Bristol Sound music legends to collaborate in support of Trinity fundraising appeal
Utley, one third of 'Bristol Sound' founders Portishead will work with world-renowned musician and long-term collaborator of PJ Harvey, Parish, to create a new tract to help Trinity raise funds towards £0.5m essential repairs.
Speaking to Dave Thomas, Training Coordinator for Trinity’s youth music programme, John said; “Trinity’s been on the Bristol scene long as I’ve been living in Bristol...I remember from when I first went gigs around about the end of the 1970s, not long after it became a venue...now my daughters are coming to shows here.”
John continued; “It feels like it’s part of the fabric of the Bristol music scene...It’s also the the work you do, the community work, which is amazing.”
When asked why he was getting involved to support Trinity’s appeal, John said; “If I can help then I’d like to - a place like this is really worth hanging onto.
“You can see the way is city is being, as a lot of cities are, being redeveloped - sometimes for better...sometimes for worse...for instance, a studio where I’ve been doing a lot of work’s just been sold, being developed into apartments, which is happening to a lot of central city spaces.
“I feel it’s vital that we hang onto artistic and cultural spaces, because that’s what makes a city valuable...without those, the heart of the city will die.”
Adrian continued; “We really do need all our venues - whether they’re big ones like this or tiny clubs that people start in. In Bristol we tend to forge ahead in spite of what is happening to our studios and our spaces – which is a good thing; there’s a lot of energy for making music.
“I’ve been coming for years, seeing bands here. I’ve played here quite a few times.”
This is the first time the pair will work together on a musical project of this nature, and they are both looking forward to working together and supporting the Trinity Centre. Adrian said; “We’ve worked together but we’ve never actually written music together.”
The Trinity Anthem will be a unique piece of music to celebrate venue’s rich forty year musical heritage and will be the impetus to drive donations toward the charity’s Notes for Notes appeal.
Each £5 raised represents one virtual musical note. When the charity reaches 4,000 notes, Utley & Parish’s track will be released for download, under a ‘pay what you can’ music model; a model used by several artists including Radiohead, to give people the freedom to pay what they can afford towards the track, in support of Trinity’s ongoing capital works programme.
Talking about their favourite Trinity memories, Adrian spoke of when he performed at the converted church in the mid 1990s; “Playing here with Portishead, very early days...it was quite a different space...it was completely wicked and it was great to do it.”
John said; “I remember the first show I ever saw here, which was Magazine in 1980...astonishing gig. Astonishing atmosphere. Quite violent...but it was an amazing gig.”
If you would like to keep the Trinity Centre’s musical heritage alive, you can support with a donation to the Notes for Notes appeal via Just Giving.
Click here to read more about the Trinity Centre Conservation Project.
Images courtesy of Khali Photography