10cc and Hollie Cook

Komedia, Brighton and Prince Albert, Brighton

Wednesday, September 25

LAST year arena filling bands All Saints and Enter Shikari played two intimate shows on the same night - all to raise awareness for a good cause.

This year, in Brighton, 10cc and Hollie Cook will be doing the same.

The good cause in question is Nordoff Robbins, a charity that aims to change people’s lives using music therapy.

The organisation has partnered with bands across the country to put on small gigs as part of the Get Loud campaign.

The aim is to raise money that will help Nordoff Robbins continue its work and expand into more places.

It is also hoped that the shows will shine a light on the charity and make more people aware of the work it does.

As part of this year’s Get Loud, Seventies rockers 10cc will perform a tiny show at the Brighton Komedia, meanwhile former The Slits member Hollie Cook will headline an intimate evening at the Prince Albert.

Both shows are on Wednesday, September 25, and while tickets flew out the door the charity has urged fans to keep an eye out for any special release tickets that may go on sale before the shows.

Get Loud will see 12 bands and singers perform at 12 intimate venues across the country.

At the same time 10cc and Hollie Cook are on stage in Brighton, Louise Redknapp (London), Frank Turner (Portsmouth), Scouting for Girls (Harrow) and Sigala (Liverpool), will be performing their own tiny shows.

Other acts performing across the country on the night include: Fat Cops, Skindred, Nazareth, Reef, Akala and MNEK.

All the proceeds from every gig will go directly to Nordoff Robbins.

Last year’s shows were the first time Nordoff Robbins branched into Brighton, and the company’s chief executive Julie Whelan said the profile of the charity has been raised thanks to those performances.

She said: “Last year was amazing. It was our first time branching out into Brighton.

“Following the event we did a review to see the impact the shows had made.

“Last year we only had one music therapist in the area

“But now we’ve given two more of our therapists the chance to relocate.

“We have one who is already working with Dame Vera Lynn charity.

“We also started an open access project working with elderly people Henfield.

“We’ve started a new project with Rise [the Brighton charity that helps victims of domestic abuse] and we are working with the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital on the wards.

“We have come on leaps and bounds since last year, we will soon have six projects in the area.

“That is a hugely significant impact for us in the community.”

The success of last year’s shows in Brighton has helped Nordoff Robbins see how important local projects can be, and they now want to use the city as a model for how to branch into other areas.

Julie said: “We’ve committed our resources to making a difference not just in Brighton but across the country.

“Working with local charities is crucial for us

“We will take our work in the Royal Alex and work alongside other professionals who are trying to help the same people we are.

“That’s a much better way of helping than trying to do things separately.

“Rise is brilliantly known across Brighton so if we can be creative and bring our music therapy to their services it makes it better for locals who use the services.

“If we can bring something that works alongside local charities that is beneficial for everyone.

“All charities are out there trying to raise money but partnerships are sometimes more important in the long term.

“We can deploy our music therapists in a range of ways across all of our projects.

“It means we can look at where the greatest need is and where we can have the biggest impact.

“It also means we can use our resources to the best of their abilities.”

None of the artists performing on the Nordoff Robbins Get Loud shows take any kind of fee, and set up the shows off their own back.

It is this kind of support from the music industry that makes Julie delighted, because it shows the passion musicians have for wanting their work to help others.

She said: “We are so lucky that Nordoff Robins is massively supported by the music industry; labels, promoters and the artists.

“Songwriters probably use music therapy daily and we are so lucky that they are all giving us their time for free.

“With the range of artists we have we can spread our message across a number of audiences and many different music fans.”

Julie added that Nordoff Robbins is always on the hunt for new music therapists and that anyone interested in joining the team should contact them directly.

The charity is also looking for people to raise money for their work in next year’s Brighton Half Marathon - which takes place on February 23.

For more information on Nordoff Robbins and the work the charity does visit www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk