IT’S NOW easier for music lovers to connect, and it’s all thanks to the Wokingham Loves Music playlist.
To mark the first anniversary of our weekly collection of tracks, curator Chris Hillman has launched a new Facebook group and it’s all about the music.
Chris says he originally came up with the playlist to support Wokingham-based talent showcase their songs.
It brings together musicians, bands, recording studios, venues and festivals in a unique way, as the tunes can be heard as well as read.
Along with photographer Andrew Merritt, Chris compiled a list of 10 songs each week from musicians who were connected to the local scene.
To celebrate the miletsone, Chris has launched two new Facebook groups called Wokingham Loves Music and Wokingham Loves Music Chat.
Chris explains he has found a “wealth of musical talent” since starting the playlist.
He says: “It’s been great to see how much is going on in Wokingham and I’ve discovered so many things in the music scene that I didn’t know were there.
“At the beginning, I thought I might be committing too much trying to find two new tracks every week but I was amazed to see so many people putting on gigs and shows in the area.”
With two new tracks added each week, the playlist has featured more than 100 tracks so far including artists such as Fish and Steven Wilson.
The playlist gets published both online and in print and all the songs can be listened to through Spotify.
There is a wide range of genres included such as pop, rock, jazz, folk and progressive music.
The playlist feature is also shared by Wokingham Festival and Wokingham Music Club on their social media each week.
Chris’ new Facebook pages are open to both artists and listeners of music who are interested in what’s going on in the Wokingham area.
Members of the groups can post about upcoming gigs, new single releases or simply to share their love of music.
Chris says the aim of the group is for people to “share with each other” what’s going on in the area.
He says: “I’m predominantly a music fan and I love discovering new music, so through the chat group I hope others can share their love of music too.
“I think the groups will benefit people in a number of ways such as musicians promoting their gigs, sharing of advice, people expressing their excitement for new albums they’ve heard and for music fans who want to discover new music.”
Chris adds: “I’m hoping it will become like a community hub for people, helping to share all the amazing gigs and events that are going on in the area.”
To join, search for Wokingham Loves Music and Wokingham Loves Music Chat on Facebook.
