- 1 hour ago
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: GLASTONBURY EMERGING TALENT 2023 FINALISTS
It’s that moment you can’t wait for but almost dread. For the 30 Round 1 judges of the annual Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition, it’s the question: have any of your choices made it through? Thousands applied and from the ninety who reached the longlist, eight acts were greeted by good news on Thursday as the finalists for the 2023 competition were unveiled. The competition, supported by PRS for Music and PRS Foundation, is initially judged by 30 UK-based music writers,
- 7 days ago
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: A TIME TO REFLECT
In a week which saw Boris Johnson appear before the Privileges Committee inquiry into whether he is incapable of understanding the blindingly obvious, there is a certain irony in that Thursday marked the third anniversary of the UK’s Covid lockdown. Yesterday we were invited to join the Marie Curie-inspired National Day of Reflection to remember those who died during the pandemic, support people who are grieving and share a common connection with others. On that note, a bit m
- Mar 17
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: AND NOW THE GLASTONBURY ETC 2023 LONGLIST
The waiting is over. From the many thousands of acts who entered the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2023, the organisers have announced the 90 through to the longlist. The free-to-enter competition for independent performers based in the UK or Ireland saw a bumper entry this year. For the longlisted artistes, the possibility of a main stage appearance at this summer’s festival is now a step nearer, as is the chance of securing a generous bursary courtesy of PRS for M
- Mar 10
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: THEY THINK IT’S ALL OVER?
I had planned to say a few words here in support of Gary Lineker today. But it appears that the news story that began on Tuesday when he tweeted a response to government plans to ban illegal immigrants from arriving in the UK, " Good heavens, this is beyond awful", will run and run. As I go to press, I am not sure if anyone will deign to present or even appear on Match of the Day on Saturday night. Who are they going to call? Nigel Farage? On Twitter, Lineker went on to compa
- Mar 3
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: ETC TICKED
Phew. Earlier today, I sent in my top three choices for this year’s Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition before the noon deadline. With over 200 acts in my quota to listen to and watch live, as you might imagine the process has taken up a fair few hours and a reasonable degree of agonising. There were 30 of us working through over 6,000 entries, each tasked with nominating three acts to create a Round 2 longlist of 90. Each year I am tempted to write about new discoveries