Boris is doing a great deal to make life worse for young Londoners, but here is one small way in which he is trying to make amends.
Gigs is a music festival which is open to London-based musician aged 11-25. There are three categories: •Youth, for performers aged 11-15; •Soloists & Duos, for those aged 11-25; •Groups, for 2-20 members, aged 11-25. All styles are welcome, from pop to classical, to hip hop to folk.
Shortlisted acts will take part in live performances at Gigs busking pitches at high profile locations, including at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westfield London W12, as well as at major rail and Tube stations. The closing date for entries is 1st June and the best acts – as chosen by expert industry judges and the Gigs public vote – will go head-to-head in the Gigs Grand Final at Westfield, Stratford on Sunday, 7th September.
The downside is that if you win, you’ll probably have to put up with Boris patronising you a bit in front of the media. However, there are prizes which are worth having: a licence to busk on the London Underground and the chance to play on the streets of Paris, courtesy of Eurostar. Other prizes include: a performance training package from The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance; an all-expenses paid gig at the Matala Beach Festival in Crete June 2015; recording sessions at a top professional studio; coaching from chart-topping songwriters; a Gibson guitar and other music equipment; exciting performance opportunities and specialist industry advice to help them towards a career in music; and the inaugural Gigs 2014 Songwriter Award sponsored by PRS for Music.
Boris Johnson said: “In the music capital of the world, one of my biggest passions is supporting talented youngsters.” He may be passionate about supporting talented youngsters, but he supports a Government which has taken away the small bursaries that helped disadvantaged youngsters stay on in further and higher education. Don’t be fooled by the jovial “I’m only a harmless old buffoon” act: he’s a dangerous right winger.