This month sees the launch of a new quarterly night of music and spoken word celebrating the start of each season from the borders and beyond. The events are brought to The Globe at Hay by The Bright Field Organisation, run by local music journalist and broadcaster Jude Rogers (The Guardian/Observer/New Statesman/Radio 3’s The Verb). They will champion local artists and bring in fascinating performers from further afield.
The inaugural Autumn edition of Bright Field takes place at The Globe at Hay, Newport Street, Hay-on-Wye on Fri 27th September 2019.
The first event features Sam Lee, Alula Down, Richard King (Author of The Lark Ascending), DJs Sproatly Smith and Jus’ Jay from Hereford’s WEIRDSHIRE Collective (Artwork by Catrin Saran James).
I recently caught up with Jude Rogers to talk about this new seasonal offering.
What is Bright Field and how did it come about?
Bright Field is a new night at the start of each season, celebrating the season to come in music and spoken word. It came about after an itch I had to start a night on the Welsh borders – where I’ve lived for three years – wouldn’t go away. There’s so much great music around here, especially in the realms of folk, traditional music and psychedelia, and a really great sense of enthusiasm and experiment from people who love the arts. Also, the husband of a dear friend of mine, an amazing music writer called Pat Long, died last summer, and he was always someone who got up and out and did fantastic things like this, including a Sunday event called In The Pines which I used to go to in my early 20s, which explored folk and blues beautifully. Bright Field, in many ways, is a tribute to Pat.
Who are The Bright Field Organisation?
Myself and some local enthusiastic artsy miscreants: Catrin James, an artist and archivist based in South Wales, Andrew Williams from Hay, who runs the wonderful Eighteen Rabbit shop, Mark Waters and Kate Gathercole from the Weirdshire collective in Hereford, and Daniel Fordham, my other half, and the power behind my raggedy throne!
Where does the name come from?
Originally, the beautiful poem by Welsh writer R.S. Thomas. It tells the story of someone who passes a bright field one day, hurries on, but then realises he should give “all that I have to possess it”. It’s a poem about seizing the moment, about realising the beauty in small moments, and about nature’s capacity to remind us what matters. It’s a message that feels more relevant than ever this Autumn. The name kept at me, and then The Rheingans Sisters named an album after it too. I love the way Bright Field also suggests light and natural art, but also electronic pathways and the early days of electronic music, of which I’m an obsessive fan. It’s a pair of two gorgeous, simple words that brings everything together.
What connects the artists and performers you’ve chosen?
The night to me is about people who operate on the borders and beyond – both geographical and otherwise! Sam Lee is from Craswall in Herefordshire, only four miles away from Hay – this was the venue he used to come to as a teenager, but amazingly he’s never played it before. He’s genuinely ridiculously excited to play here, and calls it his homecoming gig! It’s an incredibly intimate one for him too, given how successful he’s been this year with the RSPB single, Let Nature Sing, and his work with Extinction Rebellion and Music Declares Emergency. Alula Down are from just outside Hereford as are the amazing Weirdshire DJs – the Weirdshire Collective have been doing regular gigs this year in a new venue, the Babar Cafe, and they’re one of the most enthusiastic and interesting – and lovely – groups of music-lovers I’ve ever met. Richard King is from Erwood in Powys, which is also not far away, and he’ll be talking about music and landscape from his bestselling Faber book, The Lark Ascending. So it’s a meeting of fascinating local minds and talents.
The artists are linked in the way they approach their art too. Sam and Alula Down are folk artists that challenge but in an entirely inclusive, warm and embracing way. They explore the possibilities of folk song but through new ideas and sounds. Richard is trying to tell the story of our country through music and protest in a novel way too. They are all artists that reach out.
Originally we had the wonderful experimental artist Emma Daman on the bill too, but her band, Islet, won funding to play in Seoul, South Korea, at the end of September, and we couldn’t begrudge her postponing her set! We are delighted for them as they’re really exciting. We really look forward to having her back in the future – and we’re very keen for psych and experimental music to be part of the mix too.
Why did you choose to link each event to a season and will that season be incorporated into the event in some way?
Because we feel that now more than ever, it’s important to remember who we are and the world we live in. These are disconcerting, distracting, frightening times. Letting ourselves explore each season is a way in which to step back and take in the world around us and remind each other how we are connected. Every artist and our DJs will read or play something that’s connected with Autumn, each from a very personal place. Giving each quarterly night a seasonal theme also makes it very special, and gives it the element of an interesting artistic challenge. We’ll also have artwork and other elements involved in each night. We want to make it really special.
Your first event is on Sept 27th tell us more.
It’s in the globe in Hay, which is a gorgeous venue – an old, atmospheric chapel. We’ll be incorporating art and readings around the music, and making everything as special as we can. We really hope you’ll join us!
Bright Field is Supported by Night Out / Arts Council of Wales
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Artwork by Catrin Saran James