Advance Promotions, based in Ilchester, is a live music promotions company responsible for bringing the likes of US ska-heads Reel Big Fish, and heavy metal artists such as Buried Inside (from Canada) to Somerset. Since 2003, the company has put on about 200 shows - the majority in Yeovil, but some in Bridgwater and Frome. Around 600 to 800 mainstream and alternative bands have appeared at these gigs. Intrigued, I chatted to Advance Promotions founder Will Blake to find out more about Yeovil's alternative music scene. You can listen to my interview with him by clicking on this audio link: Volume, cranked up to the max When the company first started up, it was a one-man outfit which mainly put on smaller shows and concerts. Now, it's run by a team of individuals who are working together with the aim of keeping the growth of live music going locally. | "Our aim is to help local bands... so that they can then get heard on the UK music scene." | | Will Blake |
Will said: "Over the years, we've had increasing support, and have begun to organise bigger gigs in the county. "I guess 20 to 30 percent of the bands we now put on are up-and-coming bands from the US, who want to tour the UK." Buried Inside, Reel Big Fish, the Hell on Earth tour, The Aquabats, and The Hurt Process are just some of the bands that have come to Somerset thanks to Will. But local bands are a priority for the organisation as well. "There are some great local acts such as The Cedar Falls and Encyclopedia," said Will. "Our aim is to help local bands like them to raise their profiles, so that they can then get heard on the UK music scene generally." So, why Yeovil? Ok, so from what I've learnt so far, Yeovil's music scene sounds pretty hot at the moment, and there's obviously much more to the town than I originally thought.  | | Will Blake |
But, why is this all happening in Yeovil exactly? "I admit it's often difficult to attract bands from the established tour venues, such as Bristol and Exeter," said Will. "But the music scene in Yeovil is unique in that we can put on punk, ska, and straight-up rock shows in the town." As Yeovil is a smaller place, which obviously means fewer events, Will seems to think that people are much more appreciative of its live music scene, which means there is more support for it. He said: "Because there's not as much going on, people in Yeovil discriminate less, and are much more excepting of various types of music – so the live scene in the town is actually quite diverse."  | | The Aquabats flying high in Yeovil |
Asked which gig has been his favourite so far, Will diplomatically announced that they'd all been great, and that he couldn't possibly say which had been the best. Hmmmm... After pushing a bit more, however, I eventually got him to admit that The Aquabats had been a memorable gig for him. "The band is from the US, and Travis Parker, from Blink 182, used to be a member of the band," Will said. "They're turning into a cult group – they had costumes, and it was more like a show." So, what have I learnt from all of this then? Well, that Yeovil has a very different live music scene to Bridgwater for starters! But, having said that, Yeovil's scene is thriving with alternative and mainstream music, from loads of different bands and artists, based in the county and further afield. | 
