Jack Rocks continues to support grassroots music and venues
From Frank Sinatra to Motörhead's Lemmy, Jack Daniel's is the drink of music legends. It's an alliance that runs decades deep, having had the seal of approval from musicians across the ages.
And over the years, Jack Daniel's has returned the favour too, saluting the music industry and giving support to developing acts, small venues and independent artists.
Since its launch in 2014, Jack Rocks has held over 250 gigs around the UK, enjoyed by over 50,000 music-lovers, celebrating live music and the future heavyweights of the UK music scene. By supporting grassroots venues through Jack Rocks, Jack Daniel's is committed to championing the new, local talent that relies on these amazing spaces to hone their musical talent.
This October, Jack has rocked venues all over the UK alongside rock 'n' roll club night This Feeling, starting in Cardiff with The Shimmer Band and ending with Prides in Glasgow.
See Twin Atlantic play at St. Luke's, Glasgow on Wednesday the 30th November
In November, Jack Rocks Glasgow with an intimate gig curated by the city's own Twin Atlantic. Since releasing their fourth studio album GLA this autumn, the band has been busy touring the UK and Europe, with a three-date homecoming run scheduled in December at Glasgow's legendary Barrowland Ballroom. For their Jack Rocks Glasgow showcase, the foursome will play at St Luke's, the East End's most exciting music and arts venue, which was once St Luke's Parish Church. Tickets are only available to competition winners, and a crowd of 450 lucky fans will get the chance to catch the one-off gig on St Andrew's Day.
'We have worked with Jack Daniel's in the past and are looking forward to doing it again,' says Twin Atlantic's Sam McTrusty. 'They're about bringing rock music to cool venues, and we are all for that. St Lukes in Glasgow is a beautiful room.'
Celebrating grassroots venues
Through gigs like Jack Rocks, Jack Daniel's supports grassroots programmes. These important spaces face multiple threats, from licensing and planning to rising property prices. But steps are being taken to protect and develop these venues by the Music Venue Trust, whose Grassroots Investor project is part of a long-term strategy.
'With nearly 40% of our grassroots venues disappearing in the last five years, it has now become more important than ever to preserve and protect our remaining spaces,' says Gary Prosser of Music Venues Trust. 'Without these venues, artists like Coldplay and The Stone Roses would never have had a platform to grow into the arena bands they are today.'
For Gary, grassroots venues are not only important for the music scene in the UK but also for the wider arts industry. 'Great British music should have exceptional, world class facilities; that's what audiences deserve and it is what artists deserve,' Gary explains. 'We'd like to see a major investment programme across five years, supported by government and the music industry, to really give our grassroots music venues a boost. Sensible investment like this could really produce incredible economic, social and cultural results.'
Jack Daniel's was the Grassroots Investor project's first key partner, and through Jack Rocks they've pledged to support independent bands, venues and promoters all over the UK. Each Jack Rocks gig is carefully curated to make sure that the country's grassroots music scene can continue to thrive for years to come – and we'll raise a glass to that.
Enter at list.co.uk/jackrocks and win tickets to Jack Rocks Glasgow with Twin Atlantic at St Luke's.
Give a good performance. Please drink responsibly.
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