JodieBowie: How I Got Into Being A Promoter (My Journey) – Part 2!

SO! You read Part 1 and have decided to find out more of my journey by reading PART 2?! Welcome back!
So far it has been really fun digging through old photographs and trying to get my memory as accurate as possible, as well as include as much info as I can remember. It really was all such a long time ago when I started haha – anyway, hope you’re enjoying hearing about my journey so far 🙂

I Was In The Right Place, At The Right Time

JodieBowie circa 2017

Following on from where I left my previous blog…
I stopped doing gigs for a year maybe? I didn’t put a single show on in 2017. I was always AT gigs, but they weren’t my own. However, there was one band in particular that I travelled far and wide for….

I was OBSESSED with an awesome Spanish band called “Stop, Stop!”. I followed them everywhere pretty much every single weekend, no matter where it was! They were my whole life and changed it in so many positive ways, and as bluntly as I am prepared to type… they pretty much saved my life too when my mental health was at it’s lowest. I definitely wouldn’t be doing what I am without them being part of my life, that is for sure!

For my 21st Birthday I KNEW I wanted Stop, Stop! to play. I already had the perfect venue, and I had plenty of experience working with bands and putting gigs together… so this Birthday Party planning was going to be a piece of cake.
So for my 21st Birthday I had Stop, Stop! headline (invitation only) with support from Pirates of Panama and my Dad’s band. It was AMAZING!!
I had planned the whole thing myself, from how I wanted the cake to look, the outfits, the decorations, food, stage timings; absolutely everything and I loved every single second of it.

My 21st Birthday with Stop, Stop!

About a month before my 21st Birthday, I took myself off to Southampton to a place called The Talking Heads (owned by the same people as The 1865) to see a man play there called ‘Marco Mendoza’. I had no idea who this guy was, but a few of my friends who like “Stop, Stop!” were going, I fancied a night out, and it said on the poster that he was in “Thin Lizzy/Whitesnake/Dead Daisies etc” and I liked all those bands… so I assumed this gig would be right up my street!

Turns out Marco Mendoza plays his own original songs! Who knew! And at that time, they weren’t anything like the bands he was part of. It wasn’t a particularly busy gig, and to be brutally honest, I wasn’t too interested; then he said something I found kind of interesting. He claimed that it was in fact “The Dead Daisies” that were the first band to play in Cuba and not The Rolling Stones. Well, me being The Stones fan that I am… didn’t really like this ‘fact’; so I took a little more interest after that.
I decided it would be a good idea to get my picture taken with him, just so I could post it on Instagram as a “look at me! I left my house!” sort of thing; but he asked me straight off the bat “what is it you do?“, and for some reason I replied with “work with bands” and he said “Oh! We must chat!“… I had my photo taken and I walked off.

The night I met Marco at The Talking Heads 2017

A little while later he comes over to me and tells me he wants to chat after the show, and I said “no, my train leaves in 5mins I have to go”… but my friend persuaded me to stay because you know… once in a lifetime story kind of thing. At this point, I still had no idea who Marco was, I was a little star-struck that an American Musician wanted to talk to me, but also pretty annoyed cos I wanted to go home, it was cold, I was hungry and I had no idea who this person was that ‘had’ to talk to me.
Of course we ended up talking and it genuinely was all about music; the highlight for me had to be when he took an interest in ‘Stop, Stop!” and said he’d love to meet them one day – I did in fact make that happen, but you’ll have to find out how in part 3 😉
I should mention that this wasn’t my first time meeting a ‘Rockstar’. My good late friend Mr. Alan Merrill of The Arrows was actually a huge part of my life up until his passing in 2020. He wrote ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’ which was later covered by Joan Jett; Alan was a bit of a mentor for me and taught me a lot about the industry and helped me gain confidence in myself.

The day I met Marco was also the day I met an ex of mine. Jack; I’m mentioning this because it was through Jack that lead me to my now best friends Beth and Luke who are of course in Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters. Jack was also in Kane’d which was formed of Chez Kane and her 2 sisters. Without those bands I probably would’ve never discovered New Wave of Classic Rock… I was far too into ‘what I knew’ to even think about other bands doing similar around the UK. Of course this meant I spent a lot of time in Wales as well so I picked up on Welsh bands… mainly Florence Black. Being with Jack definitely inspired me to start putting on gigs again too, as at this point in time I had kind of given up on putting on gigs, I preferred going to gigs. How times change!

I was living a very ‘normal’ life at 21. I was going out, I had a full time job, I had a boyfriend I’d see every weekend, if I wasn’t in Wales I’d be at a ‘Stop, Stop!’ gig, I was enjoying being young, rock ‘n’ roll and the life that comes with it. One day I woke up and walked back into the Memorial Centre (where I worked at a Nursery there at the time), and said “I want to do another Rock Night”… and that’s where the ball started to roll again.

Me and Alan 2016

I’d booked in my next Rock Night for Saturday the 10th February 2018, and it featured Our Propaganda, Voodoo Vegas and Western Sand. I was really excited about this show but also nervous because I’d spent so long out of the game, I wasn’t even sure where to start!
By the end of 2017 I was no longer in a relationship, my mental health had severely declined, I didn’t have a job, and I wasn’t going to gigs either. So I guess it was a bloody good job this Rock Night was already booked in, or who knows what I’d be doing right now!

It was at this Rock Night that a band persuaded me to look into branching out into venues in Southampton, mentioning that they would probably be better received in a more ‘lively’ area. They had a fair point! New Milton isn’t really the centre of rock ‘n’ roll, but I had no idea ‘how’ to ‘branch’ out, or what that would mean. BUT I gave it a go. I messaged The Talking Heads in Southampton (which was where I met Guy and Rich) and asked if I could put on a show, and to be fair the deal was a pretty awesome.

With Kyle Hughes of Bumble Foot & Mickey McCrystal of Tygers of Pan Tang at The Anvil 2018

I decided to ‘pinch’ a very popular line-up at the time which was selling out no matter the venue, and that was Saints of Sin, Our Propaganda and The Wilderpeople. I’d seen the line-up a few times at Mr.Kyps in Poole and people were just loving it. So, seeing as I’d worked with Saints of Sin & Our Propaganda a lot already, it was pretty easy getting them on board. Luckily I also knew Scott Farren of The Wilderpeople, so it all came together like a piece of cake. It of course sold out! It was my first sold out show under my very own name, ‘JodieBowie’.
It went down so well, and I had a lot of positive feedback – this 100% relighted my fire, and led to me booking shows in venues all around Southampton. 

During some point between that Rock Night and something else Marco had got in touch and had given me a one off chance to organise one of his tour dates for the summer. It was purely down to me, where it happened and who played it… – so I booked a show at the Anvil with local bands Hightown Parade (Chris Payn) and The Wilderpeople (Scott Farren) and the gig SOLD OUT. Since then, I’ve become pretty good at having a ‘nose’ for good line-ups (*touch wood*). Both support bands were relatively new at the time, and were projects from two rather well known local ‘celebs’ if you were, so I knew getting them on board would be the best idea for everyone… and it worked out in my favour!

This was a taster for me of how exactly gigs worked, and trying to get everyone at the same place at the same time, who used who’s kit, how much each was being paid, who went on at what time. To be fair, The Anvil wasn’t the best experience for me. I wasn’t very supported by whoever was running the place at the time, and it did leave me being a bit deflated – but I was heavily encouraged my all involved to keep going on my journey as a promoter! The best part had to be when Kyle from Marco’s band said to me “you tell us when to be back here, you’re the boss“.

With two shows on my calendar, both selling really well, I booked in a few more shows at different venues. I tried a show at The Stage Door in Southampton; I believe the line-up consisted of headliners Black Water County, with support from The Wicked Jackals and The Smokin’ Prophets (this line-up also sold out). I also booked a show for my 23rd Birthday at The Heartbreakers in Southampton which featured headliners Western Sand, with support from Beth Blade and 27 Days, that line-up was very close to selling out also! But that might’ve been because it was my birthday, who knows.

Performing with Rollin’ Stoned in 2017.

As you can see, not to brag at all, by this time I had at least 3 sold out shows under my belt! Looking back, I don’t even remember being that impressed or realising just how awesome that is. I’d been putting on gigs BY MYSELF for less than a year, and sold out 3 of those line-ups, one after the other, with one being Marco Mendoza. Looking back, that is pretty impressive and something I’m definitely going to be more proud about now I understand the magnitude of that. When you’re in the moment doing things, sometimes you don’t realise how far you have come until afterwards. This is definitely one of those moments.

So by the end of 2018 I was putting on gigs in different venues all over Southampton every couple of months. The shows were still marketed as ‘Rock Nights’, but they were under the ‘JodieBowie’ name (which to be honest has almost become a sort of brand!).
I was doing these completely by myself, with my own money going into all the bookings. I opened up another bank account so I had a pot to spend money and put money into which I could then use to do my shows and try and build something from there. Which I did do! I was hiring out venues, paying bands, hiring sound and lighting techs, gaining contacts and having so many more bands than just local ones approaching me. It’s hard to see how it all came about, but I am so thankful that it did!

I’m going to leave this one there, but my journey definitely continues and you will hear a lot more about that in PART 3!

A glimpse of what is to come in PART 3!

Hopefully you have enjoyed the second part in my series, and maybe learnt something about myself, the career path I’ve chosen or maybe it has even inspired you a little 🙂

Make sure you keep an eye out for PART 3 to see where I took my ambitions next 😉 but I’m sure most of you already have a clue as to which direction I went next…

Feel free to follow me 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

Gigs Coming Up On The SOUTH COAST You Should ATTEND

SO! Gigs are potentially going to be a thing again!! HALLELUJAH!!! Some are of course still going to be socially distanced and restricted… but some could be genuinely normal! To celebrate the occasison I’m listing a few gigs I think you should attend in the South Coast area (Bournemouth/Southampton) that are coming up in 2021.

Most of these events are New Wave of Classic Rock Bands, and they mostly take place in Southampton!
Tickets to all the events are listed under each event – just click on the blue link 🙂

STOP, STOP! (The 1865)
Friday 21st May
This show just so happens to be the re-opening of The 1865 in Southampton, as it’ll be the first gig that takes place after the Lockdown 3.0! So that’s reason enough to come down and support live music and music venues… BUT… not only is it a re-opening show, it is a Stop, Stop! show, with support from Spyder Byte! Stop, Stop! also have an album coming out 1st May, so this’ll be a chance to catch some of the songs in the flesh, fresh off the CD press.
Tickets

KING CREATURE (The 1865)
Sunday 23rd May
If you like your heavier rock and metal, then this is a gig you’re going to want to get yourself to! It is of course another social distanced show, but that isn’t an issue with bands of this calibre on the bill.
Tickets

GIN ANNIE (The 1865)
Saturday 5th June
Gin Annie are headlining a Rock Night down at The 1865 in Southampton – with support from some pretty sweet bands, Gallows Circus and Crooked Shapes. That’s one tasty NWOCR line-up if you ask me! I’d grab some tickets while there is still some hanging about 😉
Tickets

SKINNY KNOWLEDGE (Canvas)
Friday 9th July
This will be the bands debut live show! So that is already one heck of a reason to get yourself down to Canvas in Bournemouth – I’m also going to assume it’ll be their album launch show too, so it is practically two-in-one. I believe Black Tree Vultures are the support band, and this will be the perfect time to catch their new line-up.
Tickets

The Treatment – Headliners at Nozfest 2021

NOZFEST (The 1865)
Saturday 14th August
Ah yes! Nozfest is BACK!! This line-up is slightly different to the one originally planned for 2020, but it is still a cracker! The headliners for the night are The Treatment, who will have just released their new album, with support from Mason Hill who’s debut album is currently making waves. This event features 10 of the very best up and coming New Wave of Classic Rock and is one not to be missed. This event is family friendly at kicks off at 12:30pm.
Tickets

THE QUIREBOYS (The 1865)
Thursday 2nd September
Oh it’s 7 o’clock… you know what that means? It’s time for a party!! The Quireboys have been around since 1984, and they still know how to bring the fun – the show no signs of slowing down. I definitely recommend getting down to this show, especially if you are a sucker for 80’s music.
Tickets

LA GUNS (Engine Rooms)
Thursday 9th September
These real life 80’s legends are making a beeline down to the South Coast for a show in Southampton! These guys are original rock ‘n’ rollers and are a total treat to watch – so it’ll be a show not worth missing in my opinion.
Tickets

MASSIVE WAGONS (Engine Rooms)
Wednesday 15th September
Another exciting treat for those who live their New Wave of Classic Rock! The one and only Massive Wagons are coming to Southampton on their ‘House of Noise’ tour, and their support is no other than an equally awesome band… The Lazy’s! I cannot express enough how awesome this show is going to be. It is going to blow your mind!
Tickets

CATS IN SPACE (Engine Rooms)
Thursday 16th September
This awesome band was formed in 2015 by Greg Hart and Steevi Bacon. If you like your rock and power pop, then this band will be one for you. They’ve supported bands such as The Sweet, Bonnie Tyler & Status Quo as well as being added to the BST Hyde Park Phil Collins line-up in 2017.
Tickets

INGLORIOUS (Engine Rooms)
Sunday 19th September
Heading out on tour for the release of their album ‘We Will Ride’, you can catch this band in Southampton. Inglorious are a band who shouldn’t be missed! They bring epic rock and roll tunes alongside immense professional performances, making them a really sought after band. Nathan’s vocals are absolutely stunning and will blow your mind every single time.
Tickets

MASON HILL (The Joiners)
Tuesday 21st September
Catch this band down South on their debut album “Against The Wall” tour. I believe their support/special guests for this show are the awesome young band Hollowstar. Again, I really urge you to get down and see this band – they are absolutely incredible and if you have a chance to see them live, you should do it!!
Tickets

WILDHEARTS (Engine Rooms & Madding Crowd)
Saturday 25th September & Saturday 12th September)
We are lucky in the fact we have a choice to pick from with The Wildhearts! They are on the South Coast TWICE! You can see them on the 12th in Bournemouth (Madding Crowd) or the 25th in Southampton (Engine Rooms)… or you could just go to both.
Tickets < Bournemouth, Southampton > Tickets

SURREAL PANTHER (The 1865)
Friday 22nd October
Did someone say………….. Surreal Panther?! YES! The tribute band to the iconic and loveable Steel Panther are coming to Southampton, with support from the new up and coming Bournemouth band Skinny Knowledge. What an absolute treat! Who doesn’t love some 80’s tongue in cheek hair metal.
Tickets

NOZLITE (The 1865)
Saturday 5th November
The first of it’s kind! The mini-Nozfest in the form of the inaugural NOZLITE. Headliners for this show are our Welsh friends Florence Black, a band who is always highly anticipated no matter where they play. Our support acts for our first Nozlite are White Raven Down, Scarlet Rebels and the Wicked Jackals.
Tickets

BLACK WATER COUNTY (The Joiners)
Saturday 13th November
A local band who always go down an absolute treat with audiences near and far. I recommend booking your tickets early for this show, because most Black Water County gigs end up selling out! So you’re not going to want to miss out on seeing these foot stomping, pirate country rock ‘n’ roll band blow your minds – one more beer wont hurt 😉
Tickets

BAD TOUCH (The Joiners)
Wednesday 1st December
What a way to kick off the last month of 2021 than a show with Bad Touch and Piston! Both bands are epic and always out on a banging show, so definitely get down to this one if you can because it’ll be the best way to see out the year, believe me! I think Black Tree Vultures may also be supporting this show… but don’t take my word for it in case I’m wrong.
Tickets

BROKEN WITT REBELS (The Joiners)
Saturday 18th December
Catch Broken Witt Rebels on their OK Hotel tour! I believe this is a rescheduled date, so if you’ve been thinking of tagging along to this show for a while… now is your time!! These are a popular band with NWOCRockers, so if you’re thinking of going to any of the shows already listed… you might as well pop down to this one as well 😉
Tickets

I hope some of these gigs may tickle your fancy – maybe I’ll even see you at one or two! 😉

If more gigs get added down South in the upcoming months, then I shall do a PART 2!

Feel free to check me out on my social media platforms, maybe give me a cheeky follow? 😉 I’m always posting music/rock’n’roll related content!
INSTAGRAM : JodieBowie
INSTAGRAM : Nozfest
FACEBOOK : JodieBowie
FACEBOOK : Nozfest
FB GROUP : Nozfest
WEBSITE : www.nozfest.org
YOUTUBE : JodieBowie

See you guys soon!

Jodie x ❤ x

JodieBowie : Why New Wave Of Classic Rock Is The BEST Place To Find New MUSIC

There is a fantastic little group on Facebook called New Wave of Classic Rock (NWOCR) and this has been the main place where I have discovered so many fantastic bands that light up my world! Seeing as I’m a promoter working mostly with NWOCR bands, I thought this would be a great opportunity to give this fantastic group a big shout out.

NWOCR is a Facebook group set up by Jeremy Wills, Peter Rattray, Katharina Ils-Kelber, Neil Barrell, Steve Fished and Ian Long and later joined by Gary Spiller and Richard Brindley. The aim of the group is to provide a platform where fans can come together and share photos, videos and recommendations from this great new scene. The timeline for bands to be featured in the group is that they have not released anything before 2010.

NWOCR is such a fantastic community and I am more than glad that I managed to stumble across it.

Back in 2018 I started listening to a lot more ‘local’ music. I was already a promoter but wanted to work with more bands than the ones I knew in my area. One day I was walking into town and my Spotify started churning out these songs by bands I’d never heard of… I headed straight to FB to find out who these bands were and this brought me to The New Wave Of Classic Rock Facebook Group and changed my whole life.

Without NWOCR I wouldn’t have been able to have put on Nozfest.
Nozfest is my very own New Wave of Classic Rock festival which takes place annually at The 1865 in Southampton usually in August. The line-up typically features 9-10 bands and is an all day festival. There will be links listed at the end if you wish to check Nozfest out.

The first few bands I came across where Mason Hill and Massive Wagons, closely followed by Those Damn Crows. These bands absolutely blew my mind! They reminded me so much of bands that I already loved… but they were fresh, exciting and I felt like I was the only one who knew of these bands, which made it even more exciting!

The talent in this group is phenomenal… it is honestly unbeatable. I maintain that I am the luckiest person to have come across the bands I have, and to have met and worked with them – life goal completed.

It is the most supportive community I have seen. No one judges any one, everyone is so passionate about the music they are creating, promoting, sharing, enjoying… I’ve never been to a ‘NWOCR’ gig and felt out of my comfort zone. It’s like one huge family, it really really is. There will always be someone you know in the crowd, and every person there is just living their best life in that moment that the positive energy radiates round the room, it’s incredible!

There will be something for everyone in this group, no matter if you are more into metal than rock. There will definitely be a few bands that tickle your fancy, you may even surprise yourself with what you are drawn to. That is what is so great about discovering new music, you just don’t know what you are going to come across.
If you love anything 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, rock, metal, blues, grunge, pop, punk… there will honestly be a band for you.

There’s absolutely no competition either. Every band supports another and sort of stays in their own lane (if that makes sense), no band is out to copy another. Everyone really ‘knows’ each other… there is just zero negativity, and that is so rare these days. It’s all about music and passion, it’s so refreshing to see so much kindness, respect, support and love, especially for such awesome music. NWOCR isn’t technically a genre… but in my opinion it’s one of the best for music.

I cannot wait for live music to return and to get myself down the front at a live show! I have missed all these bands so much. As great as Spotify and YouTube are… I just NEED to see those beautiful talented humans in the flesh and feel that rock ‘n’ roll vibe you can’t get anywhere else. I’m sure many people are feeling exactly the same, including the bands themselves.

This group is relatively small in terms of todays standard of music, however it is also HUGE. NWOCR is everywhere! It’s in Classic Rock magazine, bands are being played on Planet Rock and some bands are even playing festivals like Download! This just proves that people’s love for rock music will never go away, it is one huge community and has fans from all walks of life. There is still a place in the world for those ‘unconventional’ bands, and they are wanted more than ever. It may be a little harder for them to get their music out to the masses, but by god will it be worth it.

You’ll make new friends and meet so many remarkable people. If you are passionate about music, you’re bound to find a friend for life in this group. The NWOCR is like a second family to me. All my favourite bands are there, so many people are enjoying their music too, there are so many gigs and festivals to attend all year round (in normal times) and no matter where you are you’re bound to see familiar faces. It’s FANTASTIC! The best feeling in the world that.

It has been an absolute pleasure to work with so many incredible bands… Massive Wagons, The Treatment, Collateral, Those Damn Crows, Mason Hill, Black Tree Vultures, Wicked Jackals, Stone Broken, Gallows Circus, Kris Barras, Skam, Hollowstar…. ALL THE BANDS!!! You make my heart fill with so much love and happiness you wouldn’t believe.

Lastly I am so so proud of every single band that puts themselves out there, creates fantastic music and is living their dreams. You are always on my mind, and I will always support you no matter how small you remain or how big you get. Thank you for bringing so much light and positivity to my life, and thank you so much for helping me achieve my own dreams along the way. Our journey’s are not over yet!

In the words of Those Damn Crows… “Rock ‘n’ Roll AIN’T DEAD!“.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog, and hopefully go on to discover many many more awesome bands, thanks to the NWOCR group.

Feel free to also check out myself, Nozfest and NWOCR on social media:
INSTAGRAM : Nozfest
FACEBOOK : Nozfest
FACEBOOK : JodieBowie
FACEBOOK GROUP : Nozfest
FACEBOOK GROUP : NWOCR
WEBSITE : www.nozfest.org
YOUTUBE : JodieBowie

Thank you!

Jodie x ❤ x

JodieBowie : Bands In MY Local Area You SHOULD Check Out (South Coast/Dorset/Hampshire)

Seeing as I am a promoter based in the South Coast of England, I think it is probably about time that I shout about some bands from the South Coast of England!!

I’m being genuine when I say this… I think I live in one of the best areas for live music. We have so many fantastic, vibrant and talented local bands in the Bournemouth/Southampton area, and I am so proud that I get to have these guys right on my very own doorstep! I’m sure we’ll be seeing many of these names on some shows of mine in the near future.

In no particular order and no bias.

South of Salem
South of Salem are a hard rock/metal/horror band from Bournemouth. After 10 years of playing in various other bands under different alias’, this 5 piece have taken the scene by storm.
What don’t I like about this band? Well, I can’t answer that because I love everything about this band! First of all it was an absolute pleasure to have these guys play my first and only gig of 2020, which also happened to be their first ever headline show which subsequently sold out too!
This band honestly has something to offer everyone. They provide the perfect mix of rock and metal accompanied with catchy lyrics that’ll have you singing their songs all day long. Trust me, you’ll have their album “Sinner Takes It All” on repeat without even noticing. I personally can see some influence from Alice Cooper lyrically, if that is something that might tickle your fancy. The stage presence of these guys is beautiful; each member is uniquely individual, combined together makes for something eye-catching and entertaining show. I’m itching to work with these boys again! I highly recommend giving them a listen if you haven’t already – whether you’re into your death metal or prefer your traditional rock ‘n’ roll… they’ll have something for you!

Western Sand
Western Sand are a 4 piece southern inspired hard rock band intending on putting rock ‘n’ roll and the south of England back on the map.
I’ve known these dudes a long time, I’m talking 10 years or more, and the one thing that has never changed is their professionalism and passion for the music they play. Western Sand were one of the first bands I ever booked as a promoter and I’m sure we have many more shows to play together in the future. Now, if you like your Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Stone Cherry, perhaps occasionally a little Nickelback… then these guys are going to be right up your street! These guys are proper balls out rock ‘n’ roll, and don’t claim to be any other way. They are one riffy band and the bass and drums carry each other and complement the mix perfect making this band the ideal band to head bang down the front to. Tyler and Jimmy’s interweaving on guitar just has to be admired! We all know I’m a sucker for hard core riffs and pounding drum & bass, and they make no exception… they are a band I will always catch when I see a live show come up. Grab a beer, get yourself down the front and immerse yourself in some Southern talent.

Skinny Knowledge
Skinny Knowledge were only founded in 2020 and are a raucous 4 piece alternative rock band based in the South of England.
I cannot wait to see these boys play a live show. Again, I’ve known frontman Andy Smooth a little while now and followed his journey through bands such as Colt 45, Walk The Night and Black Water County, and now seeing him front his own band is pretty exciting I must admit. Obviously this band is pretty new on the block, but I don’t think they’ll have a problem fitting in, they are definitely more than capable of standing on their own feet and grabbing a crowds attention (I’d imagine). They really remind of me a 2000’s movie band, which isn’t a bad thing at all, I was growing up in that sort of era as I’m sure the band were also, and it’s actually really refreshing to see some of that make a comeback, compared to the usual favourable 80’s! I’m getting a lot of vibes like All American Rejects, Green Day, All Time Low, Bowling for Soup, Wheatus and of course some Foo Fighters (I know Andy is a big Grohl fan); they are totally going to transport you back to college days. Who didn’t love those bands growing up?! I have a feeling they are going to go down an absolute storm and I cannot wait to snap ’em up for a show myself. Bands like this always help remind me why I do what I do; keep releasing new music guys because we cannot wait to hear what you’ve got to offer!

Voodoo Vegas
Voodoo Vegas are a 5 piece hard rock band from Bournemouth, channelling classic rock sounds and taking that into their own vibe and territory.
I’d say this band definitely also has some Southern Rock vibes thrown into their mix, alongside a little metal but mostly hard rock – in my opinion. It’s hard to describe actually because I can’t name a specific band they sound familiar to, they sort of have their own thing going on and I’m digging it. I guess there is some obvious 70’s and 80’s rock sounds to pick up on if that helps. This band is filled with excellent musicians who can all hold their own and are not shy of expressing their talents!
This is a band with so much to offer, again there is something for everyone in their music and you wont tire of watching these guys perform either. They always know how the get the crowd going and eating out the palm of their hands, they put on a balls against the wall rock show… what more could you ask for when seeing rock ‘n’ roll in the flesh?

Black Water County
Black Water County are a 5 piece band from Bournemouth that came together through their love of playing music live. I suppose you want to know what genre they fall under? Is a country pirate folk rock a genre?
It would be pretty pointless grabbing a pint to watch these guys, because with the amount of jigging about and foot stomping you’re going to be doing, you wont have time to take a sip nor will you be able to keep it in the glass!
They are not your traditional rock band, which is what makes these guys to fresh and exciting! Thank goodness that Bournemouth was their birth place. I don’t think there is a single instrument that these guys can’t play, and you know what… they play them all in all their shows; they flaunt their talents with such excitement and passion that it is super hard not to fall in love with this band at first glance. Want some banjo’s? Fiddle? Flute? Recorder? They’ve got you covered! The perfect addition to any line-up as well. I hope I am lucky enough to work with them again in the future, it was such a pleasure to have them at one of my rock nights.

Black Tree Vultures
Black Tree Vultures are a 4 piece rock/metal band from the South Coast. What was that? Are these guys heavy? Oh yeah! I’ve got you covered with these guys, don’t you worry.
I love working with these chappies, they nail a gig like it’s in their blood or something… although judging by the bands I’ve already covered it would seem like this sort of talent must run in the water or something.
This band is ever-so charismatic, Celyn will have you right up there with him whilst the rest of the band form a driving force that rocks the entire room. Another band that requires you to stop talking and listen, put down that drink and bang your damn head!
If you see the name pop up where you are, go give ’em a listen… you won’t be disappointed that is a promise. They bring the metal, you’ll bring the roll and together you’ll have the best night you could ask for. I’ve seen the guys perform in packed venues, small town pubs and established festivals and they always have the best showmanship up their sleeves, they get better and better every time I see them. I’m sure we’re going to have many shows together over the years, and I am looking forward to seeing them develop even more as a band. Personally, I’m rather picky when it comes to the more metal side of music, however Black Tree Vultures was a band that had me hooked from the off and I’m sure you’ll have a very similar experience.

Metaprism
Metaprism are a duel-fronted modern melodic metal band from Bournemouth. Can you tell we like our metal down in these parts?
This band combines both male and female vocals, mixing ruthless aggression with soaring melodies which enables them to create a unique and dynamic brand of melodic metal. Metaprism are definitely a staple of Bournemouth, I heard of these guys before I even dipped my toe into the pool of promoting… you never know, maybe one day a show will finally be on the cards!
If you’re looking for something a bit harder, but also particularly polished, then this band will be right up your street! It’s pretty badass to see a female delving into world of metal, not that it is unusual, but it is always exciting to see a frontwoman be empowering and own the stage. If you want a taste of what the South Coast has to offer, then get to one of these shows or give ’em a listen… it’s not a bad place to start at all.

Capulus
Capulus are a 4 piece high-octane, high-energy brand of melodic rock band from Bournemouth.
This band are starting to make a name for themselves in the area which is exciting to see; we are yet to cross paths but I am sure it will happen eventually and it’ll be an awesome experience on all behalves. These guys are still very young and fresh, but don’t hold back on the talent front – they know they have something to offer and they’re not scared of sharing that. It’s going to be interesting and exciting watching this band on their journey. If you have a few moments to spare, give them a listen. They are different to anything like my usual, but I can see quite a few people instantly falling in love with this band and I’m quite buzzing to see them grow their fan base.

Solcura
Solcura are a hard hitting 4 piece from Bournemouth, blending alternative groove and noise with a healthy dose of heavy rock and underground atmospherics. These guys are alt rock for the modern age.
Admittedly, it has taken me some time to sit down and check these lads out… why? I have no idea, because I friggin love these guys! They are good man! Wanna get on a line-up? Drop me a line asap. Like I said, there must be something in our water down here that just produces such talent. They are definitely alternative vibes for sure, but it’s refreshing to hear something a little different in this age. I’m sure this band is going to interest a lot of people, so if you haven’t yet come across their music please do give it a whirl, it’ll take you by surprise.

The Smokin’ Prophets
The Smokin’ Prophets are a 4 piece high energy, high octane, punk rock ‘n’ roll band from Southampton. A DIY ethos that brings a raw, pure, untamed rock ‘n’ roll swagger.
These boys were on my first ever line-up I booked as a promoter, and I’ve always been a supporter of theirs. They are my kind vibe!
They have a lot to offer, visually, in their riffs, in their stage performances, in their beating drums and hammering bass lines… you can’t really go wrong with this band. I’m hoping they have some new music coming this way soon, I can see them doing really well if they keep aiming in the right direction. The debut album Deceived Diseased honestly doesn’t have a single track on it worth skipping, all of them are great! I genuinely mean it when I say that this band has a lot to offer. If you like a bit of Sex Pistols and a little New York Dolls, then these are the dudes for you.

The Outlaw Orchestra
The Outlaw Orchestra are a band from the deep South Coast, bred from a love of rock ‘n’ roll, country and irreverence.
You cannot help but love this band! No matter what genre you are usually into, this band is going to grab your attention from the get go.
These guys are a proper country rock band that incorporate some tongue in cheek with catchy riffs and slapping bass lines that are going to go down a treat at any summer bbq party. They’ll have you up line dancing and acting like an proper redneck in no time, that’s for sure. Every show I’ve put on with these guys has gone a treat with the crowd and I’m sure that’ll be no exception in the continued future. Want some happy times, leaving a bar with a smile on your face, spring in your step, some catchy lyrics lingering in your brain….. check out The Outlaw Orchestra!

I am honestly the luckiest girl in the world to be able to work and connect with the bands that I do! How lucky am I to also live in such an area that is filled with such vibrant talent! I don’t need to snap out of anything because I genuinely am living the dream ❤

I hope you have enjoyed this blog, and hopefully you feel like check one or two of these bands out!
For any enquiries in regards to gigs please do not hesitate to drop a line over to nozfest@yahoo.com
Feel free to give me a follow on social media to see what I am up to:
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FACEBOOK GROUP : Nozfest
WEBSITE : www.nozfest.org
YOUTUBE : JodieBowie

Lots of love

Jodie ❤

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