Steve Lamacq tours the UK’s iconic small music venues

Shining a spotlight on small indie music venues across the UK, Steve Lamacq is set to take his BBC Radio 6 Music show on an epic journey. Across one week, taking in Essex, Leeds, Oxford, Birmingham and Brighton, he’ll be finding out what makes some of the smallest music venues in the country the most important.

Published: 10 January 2017
Now, more than ever, it’s important to support small, grassroots venues around the country.
— Steve Lamacq

As part of Independent Venue Week which runs from Monday 23 to Sunday 29 January, Steve and the team will be on tour from Monday 23 to Friday 27 January to raise awareness of the grassroots music scene, which is the life blood of today’s British music. Visiting five locations in five days, Steve’s broadcast will be on his usual 6 Music week day show from 4-7pm.

Steve will be talking to The Square in Harlow, which is set to close down on 28 January, and will broadcast from the Bassment in Chelmsford on 26 January.

Other venues include the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds - most famous for hosting secret gigs for bands like Franz Ferdinand and the Kaiser Chiefs; and the Jericho Tavern in Oxford famed for hosting Radiohead’s first proper gig; as well as Sticky Mikes Brighton and The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham.

Steve says: “Now, more than ever, it’s important to support small, grassroots venues around the country, because, while a lot of them continue to thrive, we’ve seen many of them shut down and many still under threat.

“We wanted to shine a light on these great little places, which nurture new talent and act as a meeting place for music fans.

“I’ve had some of the best moments of musical life in these little venues, watching all kinds of bands, including several who’ve gone on to huge success. But there’s nothing like seeing a group at its most raw and engaging when they’re first starting out, even if they’re only playing to 100 people.”

Venues

  • Leeds, Brudenell Social Club - 23 January 
  • Birmingham, The Sunflower Lounge - 24 January
  • Oxford, Jericho Tavern - 25 January
  • Chelmsford, The Bassment - 26 January
  • Brighton, Sticky Mikes - 27 January

Hear Steve’s show from Monday to Friday on BBC Radio 6 Music from 4-7pm, or catch up online.

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