In days of expansive arenas, corporate hegemony sucking the soul from local venues, and bands having to pay to play rather than be rewarded for their skill, it is a wonder as to how long the live music scene can survive. Thankfully there are artists not only capable of inciting wonder within, but looking to perform in a way that is more special, that lets music subtly quivering with emotion to speak directly to the listener.
That is one of the beautiful things about the living room tour from pandorasdiary. Usually playing ‘something called indie folk’ over beats, pandorasdiary (Sarah Michel) is currently touring living rooms around Europe armed only with a guitar, and fellow musician Yasmine Latkowski and cameraman Andy Suhendi. Leaving behind lights and equipment, and all the paraphernalia of concerts they are getting back to the nub of what performing is about – engaging with the audience.
The whole tour is being filmed and created into a documentary. A powerful lesson in the beauty of a passion for music and a desire to create, the project is being self funded, with support given via crowdfunding. People who wish to support can pledge for downloads, handmade Diary EP, postcards, DVD and tickets or sponsor a living room gig, with pledges ranging from £1.00 to £150.00. Crowdfunding has paved a way for projects like this to even be possible. The project seems one perfectly suited to such a system of funding. Personal donations fuelling intimate concerts for a special exploration of music and its magic.
Whilst all the locations are small, each provides very different circumstances and audiences. All kinds of performers are invited to take part and collaborate and often people who didn’t plan to perform end up performing. From rappers and grunge in a studio, jazz in the living room, an afternoon session for parents and children, a gang of couchsurfers jamming, a session in an Indonesian restaurant, and a concert in a washing machine workshop, the opportunities, and outputs, are endless.
‘It becomes part concert/open mic.’says Sarah. ‘I normally check out the atmosphere and improvise according to what feels right. It is very organic. The energy is amazing- people really support each other and give and receive confidence to perform. ‘

Sarah describes her art as Lebenskünstler which is a German word describing person who approaches life with the zest and inspiration of an artist. Clearly this is something that has been brought to this project, and inspiration has been fuelled by the network in which pandorasdiary operates.
A member of Fearless Females Collective, a group of female performers, who run a monthly open mic, and a  weekly radio show, Sarah and Yasmine, met each other through all women’s workshops run by Tigersonic studios as part of the Smart Women’s Recording Club.
‘It has been an amazing source of confidence and motivation to get going musically… the combination is a very powerful one.’
If you are interested in and inspired by the project, and would like to contribute, visit www.pandorasdiary.com You can also keep up to date with the project via the daily blog.

There’s one way to work out if your music is worth making and if you really have fans – ask them to contribute to the costs. People will only put their money where their mouth is when it really matters, which is why Pledge music has helped numerous bands make records that may not otherwise have happened.
Secret Rivals have recently hit their target and promised numerous  handwritten lyric sheets, house party gigs and personalised acoustic tracks, but before they head in the studio to record debut album Just Fall, they have this treat, a free download of Everything I’ve Lost.
Energetic angst abounds, bubbling under the surface and ready to break free, much like the band themselves. Over the last few months there have been numerous signs that this is a band about to break, in the form of Steve Lamacq, Sky Sports, Tom Robinson and Amazing Radio, and the more people that hear this sublime example of their C86 pop, the more likely it is to happen.

Passion unravels over spirited drumming, the interplay of vocals a convincing portrayal of the fireworks of a disintegrating relationship. Pummelling away on the bass, new member Andy slots perfectly into the Secret Rivals jigsaw. Secret Rivals magic lies in their juxtaposition of sweet and sordid, the ongoing volley of the violent and the whimsical and throughout Everything I’ve Lost the melody flirts with anomie underpinned by something less optimistic in sound.
Head down to Oxford’s Wheatsheaf for the launch gig on September 22nd or catch the band at the Buffalo Bar on the 25th as part of an Oxford Showcase and make sure you download the track here.