By Yasmine Silva
I spot Hope easily by her recognisable hair, red and black outfit and a mannequin leg in hand, which had been featured in an instagram post promoting her next event. We sit down in her local coffee shop, the Isla Ray in Deptford, to discuss how at 18 years old she came to London from Chicago and began hosting successful gig nights only one year later in SE London.
Describing her parents as ‘radio top 40 players’, Hope doesn’t come from a musical background but through working at Camberwell’s The Old Dispensary and frequenting many gigs, she began to recognise the flaws made by venues and the space for improvement. She launched her signature event Knee Jerk in December 2022 and they have since had 10 events, with up to 200 people in attendance.
Having anticipated that it would have been hard as a young woman to gain the respect of her elders in the gig scene, I was particularly interested in her experience. Hope reflects that rarely was she taken seriously and the respect came “only once my gigs had been successful”. Even after that, she exclaims her disapproval of the term “girl boss” often assigned to her, saying “if I was a guy I would be entrepreneurial – why do you have to put girl in front of it?” Bands who now are in her DMs trying to get a spot at her gigs originally wouldn’t even promote her events on social media, her response “fuck you – your not above me.”
Hope’s dedication to her ethos surrounding these events is unwavering. Determined to focus her events on a cohesive sound and only providing a platform to bands she is proud to support, she has created a safe space where no one is turned away while maintaining a strict zero tolerance for hatred or violence. Fed up with the “passive misogyny” she had witnessed in the gig scene, she says, “I wanted people to feel safe to bring things up to me”. As well as building a friendship with and having a deep respect for the artists performing, recognising that “as long as the bands have a good time”, energetically “things fall into place” at her events.
That’s not to say things just fall into place before her events. When I asked what advice she would give to others who wish to do similar work, she said to “expect your cortisol levels to go through the roof”. It becomes clear that Hope, having only been putting on gigs for almost one year, is still figuring out how to trust people who wish to help her after having been let down in the past, but knowing it is necessary for the growth and sustainability of her events. Her advice is to “Figure out what you’re most passionate about and do that, and let people help you fill in the gaps.” Managing her time while pouring her energy into putting on these events whilst also doing a degree in Media and Communications at Goldsmiths, she describes as “almost impossible but not quite”.
Interested in how her interactions with people have changed since the success of her events, I asked how she remains genuine. “It’s been sticky”, she says and while she actively steers clear of ever knowingly creating a power imbalance between herself and band members, “throwing gigs is a part of me, it all feels genuine”. In terms of why she was so drawn to the scene in SE London specifically, she says “people know there’s something great going on in the music scene here so it creates this sense of urgency”.
Hope has gone from being given “dead nights” at venues for her gigs to her next Knee Jerk event happening on Thursday 25th January at The Birdsnest while not compromising on her integrity. From not being allowed to attend gigs as a young teen in Chicago, to putting them on and recently performing in them too, Hope’s ambition and drive has landed her exactly where she wanted to be.When I asked what her parents thought of all of this she said they were very proud. Her dad believes her “life path will follow this” and I have to say that I would agree.
Photos by Lou Smith and @j.pasq
Tickets for Hope’s next Knee Jerk event will be available on Dice shortly.
Tickets to see Hope’s band Armitage at The George Tavern 14th January will be available on Dine shortly.
Instagram:
@hopelikethefeeling
@kneej3rk
@armitageband
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