Uniting folks through reside music – and serving to rising stars 


Si Blatchly – reside music organiser

Fifty persons are crammed collectively as their brilliant outfits sparkle underneath the stage lights. Horns blast, strings pluck, guitars ring out and drums pound, because the UK’s greatest people band explodes with vitality. “It was epic,” recollects Si Blatchly, who’s also called Si Chai. “The group went completely ballistic. There was a lot pleasure within the room and each single particular person on the stage was totally beaming.”

Blatchly is recalling the second The Conservatoire People Ensemble, made up of an ever-rotating variety of college students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, took to the Chai Wallahs stage for the primary time. “A few of these children had by no means even been to a competition earlier than, not to mention performed in entrance of two,000 folks,” he says. “So, to see them completely smash it was such a large rush. It provides me such a kick to see that. It’s such a gorgeous factor to witness that I can get fairly weepy generally.”

Blatchly has been concerned with Chai Wallahs since 2004, when he got here up with the thought of mixing his two passions. “I wished to introduce folks to well being merchandise and issues like pure incense, goji berries, wheatgrass and juices,” he recollects. “And I used to be additionally passionately into music, so I merged the 2.”

Initially it was a stall that served up brews, juices and natural photographs, together with DJs spinning tunes, however by 2007 it had developed right into a touring reside stage. Since then, Chai Wallahs has been a staple at festivals throughout the UK, resembling Inexperienced Man, Kendal Calling, Secret Backyard Social gathering and Shambala, placing on the likes of Ezra Collective, Portico Quartet, Kae Tempest, Rag & Bone Man and actually 1000’s of different acts.

Chai Wallahs has at all times been a spot of solace and discovery away from the hustle and bustle of busy important phases, he explains, according to his intention to provide a platform to up-and-coming artists – potential stars of tomorrow.

“We’ve at all times been about supporting unsupported artists,” says Blatchly. “However offering them with a very skilled platform, superb sound, nice hospitality and a pleasant venue. In order that new audiences can interact and listen to that music the way in which it was meant to be heard and open folks’s minds as much as the truth that you don’t must go and watch the headliner. There’s a lot expertise at this degree.”

Nonetheless, occasions are robust on the planet of music festivals. The Affiliation of Impartial Festivals reviews that the UK misplaced 78 of them in 2024 alone. Unprecedented strains on the reside music sector, significantly on these working at a smaller degree, has made issues particularly difficult of late.

“The grassroots scene has been underneath quite a lot of stress,” admits Blatchly. “An enormous rise in infrastructure prices, the cost-of-living disaster and an entire string of different points has mainly rinsed any obtainable cash out of the trade. Some drastic steps have been wanted, so we thought: ‘Why don’t a bunch of us get collectively and pool all of our expertise, expertise and data?”

The result’s Grassroots Rising, a brand new Group Profit Society (CBS) enterprise that’s billed as a ‘competition of festivals’ and is meant to place energy again within the palms of the independents. A crowdfunding marketing campaign will launch this August and, if profitable, in June 2026 a bunch of unbiased festivals, venues and promoters will be part of forces to create a collaborative occasion over one weekend in Cambridgeshire.

This mannequin will make it extra reasonably priced, and permit us to create a showcase for grassroots music. This can be a true return to competition tradition – a blueprint for the long run

“If all of us be part of collectively, our collective energy and attain is big,” says Blatchly. “The mannequin will assist scale back working and ticket prices, making it extra reasonably priced, and permit us to create a showcase for grassroots music. This can be a true return to competition tradition and that’s what we have to return to, as a result of the present mannequin doesn’t work for the overwhelming majority. This is usually a blueprint for the long run.” 

Luke Potter, a singer songwriter who performs as Potter, has seen up shut simply how essential these areas could be for aspiring musicians. “What Chai Wallahs has achieved within the final 20 years is outstanding,” he says. “It’s saved my life on a couple of event. Si supported my band for 10 years taking part in there and I nonetheless sing on that stage yearly. It isn’t only a venue or a help platform for bands, it might probably actually be a lifesaver for folks.”

Regardless of the continued difficulties that the trade faces, the infectious spirit, exuberance and magic that reside music can produce is the factor that retains Blatchly pushing ahead. He stays passionately in quest of moments that may create a buzz just like seeing 50 smiling younger musicians packed on to a stage.

“Music is a common language,” he says. “You’ll be able to categorical a lot via it and it’s a tremendous type of communication and training. However it might probably additionally present a lot pleasure that it might probably evolve your soul – which is de facto what it’s all about.”

Pictures: Sam Bush