Buzz Student Guide Buzz Student Guide 2013/14 | Page 25

LIVE MUSIC SOCIETY WITH SOUTH WALES’ LIVE MUSIC SCENE THRIVING AND THRILLING IT’S NOT SURPRISING THAT MANY UNIVERSITIES HAVE A DEDICATED LIVE MUSIC SOCIETY. GREG MILES, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY’S LIVE MUSIC SOCIETY PRESIDENT, EXPLAINS WHY LIVE MUSIC IS SO IMPORTANT. Why did you decide to apply for President of Cardiff University’s Live Music Society? I have been working with LMS for 2 years now and really wanted to try my hand at running the society I love. Why do you think the promotion of live music is important? Without promotion live music would eventually die out. People may actively search for some of the biggest bands, but the smaller acts that make up the majority of the music scene wouldn’t get noticed. And that’s where we come in. What genres of music does the LMS focus on? All genres! How would you describe South Wales’s music scene? Awesome! It’s vast in its variety and is the perfect place to make your first steps as a band. Who have been some of your favourite local acts? Obviously I love the likes of Kids in Glass Houses, The Blackout and other big bands, but I also like smaller bands such as Horizon, Falling with Style and King & Country. For those readers looking for a pumping place to watch up and coming musicians, what venues would you recommend to start them off? Come to our open mic night every Tuesday at Gassy Jacks. That’s where we put the best of our acts up on a weekly basis. Other than that if you are looking for a broader spectrum check out the venues of Womanby Street. The Cardiff Music Society has had an impressive impact on local music in the past few years, particularly with Battle of the Bands. What events/plans do you have to encourage local music? Battle Of The Bands, as you already know, is our main event and that takes up most of our funds and time. But along the line we have our weekly open mic night and put on gigs (usually in aid of charity) from time to time. With an array of musical talent emerging in South Wales, how are you going to approach giving up-and-coming bands the exposure needed to further their success? The best ways they can make a success is to first get their act together using an open mic nights, and then once they are confident they have a name for themselves they should apply to be in Battle Of The Bands, which can act as a great stepping stone into the wider music scene of South Wales and onwards from there. Are there any live music events in the next few months that you are looking forward to? Swn Festival!!!! We volunteer there as a society and are co-hosting the Clwb stage this year! Buzz 025