First Timers (festival)
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox music festival|
| name = First Timers
| image =
| landscape =
| caption =
| location = * At 195 Mare Street (then squatted) and Power Lunches
(2013)
- DIY Space for London
(2016 to 2019) - Amersham Arms
(2022) - The Victoria, Dalston
(2023 to present)
| years_active = 2013 - present
| dates =
| founders =
| genre = Punk rock, Indie rock
| website =
}}
First Timers is a yearly series of workshops in London, England, culminating in a two-day festival that encourages "new faces and voices in bands", in order to "do something about the lack of diversity in the music community".{{cite web|title=The events and workshops where women can kickstart their metal career|url=http://teamrock.com/feature/2018-02-13/the-events-and-workshops-where-women-can-kickstart-their-metal-career|publisher=Team Rock|date=13 February 2018|accessdate=3 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227233228/http://teamrock.com/feature/2018-02-13/the-events-and-workshops-where-women-can-kickstart-their-metal-career|archive-date=27 February 2018|url-status=live}}
Background
The festival was founded by Bryony Beynon of Good Throb, inspired by similar events in North America, with the first events happening in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://joyzine.org/2024/02/26/interview-first-timers-fest/|title=Interview: First Timers Fest|date=26 February 2024|website=Joyzine}}
To take part, one or more band members have never been in a band before or one or more members has never performed that role in a band before, and one or more band members has to belong to a group marginalised in society.{{cite web|url=https://getinherears.com/2024/01/12/first-timers-workshops-return-for-2024/|title=First Timers Workshops Return For 2024!|website=Get In Her Ears|first=Kate|last=Crudgington|date=12 January 2024|accessdate=26 September 2024}} This includes being disabled, transgender, queer, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, a person of colour, or a woman.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/mrr_412/mrr_412_djvu.txt|magazine=Maximum Rocknroll|date=September 2017|author=Creg|title=First Timers|issue=412|accessdate=27 September 2024}}{{cite book|url=|title=Arts, Culture and Community Development|editor-first1=Rosie|editor-last1=Meade|editor-first2=Mae|editor-last2=Shaw|page=117|chapter=Queering community development in DIY punk spaces|author-first1=Kirsty|author-last1=Lohman|author-first2=Ruth|author-last2=Pearce|year=2021|publisher=Policy Press|isbn=9781447340515}}
Bands that emerged from the festival include Big Joanie,{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2017/10/30/big-joanie-punk-trio-gen-f-interview|title=Women of color have always had a place in punk. Big Joanie is here to remind you of that.|last=Myers|first=Owen|publisher=The Fader|date=30 October 2017|accessdate=26 September 2024}} Whitelands, Charmpit, Breakup Haircut, Primetime, Scrap Brain,{{cite web|url=https://www.maximumrocknroll.com/new_blood/new-blood-p-e-a-r-l-harda-ut-scrap-brain-pedestrian-and-nerve-quakes/|title=New Blood! P.E.A.R.L., HÄRDA UT, SCRAP BRAIN, PEDESTRIAN, and NERVE QUAKES|website=Maximum Rocknroll|date=8 December 2016|accessdate=10 November 2024}} Slags and Panic Pocket.{{cite web|url=https://fortherabbits.net/2018/04/23/get-to-know-panic-pocket/|title=Get To Know – Panic Pocket|date=23 April 2018|website=For The Rabbits|accessdate=8 October 2024}}
Speaking with The Guardian in 2019, an organiser with the festival reported that nearly 90 bands had formed to play the festival up to that point.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/apr/12/ive-got-all-this-rage-the-feminist-punk-groups-demanding-to-be-heard|title='I've got all this rage': the feminist punk groups demanding to be heard|website=The Guardian|first=Aamna|last=Mohdin|date=12 April 2019|accessdate=1 October 2024}}
Beynon also organised an iteration of the festival in Sydney, Australia on 14 July 2018.{{cite web|url=https://thebrag.com/first-timers-sydney-perfect-excuse-start-band/|title=First Timers Sydney is the perfect excuse to start a band|website=The Brag|first=Allison|last=Gallagher|date=25 May 2018|accessdate=27 September 2024}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.maximumrocknroll.com/band/romance/|title=Romance - Seven Inches of… EP|magazine=Maximum Rocknroll|first=Alex|last=Howell|date=July 2023|issue=482|accessdate=27 September 2024}}