One of our key missions is to support the incredible wealth of musical talent that exists in and around Lowestoft.
Since 2019, we’ve platformed 180+ local and emerging musicians, providing career development and networking opportunities across our three programming strands:
New Dawn is an open callout that invites musicians aged 16-25 from Suffolk and Norfolk to perform on our dedicated youth music stage at First Light Festival, as well as offering ongoing support, mentorship and opportunities. Since 2022, we’ve had 149 applications, with 52 acts performing at the festival.
This year’s New Dawn callout is now closed.
Playbreak showcases some of the best musicians aged 25+ who live, work and gig regularly in Lowestoft at First Light Festival, with applicants selected by a panel of local experts through an apply to play scheme. New to 2023’s festival, we received 51 applications, with 12 acts playing at stages across the weekend.
Since opening our doors in 2022, our home at East Point Pavilion has become a hub of regular gigs, open mic nights and mini-festivals, offering year-round opportunities to perform and network.
Working with partners including BBC Introducing, Access Community College, and Wild Paths Festival, and with input from regional industry experts and local musicians, our music programming work is deeply rooted in a spirit of collaboration.
From emerging young musicians stepping onto the stage for the first time, to seasoned professionals who have settled in the town, First Light Festival CIC is committed to nurturing the creative talent that will see our area’s music landscape continue to blossom and thrive.
Interested in supporting our musician development work?
Contact Aly Tipping, First Light’s Development Manager, at aly@firstlightlowestoft.com
New Dawn
Youth Music
New Dawn is an our annual callout for musicians from Norfolk and Suffolk aged 14-25 to perform at First Light Festival. Since kicking off the programme in 2022, we’ve received 149 applications from emerging songwriters, bands, rappers and everything in between, platforming 52 acts at our festivals in the two years since.
Every application is listened to by our panel of industry experts, which has included:
Andrea Goldsworthy (Lowestoft-based professional musician)
Angelle Joseph (BBC Introducing Suffolk)
Ben Street (Wild Paths Festival)
Gavin Bowers (Catch 21 Records)
Helen Hayes (First Light Festival)
Ian Johnson (Access Creative College)
Kitty Perrin (BBC Introducing Norfolk)
Each year, the panel select one act to play a headline slot on the festival’s main Sunlight Stage. In 2022, the judges selected dream-pop powerhouse Mosiah Levi for the Sunlight slot, while 2023’s top pick went to $ebbuku, an explosive rapper from Norwich.
On top of the chance to perform at the midsummer festival, New Dawn applicants are offered ongoing support from the First Light music team, including performance opportunities at East Point Pavilion (59 New Dawn acts have played the Pavilion since 2022) and career progression sessions.
As well as supporting musicians, New Dawn also nurtures emerging talent behind the scenes, providing 8 tech, sound and lighting students work experience since 2022.
New Dawn returns to this year’s First Light Festival. Applications now open here.
“I feel so much more confident as an artist now having performed on the New Dawn Stage... it really made me feel like an important part of the local music community!” 2023 New Dawn Musician
New Dawn 2022 Acts
Afraid of Ghosts | Charlotte Gray | Eva Brighty | Finn Doherty | Grace Calver | Grace Wells | Ikarus | Imposter Syndrome | Isabella | Izzy and Ollie | Jehenna | John Harry Green | Maple Ward | Mitchel Phillips | Mosiah Levi | Nadia Kadek | N I K A | NWRVR | Pearll | Ryan Redwood | RONAN | The Marijanovic | TSG | Tyler Nathaniel
New Dawn 2023 Acts
Albert Roberts | Alex Hawkins | Alex McIntyre | Brayden Jay | Breeze Redwine | Charlie Pittman | Chloe Lupton | Elsi | Esme Emerson | Gabby Rivers | Grace Calver | Isla Mae | Jehenna | Jenna Oxbury | John Harry Green | JULIET | Kitty-May | LA NUCCI | Lara Price Band | Lottie Gray | Lumie | Maple Ward | Majic | N I K A | Phoebe Lawrence | Retro Firefly | ROMA | Samarchy | $ebbuku | Signalong with Jessica | Tiah Jean | The Marijanovic
Playbreak
Lowestoft Talent
New to 2023’s festival, Playbreak platforms musicians who work, live and gig regularly in Lowestoft alongside international acts at First Light, showcasing our area’s dazzling musical talent. Through 2023’s callout, we received 51 applications, resulting in 7 local acts performing on stages across the festival and at a Playbreak takeover of East Point Pavilion.
To select the final Playbreak line-up, we recruited a series of local music experts, which included:
Andrea Goldsworthy (Lowestoft-based professional musician)
Richard Barrett (Coronation Kings)
Helen Hayes (First Light Festival)
Samantha Penman (Lowestoft-based musician and New Dawn alumni)
Paul Johnson (Llewellyn Band, Club Uniquity)
As with New Dawn, one act was selected to play a Sunday headline slot on the Sunlight Stage. For our inaugural year, The Manifest were chosen to play a hometown set to hundreds under the midsummer sun.
Playbreak Acts
INDIGO | Jolie Harvey | Happninboy | Lisa Redford | Ryan Redwood | Spectacular Man | The Manifest
East Point Pavilion
Year-round Opportunities
Located on the seafront, East Point Pavilion is a hub of music, food and events in the heart of the town. Opening to coincide with 2022’s festival, the Pavilion hosts a diverse, year-round schedule of events, programmed by the team behind First Light. At the heart of our music programming is a commitment to putting talent from across the region in the spotlight, offering a chance to experiment, perform, and be heard.
Since June 2022, we have hosted over 200 East Point events, from beer festivals and festival fayres, to free half-term activities for children and community film screenings. Our regular Seafront Sounds evenings have built a loyal following of those enjoying new music in our relaxed setting, while Open Mic sessions are attended by emerging talent and seasoned professionals alike. Our larger mini-festival events allow us to share some of the best music from the area to audiences from Ipswich, Norwich and beyond.
Acts that have played East Point Pavilion include:
| I.Am.Afiya | Ben Lever | Brown Horse | Cam T | Charlotte Grey | Deadly Majestic’s Vintage Reggae Showcase | DSL | The High Points | Hollie Jade | John & Lynne Ward | Ember | Full House | Jake Raywood | Isaac Listen | James Holland | Jon Peach | Kitty-May | Les Woodley | Lincoln Skins | Little Big Mouth | Little Red Kings | Longshore Men | LU | Magnificent Biscuits | Rebecca Waller | Retro Firefly | Sam Norfolk | Stucki Blue | Sophie the Great | Owl and Wolves | Tom Tonks | The Austin Beats | The Buskateers | The Diabolics | Theo Sheldrake | The Vibettes | TSG
