My Work Experience at The RecShop

Hello, I am Abdul and I have participated in work experience at a social enterprise called The RecordShop. The RecordShop is a small place but they have a big mission. Their mission is to help young people with their personal, profession and educational needs.

My work experience here at The RecordShop has taught me new skills that i haven’t learnt before such as customer service, what i had to do was serve the customers a drink it was very daunting as it was my first time and i didnt wish to make any mistakes with my first time but i managed to pull through and made my first sale. The second skill I learned was how to open the store and the regulations that must be followed when opening the store such as checking the expiry dates of the products that are sold, checking if the equipment is working properly and is ready for use.

The third skill I have come across was talking to customers when i was handing out leaflets and promoting the shop. This task was a little troublesome as most people walked by with no response but some people showed some interest and I explained what we do and why we do it and handed them a leaflet so they can come back and learn more about The RecordShop.

Abdul

Our Annual Anniversary

Last month marked our third year at The Mall Wood Green. We have accomplished so much since we’ve been here and it’s only getting bigger and better! As this year is drawing to a close, let’s take a look back at an exceptional year. 

It kicked off with two successful events. The first one was the Mind Your Business Brunch, run by The ReignBow Club and Tinkk Buddah. This was a fantastic networking event focusing on mindset. The second one was RETREAT, a Mission Exhale event led by Shevelle. It was a particularly inspiring moment which involved insight into goal setting and self-reflection.

In the following month our creative work experience students transformed the stage for the open mic and the talented artist 705 became our first headliner for the open mic session. 

We also attended the career fairs at both St Thomas More Catholic School and The Grove School, to inform the lovely students about the music and work opportunities available at The RecordShop.  

For International Women’s Month, we visited the Broadwater Farm Community Centre to give a DJing and Beatmaking workshop. We then hosted a free Artisan & Craft Market led by Ebi Fusion, which takes place monthly. 

On April 15th, the artist Edie Rae held her EP launch party at our venue. She Speaks Faith, presented Paint with Purpose, a platform for a community of sisters to connect and grow in Christ.

In May, we had SWT EVENTS at our venue for their Art Attack & Yak – BDay special, 705 had a successful launch and listening party and then we embarked on a London tour! The acts consisted of LSKIN, WondRWomN, Cyka Psyko, KlaCat and 705. 

This brings us to the incredible RecFest, a jam packed festival full of fun, laughter, workshops, live music and activities for both children and adults. With over 300 visitors and more than 60 acts, the RecFest was a wonderful opportunity for up-and-coming talents like Steppazs, RONAN, girlnext2doors, KlaCat, FullaVibes and ADS Kru to showcase their music to our local community. There were so many highlights from the festival that we just can’t wait for the next one!

Also – in August we entertained the local residents as we DJ’d at Sky City Community Centre, which is located above The Mall Wood Green. 

September was another fantastic month as we received a letter from Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London! This came after the excellent project ‘Route Words’ by Shenece Oretha, which was displayed on Art on the Underground.

Our founder Mary recently had an interview with Music Cities Events where she expressed how she felt about receiving the letter from the mayor, and also talked about the free studio sessions for musicians and more. Click here to listen to the full interview. 

We also held a free ukulele workshop for children led by Margie Jammie from UkuLittle during the half term. 

We finally had a wonderful time at our open mic event last month. Amber, a talented singer and musician performed during the event. We will be working with her on her new single which will be recorded and mixed at The RecordShop. 

We plan to continue to support our musicians and young people in the coming year and you can expect to see great things from us. Don’t forget to follow us to stay updated!

The RecFest 2023 recap

The Mall in Wood Green was taken over by our free festival The RecFest 2023, organised by The RecordShop. On Saturday 12th of August, the corridors (and even some stores) got filled with laughter, dance and the most phenomenal national and international acts. A free festival for the Wood Green community and everyone in London.

The event opened the doors to everyone, adults and kids alike, allowing them to drop in throughout the day and enjoy live music, workshops, and creative activities. The festival had lots of little surprises around every corner.

Spread over five areas (the MainStage, the RecStage, the Rooftop, TFL stage and Wilko Space), over 300 visitors grooved to the music of over 60 acts on the line up.

The MainStage

At the MainStage, the festival opened with welcoming words of The RecordShop’s founder Mary Otumahana. Then we blasted the best tunes in the first DJ set of the day by DJ Dymond. Right after, the Tottenham-based world champion youth dance company Steppazs wowed the public, not only due to their amazing dance moves, but also because they were the youngest performers of the festival (only ten years old!).

Well-known and up-and-coming artists such as Ronan, Mr Jones Loud Music Group, and the Spanish group ADS Kru were part of the showcase.

The line-up on the main stage was headed by Spanish artist Icy Amane with her fusion of dancehall and soca and bilingual flow. South London artist Fullavibes also represented the tropical islands of Jamaica and Guyana, giving a show full of raw vibes and excitement. 

And of course, let’s not forget how the emerging group of innate rockstars Everything in Mono conquered everyone’s hearts on the MainStage, and even some stores (really!), making their guitar solos roar through the mannequins and stalls. And what a treat that was!

Even more fun

Right above the MainStage, the audience was enjoying the summery vibes at The Rooftop, with views over London’s Wood Green. The Mall’s rooftop transformed into an exciting beach bar, with fantastic DJ sets throughout the day and refreshing drinks from RedBull & BrewDog. Cheers to that.

And the fun didn’t stop there! Downstairs, at The RecordShop, people enjoyed a massive variety of crafts and handmade treats in the Local Business Market. The shoppers and exhibitor alike enjoyed the melodies of renowned talent of promising local musicians such as AlexandreTheGreat, Cyka Psyko, and Slam Jam. Nigerian artist and producer 705, also put a smile on everyone’s faces with his fusion of African afrobeats, R&B and hip-hop.

And as if that wasn’t enough, YesYesKat and Teelo Vasiliou discussed everything about being a creative in the Haringey Borough and gave dazzling tips to upcoming artists to succeed in an insightful creative panel talk. 

The little ones had their share during the festival too. They participated in a circus drop-in session with group Splats Entertainment, a ukulele class with Amy Clare Tasker, and an interactive illustration and visual art workspace. And of course, there was some face painting, as well. Because, who doesn’t get happy from face painting?

A total success

The RecFest 2023 was an entire success, hosting more than 300 visitors and the best UK-based acts and global acts to promote inclusivity and a cross-cultural exchange. The initiative created a chance for greater exposure, empowering artists to connect with new audiences and industry partners.

The tunes and dances made for sure everyone smile. Sure you can’t wait for next year’s RecFest to happen, right?

The RecordShop announces The RecFest, a free festival featuring local and global talent

The RecordShop presents The RecFest, a brand new festival for the local community, featuring performances by some of the most interesting up-and-coming musicians in London and the world. Supported by the Arts Council, Haringey Council, O2 Telefonica/Virgin Media, and The Mall (Wood Green), the RecFest is part of The RecordShop constant commitment to supporting new musical talent while providing a free space for music fans to gather and celebrate creativity.

On Saturday 12 August from 11:00 am to 10:30 pm, The RecFest takes place in The Mall in Wood Green and aims to attract over 300 visitors bringing local businesses, creatives & audiences to enjoy a day of music and fun. The event opens the doors to everyone, adults and kids alike, allowing them to drop in throughout the day and enjoy live music, workshops, and creative activities by booking a free ticket. The initiative serves as an opportunity for higher exposure, allowing musicians and creatives to access new audiences while also making industry contacts. 

The line-up on the main stage will be headed by artists such as Spanish artist Icy Amane who has developed a bilingual, versatile flow the public will not forget. ADS KRU is an ensemble that has revolutionised the streets of the most important cities in Spain, using rap as a tool for social transformation. The evening will culminate with a performance by artist dancer and choreographer Slim Iggs from Nigeria, whose dance moves will get the public dancing along. With a fusion of dancehall and soca, South London artist Fullavibes will represent the tropical islands of Jamaica and Guyana, giving a show full of raw vibes and excitement.

Expect also to hear a fusion of African afrobeats, R&B and Hip-Hop Music when seeing Nigerian artist and producer 705, he will play a mixture he calls afro-fusion, matching his African heritage with Western inspirations. The RecordShop founder and main organiser of the event, Mary Otumahana a.k.a.  WondRWomN, will share her intricate wordplay over jazzy, modern, or old-school hip hop beats all the way through to hard-hitting EDM and more unique styles.

Above the main stage, The Rooftop in The Mall will transform into a beach bar, with exciting DJ sets throughout the day and refreshing drinks from RedBull & BrewDog. The RecordShop will feature a local business market and its renowned talent of promising local musicians, as well as engaging panel talks by experienced industry professionals. Workshops during the festival will include a circus drop-in session with group Splats Entertainment, a ukulele class with Amy Clare Tasker, and an interactive illustration and visual art workspace.About The RecordShop: The RecordShop is a social enterprise that aims to bridge the gap between young musicians living in inner-city London and lifestyle brands. We are an independent grassroots organisation that has built a network of 800+ registered users and partnered with global brands including O2 Telefonica, Samsung, Dr Martens, Tottenham Hotspurs, Sofar Sounds, Volunteering Matters, and RedBull, helping them reach millennial audiences.

For further press information, please contact: Mary Otumahana, mary@therecshop.co.uk Tickets are free but should be booked via Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/nhj8c79s

The RecFest

We’re hosting our brand new festival for our community at The Mall (Wood Green)! Get ready for a full day of music, workshops & much more all brought to you by our award-winning social enterprise. We will have a lineup of artists including WondRWomN, Icy Amane, Slim Iggs, J.Ibz, ADS Kru and many more TBA! Buy your tickets now.

The RecShop Open Mic Experience

The RecShop has one of the best Open Mics Wood Green has to offer. From FREE studio time, to amazing live acts, we’re an overall great hangout spot and you can experience us in action this Saturday. 

Come along to our last open mics of 2022, which will take place on the 3rd and 17th of December from 7pm-10pm. Don’t miss out on your chance to perform or enjoy your local talent on our stage. 

The RecShop is a place where you can be yourself in a safe environment. We’re waiting for you.

Book your FREE ticket here.

Ishmael

RecShop daily drop-ins

The RecShop is one of the best safe spaces for young creatives aged 11-25, you can swing by and indulge in the comfortable studio space for recording, producing and engineering. Not only do we have studio space, we also have spaces for you and your band to rehearse and perform.

At The RecShop we supply your music and leisure needs. You can enjoy playing ping pong, whilst developing your professional skills in our multi-purpose music space. Whether its educational or creative, you can enjoy The RecShop experience, play piano, learn to drum or utilise our free desk space for homework, job applications, work, printing CV’s and not to forget our free wifi. Drop by between Tuesday & Friday.

Sign up now!!

[YOUTH]

Ojay

Ebi Fusion’s Plant Based & Artisan Market

From providing the best possible start for our youngsters with fresh quality produce, to buying local arts and crafts and supporting artisans, local markets provide a perfect opportunity to make a difference and, whats more, Ebi Fusion enables everyone to enjoy a great experience.

Join us tomorrow from 10-6pm for a vegan friendly day!

 

Back 2 Eden with She Speaks Faith!

She Speaks Faith is a platform for a community of sisters to connect and grow in Christ. On Saturday 27th August She Speaks Faith launched their first event – Back 2 Eden – a night of faith, empowerment, transparency and love, which featured the word of God, testimonies, group discussions, performances and food stalls.