Welcome back.

Today I want to talk about something that’s close to my heart. Music and supporting the live venues that put on shows, the pubs that host live music nights and the local artists that play them.

For me, music is a form of escapism and discovering a new band that I cant help but bang on repeat, put in all my playlists and force all my friends to listen too is something that I adore.

It’s even more special for me when the musician is local. There’s something refreshing about finding that home grown artist that you can relate too. The ones that shake your world without knowing. The ones who bit the bullet and do what they love and inspire you with their music and they are from just round the corner. You discover them when they are fresh and new, some make it big and you remember those times you sat in a dank pub just enjoying their art. Some don’t make it big and you’ll never understand why.

This is why I go to as many local shows as I can. I like discovering and listening to new bands at some of my favourite venues.  It also gives me the chance to discover new venues. Usually for a small cover charge and the price of a pint, I walk away with a new band or solo artist fresh in my ears that I quickly find on Spotify and listen too all the way home and for the next week without a break.

This is why local live music venues are important. Places like The Star in Guildford and The Lounge Bar in Alton, give people the space to perform and show their talents. Taking The Lounge Bar for example, I have been going to this venue for as long as I can remember. Kicking it with friends on a Friday and Saturday night to see a metal band or whatever they had on that evening.

I remember at 18 watching The Skints and igniting my love for punk music with a reggae twist. The Lounge is one of the places that pulled my passion for music and is likely one of the reasons I play music still at the age of 27 and it’s certainly one of the reasons I review and write about so much music.

Returning back there recently, it was like it had never changed. It was almost like walking back into where the roots of my love for music developed and grew and it may sound cheesy, but it was like coming home. You can check out The Lounge Bar on Facebook here and Twitter here. Go see a show there, support this venue.

It doesn’t matter if you know the band or not, get to your local venue and watch someone! Anyone! With live venues being shut down left, right and centre, support not only local acts but the local places that give them a chance.

Now I find it important to buy the merch and the CD’s of the local musicians I support. In the cover photo of this blog I’m wearing the shirt of local musician Fred Irwin, you can buy one for your very own here. I suggest you do, I look great in mine – you’ll look great in one too. Honest.

Each t-shirt sale, each CD sale shows your support and helps fund the dream for this person. Their labour of love and their passion is in the CD you just spent a fiver on, their hard work and dream is in the shirt you just bought or the sticker you’re gunna stick to the back of your laptop.

Buying merch is not only helping the artist fund their dream, it’s also giving someone some publicity that they may not have gotten before. If someone I kick it with is wearing a shirt from a band I don’t know, I always ask who they are and get them up on my Spotify so I can give them a listen.

In the spirit of supporting local, I reach out to a few local artists to find out their answer to the following question:

 

Jordan Godfrey – The Stanny Dares

Well I’m not one for many words but urm yeah it means alot to me, the main thing for me is sharing the hours of practice I/band puts in, also the end product that puts people in a good mood. Anything to see someone dance or sing along means alot even if it’s just a nod of the head or tap of the foot, ha

The Stanny Dares next gig is the 17th Jan at The Heartbreakers in Southampton and check them out on Soundcloud here

Daniel Reid – Solve The Nodus

It means the world! It kind of makes you feel validated at times and seeing a familiar face is always comforting. Without local support I would constantly be playing to myself lol when performing in pubs and smaller venues which I dearly love it’s an amazing atmosphere when you see a couple of people you know who bop their head and sing along. It really helps you get into the passion of music.

You can catch Solve The Nodus every Tuesday at Gretham inn and check him out on Facebook here

Scott Freeman

Erm… It means I have fans, which means I sell merch, which means I get to eat that week

You can catch Scott at the Alexandra in Southampton tonight and check him out on Facebook here

Nik Tippen – The Thermic Syphons

Ummm well to me it feels rather humbling that people actually want to come and listen and possibly give us opportunities. I love to hear criticism, advice and feedback.

You can catch  The Thermic Syphons at the BOTB final at The Lounge Bar in Alton on the 7th December and you check them out on Facebook here

Andy Ruddy

Andy wont be playing until next year but you can check him out on Facebook here

 

And what does Egg Tart think?