After a successful launch, the next Band Night is happening on the 29th of November. Taking place in Strath Union, at The Venue, it’s going to be a night of live music from some of the best up-and-coming indie bands in Scotland. Verces, The Shores and National Playboys are all playing so check out their music before the gig! I caught up with Dionne from Verces to talk about the upcoming band night, her experience in the industry and collaborations with the charity Tiny Changes.

Dionne is a politics student at Strathclyde and the drummer of Verces. She started the band in Lanarkshire along with friends Brad and Kieran. Dionne was inspired to start pursuing music by a programme in Glasgow called Music Plus, a free mentoring scheme run by the Scottish Music Centre. They offer one-to-one experience with industry professionals who offer guidance, encouragement, skills and knowledge across a range of industry roles. In the future, Dionne hopes to play for larger audiences in bigger venues and pubs. She believes "it’s not about the money and all about the crowd". In the future, the band aims to take it as far as they can go. They are soon to be supporting local bands at King Tuts and dream to play the Barrowlands. But their biggest goal is to have people enjoy their music.

Music has always been a big part of Dionne’s life. She was encouraged to start playing by her Mum and Granda, who helped develop her love for music. She never goes a day without listening to music and recently joined Bands at Strathclyde. All levels are welcome to join the band society! It’s easy to get involved with membership £10 for the year. However, learning to play an instrument isn’t always as accessible. Dionne believes that "instruments can be very expensive and only widely available for able people so a lot more can be done to help support this". Bands at Strathclyde have previously put on fundraiser gigs with more to come in the future.

Dionne is also a wavemaker for Tiny Changes. They are a Scottish charity that is committed to building a community and working together to help young minds feel better. Tiny Changes are currently in the works of starting a society at Strathclyde where students can engage in fundraising and events. Dionne encourages students to become wavemakers which are "young people under 30 who want to be part of the transformative change in Scotland’s mental health in young people". She will be on the committee for the Tiny Changes society and is currently working with the team to get it up and running. Band Night is a fantastic opportunity for a fundraiser so keep an eye out for upcoming collaborations with Tiny Changes! If you want to get involved with the upcoming society or hear more about the charity, contact them.

Cheap drinks, live music and good times. It’s a night not to be missed. Tickets for Band Night are £5 and available here