To recognise the arrival of yet another new year, may I wish you all a peaceful and fruitful 2023, though after the 12 months we have just had it is difficult to approach it with any positivity, especially while an alternate reality persists in Russia and indeed in many places around the world.
Fifty3 Fridays was absent on 30 December and is taking a break for personal reasons. We hope to return on Friday 13 January.
Music is a great passion of mine. In my teenage years I was an avid record collector and concert goer. Stints as a booking agent, running folk clubs, promoting gigs and even a crack at artiste management followed. While it never became my main occupation, music was always on my personal radar.
Over the past 14 years I have written for the leading US music website Consequence and for the breakthrough artiste site, site, BestNewBands. I am a judge for Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition and have reviewed the festival for both sites. I am now pleased to curate my very own music site.
Nothing gives me greater pleasure than unearthing good, original new music and championing independent musicians. You’ll find many of them on this site alongside the occasional legend of times past and I hope they will bring you as much joy as they give me.
Tony Hardy
Selected dates in the London area:
Wed 24 May: Alvvays, O2 Forum Kentish Town, London NW5
Thu 25 May: Dizzy, The Waiting Room, London N16
Sun 28 May: John Lees' Barclay James Harvest, Islington Assembly Hall
Wed 31 May: Francesca Guerra, The Troubadour, London SW5
Sat 3 Jun: Hannah Rose Platt, The Camden Club, London NW1
Wed 21 Jun: Christine & The Queens, Pryzm, Kingston upon Thames
banquetrecords.com: See the Events page for all live shows in Kingston