Shaftsbury has relaunched its ‘Seven Dials Unplugged’ initiative, providing a taste of outdoor live music throughout the destination’s iconic streets on Saturday 17th April as visitors enjoyed the first weekend of relaxed government restrictions.
The alfresco acoustic sets, performed by seven up and coming UK-based artists, will continue to take place on Saturdays for seven weeks in Seven Dials, safely encouraging visitors back to enjoy the iconic West End village.
The ‘Seven Dials Unplugged’ initiative also provides much-needed support and exposure to a number of UK performers who have been heavily affected by Covid-19 over the last year.
Visitors can discover the series of live performances in the West End village during select Saturdays from 17th April until 26th June, between 2-7pm. To adhere to social distancing guidelines and avoid crowding, all ‘Seven Dials Unplugged’ performances will last 15 minutes taking place simultaneously in a number of different outdoor locations throughout the intertwined streets, encouraging visitors to walk and listen to multiple performances at once.
The musical line-up features an eclectic mix of acoustic genres and sounds, including retro-indie-pop singer, Cheriton, singer song-writer duo, The Stone Jets, and the violinist duo Momento.
Karen Baines, Head of Group Marketing & Communication at Shaftesbury commented: “The ‘Seven Dials Unplugged’ series has proven to be a fantastic way to support both our tenants and talented up- and-coming musicians in the community, so we are delighted to bring this initiative back to the destination. The acoustic performances on Saturday really enhanced the buzz and optimism which has been felt since Seven Dials opened up again last week, and they are to sure to inspire even more people to safely return to the West End as the weeks go on.”
The live music performances Seven Dials coincide with the ongoing implementation of timed road closures and additional outdoor seating, with many restaurants and cafes now offering al fresco dining. World-famous Neal’s Yard is also operating as a one-way foot-traffic system and additional cyclist parking spaces will also be available on Neal Street.
Many of Seven Dials’ independent shops and restaurants have re-opened their doors to consumers including favourites such as Homeslice, Compagnie des vin Naturals and the eastern inspired café, Apple Butter, while The Barbary and London’s favourite vegan restaurant, Redemption, are also back and taking bookings.
