The whole concept of MRW is one I find very interesting. From my perspective they want to be the new NME, they want to achieve that level of influence but actually have influence unlike NME with their slowly diminishing fan base and unsatisfactory quality of journalism. The boys who run MRW hold a level of belief and enthusiasm about this project that its hard not to become inspired by their idea and drive to achieve it, though sometimes they may appear more drowsy than driven.

Having spoken to Conor and Adam after their pitch way back in September (or whenever it was, the date has escaped me), I was welcomed onto the MRW team with open arms. After putting over 30 hours of work into the creation of their online streaming site I think they began to see that I am as into the whole idea of MRW as they are, this definitely got me into their good books and I now find myself being consulted about big ideas, logos and decision making regarding the site as well as being kept well informed of goings on elsewhere in the company. I have to say this is a very good feeling. Even if MRW never actually takes off, knowing that my opinion matters even somewhat is drive to try and achieve as much as possible with them.

Anyway, where I was going with that was that after speaking to them I was given the opportunity to travel to London and film for a documentary they are creating on a band called Black Stone Cherry. I have to say the nearer I got to the event itself the more apprehensive I became. Am I good at filming? Will I get any shots? Will I embarrass myself? These worries became more and more pronounced once Laura and I arrived into London. I’m well acquainted with the venue we were working in (Shepherds Bush Empire) as my first ever gig, at a mere 6 months old was in the very same building back in 1998 when I saw The Cure and have been back many times since, so I knew this place was a big deal.

Upon arrival we were told that we would be running around on stage with cameras during their show. This was a terrifying thought for someone naturally inclined to stay as far away from actually being on stage as possible, so to begin I shot footage from afar with a triple zoom lensed camera (don’t quote me on that I’m not entirely sure what kind of camera it was). Eventually it was my turn to go on stage but by the point I’d built myself up to be confident enough to do it, I mean at the end of the day sure I’m running about in front of a crowd of 3000 people, but really they couldn’t care less, they’re not here to watch me. I was also put greatly at ease by being introduced to all of the band and the other professionals that I was working with. The gratitude we received from them for even being there made everything seem okay. We were doing them a favour, they were on our side, why wouldn’t they be?

The overall experience was one I’ll never forget, I learnt how important a strong relationship with your team and the band you’re working with is when you’re all working so closely together. My experience of working events previously has been of working for the event, rather than with the band, so this was an eye opener of how different the dynamics are. Politeness and basic manners and people skills go so far in these situations, as I already knew from past work artists are just people, and people like to be treated nicely and with respect. This is always how you get the most from someone.

Despite initial nerves this was one of the best experiences I’ve had since beginning my time at LIPA. I learnt even more how crucial teamwork and communication is at the same time as having a hell of a lot of fun and learning more about myself and where my talents lie, all thanks to MRW. Maybe one day with more practice I’ll look further into the prospect of filming as I gotta say the adrenaline rush of running around on stage was quite something. Onwards and upwards…