Venues

By: Gaby

24/12/08

Now I would not expect anyone who knows me or visits this website to guess what I am about to say, but I believe that it needs to be said.

Any venue which by nature of it’s size or configuration does not allow either it’s customers the ability to see a performance or it’s performers adequate space to perform should seriously reconsider it’s ability to put on live bands.

As a great supporter of live music I strongly encourage pubs and clubs to put on live music and for many a venue such performances have become a bit of life blood to the establishment in the recent hard economic times etc.. but having recently been to a venue (which shall remain nameless) that was hardly large enough to swing a cat (and please kids don’t swing cats around pubs!) it soon became abundantly clear that there was only one solitary position (room enough for only a singular person) to stand which would allow the whole band to be seen and this space seems to have been permanently reserved for the landlady of said establishment as she ably consumed a rather large bucket of white wine.

Indeed I can add that as for the excellent 4 piece which played this particular evening only it’s singer and bass player could be seen by the pub. The drummer was half hidden in a rather large Christmas Tree whilst the band’s noted guitarist was completely hidden from view in a tiny little alcove. In fact the only place where you could see him was through a window from outside the pub and much like a lady of the evening would ply her wares from a certain shop window in Amsterdam, said guitarist teased us with licks and riffs without being seen all evening apart from at the very end of the set when he appeared from his alcove like Sooty to give us all a merry wave and salute just to remind us all that the guitar parts of tonight’s performance were not being played via a DAT tape.

Needless to say this particular establishment will not be listed on my website as I don’t think that it would be fair for the many loyal punters who may travel a great distance to see their favourite band to endure such poor facilities.

So please let this be a polite but fair warning for all venues both large and small that if you plan to put on live gigs, please put the customer and the performers first and give us a space and atmosphere to really appreciate the music otherwise this lucrative side of live music will most certainly dry up and punters will avoid going there choosing a better venue instead. And believe me there are still a goodly few!

As is often the case: good venues do well, poor venues don’t and people vote with their feet. So lastly may I say “Please support live music” don’t help to destroy it.