Done With DJs? Signpost Has The Simple Answer - Live Music

In a town oversaturated with student DJs, live music always feels like a breath of fresh air, especially free live music. Other than Jazz Night and Sandy’s Sessions there weren’t enough live music options until now, thanks to Signpost. Still in its infancy, Signpost had its debut in Aikman’s during Freshers’ Week. Initial collaborators include Ashvin Gupta, Danny Spiezio, Sage Purdon, and Palmer Lykes. The collective also hosts weekly karaoke nights and gigs at The Rule on Wednesday and Friday nights respectively.

I got to speak to one of the Signpost creators, Ashvin Gupta, who told me they did not expect a large turnout. However, for this event on September 20, attendance was no issue. When I entered The Rule around 9pm, I had to push through a crowd of people dancing in front of the band. Even the smoking area in front of the entrance was full of socialising groupies.

Because it was free entry, I felt like I could indulge in a couple of pints, not to mention discounted drinks courtesy of the MiXR app. As you entered The Rule, the band was almost immediately in sight, with the stage situated to the right of the bar. This did not leave much room to dance, but the vocals and instruments could be heard from most parts of The Rule. I decided to give my feet a rest and snag a coveted table in the upstairs area where I could sit, enjoy the music, and people-watch. 

The bands of the night were the Herons, Raincheck, and the one I got to hear, the Macaronis, who had just formed the week prior on the Signpost Messenger group chat. I classified their genre as ‘Dad Music’ with songs like ‘Paint it Black’, ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’, and more. Safe to say, the audience (and I) loved the selection. 

I discovered this event from a literal signpost where the flyer advertised live music from 7:30pm-12am at The Rule. Unfortunately, the event was cut short before SEREENA could perform because of technical issues. Most people cleared out after the live music was done, but a DJ took over immediately after. If the event had continued on all the way until 12am, it was still the perfect length, whether you had somewhere to be afterwards or if you just wanted a chill and early Friday night. 

Gupta reiterated that it is important for Signpost to keep the events free because people should not have to pay to listen to music. Making it a free event also gives the audience more agency, not feeling as if they have to stay the whole time because it costs money. As he said, even a £3 event could get you a meal from Tesco. So if you wanted to pop in for 10 minutes or 4 hours, you could do so at no cost. 

The event being free is so important; Signpost is paid for out of pocket by the team — including the rental for band equipment, and hopefully a printed publication in the future. This concept was founded on the importance and their love for music which is why you do not need any experience to write for the magazine or to be a musician.

Photo: Signpost