Independent Venue Week highlights: The Wytches, Girl Band and more

Independent music venues are much more than places to watch bands. They’re not just stop-offs on tours for the acts, or places to hear live music while sipping on a cold drink. The great ones are the lifeblood of any city or town’s music scene. They’re where the bands hang out before and after the gigs, the place where they get ideas. They’re where music lovers meet and where new bands form. In other words, independent music venues are important and worth celebrating.

That’s exactly what’s happening up and down the country this week, with Independent Venue Week currently in full swing. Many special gigs are planned, while year-round promoters of grassroots music, such as Jack Rocks – the gig series supporting emerging bands backed by Jack Daniel’s – are taking the opportunity to champion their favourite small venues.

The annual event also acts as the perfect excuse for curious music fans to seek out those intimate but sometimes underappreciated gig spaces in their local communities: the small concert halls, the pub back rooms and the cafe basements that give a platform to grassroots acts and keep music alive and kicking in your area.

“Independent venues are where every band starts and where music fans get to see emerging talent,” says Tim Burgess, who’s this year’s Independent Venue Week ambassador. “Without them bands would not get a chance for their all-important first hometown gigs and subsequent tours. These venues and bands need our support and the best way you can do that is by having a night out. Lots of venues are closing – we definitely need to stick together and stop this happening."

This year’s event has 148 venues taking part. Here’s a whistle stop tour around some of the highlights.

The Wytches (Jack Rocks The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 29 Jan)

image: Sam Huddleston

You should never turn down the opportunity to experience the muscular noir-psych of The Wytches. The force-of-nature three-piece head to their home town to headline a Jack Rocks gig at Brighton gem Hope & Ruin.

This special show for Independent Venue Week is part of Jack Daniel’s ongoing efforts to champion new talent via its Jack Rocks show, which take place at different venues across the UK. “Jack Daniel’s is proud to shine a light on the great new music coming out of local scenes,” says Robbie Watters, Jack Daniel’s Brand Manager. “As part of Independent Venue Week, Jack Daniel’s continues to support the people and places that make the UK’s music scene one of the best in the world. We are really excited for Jack Rocks Hope & Ruin with The Wytches, it’s going to be quite a night.”

The raucous three-piece are joined by fellow Brighton residents The Death Of Pop. Tickets here

Richard Hawley (Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, 28 & 29 Jan)

The former Pulp man plays a close-to-home double header at Hebden Bridge Trades Club. What should we expect? “It’s not very complex,” he told Independent Music Week recently. “Two blokes on stage playing and singing. It seems to have been enough all these years…” That 'other bloke' Hawley refers to is Howling Bells' Juanita Stein, who takes a break from her gloom-pop quartet to support Hawley for this special acoustic set. Tickets here.

Dead! + False Advertising + Orcas (The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, 26 Jan)

False Advertising – image: Wes Foster

This three band line-up of up-and-comers are sure to get Brummy stalwart The Sunflower Lounge rocking with a night of grunge-tinged punk and indie. London-based four-piece Dead!, with their loud, catchy riffs, put on a great show and Orcas’ ambient pop should start the night off in style, but be sure not to go for a fag break during the middle act’s performance. Manchester grunge pop three-piece False Advertising are one of our favourite live acts at the moment, and should give this smartly put-together night a wicked middle section with a textured set offering both atmospheric feel and some highly energetic tracks that you can’t help but dance to. Tickets here.

Girl Band (The John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, 29 Jan)

The John Peel Centre has a tidy little line-up for IVW, with The Jackobins, Martin Simpson and Tom Moth all featuring throughout the week. The pick of the venue’s IVW gigs, however, is the exhilarating Girl Band. The fearless noise rock cacophony this Irish foursome bring to live gigs is known to create bedlam in the audience. Expect to leave this one with a damp shirt and your ears ringing. Tickets here.

Horsebeach + Documenta + Yucatan (Soup Kitchen, Manchester, 29 Jan)

Horsebeaches

Soup Kitchen’s IVW line-up is pretty immaculate. It's A Very Bon All-Dayer on Saturday with Duds, Irma Veps, Rapid Tan, The Foetals, Girl Sweat is very bon indeed, but they save the best for Sunday. Horsebeach’s blend of sunny stateside indie with Manchester bleakness is always welcome, Documenta bring the drone pop and Welsh act Yucatan kick things off in their native language. Tickets here.

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Independent Venue Week runs until 29 Jan. For the full line-up and details, head to independentvenueweek.com