Event Review: GRD Floor Project

Tucked away under the arches of Southwark Bridge, the Union Theatre typically showcases theatre productions. On the last week of January, however, they hosted their first GRD Floor event, showcasing an array of young and budding musicians. Harvey successfully coordinated a community-oriented event that embraced those who care about artistry, aiming to open up an industry renowned for its exclusivity. We were spectators to a chaotic procession of people running backwards and forwards - sound and light testing, taking photographs and warming up vocals. Crucially, it was this energy and musical passion that drove the show. 

The participants comprised production students, young music school artists and even Harvey’s mother. By recruiting production art and stage management students from Dagenham College to work back-of-house, Harvey sentimentally honours his hometown. Every component of the show was driven by a keen sense of community. It was a privilege to witness all of these vital components come together in the live performance. Harvey’s love for cultivating new talent came through - not just on-stage artistry, but behind the scenes too. 

“The whole point of theatre is that it’s live”. This sentiment rings true for all live performances alike - be it a theatre show or a music showcase housed in a theatre venue! Undoubtedly there were mishaps and malfunctions - whether it be a wrong backing track or a faulty microphone - but this only contributed to an authentic environment. Every misstep prepares up-and-coming artists for the potential to deal with these same issues in a pressured environment such as in front of a live audience. This is the essence of live entertainment, paying homage to the cliched yet true adage: ‘The show must go on’. GRD Floor embodies resilience and positivity, nurturing the spirit of new musicians. The musicians and crew worked together as a unit. Everyone had a role to play and was praised. They were efficient and optimistic in the face of challenges.

The event was the product of a several-month-long program, which begun with the artists being given a variety of musical beats. These were used as the basis for several of the collaborated pieces within the showcase. Granted, not all of these were performance-ready because songwriting is an ongoing process. Preserving the songwriting exercise is an important tribute to the artistry of music. Each artist performed a solo set - showcasing covers as well as original music - demonstrating a range of vocal and musical abilities and contributing to an overall dynamic display. It was interesting to hear that GRD provided songwriting tuition with industry professionals in preparation for the showcase. This hard work was seen in the end product, a testament to GRD Floor’s ethos of establishing more accessible routes for young creatives in the industry. This forges connections and support networks amongst singer-songwriters and musicians. Creative free-lance work is more often than not inconsistent. The industry is unpredictable and often fickle. Establishing these relationships opens doors to new career opportunities instilling resilience in artists to continue pursuing their craft. 

Each performer was entirely distinct from the next. For instance, Jelia was distinguished by classical piano ballads which juxtaposed Chiara who exhibited a Pop/RnB style. This contrast came together nicely with an experimental duet of ‘We Can’t Be Friends’. A love for songwriting was clear, passion almost palpable behind the stories driving the lyrics. Gxdeon was distinctly unique. As Harvey put it so aptly, his music was “atmospheric” - a sound with Gospel influences, achieving an almost ethereal tonality. His musical knowledge and support for other artists shone through in his re-imagining of ‘Session 32’ by Summer Walker. ‘Thoughts over Session 32’ marked a strong performance, as Gideon added his very own spin to another artist’s work. Teodora closed the set with a poignant performance. My favourite performance of the evening was her traditional Balkan song, showcasing impressive flute skills alongside her band. Teodora’s bandmates were unified in their support for her. This cultural performance exemplifies the notion that the future of music can be intertwined with tradition and custom. It is important to see younger generations engaging with heritage, amplifying knowledge of previously marginalised and underrepresented histories through the creative medium of music. Not only was her vocal control and songwriting unique, but her stage presence was impressive. She displayed confidence, encouraging the audience to sing along with her. Similarly to Gxdeon, Teodora transformed a cover of Billie Eilish’s song ‘The Greatest’ into its own entity. The ability to make such an established artist's work one's own is a difficult feat to achieve and should be celebrated. 

All of the performers showed passion for their craft and GRD fostered a safe environment for up-and-coming artists to grow. I think the concept of this event was well developed, an excellent way to introduce and evolve the future generations of the music industry.  Better still, I was honoured to have been asked by Harvey to sign the ‘crew’ vinyl souvenir. This action solidified the event's purpose in commemorating the community, immortalising the event. Overall, it was the positivity that GRD encompassed that was the defining feature of the night. The artists, crewmembers and audience alike were full of praise and appreciation for one another. It is  due to the likes of GRD that the future of the music industry is bright.