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Band to prove 'disabled people can be rockstars'

John Darvall,Radio Bristol Presenterand
Georgia Eadie,West of England
News imageDerek Bremner Jess Douek is the lead vocalist in the Bristol band Mallavora. The image is a head and shoulders shot of her. She has curly brown hair and is wearing a sleeveless black top and a gold necklace. She is standing in front of a dark grey studio backdrop. Derek Bremner
Disabled artist Jess Douek has fibromyalgia which is a long-term condition that causes chronic pain

A band made up of disabled and neurodivergent musicians is putting on a fully-accessible gig to help remove barriers to live music and to "prove disabled people can be rockstars".

Disabled artist Jess Douek, lead singer of alternative metal band Mallavora, lives with fibromyalgia - a long‑term condition that causes chronic pain.

All four members of the Bristol band are neurodivergent or have a disability. Guitarist Larry Sobieraj lives with long Covid while Douek sometimes uses a walking stick when performing.

The band are set to play their debut album at The Exchange in Bristol on 8 May. The show will take place on the venue's ground floor, with ramps installed to make it fully accessible.

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Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol's John Darvall, Douek said: "There's things that we live and deal with as disabled people that do make you upset and angry and the music is a way to release all of that."

Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), can affect people in very different ways.

For some, it can be a "completely hidden impairment" while for others it can mean using mobility aids such as a walking stick or a wheelchair.

Douek said being on stage as a disabled performer can sometimes feel like you are "making a statement that you're not necessarily intending to make".

News imageDerek Bremner The four members of the band called Mallavora are posing for a photo. They are all wearing black. The band includes two women, one with dark shoulder-length hair and the other with curly shoulder-length hair. The other two members of the band are men. One has dark hair and a beard and the other has shorter blonde hair. They are standing in front of a dark studio backdrop. Derek Bremner
Everyone in the band Mallavora is neurodivergent or has a disability

The band said the aim of the gig was to challenge assumptions about who gets to perform live music and who feels welcome at venues.

Iwan Best, venue manager at The Exchange in Bristol, said: "We do everything that we can for every show here to be as accessible as possible."

The venue has an accessible toilet and can offer seating and early access to anyone that needs it.

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