Duncan first worked with Midnight Mango as a local promoter.
What brought you to Midnight Mango?
I started as a promoter as Big Ginger Tom Music and a number of artists I had booked asked me to be their booking agent. One of those bands were picked up by Midnight Mango after I showcased them at the English Folk Expo. That brought me to the attention of Matt who a few months later asked if I’d like to join MM as a freelance agent. It was a no brainer really!
What kind of bands do you like to work with?
Anyone I’m passionate about and feel a connection with and most importantly, they feel a connection with me.
What advice would you give someone considering joining the Midnight Mango team?
Be prepared to share. Although we all work remotely, I’ve been genuinely touched by the generosity of everyone at MM in terms of sharing their experiences, contacts and leads. I hope that the sharing of my limited knowledge and experience has been of help to some of my colleagues.
Who would you love to have on your roster?
Crumbs, what a question, I’m pretty stretched, but I’d love to work with Katherine Priddy. I’ve got to know KP pretty well in the last few years and as a promoter I’ve sold her out 3 times, though admittedly the first time was when she did a house gig for me in 2019!!
First festival you went to?
Towersey Festival in 2018, seeing Chris Helme from The Seahorses was fantastic as “Do It Yourself” is one of my top 10 favourite albums. Also, it was close enough to home we could drive back and forth every day, so none of this silly camping business!!
Best festival you’ve been to?
Another difficult question, but probably Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, there’s a great variety of acts and good opportunities for those smaller artists coming through. However some of my best festival experiences have been at Beardy Folk Festival, I’ve gone for 5 years running now and have been compering the Main Stage for the last 3 years. I did my first compering there on my 60th birthday which was pretty cool and bringing on your own acts is a great feeling, but the highlight has to be bringing on the wonderful Kate Rusby this year. I must also give a shout out to The Magpies Festival as they’ve done an amazing job since starting out from scratch 4 years ago.
First gig you went to?
Supertramp at Wembley Arena in 1979, it was the “Breakfast in America” tour. I had a ticket, but it then looked like I couldn’t go so I gave the ticket to someone else. I ended up being able to go so I got a ticket from a tout outside the venue and ended up right up in the gods! I’d gone with friends, and we’d driven up from Devon. We broke down on the way home between Exeter and Okehampton as he’d filled the car up with oil in the morning but forgotten to put the oil cap back on. His dad wasn’t best pleased to have to come and pick us all up at silly o’clock in the morning!
Best gig you’ve been to (so far)
I’d have to list a few, firstly Kasabian with support from The Maccabees at the O2 Brixton Academy, I was right at the front with my son, it was awesome! Secondly, the last gig Katherine Priddy did at my own venue in Harwell Village Hall with George Boomsma and Katie Grace Harris opening, it was a really special evening. Thirdly The People Versus at St Pancras Old Church, I’d been helping the band since they formed, so to see them at one of London’s iconic venues felt great.
