Nineties act The Artful Dodger aiming to raise awareness of sickle cell disease at city gig
NINETIES legends The Artful Dodger are coming to Coventry for one night only, and they will be joined by an array of Garage and Bashment stars on the night.
The gig will be taking place on Friday at Coventry’s iconic Rialto hall, and it is to raise awareness of a hidden illness, sickle cell disease, that causes periods of prolonged pain.
Cov kid Jamie Lock, an events organiser, is responsible for bringing the event to the city and has been personally affected by sickle cell disease.
Jamie grew up in Spon End in Coventry and spent his formative years in the underground music scene in the city.
He runs Lock Stock and Two Smoking Sounds, a music management company who have worked with countless DJs over the years and promoted some of the biggest talent.
And he also carries the trait for sickle cell disease, a hidden illness affecting primarily those from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
A member of Jamie’s family also suffers from the disease, and this event provides the perfect opportunity to bring people together for a night of music and fundraising.
Jamie said: “This year is my 40th birthday and also the 40th anniversary for the Sickle Cell Society. I have chosen to launch a night in conjunction and raise money for The Sickle Cell Society as a family member suffers from sickle cell and I have a trait myself.
“I wanted to do my part in helping with the awareness and promoting of the incurable blood disorder, but most importantly to raise money to help towards a cause that doesn’t receive as much as some of the other charities out there.”
You can expect to see a string of big acts and homegrown talent on the night, including Jason Kaye, Dj Sir Vennom, The SugarMan, Dj Tom Maloney, London’s FIP GANG Dj Gemz and Mc Snowman supported By Mc JuiceMan, Pnology and Mc 4zy, with a live P.A from Tierz.
Jamie’s family still live in Coventry and Nuneaton, and he has close ties with the city.
“I grew up in Spon End and attended Coundon Court school. I have always had a passion for music and I enjoy promoting new and upcoming talent so I started Lock-Stock And Two Smoking Sounds.
“Over the years I have worked alongside Mob Deep, Cypress Hill, Dappy and a whole host of names with my best mate Perry Devonish (PNology) who currently still lives in Coventry. He is also known as a talent from Coventry, he has worked with the youth on a whole load of projects and was also on the X Factor.”
Jamie filled us in on his fond memories of the city, and how it shaped who he is today: “Back in my youth myself and Perry Devonish were a part of a duo, called Strictly Legal, that worked with Spon End Youth Club Music Collective. We were sponsored by The National Lottery who provided us with the money to buy the equipment to record our own music at the youth club. We also worked with The Princes Trust and The Duke of Edinburgh.
“After this Perry Devonish and I were a part of a talent show at The Belgrade Theatre Coventry, the show was called Young Gifted and Ambitious and was run by LeShanky Entertainment. We came first, this was featured on the front page on the Evening Telegraph 1996 and we still have that trophy today.” What is sickle cell disease? Sickle Cell is a disorder of the Haemoglobin in the red blood cells. Haemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that is responsible for the cell and for carrying oxygen around the body.
People with sickle cell disorder are born with the condition, it is not contagious. It can only be inherited from both parents each having passed on the gene for sickle cell.
Jamie said: “I carry a trait of the disease. They call it sickle cell crisis when you get the oncoming pain. Some people cannot work, they could be in so much pain that they cannot walk or do things for themselves. The impact can be financial and from one day you can be okay and the next day you could be having a crisis.
“It is a little unknown topic for some, that it is incurable and how that affects people. When people suffer a crisis with sickle cell they tend to suffer a great deal of pain and the only thing they can do is take medication to make them comfortable, doctors and nurses don’t have too much they can do for people.
“It’s very hard to describe to people what these pains and aches are.”
John James the CEO of the Sickle Cell Society will also be in attendance on the night.
And there may even be some additions on the night with Jamie hinting that “a surprise performer may be coming”.
You can get tickets from www. skiddle.com