Lowestoft Live Presents: Mariners Matinee

Looking for the perfect Sunday? You'll find it at the Mariners Rest in Lowestoft, where Lowestoft Live are curating a brand new event: Mariners Matinee. Bringing together the best of local up-and-coming acoustic acts in the fresh summer climes of the Mariners' beautiful beer garden, this monthly afternoon event is where you will find pure undiluted musical sunshine. 

If you'd like to be considered for a slot at Mariners Matinee, send us an email at contact@lowestoftlive.co.uk and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Sophie The Great is an Ipswich singer-songwriter who is passionate about sharing her music with others, with influences including Lizzy Mcalpine, Bruno Major, Eloise and Phoebe Bridgers. 

Maple Ward is a singer-songwriter based in Norwich whose music is driven by her desire to process and express her emotions. Her songs are known for their raw honesty and vulnerability, inviting listeners to connect with her personal experiences through her lyrics. 

Emi of Eastwick is an exciting acoustic guitar and vocal duo who have cut their teeth at our open mic nights and have a great blend of originals and covers to share.

This Is Dave, similarly to Emi of Eastwick, has grown in stature through our open mic nights, and will bring his progressive originals to the stage for his first live performance.

It will be wonderful to be back in the comforting arms of the Mariners beer garden for this one, as ever, it's free entry, so why not come enjoy some live music in a sunny beer garden on a Sunday afternoon?

Your friends in Lowestoft Live are delighted to present the second ultra-cool laid back free entry acoustic afternoon at The Mariners Rest, an event we are calling Mariners Matinee! We are incredibly excited for this one!

 With a name that not only pokes fun at the seemingly grimy underbelly of their home town, but also simultaneously pays homage to some of their ska-punk influences, Stank Finger are sure to get people talking before even playing a single note.  Heralding from the seaside town of Great Yarmouth, this unstoppable, catchy quartet have been ripping up stages up and down the country, gaining incredible feedback for their high energy performances, crowd interaction, and sweet soaring harmonies.  Combining knowledge from years of extensive touring, James Pendle (Ex Millie Manders & The Shutup), and Liam Osborne (Ex Infa Riot) recruited their great friends, Michael Porter and Damien Lown, and set about their mission to create feel-good skanking ska punk hits.  Following a successful 2022 including numerous live appearances, and radio play, Stank Finger head into the studio in Spring 2023 to record their debut full length album.  Never content with resting on their laurels, James, Ozzy, Mick & Damo look to continue their relentless momentum, bringing the fun back into the punk scene after a torrid time for musicians and venues alike. 

At the age of 11, Paul Gillings heard the harmonica for the very first time whilst sitting round a campfire at a Boy Scout cook-out. The harmonica was being played by his Scoutmaster at the time: Norman Ives. A bunch more of the scouts became interested in the harmonica and pretty soon they had enough for a full harmonica group. Norman Ives met with David Michelsen (AKA Dr Midnight) and between them started 'Harp Start' a free harmonica school for underprivileged children. The kid's harmonica group 'Random Sound' appeared at Glastonbury Festival and appeared on many national and international TV shows including 'Jool's Holland's Happening'. Paul and Random Sound were also invited to appear on Disney's 'Mickey Mouse Club' during a US tour in 1990 to accept a 'Golden Mickey' award for outstanding talent, they also appeared on TNN's 'Nashville Now' and CBS' 'Good Morning America' in New York.

In 1993 Paul won the World Harmonica Championships in the Youth Blues/Rock section. That year Paul received an endorsement from Lee Oskar and became a Lee Oskar Preferred Player, Lee also invited Paul to play 'Why Can't We Be Friends' with the band WAR at the Jazz Cafe in Camden. Paul also appeared on the UK Children's programme 'Blue Peter'. Paul, Norman and David then toured as the harmonica group 'The Midnight Specials'. In 2016 Paul appeared on BBC's 'The One Show' playing 'House of the Rising Sun' with 'The Harpoon Blues Band'. 

Paul's solo acoustic album 'You Don't Even Know' was released in 2019. The album received a large amount of radio play and got to number 9 in the International Blues Broadcasters Association (IBBA) chart. 

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In 2020 Paul's electric Blues album 'Invisible Prison' was released, featuring a full-band production. This self-produced album was recorded at Paul's home in Lowestoft with the guitar, bass, vocals and harmonica all being played by him. Only the drums were left to someone else! In May 2020 Paul became a endorser for Seydel, the world's oldest harmonica company. 'Invisible Prison' was the IBBA pick of the Month for August and reached number 4 in their chart that month. The track '3 Heads Are Better Than One' from the album was featured on Cerys Mathews' Blues Hour on BBC Radio 2. Invisible Prison also reached number 5 in the Roots Music Report chart. 

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Danny R & Paul Gillings released the acoustic EP 'The Cafe Studios EP' in 2021 that receives regular radio play and led to them being signed to Bad Monkey Records in 2021. The acoustic duo also continually tour up and down the UK.

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Released on 1st March 2022 on Bad Monkey Records, 'Mr Smith' is Paul's third studio album. 'Mr Smith' is a full on indie/rock/blues album that pushes the boundaries and expectation of the harmonica as an instrument and Paul as a songwriter. 

Rev. Moon is the moniker and new acoustic EP title of singer-songwriter and veteran musician Peter Stopforth.

Presenting his collection of original songs which are indisputably stories filled with truth and heart, Peter is a superb musician and has recruited a couple of local musos to help, namely Paul Gillings on harmonica for the opening track and Roop Murphy on double bass and mandolin for the whole EP! 

All My Youth is the musical vehicle of emo-tinged acoustic singer songwriter Amy French, who released the acclaimed EP Acting Up in 2018, the proceeds of which went to charity to help feed people in need, with backing vocals from Matt Beauchamp. The EP was recorded @ Rad Times Studio and produced by Matt Beauchamp. 

We look forward to welcoming all our acts for a sun-drenched beer garden afternoon.

We hope to see you there too!

Your friends in Lowestoft Live are delighted to present the first ultra-cool laid back acoustic afternoon at The Mariners Rest, an event we are calling Mariners Matinee! We promised you some top tier beer garden tunes, and boy, have we delivered.

We have The Lazy I, the Norwich based grunge rocker and founder of The A.I.R Events and BOOM Magazine, bringing us his unique brand of rock and hip hop influenced acoustic music.

We have The Craft, comprised of dynamic duo Ady and Sean, who met whilst attending local Open Mic nights and quickly connected through having similar styles in how they composed their own songs. They shared ideas and quickly realised they complemented one another through their vocal and writing styles, so set about co-writing some new material, and thus, in February 2023, The Craft was born.

We have young Suffolk singer-songwriter Kitty May, who has played Latitude Festival and Wild Paths, whose fledgling career continues to go from strength to strength. She will be appearing at First Light Festival this summer. Kitty has signed with Catch 22 Records and is preparing to launch her debut EP.

We also have our very own DSL, a long-time lover of the Lowestoft scene, who has recently launched his DSL Acoustic project and released two honest and heartfelt singles in the form of Homegrown and Broke. DSL will open this event and introduce it to you all - we are very proud of him and delighted to have him introduce our first Mariners Matinee!

Above all, we'd like to have you. Why not join us in the sunshine on Sunday 7th May for a musical afternoon to remember at the welcoming Mariners Rest?