A joint venture between grassroots gig venue The Grayston Unity in Halifax and Launchpad, the Leeds-based support organisation for emerging artists, promises to bring a new dimension of live music to the region’s established scene.
Starting in September and running for 12 months, The Grayston will be hosting a special series of events collectively entitled ‘Comfort Zone’. The project will focus on rap, afrobeat, electronica and jazz artists with ticket prices heavily discounted due to National Lottery Arts Council funding.
Michael Ainsworth, owner of The Grayston Unity: “We were delighted our application for funding was successful. It enables us to bring new – to us – genres of music and charge low ticket prices for the gigs – free for those aged 21 or under. We want people to come along and listen to something they wouldn’t normally do.”
First up, on 7th September, are Silver Tongued Rascals and Afro Baby with subsequent weeks set to feature nu-soul-funk band Glass Frogs alongside DNO, Neo 21, Mayshe-Mayshe and Cherry Seraph.
Neo21 is a Bradford-based Afro-fusion/rap artist who is already very familiar to our ears. We reviewed his single Not Nice at the start of the year, a smart, new-wave-soul track that oozes sophistication. He is a growing force in the city’s cultural scene having collaborated on initiatives with Bradford Producing Hub, BCB Radio 106.6 and the City of Culture.
Mayshe-Mayshe is another stand-out name from the first wave of Comfort Zone gigs. She’s no stranger to the Calder Valley scene having secured a number of high-profile slots at The Trades Club and other venues in the region. We saw her play a tremendous avant-dream-pop set – full of synth loops, beats and outer-space vocals – in June 2025, supporting Mermaid Chunky.
Keep an eye out too for the deliciously-named Silver Tongued Rascals who consider themselves “an electro N.E.R.D”. They’re forward-thinking social commentators offering a revamped blend of The Streets, OutKast & LCD Soundsystem.
Cherry Seraph is another with a wealth of potential. She’s a producer and audio engineer based in Leeds. In her own words, from an interview with LeftLion website: “I like to make ethereal alternative pop and use a lot of far-out sounds in my production.”
Sam Nicholls, Head of Launchpad: “Our ambition is to show off a diversity of artists for audiences in Halifax. We love the opportunities The Grayston Unity create for young people in the region, on and off stage.”
Follow The Grayston Unity and Launchpad for more information.
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