Josh Barry performs at SoundOn Sessions: These nights are a huge opportunity

Singer-songwriter Josh Barry delivered a powerhouse performance at the latest SoundOn Session, where he hailed the platform’s power to bolster the career of up-and-coming talent.

SoundOn Sessions represents an exciting partnership between Headliner Spaces and SoundOn – TikTok’s all in one global distribution and marketing platform – aimed at championing the stars of tomorrow by offering them the chance to perform at one of the UK’s premier grassroots venues in the form of The Pioneer Club.

Barry, one of the MOBO UnSung Class of 2023, commanded the stage with a full band and a voice as breath-taking in its beauty as it was in its power. Drawing influences from ‘70s soul and R&B through to contemporary rock and pop, his performance felt truly timeless. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he has been working on his craft from early childhood, consistently honing his formidable vocal skills at every juncture.

“I started writing songs when I was about five or six years old,” he tells Headliner prior to his performance. “I felt it was the way to best express myself; I never kept a diary or anything, so I kept it personal for a long time, but I was encouraged by my brother to take it more seriously and I’ve been trying ever since.”

Crucial in his development as an artist is the relationship he has built with SoundOn.

“SoundOn have been a huge support for me, just getting to meet the team and getting some great insights into how to make social media work for you,” he says. “I’m not a big social media person to be honest, so they’ve helped me really get to grips with that world.

SoundOn and TikTok are really tapped into to what’s going on and they are the gatekeepers to what’s happening out there. They have a wealth of knowledge that they have allowed me to learn from.

“I’m still learning but they have given me so many great insights and tips already. They also really helped me to get in front of a lot more people, and helped me make my content more engaging to my audience.”

Barry was also keen to highlight the importance of initiatives like SoundOn Sessions in helping artists to evolve as performers.

“Nights like this with SoundOn getting involved are incredible,” he continues. “It’s amazing to play alongside all these other great artists, so it’s a beautiful environment, and the industry being here is a huge opportunity. Really exciting.”

In addition to the standout performances at the latest SoundOn Session, another key component of the evening’s success was The Pioneer Club’s sound system, which is made up of eight JBL SRX910 line arrays, four SRX928S ground-stacked subs and four JBL PRX908 floor monitors.

Two PRX915 DJ monitors also feature at the venue, along with a Soundcraft Ui24 mixer. Two JBL PRX912s meanwhile are positioned on the VIP balcony as delays.

JBL’s presence at The Pioneer Club also reaches into its bar and mini performance area – The Suet Yard, complete with a bar powered by Signature Brew and a JBL-powered PA system that can accommodate everything from DJ sets and stripped back and acoustic sessions for up to 200 people.

The full PA system consists of a selection of speakers from JBL’s PRX Series, including PRX915XLF subwoofers, PRX908 and IRX108BT loudspeakers, as well as a Soundcraft Ui24R mixer.

The second SoundOn Session at The Pioneer Club was also the first show to utilise the venue's brand new LED wall and floor, courtesy of Leyard.

Furthermore, a comprehensive Martin Lighting rig works to spotlight the artists and sets the mood on stage and throughout the venue, which includes compact beam moving heads, bright single-lens LED moving heads, bright single-lens LED PAR cans, bright single-lens colour LED PAR can light fixtures, ultra-bright quad LED blinder fixtures and a JEM ZR35 fog machine.