In 1976, Geoff Travis started a shop that would change the face of music in the UK. This show celebrates 40 years of the independent music spirit, with a concert featuring collaborations between three artists associated with Rough Trade’s early years and three adventurous counterparts who have emerged more recently.
Reflecting the spirit of community and co-operation that is at the heart of the Rough Trade ethos, these three collaborations bridge the gap between different generations of artis...
In 1976, Geoff Travis started a shop that would change the face of music in the UK. This show celebrates 40 years of the independent music spirit, with a concert featuring collaborations between three artists associated with Rough Trade’s early years and three adventurous counterparts who have emerged more recently.
Reflecting the spirit of community and co-operation that is at the heart of the Rough Trade ethos, these three collaborations bridge the gap between different generations of artists and eras of music to create new sounds – exploring the connections between John Grant’s brooding ballads and Wrangler’s dark-edged electronica, Scritti Politti’s art-pop and Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip’s future dance sounds, and The Pop Group & Protomartyr’s shared post-punk aesthetic.
Starting out life as a record store in West London but growing, splintering and evolving into the multifaceted entity that gave us the likes of The Smiths, The Raincoats, Cabaret Voltaire and many more, Rough Trade captured the DIY spirit of the time, influencing subsequent generations of likeminded musicians. This concert takes place as part of a series of discussions, debates and performances across London that a closer look at the company, its legacy, and just how much the music industry has changed over the course of its existence.
In addition to the evening concert there will be spoken word and pop-up performances as well as sessions as part of the Battle of Ideas festival earlier in the day and a Rough Trade pop-up shop.