FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: THIS SUNDAY - FRESH ON THE NET LIVE

An abridged Fifty3Fridays awaits you today as our customary week in Norfolk begins. Ah, The White Lady, seals at Horsey Gap, crab sandwiches at the Jetty Café, Hillside Animal Sanctuary, Bure River Cottage, The Ship Inn, Hickling Broad… [Err, you’re starting to sound like Ron Manager. Jumpers for goalposts next? – Ed]

So, today’s missive is all about the return of a unique event in London this coming Sunday which regrettably I am going to miss. Fresh on the Net Live. Oh, and our monthly Spotify Playlist.

Photos of Alexandra Leaving above and Retropxssy below by Kevin England

Sunday 8 September sees the return of the fabulous FREE festival Fresh on the Net Live, supported by the Arts Council of England and The National Lottery UK. The inaugural festival took place at venues in London and Edinburgh in 2019. Since then, a combination of the COVID pandemic, a venue’s late withdrawal and lack of funding has led to a five-year gap. The good news is that FOTN Live is back with events on different Sundays in London and the Midlands.

Fresh on the Net Live is unique among UK festivals: reflecting the digital music platform it represents, the festival entirely comprises performances by grassroots/independent artistes. All have, in recent times, been voted Fresh Faves by FOTN readers. The first show on Sunday 8 September is at The Lower Third on Denmark Street, London WC2 from 1pm until 10.30pm.

The stellar and eclectic line-up includes Sansha, 98 Poly, The Youth Play, Retropxssy, Chinwe, Alexandra Leaving, Alice Offley, Roisin Quinn plus a DJ set from Arpraxis. Tickets are FREE but you need to book quickly before they all go. Just click here.

As tasters, here are a couple of Fifty3 favourites from Alexandra Leaving and Retropxssy.

FIFTY3 FRIDAYS SPOTIFY PLAYLIST AUGUST 2024

For your listening pleasure on the first Friday of each month, I publish a Playlist on Spotify which reprises all the songs featured in this column over the previous month – in order, for the organised mind.

Our Fifty3 Fridays Spotify Playlist August 2024 includes the 20 songs from the month’s Fifty3 Fridays. August’s Playlist opens with the theme song from The Turkish Detective the charismatic “Bir Seyler” by TurkodiRoma and closes with Paris Paloma’s reflective “The Warmth”. Along the way, a couple of substitutes were brought on for tracks not found on Spotify by Negative Response and Aquilo respectively. You’ll find 4 years-worth of said Playlists on my Spotify page so please follow me @TonyHardy53 and retreat to your listening cave.