Nottingham music scene?

[Sparky Mark]

Is Nottingham a good place for live music venues?

[TheGreek]

Are you thinking of moving?

[Sparky Mark]

1 hour ago, TheGreek said:

Are you thinking of moving?

Yes Mick. I posed a similar question a while back about the best towns in England for music scenes. I'd like to retire somewhere I can continue to play as a happy amateur.

 

Coincidentally I bumped into an old acquaintance last night who now lives in Nottingham and says it's brilliant for music. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by Sparky Mark

[Skinny]

It has Rock City, say no more. 

[BigRedX]

On 29/04/2023 at 18:33, Sparky Mark said:

Is Nottingham a good place for live music venues?

 

For playing or as an audience member? And what types of music do you play or like to go and see?

 

As someone who has lived in Nottingham since 1980 from a musician's PoV it's never really had a "scene" in the same way that cities like Sheffield, Leeds Liverpool, Manchester etc have had at various times, and two of the most "successful" bands from the city (Stereo MCs and Tindersticks) had to move elsewhere in order to get that success.

[Newfoundfreedom]

15 hours ago, Skinny said:

It has Rock City, say no more. 

 

I was just going to say, Rock City used to be pretty darned good. I haven't been there in years but hopefully it's still going and attracting some great acts. 

[BigRedX]

Rock City and the associated DHP venues are both blessing and a curse as far as the local music scene is concerned. As an audience member Rock City was great in the 80s and early 90s when they were taking chances with less well-known bands and there was a good atmosphere at gigs. These days it seems as though live music is very much secondary to getting the students in for club nights, and even gigs feel uncomfortably full and the moment the headliners have finished the last encore you're being hustled out.

 

Maybe it's over-familiarity, I arrived in Nottingham just before Rock City opened, but from both a performer and audience member I don't really see what so great about it compared with any similar sized venue elsewhere. I've been to some good gigs at Rock City, but there really great ones in Nottingham, IMO, have been elsewhere.

Edited May 2, 2023 by BigRedX

[Lozz196]

I think it’s the “name” and the association, similar to The 100 Club. Always good gigs there but at the end of the day it’s a 400 capacity venue much the same as many others, albeit with loads of history.

[BigRedX]

34 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I think it’s the “name” and the association, similar to The 100 Club. Always good gigs there but at the end of the day it’s a 400 capacity venue much the same as many others, albeit with loads of history.

 

I'm not sure about the "history" - as I said I've been in Nottingham longer than Rock City has (I had tickets for one of the first gigs there which was cancelled on account of the venue not being finished in time); and its history isn't a fraction of that of the 100 Club (IMO). Maybe I'm just taking it for granted?

[Lozz196]

Sorry, re-reading that I didn`t put it brilliantly, I meant The 100 Club has history but is still only a regular 400 capacity venue. Still, plenty of history for Rock City too, one of my fave live albums, All Those Wasted Years by Hanoi Rocks was recorded there, one of the main reasons why I was so pleased to get the opportunity to play there (and which also really irritated a friend of  mine, whose opinion was "only real bands play there").

[Sparky Mark]

5 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

For playing or as an audience member? And what types of music do you play or like to go and see?

 

As someone who has lived in Nottingham since 1980 from a musician's PoV it's never really had a "scene" in the same way that cities like Sheffield, Leeds Liverpool, Manchester etc have had at various times, and two of the most "successful" bands from the city (Stereo MCs and Tindersticks) had to move elsewhere in order to get that success.

Both. I'm not fussy and enjoy live music of all types; rock, jazz, folk, originals, covers, old gits bands, beginners etc, etc. As for playing I enjoy open jams and would also be hoping to play covers in bars/pubs. I just want to keep playing, nothing too intense or serious.

[Len_derby]

3 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

Both. I'm not fussy and enjoy live music of all types; rock, jazz, folk, originals, covers, old gits bands, beginners etc, etc. As for playing I enjoy open jams and would also be hoping to play covers in bars/pubs. I just want to keep playing, nothing too intense or serious.

Keep us posted if and when you move. There’s a few BCers active in the area. Most of my musical activities are in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire border areas, lots of small towns and villages mostly ex-mining and heavy industrial communities. Also plenty of pubs and decent opportunities for gigs, albeit tending to be for covers bands. Not places for the faint-hearted, though. Particularly on Friday and Saturday nights!

Edited May 2, 2023 by Len_derby

[Sparky Mark]

1 hour ago, Len_derby said:

Keep us posted if and when you move. There’s a few BCers active in the area. Most of my musical activities are in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire border areas, lots of small towns and villages mostly ex-mining and heavy industrial communities. Also plenty of pubs and decent opportunities for gigs, albeit tending to be for covers bands. Not places for the faint-hearted, though. Particularly on Friday and Saturday nights!

Cheers Len, will do.

[cheddatom]

I gig a fair bit, and of all the cities/areas Nottingham consistently delivers. There's always an audience for us, and walking around at night, the place really feels alive. I assume other bands do just as well in Nottingham but maybe not!