The Sidemen are Paul Hawkins & Andrew McCutchion. Both were Associate Artists at Vita Nova from 2013-2015. Vita Nova was a charity run by those in recovery from addiction, supporting those in recovery from addiction, based in Boscombe, Bournemouth.
The Sidemen performed and wrote the soundtrack to The Red Shoes, a theatre performance by Vita Nova.
The Sidemen ran Sound/Music Workshops in Boscombe for Vita Nova.
The Music Room Band was a loose collective formed from the Sound/Music Workshops.
The Music Room Band performed at a number of venues including Centre Stage Bournemouth, Friends Place Meeting Room, The Triangle, Remembrance Day events, and treatment centres in and around Boscombe.
The Sidemen performed at the Brighton Fringe Festival 2013, as the backing band for Kat Haskard & Chris Difford and were involved in the delivery of workshops with survivors of domestic abuse.
The Music Room Band performed a live soundtrack, Boscombe Suite Boscombe, on the evening of Dec 13th to a film produced by Sarer Scotthorne in 2013.
The Music Room Band evolved from and during Sound Workshops run by Andrew & Paul for Vita Nova.
Paul & Andrew were involved as performers in With One Voice, a performance showcase of 300 people who had experienced homelessness at the Royal Opera House on 2 July 2012. Part of the London 2012 Olympics Festival and in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Homeless Link, this was the first offical platform for homeless people in Olympic history. For more info visit with1voice.org.uk