An Ipswich music venue is aiming to promote young local talents with its new set of events.
The Smokehouse is launching Smoke Signals, which will showcase a range of bands and artists from across the region.
The club’s goal is to give a platform to upcoming artists, the opportunity to engage with other musicians and to experience a professional music environment.
The first performance night will take place on Thursday, October 20 and will be a regular occurrence at the Ipswich music venue.
The volunteer manager at The Smokehouse, Caitlin Whittaker, said that the club wants to “give an opportunity to bands just starting out to get more experience playing live and to new audiences”.
She added: “We also see these gigs as an opportunity for volunteers to further enhance their skills, with more advanced roles such as working with artists and running the stage.”
Zamani Fitri will kick off the opening night of the Smoke Signals, with doors opening at 7pm.
Zamani, an indie-pop and folk singer-songwriter from Bentley, will be followed by Auxiliary’s punk rock performance.
Ryski, an 18-year-old rapper, singer and producer, will also appear during the event.
The launch of Smoke Signals will be highlighted by BlueFeed, who are rapidly growing in popularity and have already played many gigs.
Zamani Fitri and Ryski have also been a part of the New Gen music project that runs on the South Street site, which is the home to The Smokehouse.
New Gen welcomes teenagers from 13 to 19 years old who are interested in music tech, songwriting, performing, making beats and enhancing their musical abilities.
Kristin Caswell-Robinson, New Gen project facilitator, said: “It's great for the New Gen participants to have a direct platform to showcase their music outside of the project, it's an integral next step in their musical development.
“A night solely dedicated to new music is a really exciting place for them to develop their musical identities, fanbases and network amongst peers, and The Smokehouse is a safe and supportive environment to nurture them in that journey.”
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