Last week, we were treated to a performance from local Liverpool band, Xander and the Peace Pirates.
The performance was part of our Young DaDa Ensemble project, which provides accessible music based activities to young disabled people in Merseyside. The project has two strands, each relating to different levels of musical proficiency and develops disabled young people’s musical skills, increases self-confidence and enhances future prospects. It will also produce original research into the barriers faced by young disabled musicians. The project is being delivered with specialist partners (DaDaFest, Drake Music, Live Music Now and Resonate Liverpool’s Music Hub) with funding from the Youth Music foundation and will see young people deliver an all new piece of work at this year’s Young DaDaFest in July.
Xander and the Peace Pirates are formed of brothers Keith and Stu. They were discovered on YouTube by Gibson Brands CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz, and during their subsequent performances for the company at numerous international events, the band caught the attention of not just an ever-growing collective of fans but also industry legends such as Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, the Stones), who was so smitten by their music he offered to produce the band’s first album. Find out more about the band, here.
The group played a live set of their own songs from their 2015 album, Mindscape, as well as some covers by artists such as Prince and Jimi Hendrix. Following this, they assisted the group with performing and recording their own song.
Keith and Stu said: “It was a pleasure to take part. We had a great time and it was a joy to help inspire the kids.”