enquiries: bookingsamanthaharvey@live.co.uk

Mason Chase is a singer songwriter/producer that has been captivating audiences around South East Queensland with his highly passionate and expressionistic performances since 2008. Mason has shared the stage with the likes of The Getaway Plan and British India, as well as sold out shows across the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Mason has become well known for his live acoustic shows and his ability to cover songs in a fresh and unique way, leaving audiences stunned. 
As well as performing covers, Mason also has an arsenal of original music - which has been compared to the likes of Jack Johnson, Ed Sheeran and Jason Mraz. 
Mason Chase is a young talent on the rise, and definitely a name to remember!

 The story of UB40, and how this group of young friends from Birmingham transcended their working-class origins to become the world’s most successful reggae band is not the stuff of fairytales as might be imagined. The group’s led a charmed life in many respects it’s true, but it’s been a long haul since the days they’d meet up in the bars and clubs around Moseley, and some of them had to scrape by on less than £8 a week unemployment benefit. The choice was simple if you’d left school early. You could either work in one of the local factories, like Robin Campbell did, or scuffle along aimlessly whilst waiting for something else to happen.

By the summer of 1978, something else did happen, and the nucleus of UB40 began rehearsing in a local basement. Robin’s younger brother Ali, Earl Falconer, Brian Travers and James Brown all knew each other from Moseley School of Art, whilst Norman Hassan had been a friend of Ali’s since school. Initially, they thought of themselves as a "jazz-dub-reggae" band, but by the time Robin was persuaded to join and they’d recruited Michael Virtue and Astro – who’d learnt his craft with Birmingham sound-system Duke Alloy – the group had already aligned themselves to left-wing political ideals and forged their own identity, separate from the many punk and Two Tone outfits around at that time. The group had nailed their colours to the mast by naming themselves after an unemployment benefit form. Their political convictions hadn’t been gleaned second hand either, but cemented in place whilst attending marches protesting against the National Front, or rallies organised by Rock Against Racism.

By the time Chrissie Hynde invited them to tour with the Pretenders during the summer of 1980 and their debut single "King b/w Food For Thought" had sailed into the UK Top 5, all the essential elements of UB40 were already in place. Their line-up will remain unchanged for almost thirty years, and they will continue playing a mix of original material and inspired choice of reggae covers in a style that’s instantly accessible with its bright melodies and sweeping horn arrangements – one that’s allied to a formidable rhythm section, capable of holding its own with anything from Jamaica.

UB40’s first album was released the following September, on Graduate Records. Their deal allowed them more creative freedom than if they had signed with a major label. The cover artwork memorably duplicated an unemployment benefit card, with the title "Signing Off" rubber-stamped in red, but it was the music that quickly worked its way into the affections of a young, mainly student crowd with its knowing lyrics, solid reggae rhythms and dubby, instrumental passages, offset by warm horn solos and Jamaican style scatting. There was nothing else like it at the time. As a multi-cultural band from Birmingham, UB40 weren’t drawn into trying to sound "authentic," and there was considerably more depth to their music than that of many punk and 2Tone bands. "I’m a British subject, not proud of it, whilst I carry the burden of shame," they sang on one of the tracks. Accepting the truth of their own situation amidst a sea of other reggae songs proclaiming black heritage gave us a valuable insight into where UB40 were coming from. They were unafraid to stand up and be counted, and British audiences instinctively loved them for it. "Signing Off" duly went to No. 2 in the UK and stayed on the nation’s album charts for 72 weeks.

On September 2nd, 2013, UB40 released their latest album ‘Getting Over The Storm’ on Universal/Virgin Records.

Everyone remembers the first time they see Lauren Ruth Ward sing. Not many singers have that effect. The thing is, you've never seen someone sing from every cell in their being and well, it changes your own chemistry for a moment. You think, if she can be bigger than her body, why can't I? And just like that, you are empowered. What's better, you never expected it would feel this fun. 

Critics have declared Lauren Ruth Ward as a cross between Janis Joplin, Florence Welch and Courtney Barnett. And while the consumer compass inside of us grasps at these to feel safe, comparisons don't feel just when trying to describe such a singular presence as Lauren. Her debut album "Well, Hell" garnered accolades from NYLON, Noisey, Consequence of Sound, the Los Angeles Times, Indie Shuffle and more. It introduced this Maryland native turned LA transplant to a world wide audience. Viral clips spread quickly of this new phenom's visceral live performance. Singing in the faces of fans, songs like “Blue Collar Sex Kitten”, “Make Love to Myself” and the soul crushing “Did I Offend You”. 

“I have a lot to say”, she howls in the title track. An oriflamme of the tie-dye 
explosion of energy and emotion that was felt when she hit Echo Park. Fans 
and bands alike fell for Lauren. Many times taken aback that she would show 
up to all of their sets and even take her own time to promote the shows of 
bands she liked, building a whole community around her as this refreshingly 
supportive East Side music peer. Echo Park folk powerhouse Alicia Blue even 
released a song about LRW titled “The Queen of Echo Park”. 

In no time, LRW was playing to sold out crowds in the US and overseas, 
sharing stages with artists as diverse as the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Shirley 
Manson, Eddie Vedder, LP, Shakey Graves, Liz Phair and even Keith Urban; 
with a growing reputation for stealing the show. 

She's recently fallen in love with the process of recording to tape, which is how she plans to attack album number three. Talent met in equal parts with work ethic and a prolific writing process that she shares with guitar wizard Eduardo Rivera. We have already gotten a taste of her new material in songs like “Valhalla”, “Wise Gal” and “Super Bullshit”; in tact with that voice, sounding just as visceral but even more focused and mature. Lauren's music videos are extensions of her art and serve as calling cards for a woman that will continue to have a lot to say. From the new material already released, it is evident she will deliver these messages of empowerment and self discovery with honesty, beauty and 
poignancy. 

This year, you can catch Lauren Ruth Ward and co. on their US headlining tour. 
And when she's not on the road, she'll either be recording with her new side 
project, Aging Actress, formed with Chris Hess, singer of LA band SWIMM, or working in her home salon. 

Rock n Roll in 2020 really needs something. Thank the fucking Goddesses 
above and below for sending us Lauren Ruth Ward.

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