London artistes find new hope, excitement as live music returns to the city post-pandemic
The return of live music in the city that produced bands from the Rolling Stones to the Spice Girls has reignited the creativity of some of London’s many working artists after 14 months of silence.
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Step by step — and note by note — London’s many musicians are getting back to work and preparing to perform new music under new public guidelines. The return of live music in the city that produced bands from the Rolling Stones to the Spice Girls is reigniting the creativity of some of London’s many musicians and songwriters after 14 months of silence. | In the picture: Musician Iacopo Bertelli, front, stage name Jack Milwaukee, and Francesco Perini, stage name Pearz, at keyboards, play live on stage in front of a socially distanced crowd at the Moth Club in Hackney, in London, on Sunday, 30 May, 2021. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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Jack Milwaukee says his inspiration to create new music was reduced to zero during the pandemic but returned once the road map for reopening was clear. Working artists started playing again across London on 17 May, but to small, socially distanced crowds. | In the picture: Bertelli, left, and Perini, play live on stage at Moth Club in Hackney, in London. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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Milwaukee, a 31-year-old Italian multi-instrumentalist whose real name is Iacopo Bertelli, put out his third album in late January 2020, less than two months before Britain’s first coronavirus lockdown. “The Visionary,” was released under his solo project M!R!M — pronounced M-R-M. | In the picture: Bertelli, left, and Perini, play live on stage at Moth Club in Hackney, in London. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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Milwaukee performed last week on stage at the Moth Club in the East End of London with 36-year-old Francesco Perini on keyboards. The pair played a series of four socially distanced shows in three days to a crowd that averaged 70. | In the picture:Perini sanitises his keyboards prior to his live socially distanced performance at the Moth Club in Hackney, in London, on Sunday, 30 May, 2021. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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Perini, like Milwaukee is an Italian based in London, also has a fulltime job at an optician’s shop. After being furloughed and finding himself at home with too much free time, he says he started seeking solace from alcohol. | In the picture: Bertelli sanitises his microphone prior to his live socially distanced performance at the Moth Club in Hackney, London, on Sunday, 30 May, 2021. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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But during the second part of 2020, the experienced musician and member of Italian psychedelic rock band The Hacienda turned some ideas into music. He says the process, spending up to eight hours a day writing and recording, has been a huge relief in terms of getting him back to a regular daily routine. | In the picture: Musicians Iacopo Bertelli, stage name Jack Milwaukee, left, and Francesco Perini, stage name Pearz, pose backstage at the Moth Club in Hackney, prior to their live show on stage, in London, on Sunday, 30 May, 2021. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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The burst of creativity even led to his first solo project, Pearz, and his first solo singles. Milwaukee’s songwriting ability also came back strong. Besides splitting his time as a sound technician at venues around London, he has started to write and record his fourth album. | In the picture: People wear face masks as they enter the Moth Club in Hackney, prior to their live show on stage, in London, on Sunday, 30 May, 2021. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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And with lockdown measures progressively being eased in London, Milwaukee can look forward to a European tour, which is scheduled to put him on stage in venues across the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and France. He’ll also get the chance to perform in countries where M!R!M’s success is growing, such as Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. | In the picture: A waitress collects drinks whilst wearing a face mask at the Moth Club in Hackney, prior to their live show on stage, in London, on Sunday, 30 May, 2021. Photo via The Associated Press/Alberto Pezzali
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