StayFree & Have Fun

It feels strange to be blogging again after a week away but on the other hand in a odd and peculiar way it’s nice to be back, nothing quit like the stresses of work and the feeling of being shoulder deep in work, its what we all live for isn’t it …… i think not.

Now with the bollocks bit out the way lets crack on, a lot has happened in the weeks that have passed, my adventure to StayFree Music, the new OSOM project and some strange ways of creating interest and a collective database of people.

I would just like to add due to my amazing fiancé

(that I’d be lost with out) we now have FISH woo hoo. The dopey little things are not the most energetic pets I have ever had, nor do they fetch sticks or scare burglars away, but they are very therapeutic and sort of calming, fifteen minutes of watching them bob about the aquarium aimlessly makes me feel shattered and glad I’m not a fish ha-ha back to the blog.

StayFree Music

Not being a musician, rehearsal rooms are places I’ve only dreamed about screaming down a mic and bouncing round with a band, so having booked a day and time to visit StayFree Music I

was needless to say, EXCITED.

StayFree Music has an impressive nine rehearsal rooms, one recording studio and additional rooms for resident musicians to lease out. Having provided Leicester with rehearsal facilities for over fifteen years, StayFree Music has accumulated a large amount of valuable knowledge in their chosen music sector which makes them a formidable contender amongst other competitors.

Arriving early I searched for the door and found a car park, but no door, one quick call and another walk around I found the smallest white doorbell with the righting “StayFree Music” hidden in an entrance archway.

When the door open I was greeted with a smile and immediately felt welcome by Caroline Wright, the thing I notice most and keep consistently seeing with StayFree it’s the wonderful, sociable and joyful faces that work in, around and behind the scenes making all feel welcome and undoubtedly contributing to their success.

Within the large building at the top of the stairs is the reception/front desk, with a notice board on the wall littered with flyers, posters, and all sorts of musical information that you can’t help but have a quick look at.

All nine of the rooms are individually numbered and all distinctively different in colour, size and appearance, making the rooms easy to remember. I would go in to detail and talk about differences within each room, but as all are so different and with rooms like ‘target room’ and the ‘stage room’ seeing them is a must and highly

recommended.

The hire charge will vary for the different rooms, but with prices from £5 - £12 an hour it’s worth every penny spent especially in the stage room!

StayFree music is moving all nine rehearsal rooms and recording studio to the larger more impressive building located down towards Frog Island at the end of May. Keeping the StayFree vibe, colour coordinated rooms and terrific staff it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. But it gets even better, with the addition of a social room where fellow musicians can purchase drinks including alcohol, sit and then chat freely before and after sessions

during the day, StayFree will again be more uniquely different than before. But the icing on the cake has to be the arrival of Leicester’s newest venue ‘Lock 42’ located in the new StayFree premises and in partnership with Andy Wright the previous manager of The Charlotte, ‘Lock 42’ has huge potential and the venues opening night will be one to look out for in November.

New Marketing Idea’s

Just before I went away for the week I started two new fan pages, the first one is to become a fan of music and the second one is become a fan of sexy underwear.

Sexy underwear I hear you saying, well you will not be the first person to think this and you will not be the last.

So why have a starter a group not related to music; the answer is because the human race as a hole is very fickle and lazy (me included) if what I want is not in front of me or very easy to access I tend not to dig deep but move quickly on. So sex always sells and has people reading, I see it as standing in the middle of a busy street and shouting SEX and then when I have people’s attention and only then, giving them the information I want them to know. A little sly and devious I know but you never know unless you try.

Music in Local Places

Recently I have been working on a small project which has great potential to give local musicians exposure in

places they never thought possible, small bars, shops, takeaways etc. The project as it stands today is still called ‘my music thingy’ but I’m quickly working on a catchy and distinctive name and logo. Working closely with Arts In Leicester and Speaks Volumes ‘the music thingy’ has quickly picked up momentum and is continually stirring up interest. Next weeks blog will have more details about the project.