Dave Sweetmore's Blog 27th Feb 2025

On Monday night joining me live in the studio on my weekly show on Tameside Radio were the brilliant band P*Starr

Having a band in the studio weekly on a Monday night is something we have done since 'The Dave Sweetmore Show' show started almost ten years ago, previously on Revolution 96.2, before moving to Tameside Radio over four years ago. But Monday was different and marked an unbelievably special occasion. In January 2023, whilst hosting the drivetime show on Tameside Radio, i started a feature called 'Local Music Spotlight', where each week a local band would appear on my Monday night show, and then be played the following week on every daytime show on Tameside Radio, alongside features in the Not Really Here Media newspapers in Tameside Glossop and Oldham, in print and online. It was a unique feature which saw a local unsigned band or artist heavily played and promoted across several media outputs, and something which to my knowledge had never been done in the UK before. As a fan of new music, this was something in which I was really proud to be involved with. We hoped we would have other bands apply to last the whole of 2023. Now, over two years on, the feature remains a key part of Tameside Radio, and Monday's guests 'P*Starr' were our 100^th band. It was also great of 'The Sprats' to join us on Monday in the studio, a band who have become great friends with us since appearing on the feature and playing live for us. 100 bands in, and still going strong, the feature is an amazing achievement and something which I am really proud of, it's one of the greatest projects I've been involved with in my long career. There are also no signs of the feature slowing down, with many bands and artists from Tameside and Greater Manchester continuing to get in touch, meaning Local Music Spotlight will continue for many months, or even years, to come. I'd like to thank all of the management and my colleagues at Not Really Here Media and Tameside Radio for their help, support and backing with the feature, and of course all of the bands and artists who have applied and featured. Local Music Spotlight is needed to help and support local musicians, and the sheer volume who apply to be a part of it just shows how much great music and talent there is in this part of the world. We've also hosted four successful 'Local Music Spotlight Live' nights at Whittles at Tokyo Live Music Venue in Oldham, our fifth will take place on Friday August 8th, with more details to follow soon. For more information on the Local Music Spotlight feature, plus artists who have appeared, visit www.tamesideradio.com. You can also email me direct at dave@notreallyheremedia.com. Long Live Local Music Spotlight, and the biggest thank you to all of our bands and artists so far, who are Alex Spencer, Cobain Jones, The Marbellas, Daisy Valentine, The Shed Project, Craig Lee and The Humblebees, Walking Contradiction, Plastic Heart, What Will Be, Harry Lavin, Maddie Spencer, Stanleys, Flechettes, Madame Claude, Ruff Trade, Betta Salvon, Katie O'Malley, Joe Astley, Damian Luke, Kaiden Nolan, Bay Bryan, The Sprats, Babyflxcko, Hannah Mazey, Chloe Jones, Ventrelles, Alias Kid, Bohmen, Lee O'Brien, George Borowski, Eddie Mooney and The Grave, The Guest List, Stepford Wives, Mansfield, Ded Ferrets, Not Ned, Damien Maddison, Scapegrace, North Blood, Urban Theory, The Notion, The Cathodes, Caesar Of Cymatics, Parkbridge, The Haciendas, St. Lucifer, Sugar Crease, Nine Violets, Imogen Paige, Heavy Salad, The Height, The DDE's, Picture Nova, Midnight Gallery, Little Strange, Joe Symes and The Loving Kind, The Trend, Joe Makes Noise, Tom Byrom, Tony Ray, 25th Hour, TRIIIP, Ambiere, Chords Of Indigo, Blueberry Hawks, The Tames, Long Island, Fates Hollow, Rick Holden, 17:17, Midnight Swim, Gdansk81, Jacob Reddy, Belle, Inego, Fleurs, Alf Whitby, Mark Wilmott, Black Sonic Revolver, The Speed Of Sound, Soul 31, Longshots Mercy Kelly, Sad Films, Leaden Sky, Small Black Arrows, Zeny Bux, Foxglove, Atlas, Holly Jaz, Chris Bridgett, The Sick Fix, Jesus Knievel, Shake Rag, Saneface, The Information Highway, Fragile Audio, The Lakes, Mistrust, and P*Starr. Please support them, and you can also listen to every band and artist on our official Spotify playlist, which can be found by searching 'Tameside Radio Local Music Spotlight'. 

Interview with Dave Sweetmore and Laura Beth