabouts lately that I either have felt like it or haven’t had the time to sit down and read – but now I have a month to get some books ticked off my list, so I’m totally going to do that. Reading is really good at helping to stimulate your brain, it also uses your imagination and you will learn something by reading. Reading is just a great way to spend your spare time… it is a wonderful source of escapism, and who doesn’t want to escape from 2020?
5. TURN.YOUR.PHONE.OFF
   I switched my phone off for a whole month during Lockdown, and I got so much done and my mental health felt better, I was happier and healthier. Social media is so negative, it is a great way to socialise especially now we can’t really do that physically, but it is full to the brim of negativity. I’m an overthinker, and my mobile phone causes me to overthink 100x more. I’ll constantly be checking my messages and notifications, then I’ll feel really down and low if there isn’t anything there for me to check… then I’ll assume no one likes me and so the cycle continues. Just turn it off. You don’t need it. You can’t go anywhere, no one is going anywhere. Have a breather, whether it is for an hour, a day or a week or more, just turn it off and see how peaceful your life will be.
6. Go For A Walk
   Running & walking have been my saviours lately. I started walking every time I started thinking (which is quite a lot). Personally, I think it’s better to go out and think, rather than stay indoors stewing over something of nothing. Walking is proven to help with your mental health – it gets fresh air in your lungs, it keeps you active, it gives you a sense of achievement… it’s just an all round great way of staying on top of your mental and physical well being. You don’t have to go out for long, or go on some extravagant pre-planned hike. Just leave your front door and walk down the road, even if it’s for half an hour. I don’t always feel like going, but once I’ve gone and done it I always feel a lot better for doing so.
7. Phone A Friend
   Most people will hopefully still be communicating with their friends during this time. Also keep in touch with your family too of course. Friends are awesome; they’ll know how to boost your mood and make you laugh. They’ll most likely be in the same situation as you as well, so you can both have a joke about it together. Videocall your friends as well – it is important to keep your interactions. Those are the people who have got your back, and who you’re going to be most excited to see when this has been lifted/eased… so try not to let your communications go down hill. Just because you can’t go out out, or to the pub etc. Your friendships are based on much deeper connections than ‘the pub’, well they should be anyway… so look after each other.
   It doesn’t take 5 minutes to tell/show someone you’re thinking of them.
8. Be Thankful For What You Have Got
   I know it sounds cheesy, but take this time to be really thankful for what you have. I know everyone hates being told “other people have it worse”, but some other people may not have a home during this time, others may be losing their jobs, people may not be able to see their families etc.. everyone will be going through a different yet similar struggle, so just for a moment be thankful for what you have.
9. Be KIND
   I know I’ve said this, but please please be kind to one another. If you see someone struggling, offer to be a support or to lend a helping hand. Just be a decent human being. I don’t know what happened after the last Lockdown, but everyone seemed to become selfish, ignorant, rude, nasty, a**holes (or they did in my town anyway). Don’t lose respect for this planet, other people or yourselves. We’re battling a virus not each other. Just be a little kinder, everyone is finding this time hard so don’t take your frustrations out on others. Rant to a friend, not a passing stranger in the street. It is no ones fault that we’re all going through this, we’re in this together.
10. Cook
    Cook healthy meals. You’re allowed to go to the shops so you don’t need and never will need to stockpile. Do a meal plan with your household and cook and eat some nice meals. Obviously get the occasional takeaway because takeaways are epic BUT… you have all day to cook something nice. I ate way healthier in Lockdown because me and my Dad did all the shopping and the cooking and I actually quite liked food then – recently me and food don’t have the best of friendships, I much rather avoid it if I have the option to in all honesty, BUT there’s time to make something nice again. You can bake as well because cakes make people happy.
11. Meditation and Mindfulness
    This probably sounds really silly to a lot of people, but meditation actually works. I was sceptical and thought it was pointless and that I looked stupid for doing it – but it has improved my life and my mental health. You have to be open minded, you have to let experiences happen and invite what you want into your life in order to receive it. It is a way of communicating with the universe. The universe isn’t against you, it is there to guide you. Trust what is happening to you. It may cause you pain sometimes, but trust the process. Mindfulness is also a good way of helping to relieve stress and anxiety. Work on your breathing. When you work on your breathing you will find it easier to control your mind and thoughts. Try it.
12. Make The Most Of It
    If we really are only in Lockdown for a month, then it will fly by. So make the most of it! Watch all those movies on Netflix, eat all that chocolate you have hidden away down the side of your bed, drink way too much tea and coffee and be bouncing off the walls, lounge in your pyjamas all day, don’t get out of bed until past 1pm, order enough pizza to feed the neighbourhood and binge watch your favourite TV series, play your music way too loud and annoy everyone in your house, post funny stuff on your social media accounts and make random people smile, be a little beacon of light in a dark period of time. Be you, be proud of you, love yourself, be utterly smitten with yourself and take care of yourself. You are the person who is going to get you through this, so make the most of all the free time that you have to yourself. We don’t get given opportunities like this very often, so even though it is a rather shitty circumstance… make the most of it.

I hope this has been of some help to some people, and perhaps put a little light on a crappy situation. We’ve got this! We’ve done this before, we know the drill. Let’s not be dickheads about it.

You can follow me on social media too, I’m going to try to be pretty active and hopefully somewhat entertaining:
INSTAGRAM – JodieBowie
INSTAGRAM – Nozfest
FACEBOOK – JodieBowie
FACEBOOK – Nozfest
FB GROUP – Nozfest
WEBSITE – www.nozfest.org
YOUTUBE – JodieBowie

See you all soon!

Love you ❤

Jodie x ❤ x

Life Update: Gigs, Happiness & Positivity

Gonna make this a quick one as it’s not been long since I last posted an update, but I wanted to talk about a couple of positive things! I am 100% genuinely unbreakably happy, for the first time in a long long time 😀 

  

JODIEBOWIE
I am currently looking into putting on my Rock Nights at a selection of different venues around Southampton. We shall see how that goes!
So far I have 12th October at The Stage Door, 14th December at The Joiners and 29th March at The Heartbreakers.
I really want to start to get them up and running; I’d also really love to do a “women of rock” sort of gig as well; there’s so many awesome female bands out there.
All I say for now is to watch this space for sure.
10th August 2019 is my festival : “RockFest” – so keep your ear to the ground for that one.

It’s also been thrown around about the possibility of putting on a joint show with Mark Christansen of Total Entertainment South Wales. Mark said he is up for it…so who knows! 😀

In the meantime, bands please do keep pestering me and popping up… ask for shows, send me your music. I love it, I really do, even if it takes me a little while I’ll always get back to you. Bands who’ve already asked for shows – I’ve not forgot you, I really am just working out line-ups etc, so if I’ve said I’ll get you a slot… I will. Promise. ❤
I think I underestimate myself A LOT. I always think no one wants to play my shows, then I get like 20 bands hit me up haha. Like my festival… over 200 bands have applied….. like…. HOW?!

On this note also, I’m getting involved in my friend Rowena’s project. She wants to start a magazine for alternative people – I absolutely love writing, as you can see, so I kindly offered my ‘skills’ and I’m currently bulk writing a bunch of stuff for her so she can pick and choose what she likes.

RATTIES
My boys are absolutely gorgeous – although they have melted in this heat! They’ve got used to me now, and they actually love me haha! Billy is still my boy – I dunked him in some water the other day, to try get him used to it… no one has ever clung on to me that tight before; however, he loves it now. He gives kisses, he’s a sucker for attention. Tedster is cage protective, but outside the cage he’s absolutely fine – but if I say “careful, because Teddy bites”, I do mean it, please don’t stick your fingers in the cage. Some rats just have personalities like that, like all animals… it’s fine, he ain’t aggressive 🙂 Can’t say either of them are a lover of this heat wave though.

They are still the best decision I have made this year. They’ve made my life so much more bearable and fulfilling. ❤

With Kyle Hughes and Michael McCrystal @ The Anvil

GIGS
Gigs I have been to over the last few months include: 2 Rolling Stones gigs, and of course my very own Marco Mendoza show.
Massive thank you to The Kut, Hightown Parade & The Wilderpeople who played at the Anvil as support for Marco – it sold out! FUCK YEA! Was an amazing night, and a huge thanks to those of my friends who came for moral support – you’re beautiful.
I didn’t get to fully enjoy the Stones gig in Southampton, just because my mind was on other things and I wasn’t relaxed enough to fully take it in; however, the Cardiff gig was absolute perfection… and quite honestly stuck all my broken pieces back together in one incredibly smooth swoop.

TRAVELLING
I may quite possibly going to be taking up travelling to gigs again! I miss my pals, and I’m feeling a lot more ME. I’m coming back I PROMISE! I’m trying to save money at the moment, so that I can actually start hopping on trains and going to anywhere I want without having to think too hard about it – like the good old times!

However… saying that…. I did bugger off to Birmingham quite last minute. Took myself off to see the Stop Stop boys with Jolly Joker and Sykko Dolls. I’ve not seen my Stop Stop boys for 10 months!!! Which is beyond INSANE! They were brilliant as always; I didn’t realise how much I missed them until I saw them again ❤

MENTAL HEALTH
I’ve been practicing mindfulness – it is quite rewarding. I’ve started going to zumba classes, going on walks, started seeing the people who actually make the effort to see me or phone to check in if we’ve not spoke for a while, really concentrating on getting these gigs up and running etc. I’m in such a good place mentally, like fresh air.

POSITIVITY:
I’ve completely acknowledged the fact that towards the end of last year, and most of this year I’ve just been a really shitty person. I made so many mistakes, and wish I could go back in time and just not make them – but that isn’t possible. All I can do is accept the fact that I totally 100% fucked up big time, and just do everything in my power not to do those things ever again and to be a better person, and the best version of myself.
You can’t even begin to get better, if you don’t accept your wrongs first.

I also met up with a few friends, who I had not seen in a long long time. We went to the beach, got ourselves a McDonald’s, it was a proper banging night! Helped bring a lot of closure as well. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, and I can finally breathe.

There honestly isn’t much to update you on, other than… I’m in a good place and trying to improve on myself. Simples! My next sort of update will be my yearly “blog to future Jodie” in August… so keep a look out for that one. ❤

I hope you guys have enjoyed getting updated! Keep yourself happy, put yourself first, love yourself, appreciate life around you, and just breeeaaaatthhheee…. things may suck right now, but there is always a positive somewhere in there if you dig deep enough – relish in that… even if it seems stupid to others. TRUST ME ❤

Keep an eye out for me on my social media – keep on bugging me, I love it! Tell me what bands you wanna see play… or even reach out just if you need someone to talk to 🙂
INSTAGRAM – JodieBowie
FACEBOOK – JodieBowie

See you soon lovelies ❤

Jodie x ❤ x

Sticky Fingers Re-Issue

Ah come on! I had to write a blog on the Sticky Fingers reissue didn’t I. What kind of fan would I be if I didn’t 😉

 

********SPOILERS ALERT********

So, basically I pre-ordered the Dexule Vinyl reissue from the Official Stones Store, along side 2 mini cardboard cut outs of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (so I can now never be without them).
Then Monday (8/6/14), I went into Bournemouth with my mate Dan and had a browse round HMV where I found the Deluxe Edition Boxset… and it was a lot cheaper than what was on the Official Stones Store…. so…. I had to have it!! No expense spared when it comes to me and The Stones.
Not going to lie, they are literally the thing/people I spend my money on. Hence why I have so much merch.
Anyway, ON WITH THE BLOG!

 

First up, the Deluxe Edition Vinyl:
Included in this, is the whole of Sticky Fingers remastered which is on one LP. The other is full of bonus tracks and previously unreleased alternate tracks (which I love!!) and also some live performances.

Have to say that packaging pleased me far too much! Just like the original LP the zip does in fact open… it’s a real zip! Expect it’s in the shape of The Rolling Stones logo in gold instead of the classic zip. The buckle also opens, and on this inside you can see what you would usually see when un-doing trousers… classic Andy Warhol sleeve etc. Gotta love Warhol’s idea for the cover of this album, absolute classic!

The LP sleeves are kept in the most beautiful sleeves, I adore them so much. Two fantastic photographs of the band from 1971 with the lovely Mick Taylor who of course was a member of the band back then. I think it’s great they are re-releasing material with past members on! Brings back the old original Stones… at their greatest, in my opinion.
I’ve not played the LP’s yet, because I think my record player isn’t actually all connected up yet, and I kind of want to keep the album pristine for a while.

I’d say if you have the original LP it’s not massively worth buying this edition! Sure, if you’re a collector, go for it! Or if you’re quite a big fan such as myself, again yeah you might want to add this to your collection especially if you prefer vinyl. However, if you’re a Stones fan but not a massive one, I would personally say this isn’t worth your money. I mean the packaging is cool, but you don’t get anything different on this edition than the reissue CD. So go for that!

Now for the deluxe edition boxset!
I am not even kidding, this is absolutely orgasmic! I’m so happy that I managed to get this because it has to be the most wonderful piece of Stones merch that I own. I’ve never bought reissues or anything, so this was my first time waiting for something special and spending my own money on it. I’m so glad I did, as I said this boxset really is orgasmic and is worth every penny and so much more. When I opened it, I screamed and cried a lot… typical Jodie reaction to anything Stones related, but believe me… it’s so exciting!

This boxset includes 2 CD’s, the remastered original Sticky Fingers album and the other CD has all the bonus and live tracks etc (same as the LP) + 5 beautiful postcard images + 72 page hardback picture book + a DVD with 2 live performances on which include Midnight Rambler and Bitch.
The packaging on this baby is out of this world! Not only is everything individually packaged, but even the CD’s have the same sleeves as the LP! Ah man, it’s amazing. Such a beautiful reissue. All of this comes in a proper hard box, that has a tweed pattern (sort of what you see on Fender Amps) on the inside.

 

Right, the music… obviously while you’ll be buying the album will be for the music.
Brown Sugar with Eric Clapton… fucking hell yes! Why the heck wasn’t this on the original album?! Absolutely blistering version of a Stones classic.
Acoustic Wild Horses is absolutely beautiful. It’s a stunning song anyway, but it’s just that little bit more special and soft when it’s played on acoustic. Very heart felt.
Dead Flowers… oh I love I love very much! Dead Flowers is one of my fave songs anyway, and it just sounds that little bit more raw on the alternate take.
Bitch is fantastic! Slightly different lyrics, and obviously extended, but it’s still rocking. Bitch is MY jam at the moment, so anything Bitch related is perfection to me.
The live tracks are pretty good as well, typical Stones for that period. Great musicianship. I’m not overly impressed, I think there’s better live stuff out there, but it’s whatever floats your boat really. (remember this is the same for the LP as well as CD)
As for the DVD live footage… fantastic! Live at the Marquee, what’s not to like?! Really intimate gig, where they absolutely smash Midnight Rambler and Bitch, might just be the best footage I’ve seen since Hyde Park 2013. Classic Jagger, Classic Richards. Perfection. Not really anything else I can say to add to that.

Do I recommend you buy this edition? If you have the spare cash… YES!! It’s absolutely worth it as a collector or Stones fanatic and if you are prepared to dip into your wallet a bit more, then do it. However, if you like the Stones, but you don’t LOVE the Stones… not worth it, just buy the ordinary reissue because in all honesty you’re only paying extra for the DVD the book and the postcards. It is totally up for you, but if I wasn’t such a Stones junkie, I’d have bought the CD. There is all different scales of Stones fans, and I guess it just really depends on how much you want to spend and if you really want a deluxe edition.

STICKY LINKS ARE HERE:
Deluxe Boxset: https://store.digitalstores.co.uk/rollingstones/*/Box-Sets/Sticky-Fingers-Deluxe-Edition-Boxset/4ETB03WW000
Deluxe LP: https://store.digitalstores.co.uk/rollingstones/*/Vinyl/Sticky-Fingers-Deluxe-Double-LP-Set/4ESD03WU000
Cardboard Cutouts: https://store.digitalstores.co.uk/rollingstones/*/Accessories/

If you make a Sticky Fingers purchase make sure to take a photo and use the hashtag StickyStones so I and other Stones fanatics can see your purchases 🙂 
Us Stones fans love to share! 

Also going to use this has a chance to promote my event. Get down to the New Milton Memorial Centre on the 31st October to see a band so good you wont be able to believe they are Not The Rolling Stones supported by local band Western Sand. It’s going to be an epic night! Plus you’ll get to see me in full-on Stones mode. What’s not to like! GET DOWN!
www.facebook.com/newmiltonmemorialcentre