This Feeling joins up with Red Stripe for 2018 events

After a successful launch in 2017, UK promoters This Feeling and Red Stripe have announced their partnership for 2018 which will see 200 live club nights showcasing upcoming talent in over 40 live music venues across the UK, a new live stream element (to be announced), and an opportunity which will give non-performing talent their first leg up in the industry.

Red Stripe has a rich heritage and association counter culture in the UK, from being drunk by world famous bands such as The Clash to being served at iconic venues. Whilst over the past decade This Feeling has helped to spawn careers for acts such as Catfish and The Bottlemen and Blossoms, while also gaining celebrity endorsement from indie royalty including the Gallagher brothers and Paul Weller.

Following the partnership’s successful launch of new music online TV show ‘Red Stripe presents: This Feeling TV', which secured half a million views of performances by the likes of DMA'S, The Amazons, Tom Grennan, Bang Bang Romeo, Slaves and Rat Boy alongside interviews with Carl Barât, Martin Compston, Holly Willoughby and Abbey Clancy, it will return for four instalments in 2018 with Radio X presenter Gordon Smart at the helm.

Credit: Will Ireland

As well as the live shows, Red Stripe and This Feeling will announce details on a new, exclusive set of live streaming gigs in 2018. For the first time ever, the raucousness of the crowd and rattling of speakers that has become a traditional feature of This Feeling’s energetic shows, will be made available to fans digitally in real time, via Red Stripe’s Facebook page.

What’s more, the partnership is also expanding its Earn Your Stripes initiative, a programme for budding technical staff or students to gain valuable knowledge through work experience placements, with the aim of providing the UK’s next crop of Alan McGees and Rankins with a leg up in music.

Founder of This Feeling and flag bearer for grassroots music Mikey Jonns, who was recently described by Radio X as ‘the champion of rock ‘n’ roll’, said:

“In a climate which is neigh on impossible for new bands to break through or for anyone to give a care about them, with Red Stripe’s help This Feeling are able to revitalise the scene, not just in London, but entire UK.

"This Feeling is essentially a coalition of venues, bands, reps, DJs, managers, bloggers, photographers, and. of course, mad for it music fans, brought together by mutual love. And it's growing, the dots are joining, the zone is strong, it's a powerful force. We’re putting on 200+ shows this year and growing and improving #ThisFeelingTV. Everyone's wondering where the next Oasis or Kasabian are coming from well I know for a fact they're out there right now and 2018 is gonna be an amazing year for guitar music."

Izabela Glodek from Red Stripe said: “The brand has always had a rich association and heritage with indie music, and with Red Stripe Presents: This Feeling TV returning this year, on top of 200 lives shows and four live-streamed gigs from Pirate Studios, we expect 2018 to be one of the biggest and most exciting years for the brand to date.”

To stay tuned to all developments, visit the Red Stripe Twitter and Facebook for updates, and the This Feeling website.