The I.C.E. Group was established in 1986. It deals with all aspects of artist/tour management, music production, media replication, theatre/live sound and concert promotion. Bivouac (est. 2000) is a trademark owned by Steve Hawkins of The I.C.E. Group.

Originally based in Leeds, The I.C.E. Group started out managing local bands, promoting local shows and manufacturing merchandise. Next came promoting the first shows to feature national UK touring bands at The Robin Hood pub, which later became the legendary Duchess of York. Steve Hawkins, proprietor of The I.C.E. Group, also spent his time tour managing and FOH sound engineering for West Yorkshire bands on their fledgling European tours. Often taking care of all the legal documentation and financial side of these early tours, including the financial risk.

By 1987 Steve Hawkins establishes, the music publishing concern, Big City Triumph Music. Also decides to launch out of the ghetto confines of an increasingly fragmented Leeds music scene, by promoting up and coming American bands. Contacting Paul Smith from BLAST FIRST Records, Steve managed to book Steve Albini's BIG BLACK at Leeds Poly. A huge success, "because it broke even". Other American band shows quickly followed; BUTTHOLE SURFERS, SWANS, PUSSY GALORE (which later split into John Spencer's Blues Explosion, Royal Trux and Free Kitten), HENRY ROLLINS BAND, UT, PRONG, PERE UBU, RAPEMAN, BAND OF SUSANS and DINOSAUR JR, to name a few. Together with the legendary promoter John Keenan, Leeds was now on the map and briefly challenging Manchester.

Gaining an excellent and growing reputation for sheer hard work, and never letting the side down, it soon became apparent that the American bands were appreciating Steve's work far more than his British contemporaries. 1988 found Steve on a UK Tour with headline band Dinosaur Jr; as one of the tour's promoters, tour manager and FOH sound engineer for both headline and support bands. By the end of the tour, Dinosaur had invited Steve back to America with them as their fulltime Tour Manager, Sound Engineer and Caretaker Manager. Now ensconced in New York, but still keeping a toe in Leeds, 1988/89 saw Steve engrossed in countless American, European and Japanese Tours with Dinosaur Jr, Prong and Swans. As well as fitting in stints with THE LUNACHICKS, THE IMPOSSIBLES, THE MEKONS, ANHREFN, and a host of other smaller bands.

By the end of 1989, Steve had split from Dinosaur after they sacked Lou Barlow. Stunned by that band's apparent losing of the plot, he continued for the next three years constantly on the road throughout the world. Tour Managing and 'Live' Sound Engineering for a host of bands, including AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB, THE GUN CLUB, EASY, STEVE FORBERT, HEAD OF DAVID, DROP NINETEENS, MOLLY HALFHEAD, and THE INSPIRAL CARPETS. He tour managed the fledgling CRANBERRIES, brought over from New York UNSANE, and introduced the UK to COP SHOOT COP. After TM duties with Steve Forbert on ELTON JOHN's tour of Germany in 1993, Steve felt it was time to take the plunge again into the very personal world of Artist Management.

Various false dawns later with BOYRACER, SPACEMAID and LITTLE, and a very final unpleasant bout with THE INSPIRAL CARPETS in 1994, Steve was disillusioned with the British musician's mindset. Suddenly out of the blue, Steve discovers EMBRACE. A Huddersfield band lost in the wilderness for 7 years, but with the best demo ever! Within a week of hearing it, Steve gets them a deal with London Records. Within two weeks of that, he gets stitched up by the band themselves, who then get the deal withdrawn. Karma! Embrace go on to sign a ludicrous deal with HUT, and another in the States, which they can never recoup, via their new manager JAZZ SUMMERS.

Disgusted, The I.C.E. Group concentrates on it's other more profitable activities of media replication, tour managing, live sound, and the newly established theatre sound department. After the success of 'Madchester', Leeds is dead and the most burgled city in Britain. Steve relocates all operations to the City of Lincoln in 1996.

Uneventful Touring work follows with the likes of EARTHLING, MARXMAN, MORCHEEBA, and LISA LOEB. Culminating in the depressing job of baby-sitting JOI on their European Tour supporting the revitalized EURYTHMICS in 1999. Some highlights during this period were briefly working with BRASSY in 1999, and underwriting carnets throughout the 90s for the international tours of various established British Groups.

Discover a local Sleaford band in 1999, who show a little promise. Recognize that Lincoln is crying out for a professional venue, although the locals don't see it that way. Establish the Bivouac venue June 2000, as the new local home for Original 'Live' Music. The Bivouac will be a cross between the Leeds' Duchess of York and New York's CBGBs. Quietly establish the venue on the UK touring circuit, and set about encouraging the local song writing talents. Build and develop The I.C.E. Group's Recording Studio to complete the picture. Now the hard work begins.

2005, and over four years later, The I.C.E. Group has the Bivouac venue in Lincoln firmly established. Splendid fun UK tours undertaken with New York's Lach and The Secrets, reestablishing some much needed international perspective with these savy New York links. The recording studio is busy. The original manufacturing and replication concern is flourishing. The new Bivouac Label is to be quietly launched, as a tool for the newly resurrected and very confident Artist Management section. Signings with Brighton's My Deaf Audio, Sheffield's Colorpool and Lincoln's Rides The Bus presently complete, with further signings on the way.

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