Ryan's Gig Guide - March 2020

Chevy Chase Stole My Wife are a pop-rock band from Worcester. They play melodic, catchy and gritty original songs with witty and wry lyrics about everything from rollercoasters to getting cat-called by van drivers. Audiences are always left with a smile on their face, and with earworm choruses ringing in their ears! Lead singer Emma Howett has a degree in Pop Music and Music Production (yes, really) and spends most of her time writing songs for Chevy Chase Stole MyWife, acoustic act Fix Me Margo, and also writing and producing her solo material. In 2019 she released an album and a single ‘I’ll Do My Own Stunts’ which won a prize in the HOFA song contest. Lead guitarist Stu Silcock (‘the best guitarist in Worcester’) brings his own style of slick, bluesy playing to the band. He makes up for his quiet demeanour with jaw dropping solos that stop you in your tracks. Stu and Emma have worked on music together for many years and it’s fair to say that their differing styles make the CCSMW sound so distinctive. Drummer Neil Burton is a powerhouse of rhythm who is never one to rest on his laurels, constantly pushing himself to find the best beats and fills for Chevy songs. Bass player Jamie Raynor is the newest member of CCSMW, but he’s slotted right in with the group. He studied bass at BIMM Bristol and has inspirations from jazz to rock to metal. He also plays in Get Down Colossus and ULTRAMEGAOK. The band started life as a fun side project in 2013, however as their fan base has grown CCSMW has taken on a life of its own. In the first week of 2020 the band set to work on recording a set of 4 singles, the first of which - ‘Swayed’ - wasreleased on 1st March. They are looking to grow their fanbase and expand their reach - and bring music that they really believe in to audiences and music lovers all over the world. mouse-pointer www.chevychasestolemywife.co.uk  Listen CHEVY CHASE STOLE MY WIFE camera-alt Lisa Sullivan Help Musicians has launched the Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund, a new offering specifically created to alleviate some of the immediate financial pressures that many professional musicians may currently be facing. The impact of the Coronavirus on musicians’ lives and careers is unprecedented, and it’s been recognised that the charity’s normal person-centred approach of Health & Welfare support needs to be boosted in this exceptional period to give as many musicians as possible immediate financial relief. A fund of £5m has therefore been created to help reduce the worry many musicians are experiencing about their mounting household expenses. Eligible musicians are able to apply for a one-off payment of £500 through an online form. We encourage musicians only to apply if they are indeed suffering significant financial hardship to enable us to provide help quickly to those who need it the most. Chief Executive James Ainscough said: “ For almost one hundred years, Help Musicians has worked hard to make a meaningful difference to the lives of musicians, and there has rarely been a time where that has been as important as it is now. Our Health &Welfare team has received hundreds of calls and emails over the last week from musicians needing urgent financial support. The Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund has been created to provide emergency financial aid to musicians in an urgent manner at this critical moment. We continue to work in collaboration with many industry partners to keep the vital resource website coronamusicians.info up- to-date, and our usual channels of person-centred aid continue. Given the magnitude of the situation, only the government can fully provide what musicians require to survive the months that lie ahead. We are shocked at the government’s reticence to help some of the most vulnerable workers, and we are fully supportive of the campaign for meaningful help to be provided. In the meantime, we hope however that this emergency funding option will help thousands of musicians in the weeks ahead. " For more details on who they can support and how to apply, see their Coronavirus Advice page here. Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. “We help at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people the extra support they need at a crucial stage that could make or break their career.” mouse-pointer www.helpmusicians.org.uk STAY AT HOME AND DISCOVER LOCAL MUSIC www.ryansgigguide.com rgg Apr 2020 13 www.ryansgigguide.com 12 rgg Apr 2020