Patrick Samuel speaks to James Cracknell about his upcoming Halloween show in Enfield Town

*Patrick Samuel is performing at Culture Palace the night before Halloween*

A night of neurodiverse music is being held at Culture Palace in Enfield Town to help usher in Halloween later this month.

The ‘Asperger Artist’ Patrick Samuel, from Palmers Green, has waited the best part of a year to perform songs from his latest album, Communion, which he released during the second wave of the pandemic.

Patrick recently signed for a new label that bills itself as the “world’s first neurodiverse record label” and will be performing at Enfield Council’s new temporary arts venue in Palace Gardens Shopping Centre on Saturday, 30^th October.

He describes the upcoming show as a combination of “music, madness and mayhem” and told the Dispatch: “I will be taking to the stage to perform a selection of songs from the EP; they are remixes and will be part-cabaret, part-Halloween.

“There will be four costume changes within a half hour set, which will be interesting! It starts from the apocalypse and finishes with a geisha kimono segment at the end. I am doing my own costume designs and I am ready to do it in a live setting.”

Patrick’s eclectic music has typically focused on his struggles with autism, but with Communion he says he felt compelled to tackle some of the big political issues affecting the world, as well as the pandemic. Patrick’s label manager, Robin Jax, will be opening the Culture Palace show under his stage name Robin Plays Chords.

Patrick said: “Together we will be putting on a show to celebrate neurodiversity and Halloween. That is why I want to put in as many ideas as I can to show we do things differently. I don’t think Enfield has seen or heard anything like this before.

“There is something for everyone. I think we complement each other. I want to give everyone a really fun time.

“I think the alternative community is quite under-represented in the Enfield area. There is not much for fans of goth rock and alternative. Overall it will be a unique night and it would be great if the community can support it.”

Has it been difficult not performing during the pandemic? “Artists need to get back on stage and do what they love doing. A lot of neurodiverse people cannot cope with doing things on Zoom and I think we took live performances for granted.

“I have been doing live streams as a way to show people that I am still here [but] I have missed that opportunity [to perform live].”

Patrick adds that audience members for his show are “welcome to come in fancy dress” and “be as weird and kooky as they like”.

Patrick Samuel Live and Undead starts at 7.30pm on Saturday, 30^th October at Culture Palace, Unit 27, Palace Gardens Shopping Centre. Entry is free but pre-booking is required:
Visit dugdalecentre.co.uk/events/patrick-samuel-live-and-undead

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