It Might Get Loud – Southampton’s Social Music Project
Budding Southampton superstars now have the chance to shine thanks to the SOCO Music Project.
The Soco Music Project is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the creation and musical development of people of all ages in Southampton and the surrounding areas. Included in this are the Creative Hub situated in the Bargate shopping centre in Central Southampton as well as projects running in Thornhill, Basingstoke, Weston, Romsey., Redbridge and Freemantle.
“Originally we just worked with schools in the area, but we decided to expand to allow people of all ages and ability to come and create something,” says Matt Salvage, one of the workers at the Bargate site called the Creative Hub. “The Creative Hub is a place where anyone can come down and have a go at creating music or film or anything creative that they can think of” Matt says.
Soco's Creative Hub at The Bargate Centre.
The Creative Hub is located on the top floor of the Bargate Centre and is equipped with all sorts of musical instruments and equipment from guitars and amplifiers to far eastern instruments and computers for recording. The Hub also features a stage area for local artists to come down and rehearse and perform. “The reason we have so much stuff here is just so people can pop in and play without having to go home and lug around a big amp or a drum kit” Soco worker Louis Duarte explains. “We recently ran an event called the Balcony Sessions where local bands could come and play a set, and we’d film and pop it on YouTube. It was a great success and we hope to make it a regular event. On the last Saturday of every month we also run the Saturday Showcase, which gives local bands another chance to come and play for free in front of an audience.”
The stage all set up to rock at the Creative Hub.
Things really took off in November 2009 when the project was granted £50,000 from the People’s Millions scheme. “That was a real boost for us and allowed us to expand and create so many more projects!” Matt explains.
A rock star in training taking advantage of the equipment available at Soco.
Along with activities at the Hub, Soco run projects in the greater Southampton area including the Contact Festival, which took place at Romsey School on the 31st July last year. The People’s Millions win also lead to the development, with Thornhill Plus You, of Hightown Studios at the Hightown Youth Centre in Thornhill. Matt says, “We’ve always been keen to work with other community projects in Southampton and the Hightown Studios project is such a boost for Thornhill.” Thornhill is currently going through a multi million pound regeneration project, which includes new homes, shops and a new community centre. “We like to think we’ve helped out in someway,” Matt smiles.
The Soco project is also looking to expand into more multimedia avenues. Matt explains; ”we have plans to include more radio in the near future, as well as creating an online magazine, so it’s not just the performers who can get involved in our projects. All are welcome!”
The Soco official website.
The Soco Official Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/socomusicproject
People’s Millions article on Soco’s £50,000 grant.
http://www.peoplesmillions.org.uk/past-winners/hightown-studios
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