An event featuring great music, interviews and excellent food while supporting a very worthwhile cause is something that has a serious level of genius to it. So much so a lot of people will be wondering why no one thought of it before. But you need special people with real vision to firstly have the idea, and then the skill set to carry it through. Enter Dan Carter (of Uprising and DC Sound Attack and George Miller (of Foodinati UK). Devolution’s Gary Trueman chatted to the pair about the inception of Foodinati Live, its aims and potential future.
How long have you known each other for and what first sowed the seeds for the Foodinati Live event?
George: I first met and kinda worked with Dan at last year’s Uprising Festival, there were only Dan and myself doing filmed interviews in the press area and we became pally over working in tangent to assist each other’s interviews (Dan was also in charge of the press room and basically became mates and made a note to work together, from there I got to know about DC Sound Attack and I started to cover his bands on the Foodinati UK channel. I’d long harboured the idea of doing a live chat show for the food and music I featured on the channel and when I decided to take the plunge and do it, I figured it had to be in the birthplace of metal and feature the up-and-coming talent from the area. DC Sound Attack and Dan have that area covered.
Dan: As George mentioned really, I started working for Uprising and was excited to make connections with some new faces and work alongside others. George sent me over his, at the time, new channel and I was really impressed with what I saw. Over many phone calls conversations and discussions around event ideas we birthed Foodinati Live!
Can you give a brief description of your own background and how you came to be doing what you do now.
George: I run the Foodinati UK channel which basically is a fun look at alternative music and alternative food offerings , most of the time together in a band interview. This year we partnered with Devolution Magazine.
Dan: My main day to day role is as an educator at Access Creative College in Birmingham, which is a national college that specialises in creative courses in Music, Media, Games and Esports. At ACC I manage a fantastic team of passionate and professional staff members as well as having the honour of inspiring the youth of today and passing down my successes and failures onto young people to hopefully help them get their foot in the door of the industry. I found ACC through the old school manners of a job in the newspaper. I was fresh out of university and my Mom, who is also a teacher, encouraged me to get into education because I enjoy mentoring and developing people.
Outside of ACC, I am the owner of DC Sound Attack. DCSA is an artist development agency for Rock and Metal bands that offers Management, PR and Booking services. I have been in the industry for 14 years, starting in my own band and then moving my skills, knowledge and contacts to help fellow bands. In 2021, I decided to rebrand and create what is now DC Sound Attack.
What is the idea behind Foodinati Live? What will the event encompass?
George: The idea was to have the chat show format but for the talent of whichever area we are in and really celebrate that city, especially musically. So, we have the cream of the crop on DC Sound Attack’s roster with live interviews with Death Collector and Recall The Remains. Then i thought instead of having a house band it would be cool to instead have bands who don’t normally do acoustic performances to do just that so that’s Nameless, Netherhall and Straight For The Sun doing never to be repeated exclusive sets. For the food we have an open kitchen inside the venue which will be inhabited by Cheese Yard who are a cheese lover’s dream! Patrick who runs it was the first chef I interviewed on Foodinati UK and his Philly Cheese Steaks are direct from heaven. We also have Birmingham’s own Pip’s Hot Sauce running a stand for all your condiments as we definitely need spice involved. To round off the night I am commandeering the decks under my 601 guise to do a metal and alternative set to see us out in style, I’m also more known for playing breakbeat music at Glastonbury and the like so I’m also switching up.
Dan: I really think George and I wanted to create something truly unique and special, and event that takes everything we love from music, food and media to forge something that, hopefully, the general public and our colleagues in the industry will want to get behind and support. It’s a non-profit event that is raising money and awareness for a charity close to our hearts. Secondly, I get to show off some of the incredible talent that is on my roster and hang out with a load of friends so WIN!
Can you tell us more about Metal For Good and Access Creative College.
George: I first got in contact for Metal For Good after I’d become aware of them at 2000 Trees last year. I’d initially looked into starting a charity with some people in the music industry to combat food waste but the legal and admin side of running a charity would take up all of my time so I decided that Foodinati UK should have a charity partner we could focus on fundraising for. Katy was totally cool, and I love what they’re doing and their cause, so it totally made sense to make this entire crazy idea into a fundraising event for the charity.
Dan: I had seen Metal For Good through social media posts and at some events I had been to, it was through George’s connection that I was able to connect with Katy and hear about her incredible vision for the charity. I was looking at starting up a charity myself as part of DCSA and I thought that I had this wonderful unique idea, then spoke to Katy and thought AHH! that’s why I had the idea. So therefore, Katy and the team immediately get my full respect and support.
As mentioned above, I have worked for ACC for eleven years now. I can’t go for a night out without seeing an ex-student, funnily enough I can’t even go to my local Maccies without bumping into a current student ha-ha! My vision within ACC is to provide learners there first big break, it starts in the classroom, but my team and I work with local venues (The Rainbow, The Night Owl and XOYO) to put in showcases, these events have sold out previously and has provided lifetime memories and valuable lessons. Within the college a big USP (unique selling point) is collaboration, music students are able to network with graphic designers, photographers, games developers and much more. It’s a pretty special place to work.
Are you looking to run this as an annual event, maybe expand it if all goes well?
George: I think we’ll address this subject after the first event, if it does well and we make loads of money for Metal For Good one of the ideas is to take it to different cities and celebrate their homegrown talent too. Maybe we’ll continue in Birmingham as a quarterly event if there is the demand. This first event is a very unique night so if everyone enjoys it then I’m sure Dan and I will have the chat.
Dan: Who knows? We are hoping it lands with our audiences and will reassess, from our point of view there are a lot of interesting stories to hear, there’s a lot of bands to promote and there are some tasty treats to eat. Therefore, if you love metal, love food and want to support a good cause then come down on the 20th April to the Devils Dog. Bring your spare change to give to the charity, be in with the opportunity of winning tickets to Arc Tan Gent and Uprising plus a bag of swag from DC Sound Attack and a hamper from the Chilli Shop…. also just by purchasing a ticket and walking through the door. More tickets can be brought on the night!
CLICK HERE FOR FOODINATI LIVE – TICKETS
