Soul music with a difference at world-famous Glasgow venue

MANY people are ­familiar with the concept of the suspended ­coffee, where you pay in advance for a hot drink for someone who can't afford it.

Jill Brown to play at King Tut's. Picture: Contributed

Now a similar idea is being launched in Glasgow on Easter ­Sunday, 16 April – but this time in the music world at one of the ­country’s most famous venues.

The legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is offering people the chance to go to a special gig called Soul Food.

The idea is that the music fan pays for their own ticket but also buys a ‘soul’ ticket, for someone who wouldn’t normally get the chance to hear live music.

Glasgow singer songwriter and Soul Food creator Jill Brown will headline the event.

She said: “I have a passion for ­helping those on the outskirts of society and poverty needn’t be only material.

“We forget that people need ­inspiration and hope as well as food and shelter. I hope that Soul Food will give people a positive ­experience and memory on which to draw.

“As a singer and songwriter I am passionate about music but I also believe in using my life to make a difference in the lives of others. So I am combining both with Soul Food.

“From the gigs I have done in ­Barlinnie Prison, where I rehearse and then perform with prisoners culminating in a special gig – my own band performs in the second half – it’s clear to me that music is a real leveller, something we can all enjoy and appreciate.

“I like to focus on what we all have in common rather than what sets us apart. Other gigs I have done include one in Glasgow City ­Mission for the homeless – one of the charities which is a Soul Food beneficiary.

“I have also done gigs for drug addicts and alcoholics.”

Chris Beltran, booking assistant at DF Concerts and King Tut’s, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Jill to make Soul Food happen at King Tut’s.

“Tut’s has a long history of hosting and supporting charity events, and we’re proud to continue that tradition with an event that will greatly benefit three local charities.”

Soul tickets will be distributed amongst people who receive ­support from Glasgow City ­Mission, which works with those who are homeless, St Rollox Community Outreach Project in the city’s Sighthill area, which helps asylum seekers and refugees, and Glasgow Women’s Aid. You can buy tickets for £8 for Soul Food by visiting: http://soulfoodglasgow.bigcartel.com

Jill, a former STV news presenter, has recently been promoting her first video for her new track, Loaded Gun.

The song highlights domestic ­violence, something she has ­experienced. You can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xyOzUSXh40.

Two other musicians and their bands will be performing on the night – Unoma Okudo and Jamie Martin.

Since its inception in 1990, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut has been at the forefront of the Scottish live music scene and continues to be one of the most celebrated venues in the world.

King Tut’s is an exciting showcase for new and emerging bands and is the venue that supported some of the music industry’s biggest names at the start of their careers.

These include Oasis – who were famously signed at the venue in 1993 – to Radiohead, The Killers, Juliette Lewis, Pulp, My Chemical Romance, Florence & The Machine, Biffy Clyro, ­Manic Street Preachers, Snow Patrol, Frightened Rabbit, Paolo Nutini and many more artists.