York St John University music production students took on their biggest band to date this weekend (Saturday 24 February) as part of our exciting collaboration with BBC Introducing.
York-based five-piece Bull took part in the University and BBC’s Balcony Sessions on Saturday 24 February. These sessions are entirely managed and engineered by our music production students who record bands live in our award-winning Creative Centre, creating content to be broadcast on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio York.
Bull are the first York band since Shed Seven to sign to a major record label, joining EMI Records in 2020 following a deal arranged in association with Young Thugs, the city’s enterprising record label and studio that works with artists from York and the north of England.
York St John has been hosting the BBC Introducing in York & North Yorkshire Balcony Sessions since April last year, with the project providing opportunities for not just aspiring artists but also music production students at the start of their careers.
Bull professionally worked through some classic tracks such as Red Rooves and blazed through cracking new tracks, Head Exploder and Weston Supamare, from their upcoming second album to be released in March.
The recordings – and subsequent mixes – were done entirely by York St John students, with a quick turnaround for BBC broadcast.
Speaking about the band’s experience working with York St John’s music students, Bull’s vocalist and songwriter, Tom Beer, said:
“Everyone was lovely. Everyone was super helpful and professional and nice! I actually came with a broken guitar and they immediately and extremely helpfully sorted me out with another. Also – the place [the Creative Centre] is beautiful!”
Abi Smith, a third year Music Production student, said:
“Running the BBC Balcony Sessions along with my other classmates is a lot of fun. The experience we have changes every time we put it on. We are constantly meeting new people and bands, and with that comes lots of different challenges too.
“It’s amazing when meeting all these artists to see what talent there is out there, and to immerse ourselves in a variety of genres with so many different groups of people. The value of running the balcony sessions is immense. It has allowed me to meet and network with so many musicians, business and companies to further my career when I leave University.”
The Balcony Sessions are aired every Saturday night on BBC Radio York between 8.00pm and 10.00pm, hosted by Jericho Keys. Listeners can also listen back on BBC Sounds.
