More than 60 friends and peers of a music lover who was the only British victim of the 2015 Paris terror attacks are to perform at a day of “hometown” events to “embrace his legacy”, his sister said.
A Peaceful Noise will be held across 10 venues in Colchester on Saturday, 22 November in memory of Nick Alexander, who was 35 when he was shot by Islamist terrorists at the Bataclan Theatre.
The day, organised by his sibling Zoe Alexander, is raising funds for The Nick Alexander Memorial Trust — a charity she started to provide music equipment to disadvantaged communities.
Mr Alexander, who was from nearby Weeley, was among 130 killed in a series of attacks across the French capital.
Zoe Alexander believed her brother Nick would be both “embarrassed and thrilled” by Saturday’s gigs [Jamie Niblock/BBC]
Ms Alexander said the event would take place across independent venues in the Essex city including music venues, art galleries, micro-breweries, record shops and the Colchester Arts Centre, with the aim to “fill them with music” between 15:00 and 02:00 GMT.
“It’s going to be buzzing.”
She said it would be a “celebration of love” and will feature big names such as Frank Turner, the patron of the charity, the Nova Twins and some of the “brightest and best of the local music scene”.
“Nick was a big part of the local music scene — he ran DJ nights, indie nights, he knew a lot of the bands,” she said.
“He was a music lover, he was a people lover, Colchester was always his home.”
Nick and Zoe Alexander shared a passion for music and enjoyed going to gigs together [Zoe Alexander]
She said the intention when she started the charity was to “harness some of that love that was pouring in for Nick after such a tragic event”.
“It gave us the impetus to remember who he was rather than what happened to him,” she said.
Nick had been working as the merchandise manager for Eagles of Death Metal when the co-ordinated attacks took place on Friday, 13 November, 2015. People were killed at incidents at the Stade de France, in restaurants and in the street, but the biggest atrocity took place at the gig.
Ms Alexander wants the event to “embrace his legacy, see the positive other than always looking at the victim or the tragedy”.
“We’ve got a lot of his friends and peers playing; it’s going to be the most special of all the events [they’ve held for him over the years] because there will be that personal touch of people that knew him as well,” she said.
“Bringing it home feels amazing.”
Frazer Merrick, the co-founder of Clip, works with children and young people [Jamie Niblock/BBC]
Frazer Merrick, co-founder of social-enterprise Clip, said because of the charity his group was able to buy 10 iPads “which unlocked so many opportunities”.
“We use those devices to do everything from DJ-ing to sampling,” he said.
“It means people have access to equipment and opportunities they would not have had.”
Members of the group will perform on Saturday.
“I’m really excited about what it might lead to,” he added.
One of the gig venues is Stone Rock Records on Head Street in Colchester city centre [Jamie Niblock/BBC]
Early-bird tickets have gone, but general tickets for a wristband, which gets you in to all the venues, are £38.50 plus a booking fee.
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