LIPA Night at The Bedford Tuesday October 31st, 8.30pm Starring (in alphabetical order): Kate Cague Tom Grant & Greenwich Resident Kristian Kvael Paul McDowell Katie Miller Arne Vatnoy Juan Zelada (SongLink/LIPA prize winner) Plus Special Guests: Susan Black Jon Green Hosted by Tony Moore At The Bedford 77 Bedford Hill London SW12 9HD (Nearest tube/BR: Balham) Free Admission Doors open 7.30pm - Show starts 8.30pm Full menu available - table bookings welcome. NB: You don't have to eat in order to book seats. Tel: 020 8682 8940 http://www.thebedford.co.uk

A special Halloween night of songs and music by current and former students of LIPA, the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (Lead Patron: Sir Paul McCartney), which recently celebrated its 10th Anniversary, and also a UK No. 1 single and album by former student Sandi Thom.

SongLink editor/publisher David Stark has maintained a close relationship with LIPA over the last few years, not only awarding the SongLink Prizes to two outstanding students at Graduation Day, but also giving Master Classes and arranging for some of the UK's best-known songwriters and composers to do likewise - most notably Guy Chambers, and next month Cathy Dennis and Pam Sheyne.

In July this year, David was made a Companion of LIPA by Sir Paul McCartney, for his "dedication to furthering the careers of the talented musicians who study at LIPA." Some of the finest young up-and-coming singers, songwriters and musicians pass through LIPA's doors each year, as well as producers, engineers, actors, & actresses, theatre and sound designers etc. Many of them have gone on to achieve success in their chosen sector of the entertainment industry, such as Sandi Thomas who achieved a No. 1 album and single with "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)."

Following a highly successful debut LIPA Night at The Bedford last year, SongLink is proud to present what is sure to be another evening of musical delights, which will also be attended by LIPA Founding Principal and CEO, Mark Feathersone-Witty; Music Programme Leader Martin Isherwood; and Music Lecturer Eddie Lundon, who was the writer/singer/guitarist & founder member of China Crisis.

RSVP if possible or just turn up on the night.
Contact: David Stark, david@songlink.com - tel: 020 7794 2540 / mobile: 07956 270592
http://www.lipa.ac.uk | http://www.songlink.com | http://www.thebedford.co.uk

ARTIST BIOGS & LINKS

KATE CAGUE [http://www.myspace.com/kateclague]
I'm 20 and was born and raised in Canada... I moved around a lot until I was 12 (Dundas, Thunder Bay, Edmonton etc) and then moved to the Isle of Man. Currently residing in Liverpool, attending LIPA in the hope of gaining a BA HONS degree in contemporary music by June 2007. I've been a singer / songwriter for as long as I can remember, it's kind of inherent... I've been playing piano since I was 6 and took up guitar when I was 14. I always think it's funny when people say, 'I've been singing for many years' because singing's pretty much like talking isn't it? I've done it forever. I'm inspired by a lot of things... Music, life, words, books, my boyfriend, my friends, my family, travelling.

TOM GRANT / GREENWICH RESIDENT [http://www.myspace.com/greenwichresident]
In late 2004, Tom Grant moved from the suburbs of Canada to Liverpool, to study music at LIPA. Having written a handful of charming songs and with no one to sing them to, he began playing open mics. This is where Andrew Grevey (DC) and Jostein Austvik enter the picture. They started playing together almost instantaneously, finding each others style and learning to compliment it with their own. Along came Ben Cannings, who took a liking to the band, and felt he could add something special. He went out and found a lap steel guitar at a car boot sale for £27, and was welcomed with open arms. Their sound is hard to place, but feels endlessly familiar upon first listen. Tom's vocal delivery lays somewhere within the realms of Elliott Smith's fragility, but can also echo the sometimes destructive aloofness of Stephen Malkmus.
As a band, the four members have such a wide variety of influences and backgrounds- Johnny Cash, Frank Zappa, The Unicorns, Elliott Smith, The Appleseed Cast, DJ Shadow, Tool and Pavement just to name but a few! Their sound may be reminiscent of various bands and artists, but at the end of the day, only sound like themselves. Asking them, they have a hard time placing themselves in a genre, and instead offer descriptive words: distinctly un-British. But entirely evolving...
October 2006 sees the band release their first official album entitled 'I Hid My Heroes', a five track EP that documents the growth and maturation of a group determined to cement firm their place as a credible musical talent.

KRISTIAN KVAEL
Kristian started playing the guitar when he was 16. He has been writing songs since day one. After 6 months he started his 3 year long music studies in North Norway. September 2003 he moved to Trondheim and studied 1 year with jazz guitar and song writing. November that year he competed in a song writing competition in Trondheim and he finished 3rd out of 40 songs. Kristian has been the writer and lead singer for several bands, but it was at LIPA he found himself as the singer songwriter he is today. His music is inspired by artist like; Jack Johnson, Teitur, Thomas Dybdahl and Norah Jones.

KATIE MILLER [http://www.myspace.com/katiemiller1]
Katie is a 19 year old singer/songwriter from Manchester who defines her style as a blend of Soul/R&B with some jazz flavours. She is currently in her 2nd year at LIPA in Liverpool. Her most high profile gig was at the Hammersmith Carling Apollo in London- July 05, where she performed as a support act for Oggie Alcasid and Vena Morales, two major Filipino artists. Her most memorable performance, is from the Summer Pop Symphony in Lubeck Germany- June 05, where she was able to perform her song Oh Boy to a superb string arrangement (by LIPA graduate, Christian Badzura), this was amongst many cover hits arranged for full orchestra and performed to a great crowd of over 500. Currently, Katie is rehearsing with a band and will be set to gig around a few local Liverpool venues very soon.

ARNE VATNOY [http://www.myspace.com/arnevatnoy] Arne Vatnoy grew up in a small town in eastern Norway. Since early days, he's been writing songs, using the piano as an important tool. After being in several more or less successful collaborations, he decided to go solo and set up a singer/songwriter career, playing gigs around Liverpool. His music is influenced by just about everything in his CD-collection, e.g. Rufus Wainwright, Tori Amos, Pearl Jam, Thomas Dybdahl, Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave and many more. Arne is currently also playing keys in Lydia Johnsen's back-up band, as well as being the keyboard player of the funk-pop band Khandell.

JUAN ZELADA [http://www.myspace.com/zeladaband] [http://www.songlink.com/2006b.html]
Juan Zelada has been writing songs since the age of 9. After moving to Liverpool in 2003, he set up a trio band playing with talented Norwegian musicians, first called El Triangulo. The band then became "Zelada", and now has become a solo effort. The album "Pitinga" was recorded both at the Sennheiser and George Martin Studios in LIPA, Liverpool. His influences are Sting, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, James Taylor and more recent names such as Ben Folds, Dave Matthews or Josh Rouse to name a few. Though based in England (now London), Juan still maintains his Spanish routes very much alive, writing also in Spanish. At Graduation Day in July 2006 he was one of two recipients of the SongLink Prize, along with Tord Oyverlund Knudsen, who unfortunately cannot be present tonight. (Track 1 "Tree House" on the SongLink CD Autumn 2006)

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS:

SUSAN BLACK [http://www.myspace.com/susanblackuk]
Susan Black is a totally unique artiste who defies the usual categorisation as she performs effortlessly in a diverse range of styles. She is a true show-stopper with a truly extraordinary voice, who amazes audiences everywhere with its incredible richness and quality, whether she is performing her own material (somewhere between Kate Bush and Freddie Mercury), interpreting classic songs, doing her 50's jazz/blues thing, or hitting the high notes perfectly on classical crossover pieces.
Wherever she performs, the reaction is the same: "Susan - you are just incredible." And she is - not to mention funny, camp, charismatic, vibrant and sexy. But it's that voice which, once heard, is never forgotten: Susan is a true one-off, a sparkling jewel in a sea of mediocrity, and a genuinely original talent who has the magical power of delighting her audiences beyond all expectations.

JON GREEN [http://www.blujay.co.uk]
Former LIPA student Jon is a remarkably talented and prolific singer-songwriter. Many of his compositions take you back to what you liked about great music in the first place. His songs draw on a diverse selection of musical styles, rich in melodic content, memorable hooks and a nagging chorus lines. Having regularly performed at London's renowned Kashmir Club (now The Bedford). Jon has spent the last year before joining BLUJAY honing his compositional talents to a fine edge (culminating in writing the hit song 'Songs in the Key of You' recorded by act KAVO.
At a mere 25 years of age, the maturity and craftsmanship in Jon's compositions out strip most others. Also a gifted multi-instrumentalist, Jon believes in writing songs the way they used to, with instruments, voices & inspiration. Taking his cue from fine songwriters such as Ryan Adams, Elvis Costello, Neil Finn & Bruce Springsteen. Jon combines his many talents to compose timeless music that has already gathered him enviable recognition on the London writers circuit. Jon has also co-written tracks on the new Lucie Silvas CD which is currently No. 1 in Holland, and is performing live with her there.