Singer-songwriter Daniel Eagle from Sarisbury Green is hoping his gig will aid a popular music venue in a cash crisis.
Daniel Eagle
The teenager will play at The Joiners in Southampton this Sunday (December 9) which, in the past, has hosted bands such as Coldplay, Primal Scream and Oasis before they were famous.
Supporting Polly Scattergood, a musician known for her quirky electro-pop tunes, Daniel hopes his acoustic vibe will raise awareness to people in the Western Wards community of the uncertain future the popular venue faces.
It opened in 1968 and boasts a huge range of famous stars that have played there. But The Joiners is also a place for new musicians, like Daniel, to showcase their talents to a live audience. Staff at The Joiners blamed a fall in ticket sales from a rise in music on the internet and TV talent shows.
But Daniel hopes to reignite the live-music atmosphere among his peers and encourage more people in the Western Wards to go there.
“Out of all the gigs I’ve got, this is the one I’m most excited about,” said 16-year-old Daniel, of Columbus Drive.
“I want to help keep The Joiners open. It’s the best music venue in Southampton. It’s not there for a certain genre of music. It’s for anyone.
“It’s a brilliant venue, and with Coldplay and Radiohead starting there it’s great. I’m hoping someone will notice me. The more gigs and more places I play the better.
“I want to play there in case it does close and I’d regret it if I didn’t. I’d be quite devastated if it did close to be honest. I’ve been to so many gigs there and got a lot of friends who go there. I wouldn’t know where else to go in the city if it did close.”
Daniel’s acoustic songs, which have a hint of folk and alternative sounds, take inspiration from Mumford and Sons, Lost Prophets and Oasis and he has played at various open mic nights including at The Ferryman Pub in Warsash and at the Talking Heads.
He has already played at The Joiners a few times with his previous band, After Hours. The music lover also used to organise gig nights while working as a waiter at the recently closed Nautical Nellies restaurant in Sarisbury Green.
While studying music, music technology and communication and culture at Barton Peveril Sixth Form College he is recording his songs aiming to create an EP to promote himself and get his music heard by record producers.
And gracing The Joiners stage where once Supergrass, Catatonia, Echobelly, The Charlatans and Moloko stood, Daniel will perform his heart-felt songs to spread his enjoyment of creating music.
Daniel added: “Polly Scattergood is well known. I know myself I’ve quite a few people coming from the Western Wards area. Hopefully it may help with The Joiners and what they’re going through.”
The show at The Joiners starts at 7.30pm.
Folk/punk legend Frank Turner has also been showing his support for The Joiners and will host a fundraising gig there on December 28 with all ticket and drinks sales to go to the venue.
Having played at the St Mary’s Street stage and watched his first gig there in the 1990s, he wanted to offer his support.
The benefit gig sold out in 90 seconds and has raised £8,000 towards the £30,000 owed in rent arrears.