DESPITE his youth, Jonny Lindley is kicking against the 21st century trend to live life through social media.

He is on a mission to encourage people to experience things for themselves – especially music, and specifically in Darwen.

Now his passion for his business, Sunbird Records, has been rewarded with a place among the finalists in The Newcomer Award.

Jonny, 27, was spurred into action while undertaking research into music distribution, publishing and production at the University of Huddersfield.

He said: “As a result of this I found that some bands were struggling to get gigs because they were alternative – so I decided to open up a venue in an old bank in Darwen.

“We open Thursday to Sundays and we don’t have cover bands, which is unusual for Darwen – but we still get good turnouts.”

The music genres include everything from electronic and drum and bass to hard core metal and rock.

But Jonny is keen to expand Songbird Records.

While he already has a small recording studio he hopes that eventually he will be able to create another one … in the former bank vault.

He said: “I’m trying to build an alternative scene.

"I’d like to make everything about experiencing rather than like the Instagram culture where you spend your life watching other people having a better time than you.”