A free audio tour guide through six decades of local music history is now available.
A collaboration between Visit Hull & East Yorkshire, artist collective Mutiny and Hull City Council, Diamond Life offers over 60 minutes of history, delving into Hull’s rich musical past – in locations such as Humber Street and Queen Victoria Square.
The tour is narrated by local comedian and actress Lucy Beaumont, but other voices are also lent to Diamond Life. Roland Gift, Eliza, Martin Carthy and Cosey Fanni Tutti also lend their voices to talk about life in the city.
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Participants of the walk are asked to look out for 10 Reveal Hull Way Points QR codes which will provide them with bonus content. Alternatively, listeners can listen to the full interview from the comfort of their own home.
Diamond Life also includes an archive interview with the late Mick Ronson. There are full biographies for each artist featured on the tour, including:
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Roland Gift from the rock group Fine Young Cannibals
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Folk stars Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy talk about the iconic Blue Bell Pub
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Electronica group Fila Brazillia writes club night history in Hull
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Lynda Harrison from one of the original girl groups, Mandy and The Girlfriends
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The up-and-coming musicians from Hull: Jodie Langford, a spoken word artist, and the young garage/punk group Wench.
Kath Wynne Hague, Head of Culture, Places and City Centre, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer Diamond Life to everyone in Hull. It’s a fantastic audio walk that showcases the best of our city – from its brilliant architecture and thriving music scene to the household names that bring this audio walk together. It’s also a great example of why we’re applying to UNESCO for the title of Future City of Music.”
Councillor Rob Pritchard, Head of Culture and Leisure, said: “Hull has an incredibly rich musical history and it’s great that we can showcase it in this way. I’m looking forward to discovering the signposts and taking a walk around our stunning city centre and listening to what I’m sure will be fascinating stories.”
Hull playwright Dave Windass added: “Diamond Life is a celebration of our beloved city. It really shows our links with legendary groups like Fine Young Cannibals and the Housemartins, and with great new music of today, like the group Wench. The walk shines a spotlight on Hull’s vibrant music history of the last 60 years – and shows that the city has always been a great place to experiment and make music.”
Marcus Romer, artist at Mutiny, commented: “We are delighted to be working with comedian and actress Lucy Beaumont to narrate Diamond Life. She is a fantastic ambassador for Hull – a truly warm, knowledgeable and accessible voice. In short, she embodies everything we have come to know and love about the city.”
Simon Poulter and Sophie Mellor, artists at Mutiny, add: “Diamond Life is the flagship audio walk on Reveal Hull, the new platform where people can create cassettes and learn more about the city. There is so much to discover across the site – check out the cassette box for full interviews and more bonus content!”