Hull tattoo studio raise thousands for LGBT Youth with independent festival
- twistednippleevent
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 14
A tremendous total of £2000 was raised for LGBT Youth at NamJam Festival, on it's 5th consecutive year.
The idea of NamJam Festival was catalysed 5 years ago, when owner of Namaste Tattoo studio, Holly Dosdale, was sat tattooing a client who happened to be a DJ, they suggested that their place would be a cool space to host an event to give back to the community. Soon after this the idea was in motion, and the studio had began preparing for their first NamJam. The debut year was in aid of a mental health charity, the perfect post lockdown choice, and the idea was to bring our sorely missed communities back together through common cause.
NamJam began exclusively in the tattoo studio, with artists performing up on the indoor balcony, and outside being transformed into an outdoor space for a selection of other bands. The early years of Namjam embodied true D.I.Y punk spirit, with feral post punk bands sprinting up and down the garden whilst teenagers gleefully smashed into each other. Early incarnations of what the festival would become featured loud and local talent from the likes of Ramble Gamble, Bedsit, Candid Faces and Ket Kow. At time when Hull was experiencing a boom of new wave punk talent, being consumed by the chaos they created in an intimate backyard festival really proved how tight nit the community was.
Hosting a festival undoubtedly comes with its challenge, it took Jordan a few years to work out a seamless system for the money raised via tattoo flash sales. And then in 2023, Holy and Jordan became proud parents. The super couple's altruism shines through in every aspect of life and NamJam remained as strong as ever.
After a few years the festival soon realised it needed to scale up so decided to incorporate legendary venue, The New Adelphi Club into proceedings. Conveniently just a few minutes walk from their tattoos studio, with a rich musical history and grassroots ethos, it was the ideal setting. The new approach for the festival was to host the more mellow acts in Namaste's garden, lulling into the day with a chill mood, and then moving to The Adelphi where the energetic atmosphere would amp up, and bands would have free reign away from disgruntled and disapproving neighbours and dicey electric setups not fit for destructive punks! This year's NamJam PA was kindly lent by TPR.
My highlight of this years NamJam has to be be Buckfast Tramp. Featuring collective members of TPR and Newland Tap. Their set was an all thrills musical extravaganza, and delivered tongue in cheek performance paired with massive sounds! Covering classics such as Nirvana's Territorial Pisssings, Blizereig Bop by the Ramones, Time Of Your life by Green Day, and a truly epic, atmospheric version of Abra Kadabra, Bitch! Featuring double yodelling duties of Herculean proportion by Heidi Gragas and 'Chunk', which totally brought the house down! If you wanna experience the live set in all its glory you can buy the set here ! - https://listen.setmixer.com/setmix/4e28f2ee58?utm_affiliate_type=artist&utm_affiliate_id=0199239b-2002-7b6e-9534-e269dff88e02&fbclid=IwVERTSAMyAE9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHtHMJI6vOu-G1LWfBvlnoGji6aNdR_x2Cgi7uy7JCEDAUC8PP5OvDgDFAsFj_aem_7Nq1dR115qOKErT32NINKA
The expansion of NamJam has allowed it to blossom into a cultural delight for diversity and inclusion, with acts ranging from stand up comedy, to young superstar Nellie J (who's played every Namjam since age 7), to rambunctious feminist punk trailblazers Wench(who this year played Leeds Reading), and even feisty and fierce fire breathing burlesque performers like The Scarlett Sirens!
(Wench performing at Leeds Reading)
Firmly on the right side of history; the whole team at NamJam are big activists and advocates for humanitarianism. Having previously raised for Surgical Missions in Gaza, Health Stars, Just Like Us and Ren's Rescue. Never compromising their morals, Holly and Jordan also like to book exclusively vegan caters for the event. Every NamJam has being a roaring success and this year has been no exception. Trans led Organisation Last Pick Theatre helped organise some of the performers, and collaborative efforts meant a sensational sum of over £2000 was raised for LGBT Youth charity 'Just Like Us'. The team at Namaste are doing vital work and I hope the community led chant of 5 more years is answered in kind!
Holly and Jordan sincerely thank everyone who's ever attended or supported NamJam. They would also like extend special gratitude to their fantastic team over the years, who have been fundamental in making this festival happen. That's;
Leon Sampson, Keigh Tattershell, Meesha Bevan, Leah Catchpole, Mikey Ellerby, Aimee Spittlehouse, Jessie Eleanor.
You're all legends!
Long live NamJam!
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