City Showcase 2006

City Showcase, London’s leading festival for new music and fashion talent, took place on 5-9th June.

All events were free and hundreds of artists will performed both day and night in venues across the city, styled by up-and-coming designers. Now established as a key date for music lovers and industry talent spotters, City Showcase is a rare opportunity to see tomorrow’s future stars for free.

Launched in 2003, it has helped to discover artists such as Amy Winehouse, Hot Chip, Keane, Razorlight, Rooster and Sway, and this year will play host to some of the hottest new emerging acts.

Carnaby, London W1 supported this year’s festival, with daytime gigs in fashion stores including Animal, Ben Sherman, G.room, Lee Jeans, Miss Sixty, O’Neill, Pepe Jeans, Vans and with daytime and evening performances in the unique courtyard; Kingly Court.

Other venues included The Apple Store in Regent Street, Café de Paris, Metro, The Garage, Habitat and Regent Street's Virgin Megastore. City Showcase Fringe gigs were held at various venues across London including Bar Academy, Barfly, Borderline, Market Place, The Bedford and Islington Academy.

City Showcase covers a diverse range of music from indie bands and singer-songwriters to new urban and Asian talent, electronic producers and classical artists.

Up-and-coming Chinese, Canadian, Australian and US artists were also showcased. Most evenings focused on a specific genre, hosted by DJ tastemakers.

In Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street, Radio 1 DJs Ras Kwame and Nihal & Bobby Friction presented urban and Asian nights respectively. Industry bible Music Week presented the best of the new singer-songwriters and Classic FM presenter Myleene Klass hosted an evening of new and emerging artists from across the classical spectrum. Xfm hosted the rock night and Xfm DJ John Kennedy presented the indie night and X-posure Live.

Finally the Market Place held hip hop and dance DJ competitions. Designers displayed their work too, modelled by the bands on stage, and shown in boutiques in Carnaby. Previous participants have gone on to become band stylists and have featured in London Fashion Week.