Region’s music venues get ready for the return of Independent Venue Week

Independent Venue Week returns this month, with music venues across the region taking part in the annual event which seeks to champion some of the UK’s best small venues.

The Black Prince and The Lab in Northampton will both be hosting IVW shows along with the Craufurd Arms and The Stables in Milton Keynes and Esquires in Bedford.

The Roadmender in Northampton also has gigs during the week.

Independent Venue Week (IVW) is now in its 10th year and takes place from Monday, January 30, to Sunday, February 5.

Abington Square venue The Black Prince is hosting six gigs during IVW.

Promotions Manager Phil Moore said: “Independent Venue Week is one of my favourite weeks of the year.

“I might wake up on the Monday afterwards a broken man, but it is always worth it. Our venue room has never looked or sounded this good.

“Our six shows show a range of genres. Tuesday is grunge with Worth A Shot, Wednesday is indie rock with co-headliners Overpass and Tom A. Smith, Thursday is alternative pop with co-headliners Lizzie Esau and George O'Hanlon, Friday is the psychedelic indie of Delights, Saturday is the dreamy electronica of Pale Blue Eyes and Sunday is the art-rock stylings of Opus Kink.”

All of the gigs at The Black Prince also have acts from Northamptonshire on the line-up, which Mr Moore describes as “essential to our very fabric”.

In recent months, the venue has hosted a sold-out gig by Mark Morriss from The Bluetones, is due to host a sold-out gig by Miles Hunt at the end of January and a sold-out gig by Northampton rock quartet Empyre in March.

Talking about the rest of the year, Mr Moore adds: “The diary is filling up. The show I'm most excited for I can't actually mention yet, but suffice to say it's an artist who’d normally play to thousands of people.

“Ones I can mention are the stoner rock psychedelia of Large Plants on February 25, the phenomenal political hip-hop artist Lowkey on March 19 and art-rock indie darlings The Wave Pictures on March 31st.”

At The Lab in Charles Street, Hushed ft Vincent Vega Band will play on Thursday, February 2, Phantom Isle on Friday, February 3 and Atomck on Saturday, February 4.

Phantom Isle picked up the Best Song accolade for their single 1992 at the Northamptonshire Local Music Awards last year and released their latest EP, Out Of Blue, on vinyl.

The Craufurd Arms in Milton Keynes is hosting IVW gigs by Pip Blom, Undeath, Balter, Benefits, Temprance and Trampolene.

Esquires in Bedford kicks off IVW with Trampolene, followed by gigs by Springs, Sick Joy and Large Plants while The Stables will see Sad Café, Rob Newman, Wilson & Wakeman, Flo Perlin and Chantel McGregor perform.

While not formal IVW gigs, both Kula Shaker and Reverend & The Makers are playing headline gigs at the venue on Wednesday, February 1 and Friday, February 3, respectively.

This year’s IVW ambassadors are beabadoobee, Young Fathers, Adwaith and Radiohead’s Philip Selway.

Speaking about her role as IVW Ambassador and the importance of independent music venues, beabadoobee said: “I’m extremely proud to be an Ambassador of Independent Venue Week.

"These venues are so important at giving young emerging artists a starting point in their career.

"I will never forget my first gig at The Boileroom in Guildford where I jumped on stage with my friends for three songs or my first proper beabadoobee headline show at the Old Pancras Church in Kings Cross.

"My first and earliest gigs will always be some of my most precious memories.

"We need to do our best to keep these venues up and running and I want to help shine a light on how important independent venues really are to artists’ careers.”

Previous IVW Ambassadors since 2014 have included Wet Leg, Arlo Parks, Anna Calvi, Wolf Alice, Nadine Shah, Colin Greenwood, Adrian Utley and Novelist.

For more information about Independent Venue Week, visit https://independentvenueweek.com

Tickets for all forthcoming IVW gigs in the region are available via the venues.

The following Independent Venue Week gigs are taking place in the region:

THE BLACK PRINCE, NORTHAMPTON

Tuesday, January 31, Worth A Shot + Picture The Scene

Wednesday, February 1, Overpass + Tom A. Smith + Clearcut

Thursday, February 2, Lizzie Esau + George O’Hanlon + Viddy

Friday, February 3, Delights + Pavilion + Lite Sleeper

Saturday, February 4, Pale Blue Eyes + The Covasettes + Tvål

Sunday, February 5, Opus Kink + bloody/bath + Eddz

THE LAB, NORTHAMPTON

Thursday, February 2, Hushed ft Vincent Vega Band + Stevie Ward + The Brewers Daughter

Friday, February 3, Phantom Isle + Yoshe + Irrelevant Devices

Saturday, February 4, Atomck + Public Execution + Atrocity Exhibit, Grunk

CRAUFURD ARMS, MILTON KEYNES

Monday, January 30, Pip Blom + Splint

Tuesday, January 31, Undeath, Celestial Sanctuary, Casket Feeder

Wednesday, February 1, Balter + Something Two Write Home About + Crazy Divisions

Thursday, February 2, Benefits + Flash Peasants

Friday, February 3, Temperance + Support TBC

Saturday, February 4, Trampolene + Potwash

ESQUIRES, BEDFORD

Wednesday, February 1, Trampolene + The Rills + The Tarrows

Thursday, February 2, Sprints + Support TBC

Saturday, February 4, Sick Joy + Support TBC

Sunday, February 5, Large Plants + The Cromagnon Band

ROADMENDER, NORTHAMPTON

Wednesday, February 1, Kula Shaker

Friday, February 3, Reverend and the Makers + The Ramona Flowers

THE STABLES, MILTON KEYNES

Wednesday, February 1, Sad Cafe

Thursday, February 2, Rob Newman

Friday, February 3, Wilson & Wakeman

Saturday, February 4, Flo Perlin + Daisy Chute + Fern Maddie

Sunday, February 5, Chantel McGregor + Elles Bailey