Ashley Partridge
If the Lincoln music scene had a Best Man, then he would be Elliott Morris. In February, he organised and played a cracking show with famous friends, InMe at the Library Bar on the University of Lincoln’s Brayford campus.
How would you say the solo stuff has gone so far?
Well I started about a year ago, almost to the day. I did my first show at The Cell in Lincoln. They asked me to play an acoustic set because they heard I did stuff on guitar, so I went and played a show. It went well and I got a taste for playing solo. I’ve had the most amazing year I could possibly have. I played with Fairport Convention, who’re a huge name in the folk scene, and with Newton Faulkner. I also played Party in the Park in front of ten thousand people.
Do you think that organising gigs like this will help the Lincoln music scene?
It bloody should. The idea is…if you look at Nottingham; they have Rock City and everyone plays Rock City. Then they’ve got Rescue Rooms, which is a step down and for bands that can’t fill Rock City but can sell out 400 tickets. Below that are the Maze and Junction 7, which are for bands just trying to crack it.
Lincoln has the student venues and the Engine Shed, which is like a vast gaping hole. It can only be filled by bands the size of Levellers and Razorlight. Lincoln just doesn’t have a venue that’s a step down from there. I’ve played the Library Bar four times, now. It’s a great venue but doesn’t do well with music, when it should. It’s in the heart of student accommodation. Lincolnshire needs music and this is the ideal venue. I’ve talked to them and they’re happy to have it going on here, if I can find them. This is my little rant now…but the Drill Hall are happy booking tribute artists and breaking even. Why do we need tribute artists when we’ve got so many amazing acts willing to come here?
Do you think doing it will also help you?
Yeah. The way I’m doing it…I’ve got acts that I think I can bring here and it helps me with contacts. Bands will say to each other ‘Oh I played in Lincoln with Elliott Morris’. It helps me because I can say to bands; “I’ve got a night to do, do you want to play it with me?”
Do you think people in Lincoln don’t care about music as much as other cities?
No, I believe people care. We’ve got 120 people….more than 120 people all having the best time of their lives, tonight. So many people have come up to me and saying “thanks”. People care, they’re just not given the opportunity with what Lincoln’s like at the moment. I’ve lived here since I was 11 or 12 and been listening to music for the same time, and I can’t believe that I’m the one that’s happened to build this. I’m happy to do it. I just look at it like I’ve planted the seed and watered it, it’s just a case of letting it grow.
You’ve done so well in your first year, what do you plan for your second?
I honestly don’t know. There’s a possibility of going back to college or Uni. I’ve built up a fan base and a scene here in Lincoln so I could step back from that and maybe try and break into a new scene but it would be difficult. I love the scene here and I don’t want to leave. There’s so many things that I want to push forward. I’m on a gap year at the moment and I could just take another gap year to keep building. We’ll see how it goes.
Upcoming gigs around Lincoln:
Dogma- May 7th
Library Bar- May 9th
Dogma- May 14th
Library Bar- May 16th
Dogma- May 21st
Dogma- May 28th
The Bivouac @ The Miller’s Arms- May 30th
The Mezz Bar- June 12th
Elliott’s first EP, Alone In The Dark is available now and he’s currently at work on his follow up. You can also find more about Elliott Morris on his website.