Hi All
We (The Patio Set) are currently planning our first UK tour and could use a little local knowledge. We're looking for venues/promoters that fit all or (more realistically) some of the following criteria:
*Small-ish venue
*Mix of unsigned and bigger bands
*Venue or promoter that attracts its own crowd (the Holy Grail!)
*Cheap/free entry
Basically, we're looking for the place in town where people who like alternative music go. Our music is upbeat with punk, prog and funk influences, if that helps with ideas for promoters... It's a bit new-wave, but heavier... Gah! just have a listen to the myspace.
In these cities:
Southampton
Oxford
Bristol
Cardiff
Birmingham
Liverpool
Manchester
Leeds
Sheffield
Nottingham
Cambridge
We have some ideas already, but it'd be good to know what you reckon.
Thanks!
For Oxford
Speak to Swiss Concrete about a gig in the Port Mahon.
will do
Thanks. If anyone else reads this, we're particularly stumped with Liverpool and Sheffield at the moment.
Sheffield.....
The Harley & The Boardwalk
Well then ...
Southampton Joiners
Nottingham Rescue Rooms
and it is too obvious to suggest the various Unis and colleges in all those towns ?
no
we're definitely contacting the unis, especially as we'll be touring at freshers time.
Thanks for the other suggestions.
i wouldn't
we played for swiss concrete and not only did no-one turn up, but we didn't get paid or even get a goodbye. and we drove all the way from leeds for that gig too.
that's weird
i've always found swiss concrete to be really nice guys - though their night can be pretty quiet unless you bring people yourselves or play with a well-known band. we played there twice and both times it was pretty deserted. they run a monthly night at the wheatsheaf which is pretty good, so it's worth doing if you want to build things up in oxford.
as a one off show i'd recommend the cellar, bands go on late and there tends to be a decent audience. nice beefy sound system too. if you message them on myspace they'll offer you a show at some point, probably at big hair.
if you fancy playing reading you should try and get a show at the oakford social club, that's the best venue in the area, decent sound, free entry and generally populated by friendly muso types who watch and enjoy bands.
birmingham's dead hard to get into, most promoters expect you to bring a crowd/sell tickets and they really look after their own, which i actually kind of respect. it took us two years to land a decent gig there. you can play the spotted dog in digbeth quite easily but tend to play to disinterested locals who just want to have a drink...
message me if you want a big ol' excel spreadsheet of promoters and nights you can look into, i've got most of those cities on there, though it might be a bit out of date for some, as it was done around a year ago.
Cambridge
In Cambridge:
Bad Timing
Crushing Death and Grief
Isn't Anything Records
Dead Media
Sonic Midwife
I do shows too, but don't do many unsigned out of town bands. Drop me a message if you need emails for the above promoters. I'll also take a listen when i'm on a computer i can listen to audio on.
Norwich...
I don't know how much they're doing these days, but try Wombat Wombat, as they're just the best local promoters ever.
wombat
still do a friday every month like they always have done i think.
leeds
brudenell social www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk
In Liverpool
try the wonderful Samizdat night or it may be worth giving Evol a shout
Manchester: Bring on the Dancing Horses
Birmingham: a range of nights at the Sunflower Lounge
OH!
and Meshuggy, Glory Night (not 100% sure if they put bands on) in Liverpool
Hi.
You, and everyone else...should come to Chelmsford. A new venue is opening there this month and there's actually a surprisingly healthy music scene there.
I run this: www.myspace.com/nobodydontdancenomore
So, all you bands out there, come come come come come to our little Satellite town.