What did you do before DICE?
After leaving university with a degree in Music Journalism, I balanced working as a tree surgeon with internships at Purple PR and XL Recordings. I wish I could think of an inspiring analogy about how tree surgery is similar to the workings of mobile ticketing, but I think it would be a bit of a stretch. I also started running my own promotions company called Hairy Recordings, which is how I first came into contact with DICE as a platform to sell tickets for our shows.
What’s the best thing about working here?
The people. I am lucky enough to work with some truly wonderful individuals who are motivated by a desire to change the ticketing industry for the better. The complimentary snack selection is also top notch and well balanced.
What’s something you’ve worked on that you’re most proud of?
Helping to facilitate the reopening of our partner venues in a socially distanced capacity and finding solutions to the ever-evolving circumstances. At the moment, venues need all the help they can get and I’m proud of the company’s efforts to help them to stay open and adapt to new demands.
What was your first gig, last gig and favourite gig?
First gig: Kings Of Leon in Brighton just before they released their second album. They were probably the coolest bunch of lads on the planet at the time. I was convinced they were wearing tights, but my mum assured me they were just very very very tight jeans.
Last gig: deathcrash performing a socially distanced event at St Pancras Old Church. It was both bleak and beautiful, with the smoke machine working overtime to create a fraught and doom-laden atmosphere – the perfect way to welcome the impending winter lockdown that followed.
Favourite gig: Blood Orange at Pitchfork Paris. I was high on raclette and red wine, maybe some rum cocktails as well. Dev Hynes slunk on stage and delivered a masterful performance in which I cried several times. He is one of the greatest songwriters of the century thus far.
Link us to something interesting.
‘Big’ Jeff Johns is a personal hero of mine. To those who haven’t heard of him, he is a Bristolian icon who has attended at least seven gigs per week for well over a decade. He reckons he has attended over 4,000 gigs, all of which he watches from the barrier while headbanging, regardless of the genre. He would be the number one DICE user by a country mile but unfortunately he gets into most gigs for free. There’s a documentary about him you can watch. He’s also made some incredible expressionistic art for a while now and has just opened his first exhibition.