The UK is known for its love of music, with bands and artists from across the world wanting to tour here, yet where is the love for our small music venues?
Over recent years the likes of Cardiff, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, as well as, London have all since some of their smaller music venues lost to time and the lack of an audience, but why? When the underground rock music scene is healthier than it has ever been, with even more great and unique bands coming up the ranks.
So I thought you might like a few tips on just why you should be getting down to smaller music venues!
1.Getting closer to the music!
Who doesn't want to get closer to their favourite bands and what better way than in a tiny venue that holds no more than a few hundred people if that. In a world where it is easier than ever for bands and artists to promote themselves and build a fan base, with our trusty tool we like to call the Internet, more and more bands are on tour in the UK. So why not see some fresh blood on the scene, you might just find a new favourite band. Wouldn't that just be awesome.
But that's not all, you get to see bands and artists that might just be the next big thing, in a venue where you could actually see the band with your eyes and not using a huge camera lens to see an ant sized singer run about the stage in a large venue. Seats you spent £60 on each, where you were told they 'had a great view'.
Not to mention in a smaller venue you can also hear your favourite bands belting out their songs they have worked so hard on. Instead of hearing a mumbled version of the bands catalog, in a large venue that has yet to realise it's a music venue. You had one job venue, one job!
2. Atmosphere!
You have got to love the atmosphere of an intimate venue, when the whole crowd just becomes this one moving force across the floor, jumping and swaying up and down and side to side. That instantly makes you feel part of the gig and if you are really lucky truly alive, not just an observer as you get sucked into the fast paced, limb flinging affair that is a mosh pit! Mosh warming: By far a lot more fun than it looks, if you're not tired and bruised by the end, well the question is then, where you even in a mosh pit at all?
The atmosphere of a gig is one of the things that make a gig really memorable, in a dark, tiny venue where the crowd an hour in to the gig have yet to have stopped moving their feet, with beer and swear raining down from the ceiling. You know you are in for a pretty intense if not slightly crazy night!
Yes, yes, I know I am so sorry for the mental image of 'sweat raining from the celling' but I just feel I can't liar to you and say its all roses and sweet smelling perfume, because one it feels wrong to say but also it would be a lie and I just can't do that to you, it wouldn't be right or fair.
3.The Music!
The music! Let me elaborate a little. Music is great and live music well... EVEN BETTER! Go see some brilliant new bands or even go see some not so great bands. Just see live music! Enjoy live music! Especially with tickets in these kinds of venues being so cheap you have no excuse not to get yourself down to your local music venue and join in on a good old sing along and a bit of a dance!