Song for Bristol.qxp_Layout 7 01/03/2021 09:24 Page 1
City spring-song: the window for public submissions is now closed, with compositions soon to be finalised
A song for the whole city
The seismic events of the past year have sparked creativity across the country. Bristol Beacon is working on a project promoting togetherness while we’re apart, calling on citizens to channel their feelings into words and music
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nspired by the mass singing events held at Bristol Beacon – then, of course, known as Colston Hall – during the Second World War, ‘A New Song For Bristol’ is a project aiming to bring the city together (figuratively rather than physically) through music and the public’s creative responses to this historic past year. The pieces submitted have been collected into a living archive, as part of Bristol Beacon’s heritage exhibitions for the venue’s reopening. Some have also been hand-picked as the inspiration for new pieces of music by Bristol-based artists including This Is The Kit, Bucky, Lady Nade, Kayla Painter, Javeon, Solomon O.B and composer, musician and associate director of Paraorchestra, Lloyd Coleman. With the window for submissions now closed, the artist collective’s compositions are due to be finalised by early spring. “A New Song For Bristol is inspired by Bristol Beacon’s long history of being a place for local communities to voice their views of the world and make music together,” said Cathy Mager, creative producer of Bristol Beacon’s Lantern Project, of the desire to ignite the fire of creativity, find ways to feel connected, draw on the extraordinary power of music and bring the city closer. “When you read about how the city was locked down at the outbreak of World War II and the entertainment ban, the parallels are striking between then and now. It was heartening to learn about how the venue and its team played such an important role in raising morale.” The team wanted to encourage Bristolians to express themselves through words, music or song, share their experiences, and keep “that Bristol spirit” alive. The project is the first major artistic expression of the ‘transformation promise’ which pledges the ways in which Bristol Beacon strives to be a symbol of hope and community for everyone. Creative workshops were held online by the artist collective, who collaborated with community groups across the city to help create submissions. These include In My Dreams, a song by surgeon Rebecca Little who suffered with PTSD during lockdown and found composing songs helped her recover; a poem by Kelly Smith who 32 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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MARCH 2021
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cleans at St Peter’s Hospice in Bristol, written as some light-hearted humour to lift the spirits of her team; and Reece Pennington-Field’s poem about his lockdown experience while living with foster parents Mark and George. Singer-songwriter Hannah Wood felt inspired by Bristol’s vibrant music and art scene. “Before the pandemic, you could walk into any little venue and have an amazing time listening to people’s music and stories,” she says. “Even though we can’t do that now, I’m struck by all the positivity that I see around on a daily basis; the encouraging messages people leave in their windows and warm smiles shared by strangers on socially distanced walks. It’s nice to see that Bristol is still Bristol despite the difficulties that this year has brought with it.”
It’s a nice time capsule project; all of these stories and poems and songs fossilised in one joint song that serves as a kind of bug in the amber of this year’s specific tree sap
Kate Stables of alt-rock/folk rock band This Is The Kit had the honour of reviewing the creative offerings for her composition. “The submissions that we’ve been going through and reading and listening to have all been incredible,” she says. “It’s been very moving to see the generosity and honesty of the people who have participated; putting so much time and energy and love into what they submitted. For me this song is about celebrating the people of Bristol and their stories and lives. It’s been a weirdo tough year and, in a way, the last thing anyone wants is a song about
