Thursday 21 October 2021, 7.30pm
Great double-bill of Alpha Maid and Olan Monk courtesy of C.A.N.V.A.S.. Established in London in 2014 as a series of performance events, C.A.N.V.A.S. has evolved in response to a need for closeness despite geographic fluidity and the uncertainty of contemporary life. C.A.N.V.A.S. has become a transnational fabric which connects individual practices and nodes of activity in contemporary music and live performance.
Alpha Maid (aka Leisha Thomas) is a guitarist, vocalist, and producer from South London. Alpha Maid's debut EP 'Spy' (2019) was released by the collective/label CURL, whose live shows she would also perform in. She continues to collaborate in various forms with fellow members such as Ben Vince, Coby Sey and Mica Levi. Alpha Maid's debut vinyl release 'CHUCKLE' EP (2021) was released on the C.A.N.V.A.S. collective/label, and garnered significant critical attention. In spring 2023 Alpha Maid teamed up with Mica Levi to self-release their joint EP ‘spresso’.
Olan Monk is a musician, performer and writer from Connemara, Ireland. They co-founded C.A.N.V.A.S. with Lugh O’Neill as an events series and record label, established in 2018 to give collective agency to an increasingly dispersed community of artists.
Their practice involves experimental and popular songwriting, performing as a solo act and in collaboration with other musicians, including recordings and performances with Actress, Ashley Paul, Elvin Brandhi, James K, Maria Somerville and Michael Speers. Past releases include Love/Dead (2020) and Auto Life (2021) on C.A.N.V.A.S. and Dubplate 08 (2022) on AD 93.
