Hundreds of music fans gathered in Sheffield city centre on Friday as DJ AG returned to the city with one of his trademark street performances, which offered local artists the chance to perform to a live crowd and thousands watching online.
The event took place outside Sheffield City Hall, where a line-up of emerging and established performers joined the DJ for a four-hour livestream broadcast to his 1.9 million followers on TikTok.
The DJ’s previous visit to the city drew major guest appearances, including Ed Sheeran and JME, while other sessions have featured artists such as Will Smith and Skepta.
This time, however, the focus was firmly on grassroots performers as Ashley Gordon, the DJ’s real name, has become one of the UK’s most visible champions of emerging music talent.
He said he wanted to ensure opportunities reached beyond the capital.
“It’s important to spread the love to all areas,” he told ShefLive. “London obviously gets a lot of love, and outside of London there’s fewer opportunities, so it’s important to spread that love.”
The show also marked the launch of a new music scholarship from the Sheffield-based WaterBear College of Music, which will fund a full BA degree for a Sheffield-based musician beginning in 2026.
Local performers were selected through an ‘apply to play’ call-out and public vote, giving emerging artists the chance to take the stage. Among the successful applicants were The Tivolis, a Sheffield band who only began gigging in 2024.
Frontwoman Isabel Brown said the opportunity offered valuable exposure. “It’s always nice when you actually get one of these opportunities and you’re able to play to a big fan base,” she said. “You never know who’s listening, so we’re just here for every opportunity we can.”
Fans welcomed the event as a sign of the city’s growing music scene. Liam Walton, a popular Sheffield TikToker who arrived early to watch the performances, said: “I was buzzing when I found out about this. DJ AG’s sick – he’s so important to the culture, he’s done so much for music.
“I think the scene is getting better and better. WaterBear has directly contributed to that, bringing all this new talent through. It’s better than it has been in a very long time.”
Applications for the WaterBear DJ AG scholarship opens on 1 April and closes on 30 June. Application details will be published on the WaterBear website – Discover Our Sheffield Music College Campus | WaterBear, UK
