We’d like to welcome David Agnew to the Live to your Living Room team!
As our Programme Booker, David is responsible for sourcing both emerging and established folk acts to play on behalf of Live to your Living Room, building relationships, and making sure everything runs smoothly.
David has already organised some fantastic shows, including St Agnes Fountain, Tim Edey, and A Warning to the Curious – Two Ghost Stories by M R James.
No stranger to the world of live music, David is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Sound Roots (formerly English Folk Expo), having joined as Artistic Director in 2019. Before then, he spent over 23 years working at The Met in Bury, starting as Marketing Manager and working his way up to Artistic Director.
David also launched Manchester Folk Festival in 2017 and previously worked as the programmer and festival organiser for Ramsbottom Festival, Head for the Hills, The Lost Carnival, and Big Whistle Festival.
As part of his work with Sound Roots, a charity committed to helping the independent music sector thrive and grow, David got involved in hosting online concerts during the pandemic. He said, “Although these shows were created out of need at the time, they had such a significant impact, including collective community and limitless access and reach.”
The decision to work with Live to your Living Room was an easy one for David: “I love booking shows and creating moments for audiences, and I’ve always admired what Live to your Living Room does.
“Its commitment to accessibility and quality is genuinely brilliant, and it’s wonderful to see how the organisation is loved by both audiences and artists.”
As part of his work with Live to your Living Room, David is most looking forward to getting to know not only the artists who play shows, but the people who watch them: “With all the projects I’ve worked on, I love to find out more about the audiences and discovering what they get excited about – and then bringing them something unexpected and different.
“The best things always start in small rooms, and Live to your Living Room is the ultimate intimate space where I know artists will be thrilled to test new ideas.”
Cat McGill, Founder and Creative Director at Live to your Living Room said: “David is one of the hardest-working people in the music industry, and we were delighted when he agreed to come on board as our Programme Booker.
“Sound Roots is dedicated to developing opportunities for folk artists and introducing them to new audiences, and we’re looking forward to welcoming brilliant new talent to the Live to your Living Room stage.”
David’s collective work across Sound Roots, Live to your Living Room, and organising other events keeps him busy. Outside of work, he loves going to gigs and sharing food with family and friends.