An Interview with Leila Slater (Mastermind behind Moonbeams Acoustic Nights in Driffield (1/2) By Steve Rudd

(1/2), (2/2).

Fed up with having to travel out of town to indulge in her passion for live music, Leila Slater boldly took it upon herself to start organizing and promoting her own nights of live music in Driffield.

Taking the form of intimate Acoustic nights, her Moonbeams events have so far attracted a whole host of marvelous musicians and singers from near and far. Former frontman of The Seahorses, Chris Helme, and York singing sensation Hayley Hutchinson are just two performers to have so far wowed the crowds.

Although Leila's taking a break from Moonbeams for the summer, there is one more big knees-up on Friday 16 May which is scheduled to feature Brother Crow, Karl Sloan, Claire J Smith and Anna Shannon amongst other acts. Then, come Autumn 2008, Leila will launch another season of Moonbeams, a season for which she is already harbouring hugely exciting plans... Here, in an interview with Steve Rudd, Leila reveals how she first developed a taste for Acoustic music, how she chooses which acts to invite to Moonbeams, and why exactly she was inspired to call such nights Moonbeams Nights in the first place.

The next Moonbeams takes place on Friday 16 May at The Bell Hotel in Driffield. For more information and tickets, please visit www.myspace.com/moonbeamsacoustic

What first inspired you to start organising gigs of your own? I have always loved live music... loved any and all music in fact... but after starting to go to Cropredy ten years ago my love for Folk music really started. I remember the first time I went to Cropredy. My parents had been going for years and I just would not go. I didn't think it was my thing... too many old people! But after being dragged along on the Friday evening I disappeared off to the front of the stage and saw God himself... Richard Thompson. I came back from that stage transformed!

But the thing that inspired me to do Moonbeams was traveling back and forth from York to go to Chris Helme's Little Num Num Club (an acoustic night held at The City Screen Basement Bar). I love it there! So I thought... let's get the acts to come here to Driffield and I could show my friends and local people what amazing talent there is so close by. So I picked the acts I like to listen to and hoped my audience would too. Seems to have worked up to now.... early days though!

Why did you decide to focus on acoustic nights and why are they called Moonbeams Nights? I love listening to someone singing/playing acoustic, and it's nice and relaxing to sit back, have a nice drink and listen to some good music... Bliss! I'm definitely going to do some Electric nights though... I have a great band that I want to come and play when I do. In fact, I have a few... so watch out for those dates coming soon! They are called 'Moonbeams' after a lovely song by Chris Helme. I've claimed that song; I love it... it's only short, but very sweet! It's on his new solo album, ' Ashes'... so do check it out.

Chris headlined my opening night... he truly is an amazing artist and is doing really well with his solo tour... he is going to be massive! Didn't you find the whole process of organising and promoting the nights daunting at first? Very, but I really enjoy it. I want to do more and bigger things. Just in the process of booking some big acts... that's daunting! But overall I'm loving it!

Continued .... Next Page (2/2)

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