The Yorkshire Unplugged
competition is a search for the region’s finest live, unsigned, & unplugged
talent.
Up to six different acts will compete in each of
the five rounds, with the audience voting for the winning act from each round.
The winners will enter the grand final, where the audience will crown
Yorkshire’s Finest Live Unsigned & Unplugged Performers.
Yorkshire Unplugged is the regions newest
search for raw acoustic talent organised by a new local company BIG LIVE EVENT
Limited. The
company was recently set up by a group of entrepreneurial event management
students with the help of Sheffield Hallam University’s Enterprise Centre.
Competition co-organiser and Managing Director at BIG LIVE EVENT
Limited, Sam Wherrett said, "It has become obvious to us that the region
is rich in fine un-identified musicians who simply love playing to people. By
running the Yorkshire Unplugged competition these musicians not only get the
opportunity to play in front of audiences at a local musically prestigious
venue, but get produced, photographed and paraded in front of local music
industry professionals.”
BIG
LIVE EVENT Limited have teamed up with what they consider ‘the very best
organisations in the local music industry’ to offer the winners a staggering
prize. This includes the Yorkshire Unplugged Trophy, £1000 of
professional recording and production provided by Dan Worrall
Recordings, main stage performance at Limetree
Music & Arts Festival and a promotional
photographic shoot courtesy of Charlie
Barker Photography.
The Velcro Teddybears – Exclusive Interview.
The Velcro Teddybears are the winners from
the first round of Yorkshire Unplugged. Sam Chadwick, Mike Griffin, Josh
Griffin and Mike Holland are based in Sheffield, so we caught up with them for
an exclusive interview.
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Which records do you come to for inspiration and which never leave
your playlist?
Old School rock and roll is what all of
the band grew up listening to, especially from the 60's and 70's, although we
do have a tendency to give a fairly large nod to the Blues. Creedence
Clearwater Revival never fail to make an appearance in our set, and their
intelligent combination of riff and lyric is a constant inspiration.
What do you consider to be your
defining moment to date and what would you like to be remembered for?
The full line up coming together in
our first gigs was definitely one of those moments when we all realised what we
had to offer, but also the rewards and recognition that have come through our
constant efforts. Both in the evolution of our 'ballsy' rock and roll and the
development of our live show have definitely come to define us.
Talk us through how you started out as
an act.
The 'Velyteds' originally started as
an acoustic duo, playing various open mics after a period of constant writing
spawning from an ignorance of doing anything else. The addition of bass and the
cajon only solidified what we knew we had and this in turn further developed
the 'bluesy, rock and roll' sound we found for ourselves.
Why did you enter the Yorkshire Unplugged
Competition?
After being approached by 'Big Live
Event', it was obvious that this was something we could not turn down. We have
always been committed to the raw acoustic sound and revel in being part of such
an event. We were also aware of the quality of some of the other acts that had
been offered the chance to play, and felt we had to put ourselves alongside.
How are you feeling about qualifying for
the live heat stages of the Yorkshire Unplugged Competition?
The news that we had got through was
obviously a massive compliment, and we appreciate everything that people did to
aid in this. It is just a case of justifying our place now and that sort of
pressure only excites us. Also to play at a venue that we have not frequented
yet, alongside some other quality artists, is sure to provide a mixture of
exceptional musical revelry!
What can people expect from your live
heat performance in the competition?
We pride ourselves in playing proper
acoustic rock n'roll and our show will differ a fair amount from some of the
other more laid-back styles. With guitar inspired from timeless riffs, and a
voice of present times, we give rhythm and blues back to the roots that have
been lost by so many other bands. We give our songs with gusto and we'll have a
drink in hand (mines a dark rum and coke). Find reviews on the MyBand section
of our facebook page.
What form does the creative process take
for you? Do you sit down with an instrument or do you write the lyrics first,
then a melody? Or is there no set formula?
The creative process is definitely
one that changes with every song. Every member of the band has the right to
write, both lyrically and musically, and there is never a feeling that a single
member of the band has ownership over any song. Some songs will take minutes to
come together, where as others will develop over months at a time.
What is consistent however is the trend for content to derive from
real life occurrences and observations. Having all grown up rurally, a bucolic
theme has run through, although more encompassing themes such as inebriation
and refusing to get out of bed have also made an appearance. We crave
originality and this can sometimes be a limiting factor as more songs get
rejected than come to stage. But this is something we all feel strongly about
and has only served us well so far.
Are there any other exciting things you
would like to tell us about that you have in the pipeline?
In the t'old pipeline the bears have
what is looking to be an exciting summer ahead of them, kicking off with a full
set on 4th April at the Metrodome, Barnsley. Various gigs are to be confirmed
afterwards, working towards supporting the splendid 'Bad Manners' on 4th July
at Mosbrough music festival. A variety of other summer festivals are to be
confirmed around the country.
Peace and Pears...The Velcro Teddybears x
