#SaveOurVenues: The venues we hold dear at Distorted Sound
The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought life as we know it to a grinding halt. With millions of people around the globe confined to their homes whilst the virus runs rampant, every facet of society has felt the impact of Coronavirus; both socially, politically and economically. Particularly, the music industry has been one of the industries worst affected by this global health crisis.
With gigs and festivals suspended until further notice, for grassroot, DIY and smaller venues that survive on a constant stream of performing artists and paying punters, they face uncertainty and threats of closing their doors for good. #SaveOurVenues, an initiative set up by Music Venue Trust here in the UK, intends to help a whopping 556 venues who are at risk at closing their doors permanently and it got us thinking here at Distorted Sound. We live for live music, so we decided to talk about the venues in which our editorial hold the most dear. And whilst not every venue we talk about in this article is listed by the campaign, we thought we’d shine a light to them too as the economic impact of COVID-19 is unrelenting and spares no-one.
The Star & Garter – Manchester
In truth, we could have picked from a whole host of music venues in Manchester for this article. The Northern powerhouse contains a wide variety of venues, covering every facet of music’s rich tapestry, but none come close to the legacy of The Star & Garter. With Piccadilly Station in clear view, making it incredibly easy to catch a last train home, this iconic pub has served music lovers with live shows for decades now.
For us heavy music fans, The Star & Garter has proved to be an essential venue for bands coming to bring their brands of sonic noise to Manchester, especially those looking to cut their teeth and start making strides on the touring circuit. VENOM PRISON, CONJURER, LEECHED, ITHACA, ULCERATE are just some of the quality bands to make an appearance to the venue, but it isn’t just about the bands that makes this venue such an essential piece of Manchester’s live music puzzle. Cheap and affordable drinking options? Check. An intimate setting? Check. The Star & Garter is the living embodiment of the DIY scene and the grassroots nature of music. Without it, Manchester would lose a vital and essential organ for its music and culture.
Words: James Weaver
Rebellion – Manchester
When Sound Control sadly closed its doors forever in 2017, for us rock and metal fans, there was a fear that Manchester would lose out on band’s touring circuits. Whilst the city certain has a breadth of venues that would surely support hosting metal bands, for those who had built an affinity for a venue so willing to host metal in all its variations, there was anxiety. Then, along came Rebellion. Whilst the venue, handily located next to Deansgate train station, has operated since 2013, when Sound Control was laid to rest, Rebellion became the premier outlet for metal in Manchester.
Hosting a wide range of bands, everything from BATUSHKA to TEXTURES, RIVERS OF NIHIL to ANAAL NATHRAKH, Rebellion is a safe haven for those who like their music on the heavier side of the fence. The 800 capacity allows gigs to feel populated but still retains that lovely feeling of intimacy, a varied and well-stocked bar with prices just about being affordable ensuring that pints flow merrily from doors opening to the final notes of the evening being struck and a generously large smoking area ensures that friends can chat shit and bond in between sets. If Rebellion becomes a casualty in this COVID-19 crisis, Manchester will lose a vital and essential establishment that ensures rock and heavy metal can thrive in the Northwest.
Words: James Weaver
Temple of Boom – Leeds
Imagine walking into a venue with sweat running down the walls, just enough room to swing a cat, cans of red stripe to be seen everywhere. You wouldn’t think much of it, but in reality, it’s little venues like this one that have hosted some of the best gigs. You walk through to the bar and there’s a place for people to sit and chat in between bands, a little golden nook for people to become friends. Sometimes, friends you meet at shows, become ones that you’ll have for the rest of your life, ones that will have your back. Temple of Boom is this little slice of heaven where you can watch bands upcoming or established, meet new people and make memories together. If having some of the best nights of your life isn’t worth saving, what is?
Words: Jessica Howkins – Deputy Editor
The Sugarmill – Stoke-on-Trent
For Stoke-on-Trent, the music scene can often be overlooked. Being in the middle of Manchester and Birmingham, and close to Liverpool and Leeds, a lot of people are forced to go to the bigger cities for their shows. The Sugarmill has hosted some huge names such as AMON AMARTH, CANCER BATS and WHILE SHE SLEEPS, a refreshing chance for music-lovers in Stoke to not have to travel after work for shows and run back for last trains. The importance of venues being in smaller towns is always so overlooked, but these venues keep the music scene alive and kicking. The Sugarmill is important to Stoke-on-Trent for not just gigs, but also hosting an array of club nights, and if you’ve been, you’ll see that a lot of goers know each other, it has become a community. Without that people would have little choice in where to go, taking away any spirit a town may have.
Words: Jessica Howkins – Deputy Editor
Audio – Glasgow
There’s few venues as vital to the Glaswegian metal scene as Audio. Slap-bang in the city centre, surrounded by brilliant pubs for pre-gig beers, numerous take-away for post-gig kebabs, and a stone’s throw from Central Station for your train home, you couldn’t ask for a better location. But proximity to cheap pints is a bonus, not the main attraction.
Creating an exhaustive list of names that have graced Audio’s tiny stage is an exercise in futility – the small room under the train tracks has played home to bands of all levels of success, from barely out of the practice room to recognisable legends. Countless forgotten Scottish bands played their first shows at Audio before fizzling out of existence. Local heroes like GODEATER, BLEED FROM WITHIN and FROM SORROW TO SERENITY have dominated the sweatbox on plenty of occasions. It’s the go-to venue for the underground, with HATE, BELPHEGOR and GATECREEPER levelling the venue in recent years, while legends of the international metal scene like VADER, DESTRUCTION and DEATH ANGEL are guaranteed sell-out crowds. Audio is the lifeblood of Glasgow’s metal scene, offering local newcomers a place to hone their craft and a familiar sense of home for veterans of the UK touring circuit. Don’t let it die. #saveourvenues
Words: Fraser Wilson – Album Review Editor
The Giffard Arms – Wolverhampton
‘The Giff’ has managed to become part of alternative folklore in the West Midlands. From its coffin shaped tables, to its infamous throne chair that you’ve probably seen a picture of someone sitting in (whether you know it or not) music in Wolverhampton would be a lot less enjoyable without The Giffard Arms‘ existence. Promoter Bret Hall makes special effort to give the spotlight to the bands who not just deserve it, but need it. From MONASTERIES, to AT DAWN WE ATTACK – if you’re a fan of a West Midlands based band, you can put safe money on the fact they’ve cut their teeth with The Giffard‘s crowd. Two rooms, DJ sets, a dedicated alternative community: they broke the mould when they made ‘The Giff’.
Words: Kris Pugh – Assistant Album Review Editor
The Exchange – Bristol
The Exchange in Bristol is a long standing sweat box of a venue that doubles up as an awesome cafe during the day and also houses one of the best record shops in the city as well. The community owned venue is punk through and through and has already defied an attempt to shut its doors for good a few years ago, and the constant stream of world renowned artists coming through the doors gives the place a certain pedigree that proves it to be an essential gem in the Bristol scene. The no barrier shows and waist high stage create one of the most intimate atmospheres, and when the energy is on point there are few other venues in Bristol that can promote the same level of carnage that gets conjured inside the tiny main room. Combined with a basement venue that is quite literally a broom cupboard and you can begin to understand why some of the county’s best gig memories will originate from the hallowed confines of Bristol’s Exchange.
Words: Eddie Sims – Live Review Editor
Gorilla – Manchester
Just off Whitworth Street, Manchester, under one of numerous Victorian bridge archways is an unsuspecting door that leads into industrial club and bar, Gorilla. It’s unimposing and pretty inconspicuous inside and out; one open room with an impressive stage backdrop of industrial power gear. With a capacity for 550 people, it means the entire crowd is essentially “at the front”, and there’s no excuse not to witness something brilliant.
One of the best parts about this intimate setting is the range of artists and genres they cater to at Gorilla. Synthwave and EDM one evening, to bright alternative sounds, to heavy rock and prog on another; folk, tech, post hardcore, and beyond. Whatever the occasion, Gorilla has the intimacy value of allowing a show to really reverberate, for every member of a band and audience to feel a real connection. They’re champions of all at Gorilla, from established names like RUSSIAN CIRCLES, POLYPHIA, PVRIS and ALCEST to more up and coming artists. Either way you’re in for a genuine experience at Gorilla that makes you feel safe, involved and that you’ve been part of something after every show.
Words: Laura McCarthy – Introducing Editor
The Craufurd Arms – Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes is synonymous for the star-studded shows held at the National Bowl but if you dig a little deeper you will discover a gem in the shape of The Craufurd Arms. A particularly intimate venue which focuses on providing a welcoming environment for people from all walks of life. They have offered up some incredible opportunities to see high profile bands such as THE WOMBATS and CIRCA WAVES up close and personal before they moved on to playing the academies and arenas of the world. In recent years they have seen the likes of SIKTH, HEART OF A COWARD and HACKTIVIST grace their 275 capacity venue and just the mere thought of the chaos that unfolded at those events is enough to spurn envy. Without independent venues like The Craufurd Arms providing these kind of must-see moments the world of music would be a much darker place.
Words: Dan McHugh – Assistant Introducing Editor
The Brickyard – Carlisle
Cumbria is renowned for its idyllic scenery, beautiful lakes and vast mountain ranges but rumbling away in the underbelly of the county is a thriving metal community. The Brickyard in Carlisle has consistently provided a sense of belonging and a safe haven for the outcasts or those who felt they didn’t fit the mould by bringing in incredible acts from far and wide to the quaint lake district city. Carlisle is not usually a considered destination on the typical touring schedule so when a band such as BLEED FROM WITHIN, SKINDRED or WHILE SHE SLEEPS makes an appearance it is usually cause for celebration and these kind of events are always a key dates in a Cumbrian metal fans calendar. It has also been a second home to local acts who have battled through the fabled Metal 2 The Masses qualifiers to grace the stage of Bloodstock Festival. Without this venue and their dedicated team providing these opportunities it usually means a couple of hours travel to the likes of Glasgow or Newcastle and for this we are forever thankful for all the effort they pour in to secure these shows.
Words: Dan McHugh – Assistant Introducing Editor
The Louisiana – Bristol
Tucked away in a quieter area of Bristol’s bustling and vibrant centre is The Louisiana, affectionately known as The Loui. For the last 33 years the pub has been a prime location for those wanting to enjoy a pint away from too much activity, yet remain close enough should the evening progress further. However, when a fire at The Fleece in 1996 forced PLACEBO and SUPER FURRY ANIMALS to relocate their gigs to The Loui’s upstairs room, it lit the touch paper for almost a quarter of a century of constant gigs and events in the intimate, 140-capacity venue.
The resume of The Loui is certainly impressive – global heavyweights like THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE and COLDPLAY all cut their teeth in the venue when they were starting out on their illustrious careers. It’s true that it’s more affiliated with indie bands, but there have also been a plethora of heavier bills to take to the small, nine-inch high stage, from ROLO TOMASSI and HANDS OFF GRETEL to MILK TEETH and WIEGEDOOD; of course, local punk sensations IDLES have had their fair share of shows over the years as well. The legacy of The Loui speaks for itself and it would be a sad day for Bristol if it lost one of its most charming and revered places for socialising, drinking and witnessing great live music.
Words: Elliot Leaver – Assistant Introducing Editor
And that rounds off just some of Distorted Sound’s Editorial’s favourite venues. Without them, our music scene would be a much darker place. Support venues, support music. And when COVID-19 is over, we’ll see you down the front! In the meantime, make sure to support the #SaveOurVenues initiative by visiting their website.
