The Vibe Lounge
Turner Sims has a new series of musical events catered towards bringing a new audience into the music venue. The Vibe Lounge is a series of pre-show events that are produced by young people from around Southampton, using the foyer in an innovative way, bringing in local artists, and thinking outside of the box.
Carley Divish talks about her experience as a member of the very first Vibe Collective.
I was part of the first Vibe Collective, recruited from the student body of the University of Southampton and 18-25 year olds living in Southampton. I was working on my Master’s Degree in Maritime Archaeology at the time, new to the city and new to the country. When I saw the advertisement for the Vibe Collective, I remembered my past working as a bartender for musical events and hosting radio shows in my free time and decided to apply. The interview was group based, and we were challenged to create a marshmallow and pasta stick tower, whilst my future bosses took notes on our collaborative skills. Fortunately, I was chosen.
Our task as employees was to create our own unique event, given a budget and very few other constraints. We needed to focus on what would engage other young people in the community and on the campus. This was a crazy opportunity to innovate in a beautiful space located in the middle of the University of Southampton, but disconnected from the students walking around it every day. Thus, the Vibe Lounge came into being.
As a group, we debated for days on the best event, from alternative skate/rap shows to classical-inspired video games. Finally, an idea to create a jazz club with bespoke drinks was put forward. We knew that new artists would keep it engaging, and looking outside the traditional jazz scene was needed.
From the beginning, the Vibe Lounge has brought in emerging artists from Hampshire and surrounding regions. All of them have been amazing people and very easy to work with, giving us in the Vibe Collective great experience in what programming a concert is. Baby Panna, who performed for the Vibe last year at the Turner Sims Summer Festival, even brought his own audience to Turner Sims, opening up the venue to people from all around the UK who were interested in his rap-jazz mixed genre.
Each of the artists have been utterly unique, bringing talent, innovation, and amazing music to the venue. The foyer of Turner Sims fills up with students walking by, those who have heard previously about the show, and the ticket-holders for the show in the main auditorium afterward. By the end of the 30-40 minute set, the artist performing in the foyer has a crowded venue, many of whom are discovering a new genre they now love. Reviews of the show are always positive, with the audience more often than not returning for the next lounge, taking advantage of the free performance and creating a social, lively atmosphere.
As someone who has worked in the music industry for some time, my experience programming the Vibe Lounge has been so much fun and a true joy. It has relit my passion for the music industry in a way I never expected. I highly encourage everyone to get out there and see some live music, immerse yourself in art, and if the Vibe Lounge is how you choose to do that, you are more than welcome at Turner Sims.
