It is all too easy to feel like talent is being squeezed out of the nation’s capital in favour of unoccupied high rises and avocado- ridden cafes. However South-east London’s ‘STEEZ’ creates the talent and originality that London is famous for, without the pretension that London is infamous for. I had heard of STEEZ from a friend that is involved in London’s music scene who had previously explained how STEEZ has fostered her as a young musician, doing things by herself. So, she finally got me to a STEEZ event in April at the esteemed Fox and Firkin. Sadly, STEEZ doesn’t take place at this unique venue anymore, which I’m told will take away some of its character. Nevertheless, I’m certain that the spirit of STEEZ will live on no matter where it is taken. It’s essentially a monthly event in South London where poets and musicians fuse together in a vibrant space to create musical and social harmony for the people.
As soon as I arrive, the ground floor of Lewisham’s eclectic venue, The Fox and Firkin, is spilling over with enthused faces and bizarre clothing. Neo-soul instrumentals and RnB melodies emanate from both floors producing a relaxed atmosphere that clearly sits well amongst the audience. Upstairs is where the true authenticity of STEEZ lies, in my eyes: there is a cypher where the band members are continually evolving and anyone can jump on the mic. Unlike the repetitive and exclusive nature of popular music charts, STEEZ welcomes anyone to perform and supports those early in their music career by giving them a place on stage. This means that every time I leave the dimly lit smoking terrace or climb up the rickety stairs from the main room, I am welcomed to a new and organic sound created by this melting pot of London talent. Whether that be powerful spoken word rapped over slow beats or spell bounding ad-libs from some of the fiery female contributors.
Yet what truly amazed me about this setup was not the wealth of talent living amongst the crowd, but the support for those people stepping up to perform that were newcomers or clearly less experienced than some of the old time STEEZ-ers. There was only love and support for them, not bias and condemnation which could inhibit them from continuing to make music. Surely this is the way forward for music in a time where young musicians are being blasted for a lack of originality. Creating art in a time where many believe that ‘everything has been done before’ can be soul-destroying. Especially when large record labels only seek to commodify their young pickings into clone-like figures that they can market for exorbitant levels of profit. STEEZ is nurturing a generation of musicians to bring soul and honesty to their craft. In fact, it is so encouraging to see that events like STEEZ live on in an increasingly unaffordable capital city that has lost 50% of its music venues in the last five years.
Moving on to the end of the night where my memory evades me slightly…MC Pinty plays downstairs, in his well-deserved late slot. He is at home here with friends and fans in the crowd, coupled with his bouncy stage presence that toils so beautifully with the groovy flow of tunes like ‘This Just Life, is Alright’. He’s a close friend of Archie aka King Krule, and a member of the group Sub Luna City (check out City Rivim Mk 1 on SoundCloud for a perfect afters mix), his performances are always high energy. The overwhelming feeling that I received from the night was a re-injection of passion in music and art so strong that its audiences felt encouraged to go home and make some sort of art, even if they have never done so before. STEEZ- get to know.