Founded in Leeds but playing all over the country, Shades Collective takes both classic and modern dance favourites and brings them to life with a fully live performance. Complete with a burning rhythm section, roaring horns and truly inspiring vocals, we’ve been working with Shades Collective since their formation to help them develop their live music into a complete visual and audio experience.
We work with Shades Collective to create setlists, arrange songs and write sheet music, organise and run rehearsals, liaise with promoters for festivals to negotiate fees and advancing information, and finally being on site at the event to help deliver the complete show and to capture it in stunning photos and videos.
We helped Shades Collective bring their stunning show to Goatfest, a much loved long running festival in Codicote, Hertfordshire. We worked closely with the production company providing the mainstage, Waveco Productions, to ensure they had all the information they needed to properly facilitate this technically complex and demanding show. This included a large instrumental lineup, 12 seperate monitor mixes, backing tracks, metronome channels and more.
Ben and Maurice's enthusiasm, energy, and professionalism were apparent from our first discussions when advancing Shades Collective's show at Goatfest. These traits continued to be at the forefront of every interaction we had with them, from the band and their arrival on site, to their set itself, and even after the event, compiling and sharing their promo video with us. It is surprisingly refreshing that an act provides so much organisation, communication and flexibility, along with great musicianship, a friendly and savvy crew, and a continued passion even after the event.
Sam Braybrook - Production Manager for Waveco Productions:
Since early 2023 Shades have been in the process of producing their first full length release, and for an ensemble of its size and with ambitions high this has been no easy task. We’ve helped Shades organise studio time, arrange post productions sessions and liaise with the studio teams. Work is well under way to prepare the release for distribution and we’ve written press releases, booked photoshoots and represented Shades in discussion with labels and distributors so they can focus on doing what they do best; playing their unique and modern arrangements of modern and classic dance music. Find out more about Shades Collective here.