Music / people's front room
Step inside Bristol’s travelling musical front room
Amid the chaos of a busy British festival, one can sometimes dream of homely delights – a dry floor, a comfy seat.
If you’re lucky enough to find them, this is exactly what the People’s Front Room (PFR) offers – that and a huge range of some of the most exciting contemporary music in the UK.
Faith Gaiger-Roscoe, a member of PFR, explains that it is a “grassroots art collective that celebrates new music and supports developing artists”.
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Whether it’s improvised jams, Thai-fusion grooves, or something completely unexpected, every set is a moment waiting to happen – photo: The People’s Frontroom
Set up by Faith’s mother, Sarah, 20 years ago, the PFR combines the intimate physicality of a well-loved music venue or art gallery with the creative energy of artists, musical and visual, graphic designers and event planners.
As well as travelling around most of the major UK festivals, the PFR have taken over venues such as Loco Klub in Bristol, decorating it with their “classic decor of red velvet, hand made wall hangings, Papier-mâché creatures and foliage”.
Though they’ve travelled around a fair bit, Faith tells me that they remain in Bristol because of its art scene, which has an “amazing culture of cutting-edge music” and “attracts a lot of creative-minded people who want to engage in alternative structures around work”.
Even with this energy, it’s not always easy for artists to keep going: “Festivals are really struggling, particularly since COVID-19.”
As an independent non-profit, PFR is very conscious of the difficult financial climate – Faith says that for all its members it’s a “complete labour of love”.
With that love comes high hopes for the future, the PFR are looking to expand, with new festivals in their horizons and, as ever, the prospect of finding more musicians to join their ranks.
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The collective can next be seen hosting their very own stage at Shambala Festival in August.
Main photo: Kate Bamber
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