In Conversation with Pogo Events Founder Shelley – The Story Behind Sounds of the World
From bandmate to grassroots music champion, Shelley from Pogo Events is shaking up Plymouth’s live music scene. What started with a post-lockdown funding dream has grown into a powerhouse platform for global music, community connection, and seriously joyful events. With Sounds of the World set to bring an electrifying mix of African rhythms and reggae beats to Home Park this weekend, we caught up with Shelley to talk about her musical journey, the magic of cultural exchange, and why trust, diversity, and accessibility are at the heart of everything she does.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and what first inspired you to start Pogo Events?
It had been in my mind for a while. Hosting live music events was something I really wanted to have a go at. However, seeing so many music venues close around me and promoters just sort of disappearing in Plymouth made me recognise just how much of a risk it would be to give it a go.
Shortly after lockdown, I was scrolling online, looking for potential funding opportunities (for my band at the time) and I saw that Arts Council England was offering funding opportunities that were specially aimed at grassroots music level. I read the brief and couldn't stop thinking that this is something I could do and demonstrate how much our city needs this opportunity!
Well fast forward a few months later and... hooray! I got the email to say my project application was successful. I had never done a funding application before or anything like this and It's so competitive so I was really really lucky to get accepted. Shortly after, Pogo Events was born. Having that funding support was so crucial for Pogo Events to really get it's name out there. I am so grateful for the opportunity.
Shelley with Da Fuchaman at Plymouth Hope Festival
What has your journey in music promotion been like – and how has it evolved over the years?
I've been in bands for the last 13 years or so. My first band was called Manushka. I was still young then and had so many amazing opportunities travelling around festivals in the UK and Europe. The Cabarats was then born in around 2017 and my responsibilities changed, I was a founding member. Being in and managing a band has really given me insight of how the live music industry works. Touring around the UK, Europe and different festivals has led me to discover so many amazing bands, many that I know my Plymouth community may not have discovered yet.
There were a couple of times we hosted our own event as The Cabarats in Plymouth, so this was a great introduction into what running an event looks like and the work involved.
I've been lucky enough to get accepted for three Arts Council funded projects with Pogo Events since we were born in 2022. So far, we have hosted most of our events at The Roundabout in Plymouth due to the capacity it offers (about 200), but I do recognise the need for a larger sized indoor venue in Plymouth. Our first project focused on UK festival acts which merged different genres together to create something entirely unique. I remember feeling so excited when Pogo Events first launched but so worried as well as I wasn't sure if anyone would turn up to the events! But they did and we sold out on 6 out of 8 events which was amazing!
The second project focused on representing female talent, but also explored the possibility of hosting international acts for the first time. I witnessed a really special atmosphere the times we hosted international bands in Plymouth. I think people recognised what an amazing opportunity it was to welcome such international acts here in our city. Some examples of previous International acts are La Dame Blanche, Derya Yildirim & Grup Şimşek and The Turbans.
And our third and current project is focusing primarily on international acts with a trial running an event in a much larger outdoor venue space! We are also hosting live music in-between all of this which is separate to the funded projects, which has been a lot more of a challenge to promote and make successful, especially with the cost of living crisis which we are all facing; but having the funding in place has allowed me to take more risks and explore the possibility of sustaining Pogo Events in the long term.
Was there a moment where you knew live music was what you wanted to be part of long-term?
I have always had a huge passion for performing and singing. I studied performing arts at school and college. During college, I recognised I wanted to change direction slightly and became more interested in performing with bands. I don't think I released I would ever be interested in promoting events until some time into my journey with The Cabarats... but now I'm doing it, I have to say I absolutely love it!
What makes a Pogo Events gig different from other live music nights in Plymouth?
90% of the time, I am welcoming bands to Plymouth who have never toured there before. It's almost always creative, original music and sometimes traditional music from other countries and cultures. I think I have created enough of a reputation now, where I can book a band (from the North for example, who have never performed in the South West before) and it will be completely unknown to our regular audiences - but people will still attend because they trust in my line-up. That's quite a challenge to achieve but I'm getting there with it!
You’re known for curating eclectic and global sounds – reggae, Balkan, Afrobeat and more. Why is that musical diversity important to you?
I have always had a love for exploring and immersing myself in different cultures and traditions, from food, to ways of living to music. I am a keen traveller too. But aside from what I enjoy, as mentioned above, I have witnessed such a special atmosphere at my events when we have hosted either international bands or bands performing traditional global sounds from around the world and it attracts a diverse audience. A key value of Pogo Events is to create a welcoming environment for all. I want my events to have something on offer for everyone and to be as accessible as possible.
Shelley with her partner Leo who also does the sound and lighting at Pogo
How do you go about choosing the artists you work with? Is it instinct, connection, energy… or all of the above?
Definitely a mixture of all of the above! I also love to host bands who can offer something different or unique, like an interesting set up or instruments that you wouldn't see so often in common mainstream bands. A lot of the time, I am choosing bands that have really wowed me when I've caught them live or bands that I love myself. But I do feel there has to be a balance when curating live music. There have been times where I have tried to be more objective in my choices and selected an act that isn't necessarily a band I always listen to myself. I think this is where my knowledge in the music industry comes in handy, because I am able to recognise what else I can offer which will go down well from a more objective point of view.
Pogo Events has a real community feel. How do you nurture that inclusivity in the work you do?
One of the main goals with all of my Arts Council funded events, was to supplement ticket prices to try and make the cost of attending a live music event more accessible to the local community. Aside from my efforts with inclusivity, I also believe the community and inclusive feel to my events have developed organically - or perhaps due to the type of acts I have been booking or the diversity in the music on offer? I have had so many lovely pieces of feedback over the years where individuals have told me they feel really welcome and safe at our events. It's lovely to hear and I am so glad that we have somehow helped to create this sort of space for people.
You’ve collaborated with organisations like Sofar Sounds and hosted events everywhere from Home Park Stadium to intimate spaces. What’s the benefit of working across such a mix of venues and partners?
Most of our events so far have been based upstairs at The Roundabout Pub. We transform the space into a small venue, we pop a stage up and sound system in and it works really well actually. It's a space big enough to hold 200 but also has enough of a vibe due to the layout if only 40 people attend.
Working with Sofar Sounds was fantastic and the event was a huge success, it worked really well. We have also collaborated with Patchwork Studios, based over the water at Maker Heights. There are so many challenges at the moment in the music and events industry and teaming up/networking with other venues and organisations is really helpful at the moment to boost an event to be as successful as possible. When we collaborate, both sides are bringing their experience, expertise and creativity together to create something special - and then in terms of promotion, there is the security of sharing the risk and also having a wider network to reach out too to help sell tickets etc. To keep the future of Pogo Events going, we will definitely be looking to collaborate more.
Putting on an event at Home Park is huge for us! They have a (newish) outdoor venue area called the fan zone which holds up to 2000 and has a really nice festival feel to it. It's where the entrance to the car boot used to be. I have been working closely with Michelle Rysdale who is the events manager at Home Park and I cannot thank her enough for the support she's given to me to help make Sounds of the World festival a success.
Tell us about “Sounds of the World” at Home Park – what inspired this event?
Well, our Pogo Events regulars will know that we've always had a soft spot for reggae! For this event we are also bringing in African genres and acts to this event. We are always trying to shine the spotlight on new genres and countries. We've already explored Eastern-European sounds, Latin American, Turkish and Middle-Eastern and lots of other genres and traditional sounds. Due to the upscale of this event at Home Park and having the opportunity to curate three headline acts, we felt exploring African sounds would be perfect for this one!
I think we must have taken some inspiration from Tropical Pressure festival in Cornwall... because, I mean, who wouldn't be inspired by that magical festival! It's one of the best festivals I have ever attended - and i've been to a lot of them! The music, the setting, the people, the food.. It's 10/10! So this festival is definitely for fans of Tropical Pressure Festival, WOMAD, Shambala festival, Goulash Festival, Boomtown Festival.
The lineup is phenomenal – Afriquoi, Florence Adooni, and Da Fuchaman and his Fire Blaze Band. What can audiences expect from the night?
Afriquoi is an underground sensation known for fusing live African dance music with UK electronic influences. The 5-piece band blends Gambian kora, Congolese guitar, and Mandinka percussion with house, garage, disco, soul, and jungle to create unique, dancefloor-friendly music. They've got a global fan base and have performed at Major festivals such a Glastonbury and WOMAD. This year they've got some main stage slots at Shambala and Boomtown Fair. They are not often in the South West so it's a great opportunity to see them perform this Friday in Plymouth!
We are so excited to welcome Florence Adooni to Plymouth for the first time - their band are on tour from Ghana! They are getting global recognition and it's all happening super quickly, its not surprising, ever member is so talented and they are creating such a high energy show that you can't not dance too!
This quote from Moods sums Florence Adooni up perfectly 'In short, Florence Adooni is one of the most influential vocalists of Frafra Gospel in northern Ghana, where the northern savannah meets the rainforest. In her touching and innovative arrangements, Adooni puts a contemporary veil on this vibrant musical culture. Highlife, Afrobeat and West African polyrhythms become a spiritual sound you can't get enough of.'
And then we have Da Fuchaman and his Fire Blaze Band. If you are coming for the reggae, be sure to arrive on time to catch Da Fuchamans top performance! Da Fuchaman is an international reggae artist from St Anne, Jamaica, now based in Bristol, taking the festival scene by storm with his ten piece band! A huge achievement for Da Fuchaman was winning the Best Reggae Artist in the South West in 2018.
You’ve made the event as accessible as possible – with low ticket prices, BSL interpretation, and carers go free. Why was that important for you?
It's something all event organisers, businesses and organisations should be thinking about! I have always been a support worker and care worker on the side of working in the music industry. I care deeply about accessibility, equality, and equity and I advocate for anti-discriminatory practices.
Offering free tickets to carers feels so important to help make the event accessible. If an individual has to pay entry for themselves and another one or two carers, the opportunity to attend can quickly become inaccessible due to the costs involved.
I admit I am always learning in this area and I always welcome feedback or accessibility requests ahead of the event via email to help me to think about what I need to put in place to make these events accessible.
Sounds of the World will be able to offer a huge outdoor space that isn't going to feel crowded for people. We've been talking to some of the organisaers of Plymouth's Neurodiversity Festival and are also able to offer a quiet, craft area near the back where ear defenders and earplugs as well as a chill out space will be offered. We have also tried to think about dietry requirements and allergies as much as possible when booking the food vendors but can be flexible with dietary requirements if people need to bring their own food (just email us in advance).
We will always try our best to accommodate for any access needs.
Shelley at a pogo events night at the roundabout performing with The Cabarats
What are you most excited about for Pogo Events in the year ahead?
I think it has to be Sounds of the World Festival! We've also recently been chatting to some of the Plymouth City Centre Company about possible opportunities to host free outdoor events in the summer next year - so keep an eye on our socials for more news on this!
Are there any other events or collaborations coming up that you’d love people to know about?
As part of our international programme of live music this year, we have Los Kamer (Mexico) and Theo Mizú (Brazil) performing at The Roundabout on August bank holiday weekend (tickets only £6). We will then be hosting Gnawa Blues Allstars in September who performs traditional Moroccan trance and a live Bhangra band (RSVP Bhangra) in October
What would you say to someone who’s never been to a Pogo gig before?
Just because you may not have heard of our headliner acts, doesn't mean they aren't incredible! They just may not have toured in this part of the country before but they have dominated main stages and festivals around other parts of the UK and the world. Going on the lovely feedback we receive from audience members, it's a great night out at Pogo Events and we hope you can join us and see what it's all about!
And finally – what’s one song or artist that always gets you dancing?
My favourite bands are The Skints, The Cat Empire and Fat Freddy's Drop. What a dream it would be to be able to host one of those acts here in Plymouth one day! Maybe if the event at the Home Park space goes well, we can explore what might be possible! I also LOVE Dub Princess and Hotsteppas. We've hosted them in Plymouth before which sold out in no time and they will be back with us in October so join us there if you can. I also love a bit of Drum and Bass and fully recommend checking out a local band called Badcore Horns who play live drum and bass and put on an epic live show, I couldn't not dance to their show!
