As grassroots music venues across the UK face ongoing challenges in a shifting post-pandemic landscape, the man behind bringing Independent Venue Week to The Castle believes Luton is making a positive stand.
Running until Saturday (February 1), the week-long celebration highlights the crucial role independent venues play in nurturing the next generation of artists and keeping live music accessible to all, a point hammered home by Luton South MP Rachel Hopkins in a House of Commons speech this week.
With the ongoing closure of grassroots venues across the country, the annual Independent Venue Week carries ever greater significance.
Connor Willis, events manager at The Castle, has spoken about the difficulties live music venues have faced in recent years.
“After lockdown we’ve seen a real switch with behaviours of how people are going out, how they’re drinking, so it’s been quite difficult for years, but weeks like this are really reminding us why we do this,” he said of Independent Venue Week in an interview with BBC Three Counties Radio.
Certainly, the first two packed nights at The Castle this week have been promising, suggesting that the message of supporting venues and emerging artists is resonating with music lovers.
The Lounge Society headlined Tuesday night in front of a packed house, while fans turned out in force again last night (Wednesday) to support Framatics and Luton’s own The Looted Youth, on the Vandalism Begins at Home showcase, despite the headliner Low Girl unfortunately having to pull out at the start of the week due to illness. Tonight (Thursday) it’s the turn of Dirty Blonde, Lizzie Esau and Dois Padres.
“I think with a few bands coming through now, we’re starting to see the younger crowd coming back,” said Willis of the local scene, adding: “There’s signs of it growing.”
One of those set to perform on Saturday, supporting Sunday Club, is Bedfordshire indie rock band Blame Caesar.
Drummer Ed Bavister underscored the vital role independent venues play for emerging artists like his band, saying: “They give us a bit of a level playing field. We’re in a world dominated by labels and distributors. Some of those bands have the luxury of time and money.
“For us, it’s really important that we have an outlet for our music and that outlet is accessible. Our families and friends can come and watch us at reasonable prices and, often, independent venues, smaller venues, are the best places for it – [a] real sense of community, real welcoming atmosphere.”
The Castle’s efforts are particularly notable in a town such as Luton that has historically punched below its weight in terms of not having the dedicated live music venues enjoyed by neighbouring towns like Bedford, St Albans and Hitchin, while London is easily accessible by rail.
But things are changing. Smaller venues like The Castle and The Bear Club will, in the next few years, be joined by a larger 1,800-capacity music venue, which last month was granted outline planning permission next to Luton Town Football Club’s planned new stadium at Power Court. And a performance space is also part of The Stage development on the old Bute Street car park, which is currently under construction.
For new artists though, it’s the smaller venues that are vital for them to stand a chance of building up a following so that they might one day play in larger venues and arenas. Bavister praised The Castle’s commitment to providing a place for new and emerging acts to develop theirs talents.
“Where we are in the three counties, our town centres and cities are a little bit smaller and we’re closer to London, so we don’t have the luxury of the wealth of venues that some of the big towns like Sheffield, Nottingham and London have.
“But it’s important that we do use the venues that are around. We play some of our gigs in London just purely because we get access to some of the London music scene, but it’s also really important for us to use local venues to to build our local following.”
He added: “Playing local independent venues, having access to somebody like Connor, who’s experienced within the music scene, it is really important. We do think there is a scene and particularly in London, you know, there’s a real healthy line up throughout the week, and Connor is obviously working very hard to bring that back to Luton.”
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