Crash Records celebrate Next Big Thing anniversary

Now, as the weekly showcase – under which a different artist is featured on the store’s website and via its social media platforms – nears its first anniversary, Crash is planning a celebratory gig at Oporto in Leeds and has also issued a callout for more acts to apply.

Next Big Thing was the idea of Matthew Banks, the independent record store’s social media chief, who is also a member of the post-punk band Mince. “My own band started off around two years ago now and as we started playing it opened my eyes to how much great music there was in this Leeds scene,” he explains. “And then I thought Crash as a shop should be at the forefront of the music scene and be able to give back.

“We do all these (album launch) shows with bigger artists (at venues such as The Wardrobe), but where does that all start? It all starts in the grassroots of the local scene. We’ve got this great platform, especially on social media nowadays, where we’ve really got that reach and all of our followers are music lovers. So (the idea) is to give up-and-coming platforms to showcase their music.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of great things out there for them already and a lot of great promotions, BBC Introducing does a great job, but there are so many bands that it’s hard for everyone to get a shout. So Next Big Thing is just another way to give these artists a platform to spread what they’re about. It’s been fantastic so far, I never thought it would get this kind of reaction, but a year down the line we’ve got hundreds of applications. The hardest thing is sifting through them all, but it’s a good problem to have.”

While Banks is hopeful that such a showcase could help bands gain more attention, he has modest aims for the Next Big Thing. “It’s a tough thing to bridge that gap between doing it for a hobby and making things full-time,” he says. “Especially with the money involved in it now, it is tough for bands and it’s such a tricky thing to do. I think the main thing for these up-and-coming bands is that it should be a fun thing to do and then if anything comes of it that is absolutely incredible.”

That said, he believes that there are “more opportunities than ever” in Leeds with the opening of the EMI North label, “You’ve got to be in it to win it, and all these bands that have been featured do an incredible job of promoting themselves,” he says, adding that in the past year he’s enjoyed seeing some of the bands get onto festival line-ups. “One of our artists, Fine, got shortlisted for Glastonbury, little things like that that all add up,” he says. “It’s great to see them all thriving.”

On Friday October 11, Crash will stage a celebratory gig at the Leeds venue Oporto to mark the Next Big Thing’s first anniversary. Headlined by Coal Mob, the line-up also includes Bathing Suits and Private Reg, plus DJ sets by members of Crash Records’ staff. “It’s a real eclectic mix and I think that sums up what the Next Big Thing is all about,” says Banks. “It’s these fantastic bands that if you’re not so well versed on the local scene you wouldn’t have picked up on, but I think we’ve got a really good mix and I think it will be a really fun night.”

For more information on the Next Big Thing, visit: https://www.crashrecords.co.uk/pages/the-next-big-thing

For details on the gig, see: https://www.crashrecords.co.uk/products/the-next-big-thing-one-year-anniversary-11-10-24-oporto-bar-leeds