12 Questions with Ade Dovey and Ben Taylor of Luminescent
NSG’s David Lancaster caught up with Ade Dovey and Ben Taylor of Luminescent, Manchester’s new live music promotion company, to talk about The Beastie Boys, New Order, organic fruit, and an oxygen booth!
DL: Hi guys, once again thanks for the interview. Ade, Ben, you’ve been described as veteran promoters, working on the Manchester music scene with 30 years of combined experience, working at venues such as The Albert Hall, Gorilla, The Deaf Institute, Night & Day, Jimmy’s, and Manchester Arena. Now, after being competitors for over a decade, you guys have joined forces and formed Luminescent, can you tell us what Luminescent is and why it came about?
A&B: It’s quite funny the old ‘veteran’ statement as initially when we were creating our PR it felt like our combined experience was certainly almost lengthy as a veteran’s innings but we’re still so new and young in this industry. Launching ‘Luminescent’ came to us in mid-2020 during the initial lockdown where both Ben and I were at a loose end. The pandemic had shifted us apart from our routine and current careers and we both became very much down and out. We kept in touch daily checking in and coming up with future ideas and dreams so by the time the second lockdown came we both had a lightbulb moment to commit to joining forces and creating a fresh new live music company to launch at the start of 2021. The initial action plan is to establish the company brand and identity, re-establish our connections with bands, agents, and managers who we love working with and begin to build on continuous relationships to produce some great gigs and events in the distant future in Manchester, Liverpool as well as North West/North East and where applicable around the UK. We can’t wait to be back in venues and doing what we know and love.
DL: What will be different about Luminescent, what’s your unique selling point?
A&B: Being able to launch this venture in the midst of a pandemic might sound like a commercial failure but it’s actually shown positivity and light in this period of darkness which I believe adds to our USP so to speak. We’re both very engaged in music and culture and what we’ve created in the past on stages around the UK is hopefully just a glimpse of what is to come. We both agreed we do not want to be just local indie promoters. We have big ideas that we want to deliver, also we do not want to be geographically pigeonholed to one city or town, we have eyes on many postcodes and unique spaces that are craving a boost in live music and culture.
(Ben Taylor of Luminescent)
DL: How did you guys get started in the music scene, what got you into putting shows and nights on all those years back? why the hell music??
A: For me, it all comes from working and being a customer in a punk rock venue called the Cavern in Exeter. I went to gigs 4-5 times a week, put bands up for free beer, went on the road with the bands for free merch and backstage riders, and just became obsessed with wanting to be involved in live music. It escalated from there from touring to working in more venues, putting on shows, and freelancing with some great companies like ATP Festival, The Great Escape, One Inch Badge (Brighton based Promoters). I always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and ran with it!
B: I come from a very musical family. My dad was a touring musician and played with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Screaming Lord Sutch, The Flee-Rekkers, and more. My mum was a show dancer (that’s how they met). My brother and sister both played in bands growing up. I guess it was always the path I was going to reach at some point. I started off playing in bands, and for one of my birthdays, I hired Night & Day Cafe and put on 4 bands, and a DJ. The initial buzz of seeing folk come through the door was huge for me, so much so that I then went on to host a monthly showcase at the same venue. This leads to being offered the in-house promoter job at N&D, and off I went!
DL: What venues will Luminescent be putting shows on at? Will you just be working Manchester venues or will this be national??
A&B: Manchester will be our bread and butter always and the North West. We’re not restricting ourselves to specific locations but would love to take Luminescent into many cities and towns. It really depends on how the industry will operate when we ‘return to normal’. There are a lot of local and loyal promoters all over the country so we’re aiming for more collaboration than just diving into another territory. Hopefully what this pandemic has taught us is that let’s work together not against each other.
DL: Now, of course, we are all aware of the music industry being on its knees right now, due to covid shows and festivals have been postponed and re-arranged time and time again and now we have Brexit issues too for our performers, what are the real concerns and main challenges that you see going forward, putting shows and events on over the next few years?
A&B: Barriers, permits, insurance, safety, economy, inflation, red tape, and the wellbeing of all individuals involved. It’s going to be challenging times for sure. We’re both so grateful that we can focus on homegrown talent and artists as well as international artists touring one day. Luckily all parties involved in the industry are coming together and there is so much more access to unions, charity/non-profit organisations for updated procedures and legalities than I can remember when I first started out. Just look at all that work and attention from the incredible individuals at Music Venue Trust!
DL: What are your favourite shows that you have both put on or been involved with as individuals in the past, what are you both most proud of?
A: Being able to curate so many events at the Albert Hall over the years and launching that venue (as well as Gorilla) into the Manchester/UK music world was a gift from the music gods! I love the fact I can book bands that I used to put on mixtapes for friends and college girlfriends etc on a stage and see it blossom into a huge evening with customers facing beaming! I felt very privileged to bring back American Football for 2 x Sold Out shows in 2015 and 2 x Sold Out evenings with Mogwai at the Albert Hall in 2018. That was the peak.
B: As Ade said, putting on some of our favourite bands that we used to listen to day in day out, and seeing a happy crowd and band is fantastic. Ones that stick out as favourites would be The 1975 + Catfish & The Bottlemen at Sound Control, for 120 people, a sold out First Aid Kit at Manchester Apollo and I’d have to say some of the charity events I’ve done. Being in a position to make a difference through music is a superb feeling.
DL: Ben, you are well known for creating YANAfest, the festival that is a non- profit making event in aid of Manchester Mind, the mental health charity. I see that YANAfest is now taking place in November, will this become a Luminescent event or will this stay as it’s own entity going forward? A big well done on YANAfest btw.
B: As we stand the date for the festival is a little up in the air as you can imagine. It’d moved dates from last March to November, and back to March again, but I’ll only push on with the 2nd year when the time is right and safe for everyone. I don’t want anything to detract from what can be a special event for the charity, and raise as much funds as it can. I’m hoping it’ll be this year, but I’ll be all set for 2022 if it has to be. There’s no one else I’d bring in to help with the festival on a promoter level other than Ade. He gets it like I do and is a huge supporter of MIND. I’m sure we’ll be working very closely on the next and future festivals.
DL: So, “Dream Festival”… if you could pick 6 acts between you, from the past or still active, who would you choose? Who opens, Who tops the bill??
A&B: Can we have two nights? Friday and Saturday?
(Ade Dovey of Luminescent)
DL: Ofc, go for it.
A: Fugazi + Slint + Beastie Boys + HUM + Mercury Rev + Sleep .
B: Led Zeppelin + Deftones + Denise Johnson + The Sunshine Underground + CUD + Deja Vega.
DL: Do you think we will see big festivals like Glastonbury and Reading festivals again?
A: Absolutely 100%, they’re institutions and resilient. If anything they’ll be bigger, longer, and stronger!
DL: What’s the best gig or festival that you have been to, just as fans? What acts would love to work with that you haven’t yet??
A: For me, it was always the annual trips to ATP Festival. Curated line ups, insane guests, and all my favourite bands/artists and human beings in one place. Bring back ATP! As for bands I’ve yet to work with directly? I want to get Neurosis up north. Also Tortoise, Codeine, Hum, Jawbox…big 90s underground nostalgia!
B: The first Reading Festival I attended opened my eyes massively. 1998, headliners were Page & Plant, Beastie Boys, and main stagers Prodigy, New Order. It was sunny (lead me into a false sense of security for future UK festival weather!), and couldn’t believe how much music was around every corner. Calexico are a band I’d love to work with, incredible musicianship, that’d be pretty special.
DL: You have worked with some of the best acts in music including The Courteeners, Kylie Minogue, and The 1975, you must have some funny stories to tell. Without mentioning any names, has there been any funny mishaps or mini disasters backstage? How do you handle a diva??
A: Ha, you know what the bigger they are the less ridiculous antics go on as everyone is so professional. Kylie was incredible to work with at Gorilla, so down to Earth and chilled. The only band (I won’t name) who really kicked off once was over the fact their pears weren’t organic and had a hissy fit. The tour manager told them off as directly behind them on the tv news a natural disaster came on and we had to put the pear problem into perspective. Honestly, backstage is super behaved and what goes on tour stays on tour.
B: Oh I’ve had some right “incidents” happening at some gigs, ha, definitely some stories for out of hours. I’ve had an artist refuse to go on stage until 4 more rooms at the Palace Hotel were bought. An artist demanding an oxygen booth at 9 pm on a Wednesday night, the list goes on! Most shows run as smooth as can be. Made a lot of friends through this industry, there’s a lot of good eggs out there.
DL: So looking ahead to 2021, what have you got in the pipeline, anything you can tell us about yet? What advice can you give to the rest of us on how to get through this lockdown and get back to visiting our venues safely??
A: We’re working on event ideas down the line, coming up with multi band bills and special events, focusing on 2022 more than anything and taking day by day, week by week etc. For me, lockdown felt like a gift as I needed some solitude and downtime. Eat well, keep fit, sleep well and keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones. Read, study and try and to limit social media to 5 hours a day rather than 20 hours ha!
B: 2022 will be the year we see Luminescent come to fruition in terms of shows, I’m staying positive on that. There’ll be some exciting shows, events, and collaborations to wet the whistle! I’ve benefited from getting that exercise in. It doesn’t wonders for the brain and body. If you’re struggling, speak up. There’ll always be someone who can lend an ear, including myself. And when the time is right, we’ll all be able to enjoy being back in venues and doing what we love.
DL: Thank you for giving us the chance to interview you, anything else you’d like to add?
A&B: Just thanks and see you all soon.
To follow Luminescent and YANAfest on social media click on the links in pink below.
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