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False Heads to star at musical Discover Day

Released: 15.10.18

Plymouth Marjon University is set to welcome school pupils aged 16 and over for the first ever Commercial Music Discover Day on 31 October. The event welcomes young people to the University campus with the aim of showing them the potential careers that can be found in the music industry.

Pupils at the Discover Day get an unforgettable chance to design and create a brand campaign for up-and-coming band False Heads, with lead singer Luke Griffiths providing feedback throughout the day.

Leading the day is the University’s Senior Lecturer on the Commercial Music course, Dr Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, who previously worked on marketing and brand campaigns for the likes of Nirvana, U2, Eminem and Pearl Jam.

Dr Bickerdike is hopeful that the day can provide the students an exciting glimpse in to careers in the music business.

“I want the students to come away from the day being really excited about the different kinds of careers you can have in the music business,” said Dr Bickerdike.

“We’re taking an emerging band that is getting a lot of airplay right now on the BBC in False Heads and we’re having students come up with a branding and marketing campaign for the band as well as storyboarding a music video for one of their songs.

“They’re doing a real-life project; it’s like what you would do if you were working in the field. It’s a down-and-dirty day of learning how to work in the music industry. The chance to actually do the job and then pitch those ideas directly to the band should be an opportunity that excites a lot of students.”

Dr Bickerdike continued: “There’s so many different ways of being involved in music these days. You could be a band manager, an event organiser, a marketing manager and this day is all about giving a little window in to the different career paths that these students could do.”

False Heads are a band who many believe are on the verge of ‘going big’ in the UK, with BBC Introducing giving them a lot of attention and their new EP ‘Less is Better’ was released last month to critical acclaim.

The band will use some of the ideas from the students at the Discover Day as they launch their next marketing campaign; so students have a chance to see their ideas make a genuine impact in the future advertising of the band.

Dr Bickerdike said: “Having the experience of talking to a band and understanding what they think their look is should be a really interesting exercise for them, as it’s something people disagree on quite a lot.

“It should also give them some idea of how a band goes from being musicians to having a whole brand around them. That’s about creating a look and a feel around the band that appeals to the public.”

Dr Bickerdike and False Heads’ Luke Griffiths will decide on a winning student group for the Discover Day, and they will be given a limited-edition red vinyl and CD of the band’s new EP.

After the Discover Day, Plymouth Marjon University students will get the chance to see False Heads in action, with the band playing a 45-minute set at Barjon. Dr Bickerdike is hoping that the event can launch Barjon as a new live music destination.

“I think it’s important that the local music community in the South West has lots of venues they can attend and I want this gig with False Heads to kick off Barjon being another venue where people can hear great live music,” said Dr Bickerdike.

“I really want this to be the first of many bands coming to play at Barjon. I want new and emerging artists from the South West as well as from other parts of the country to start seeing Barjon and Plymouth Marjon University as a place to come and play live music.

“There’s so much untapped talent and potential in the South West but I think it’s time to shine a light on all the creativity that’s here and I think one way of doing that is bringing bands in and letting them experience what it’s like to play music here.”

Register now for a Marjon Open Day.

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