Becky Hill is returning to where it all began in her hometown of Worcester, taking to the stage at The Marrs Bar, as part of Everywhere At Once, a nationwide celebration of grassroots music venues, powered by The National Lottery.
The performance marks” a full circle” moment for the chart-topping artist, who first performed at the venue aged 16, and will return to headline a sold-out show as part of the UK’s biggest ever festival of its kind.
Taking place across what would have been Glastonbury weekend, 26th to 28th June, more than 400 grassroots music venues will host hundreds of live performances, showcasing both major names and emerging local talent in the intimate spaces that are the backbone of the UK music scene.
Ahead of her performance at The Marrs Bar on Sunday 28th June, Becky visited the venue and reflected on the early gigs that helped shape her as an artist.
In a new video captured at the venue, Becky speaks about how performing in grassroots spaces gave her the opportunity to learn how to be on stage from a young age, building the confidence and experience that would go on to define her career.
Becky Hill said, “At 16 I played my own compositions and had friends and family down to Worcester’s Marrs Bar. In these early days it was venues like this that allowed a very young me to begin to learn how to perform, sing and play guitar on stage, gaining my confidence & broadening my experience as a teenager.”
“I look back on those times very fondly and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity that places like The Marrs Bar provided. It saddens me greatly that grassroots venues are at risk as I believe that homegrown music is key to our country’s culture. I’m honoured to be working alongside The National Lottery and Music Venue Trust for their Everywhere At Once festival, 16 years later at the same venue but with far more experience!”
More than £1 billion has been raised for music related projects across the UK, supporting venues, artists and community organisations – all made possible because of National Lottery players. This funding continues to play a vital role in protecting grassroots venues at a time when many face increasing financial pressure despite their enormous cultural importance.
Everywhere At Once delivered in partnership with Music Venue Trust will see more than 2,000 artists perform across the country, to create a national moment to celebrate the grassroots music ecosystem – reinforcing the importance of sustaining the spaces where live music begins and ensuring future generations of artists have the same opportunities to thrive.
