The First- and Second-year Popular Music performance evening
Date 11 July 2025
11.07.2025Student Joe tell us about the performances that UON's first and second year Popular Music students have been preparing for this semester.
Popular Music gigs at UON
After a month of what felt like non-stop rehearsing, us First and Second Year popular music students were finally ready to perform at the Black Prince pub in Northampton – hard work which clearly paid off!
The night started strong with a four-piece of first years, who played some softer songs to ease the audience into what would become a much louder atmosphere. Their stripped-back version of ‘What You Know’ by Two Door Cinema Club was full of harmonies which perfectly complimented one another, with the whole group having their chance to shine.
My time to perform . . .
It was then my turn to perform, starting with a couple of acoustic covers, most notably a gender-swapped version of the Phantom of the Opera that took a lot of effort for me to hit the high note! The intensity was then increased by my own band, The Eyelets, playing a classic rock set where we had the opportunity to debut a couple of original tracks we had been working on, a fantastic opportunity for us. However, our highlight of the evening was performing 5 very different songs as an entire year group. My favourite to perform was ‘Feed Me’ from Little Shop of Horrors, as we introduced the song with a joke and I was then able to sing about being a carnivorous plant, an opportunity I am not usually afforded.
The second years’ performance
The second years followed on from this, starting with an ensemble of performers who performed a couple of songs, complete with a brass section. This was a great inclusion and made the performance really stand out, with the vocals being another highlight. This was followed by a few more originals by other artists and an Amy Winehouse tribute set, which certainly did the original songs justice. The final band to perform was Weesy, a local group who brought the volume back up with a few original rock songs to end the night with a bang.
Overview of the event
Overall, the evening was a fantastic showcase of the talent of all the music students here at the University of Northampton. All performers had clearly rehearsed as tirelessly as my groups had, resulting in the performances really being at an industry standard.
If you’re interested in joining a music course in Northampton, come to an Open Day to check it out for yourself!
Visit an Open Day and find out more about the music courses we offer at UON.
Joe is a first-year Popular Music student here at the University of Northampton, with a particular interest in creating scores for film and television, as well as writing and performing alternative rock music. Joe also works as a Student Representative for his undergraduate course, and is passionate about being involved within the University in any way possible.