Lendy Cowes Week this year will feature a new stage showcasing the best of crowd-funded bands as part of the regatta festivities this Summer. On Wednesday 8 August, sitting at the centre of the shore-side activities, the Lendy New Generation Music Stage will host some of the best new bands from across the UK – all of whom have called on crowd-funding to run their bands.

The bands, announced for the first time today, include the multi-award winning Rainbrakers (British Blues Awards 2017), whose roots hail from the Isle of Wight; Little Brother Eli – recently a featured artist on BBC 6 Music; and the Theia – winner of the single of the year 2017 (greatmusicstories.com), among others (full listing below).

The performances will begin at 2pm on 8 August and run into the evening. The event will be a free concert for people visiting Lendy Cowes Week. The sets will combine a mixture of acoustic and electric performances, to complement the mood of the setting and the way a typical day at Lendy Cowes Week unfolds. After the New Generation acts have completed their sets, Lendy will close the evening with a special party hour. Details to be announced.

Lendy’s decision to launch a stage featuring crowd-funded bands is rooted in its position as one of the UK’s leading peer-to-peer secured lending platforms. Peer to peer lending has become the fastest growing form of alternative finance in recent years, particularly in the music industry.

Paul Riddell, Head of Marketing and Communications at Lendy, comments: “50 years since the Isle of Wight pioneered a new festival that has since become one of the most treasured in history, the Isle of Wight once again pioneers a new type of music platform for our time. Lendy is delighted to be able to provide this platform, showcasing some of the best talent in contemporary guitar music.

“Our new initiative reflects the changing state of rock music and the rock music industry today. For us, this is about showcasing the best talent that we know people will love when they hear them, who have made effective use of crowdfunding and built social media communities themselves. This is something that links directly to our enterprise ethos and the future of the digital economy, which spans music to property and everything in between.”

Johnny Hammond from Tarot Rats added: “This is such an amazing opportunity for us to show a new audience, in a new setting, what Tarot Rats is all about. The emerging guitar music scene has become very dependent on P2P-style investment like crowdfunding. Many bands today manage themselves as businesses and they use community funding and social media networks to grow their brands. We were delighted to have been shortlisted for this event because of this, and look forward to showing our music to those there. See you there!”

The Lendy New Generation Stage
Performance times: Wednesday 8 August 2018
2.00-2.40pm Tarot Rats
3.00-3.40pm Lethbridge Owen

4.10-5.00pm Theia
5.20-6.00pm Empyre

6.30-7.10pm Rainbreakers
7.30-8.10pm Little Brother Eli

Little Brother Eli
This Oxford-based four piece will headline the programme of New Generation acts. Following their critically acclaimed debut album, the band’s most recent singles have attracted national and local radio airplay, most recently by BBC Radio 6. The band has toured extensively around the UK and, from a run of national festivals, has attracted a growing young audience to its feel-good groove-laden, dance-inducing music – that is highly original and almost impossible to pigeonhole. ‘Our kind of love’ and ‘Tooth’, along with new release ‘Wait for You’ coming in July 2018, are assured to receive the warmest of receptions with not a soul left sitting down.

Josh Rigal of Little Brother Eli commented: “We’re really excited to have been invited to play at this year’s Lendy Cowes Week on the new Lendy stage. We’ve toured extensively around the country but this will be our first gig on the Isle of Wight. But we know Lendy Cowes Week is one of the island’s most popular events, so we’re extremely excited at being invited to play. We’re releasing plenty of singles during 2018 so we’ve got lots to showcase to a new audience. See you there!”

Rainbreakers
Rainbreakers, a band with family connections to The Isle of Wight, have been hailed as one of the freshest new sounds in the UK blues rock and soul circuit. The band has developed a distinctive sound that embodies a fusion of dynamic musical elements and bridges the gap between blues, rock, pop and soul. The band’s efforts have gained the attention of The British Blues Awards, who nominated Rainbreakers for The Barry Middleton Award for Best Emerging Artist 2016. At Lendy Cowes Week the band will preview some new songs from their forthcoming, debut album.

Ben Edwards from the Rainbreakers commented: “It’s great to come back to the island and perform. We haven’t been back for a few years now, so it will be great to catch up with some old friends and hopefully and some new ones too!”

Empyre
A contemporary sound with soaring vocals and bristling with musical intelligence, this four-piece from Northampton have won hearts and minds around the UK from a string of studio releases that combine original compositions with cleverly worked covers of household favourites. Whether performing their dramatic electric set or moving acoustic set, there is a freshness and an intensity to Empyre’s music that makes them one of the most talked about new guitar bands on the national tour and festival circuit.

Henrik Steenholdt from Empyre commented, “We’re proud to have been selected to play at Lendy Cowes Week, which is such a prestigious and historic event. It’s a perfect opportunity to introduce our brand of intense and introspective rock music to what is likely a new audience for us.”

Lethbridge Owen
Lethbridge Owen are a folk-tinged rock band formed of singer/songwriters Kelly Louise Lethbridge and Jimmy Owen, who write in a traditional style. Reminiscent of artists ranging from Fleetwood Mac and Jimi Hendrix to Heart and Bonnie Raitt – with strong pop elements – the songs are catchy, carefully crafted and memorable. The addition of strong, melodic vocals makes their eclectic set of songs something people want to move and sing along to. Working with great musicians and engineers, the bands original material provides their audience with a refreshing sense of variety, emotion and great performances and musicianship.

Theia
Hailing from the heart of England’s ale brewing capital, Burton-on-Trent, Theia are a young, vibrant three-piece that bring a classic rock feel for the modern era, played with a smile on its face. The band has already released a string of albums and played a number of the UK’s leading rock festivals, including Wildfire, HRH and Planet Rock Winters End. The band also has a tender side, songs such as ‘Sparkplug’ and ‘Home’ garnering critical media acclaim – and the latter recently winning ‘single of the year’ at the x awards.

Tarot Rats
A band that lives to perform, this Kent-based quartet are currently working on their fourth EP release. Having gained a significant regional following among media and the rock community, the Tarot Rats are in their element on stage and have earned a reputation for their performances, both for musical craft and the virtuoso vocal performances. Following a 25,000 strong vote, the Band featured in greatmusicstories.com’s top 10 bands of 2017 and they have started 2018 with purpose, playing a number of sold out London shows and supporting Wayward Sons, the new band from former Little Angel and producer Toby Jepson. Tarot Rats are ones to look out for and will be opening The Lendy New Generation Music Stage on 8 August.

Media
For more information on The Lendy New Generation Music Stage, to arrange interviews, or to request a media pass for Lendy Cowes Week on 8 August contact:

Holly Goldsmith/Sally Cooling
elephant communications 01342 870943 / 172
[email protected]
[email protected]

For media interviews on the Lendy Cowes Week in general and Lendy’s role as title sponsor, contact:

Paul Riddell
Head of Marketing and Communications, Lendy
07768 958 714

For more information on Lendy Cowes Week visit: http://www.lendycowesweek.co.uk

About Lendy – The Property Platform

Lendy is one of Europe’s largest peer-to-peer secured lending platforms. In the age of ultra-low interest rates, Lendy allows investors to earn gross annual returns of up to 12%, one of the highest interest rates of any peer to peer platform.

Since 2012, Lendy’s 21,500 investors have invested around £397 million and earned over £40 million in interest. Remember, past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. With all investment, capital is at risk.

Peer-to-peer lending has grown in popularity over recent years, partly as a result of high street banks becoming increasingly risk averse and reigning in lending following the economic crash in 2008. Investors are now seeking higher returns on their investments than are available through most traditional investment vehicles.

Lendy’s bridging and development loans have helped to fund hundreds of property developments, including major residential conversions, and commercial and industrial property – developments that simply wouldn’t have been delivered otherwise. This kind of finance is critical to tackling the UK’s housing shortfall, with house building now at its lowest rate since the Second World War.

Lendy offers loans returning between 7% and 12%, along with the opportunity of additional cash backs and bonuses. This allows investors to diversify their portfolios to reflect their attitude to risk. Unlike with direct investment in buy to let property, investors can easily avoid concentration risk.

Lendy’s minimum investment is just £1, allowing people to diversify their investment portfolios regardless of size, and giving smaller investors access to high-yielding property investment they could not previously access.

All Lendy loans are secured with a charge over UK property, and are written at a maximum of 75% LTV.

Valuations are undertaken by independent RICS-registered valuers. Lendy’s due diligence process includes a five-phase credit assessment ensuring the property provides security for the total capital and interest costs due under the loan.

Investors’ capital is at risk if a borrower defaults, and peer to peer platforms are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme – see https://lendy.co.uk/managing-risk for information on risk. Please obtain independent financial advice if you are in any doubt as to whether an investment is suitable for you.

Lendy is the title sponsor of Lendy Cowes Week, the world’s best-known yachting regatta, with a rich heritage dating back to 1826. Lendy Cowes Week 2018 runs from August 4-11.

About Lendy Cowes Week
Cowes Week (Lendy Cowes Week) is one of the UK’s longest-running sporting events, having first taken place in 1826. The aspirational and inclusive sailing regatta is the largest of its kind in the world, attracting between 800 and 1,000 yachts in up to 40 classes. Around 8,000 competitors race during the week ranging from weekend sailors to World Champions and Olympic medallists.

The lively après-sail atmosphere at Lendy Cowes Week means there are plenty of social and exciting onshore activities for sailors and the thousands of spectators who visit Cowes each year. The next edition of the regatta takes place from 4-11 August 2018.

The event’s Title Sponsor is Lendy, supported by the following sponsors who also help to make the event a success: aql, Westerhall Rums, Nyetimber, Chatham Marine, MUSTO, Isle of Wight Council, Sunsail, Fever-Tree, TNG Swiss Watches, Land Rover, and Media Partner: Yachts & Yachting. Official Charity: 1851 Trust.
More information at www.lendycowesweek.co.uk.

About Cowes Week Limited
Cowes Week Limited (wholly owned by Cowes Combined Clubs Limited) was formed in November 2007 to provide a single management board with overall responsibility for the event. This ensures that the business operation of both the shore-side and racing elements are managed in a streamlined way.

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