The Big Weekends Boost to Preston -
One Year On

A year later and the impact of Radio 1’s Big Weekend is still being felt in Preston.

Thanks to the event in May last year, the city has seen a rise in its profile as a place to come and play music.

Radio1’s event boosted the economy by 5million pounds. It is still having an impact today and it is thanks to the Big Weekend that the city’s smallest venues can now offer big names the chance to come and play.

The Mystery Jets visit to Preston last week was a prime example of this. Currently embarking on their UK tour the band took time out to come and spend a ‘day in the life’ of a student in the city.

The event which took place on the 5 March brought much publicity to Preston’s University and surrounding music venues.

Playing a one off acoustic gig in Source bar on the University campus, the band showed why Preston is such a great attraction for many musicians.

With the city’s abundance of students and lively music scene highlighted by Radio1’s Big Weekend, it’s a perfect place for artists to play to pact crowds. All of this adding to the city’s growing reputation as a great centre for music.

Within the past year big names to hit Preston include Dizzee Rascal, Reverend and the Makers, The Hoosiers and even Kate Nash.

We are Scientists played Preston’s Kolor on 18 April which is one of the city’s smallest music venues. The American stars hailing from Claremont, California can usually be found playing main arena tours and festivals across the world.

Nick at Cool Delta records said, ‘Preston is viewed as a really cool little place at the moment. I think it’s due to the amount of students, it’s just buzzing with life. Yeah Radio1’s Big Weekend has highlighted this, but also the fact that it has one of the best student union venues in the country is a massive draw for artists.’

‘Bigger names like to play smaller venues because it takes them back to their routes. Preston is a great place for this as it has so many hidden little venues such as the Action Records gigs, Kolor Bar and Source - as the Mystery Jets played.’

This rise in the city’s music profile has added to Preston’s lure and charm. With more and more students arriving each year, let’s hope the impact can live on.

Mystery Jets Website

Mystery Jets Blog

We Are Scientists Website

Cool Delta Music Promotions Website

Diary Entry - ‘A day in the Life’ – the Mystery Jets
Katey Walker

The anticipation was building, the atmosphere was bubbling all in the name of The Mystery Jets.
Source was packed to the rafters with students that had heard the wave of excitement spreading across the campus like lightning.

With their arrival came an explosion of giggling girls, guitars and a guaranteed cracker of a set. Once a sound check was out of the way, Blaine, Will, Kai and Kapil took to the stage like the pro’s that they are.

Inviting the crowd to come and sit at the front creating an atmosphere as if they were playing in your front room.

The band played a set compiling of 5 songs, with the haunting vocals of Blaine and Will combined with the skilful guitar, backing vocals and beat provided by the other boys, this was a snippet of The Mystery Jets not to be missed.

After their long journey from London the only thing that seemed to be keeping the band going was the supply of Corona and a sense of the anticipation before them, to which they replied superbly.

Chatting to members of the audience after the gig the band provided a chilled atmosphere, no restrictions like normal gigs, the band were a part of the crowd, the crowd felt as if they’d known The Mystery Jets all of their lives.

Young Love Acoustic featuring UCLAN's Zoe

The scene settled after their performance and a sense of normality ran through source once more. A few remnants of the audience stuck around in a desperate bid to find out where the Jets would be moving next.

Student radio station ‘Frequency 1350’ competition winner Josh was now to escort the band to one of his favourite of haunts – The Adelphi.

Obviously hungry from their journey and in need of more Corona the boys set about taking the Adelphi’s menu apart. Ordering everything from salads, burgers and chocolate fudge cake they settled in to Preston style University life pretty well!

Chatting about girlfriends, artistic preferences, music taste, fashion and life in general, the band showed everyone that their not just musically talented but rather intelligent as well.

The Adelphi was packed and the atmosphere was surreal

Having a packed schedule for the day the Jets where soon whisked off to UCLAN’s Frequency 1350 studio where they were subsequently grilled by Tight Squeeze DJ and man in the know, Mr. J Silcock.

The one off hour special ran smoothly, with the band selecting an eclectic mix of electro, indie and all things new in music.

Interview with the Mystery Jets

Later into the evening and a scheduled DJ set from the Jets was taking place, the Mad Ferret was alive with music. With Kai, Blaine and Kapil taking the reins over the DJ box and the bar! They soon had the place kicking and screaming with electro beats, outrageous mixes and a taste of indie anthems that pleased everyone.

What a day it had been, home time for everyone and as last orders at the bar rang the night was finally at an end.

Kipping down in student accommodation was all part and parcel of the extraordinary day that had been planned for the band. They were back home at Foundry Court by 2.30, blow up beds, a few sleeping bags and a comfy sofa – happy days!

No wild parties, no groupies, no noise, as Kai said goodnight it was finally ‘sleepy time’ for everyone. Tea and toast the following morning and it was all over, whisked away by their tour bus the Jets had been and gone. – A day in the life of the Mystery Jets.

Mystery Jets Tour - Dates and Venues


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Radio1 Banner - taken from skiddle
We are Scientists photograph - taken from showclix

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