DJ favourite Ace will be heading up an R&B party in Newcastle this November when the BBC Radio 1Xtra heads north to spotlight local talent.
The star - who won a Sony Gold award with fellow DJ and TV presenter Vis - for their lunchtime garage and hip hop radio show in 2004 on the-then new digital radio station will be showcasing unsigned R&B talent during a UK-wide tour. And this will bring him to The Lubber Fiend in the city November 1.
The local talent in the spotlight at the music venue in Newcastle's Blandford Street will be singer-songwriter Maxine. The up-and-coming rhythm and blues and soul artist released her first single, Frontline, in honour of frontline workers, during the pandemic and describes herself a 'big town girl making it out of a small town'.
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She is set to benefit from the help of the popular DJ Ace, a specialist in R&B whose support for the genre has helped it to shine in recent years. Ace will be promoting local talent in five cities on the tour, kicking off in Newcastle then including Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.
The tour will feature the emerging artists alongside five special guests, helping them to develop skills and make connections in the live music industry. The guest joining the night's bill in Newcastle will be the BBC Introducing-tipped Jamilah.
Ace said of the upcoming tour:“We had a staggering amount of submissions from so many incredible R&B artists and vocalists from all over the UK and If I could take them all on tour with us I would. We’ve managed to whittle it down to a number we believe not only showcases the amazing R&B talent we have in the UK but also shines a light on the under-represented cities making outstanding R&B music.
"I’m so excited to be bringing the first Everything R&B Tour to the masses. It's going to be a moment you won't want to miss”.
An education and talent development strand of the Everything R&B Live programme will feature masterclasses from guests and music industry professionals on how to develop through the likes of marketing and branding while being cost-effective. Yaw Owusu, of The Playmaker Group which is behind the tour, agreed R&B music creators and audiences have been under-represented as well as under-served within mainstream Black Music "so we are really excited to kick off Everything R&B Live with Ace".
He added: "This project will give both the artists and the audience an authentic experience that is not just going to be top quality but an eye-opening education whilst contributing to the growth of the new R&B scene in the UK.” Tickets for the show cost £5 when bought online - see here - or £6 on the door.
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