Musical creatives in harmony

Manchester Creative Collective

WELL done to former Waterhead lass Wendy Smith for putting on what was deemed a hugely successful opening Manchester Creative Collective get-together last week.

It was bitterly cold inside the Live Room in Manchester, but the atmosphere inside the popular venue was warm and cordial for an important networking event involving some of the prospective future movers and shakers on the buzzing north-west music scene.

Managers, promoters and musicians mingled as James Holt and his band played, and Paul Holmes DJ'd, while Mancunian spoken word specialist Argh Kid added some hard-hitting recitals which certainly struck a chord with me.

Wealth

The highlight was a question and answer session featuring legendary Oldhamer Clint Boon - DJ and Inspiral Carpets star of course - who spoke brilliantly about his wealth of experience in the business when quizzed from the floor and from MC for the night Guy Hodgkiss.

Wendy said: "We had a real mix of industry at the event.

"It was thrilling to see university students, young musicians and aspiring event managers talking with their more experienced peers.

"It was exactly what I had envisioned beforehand ­- people encouraging and supporting the community as a whole and really taking hold of the 'DIY' ethos that Manchester is known for.

"Without the support of the likes of Clint Boon and the management team of festivals such as Kendal Calling, free events such as this would certainly be more difficult to organise, so a big thank you to them also."