If you’re anything like me, you’re partial to getting out, grabbing a pint and watching one of your favourite bands perform live. It’s not all about seeing just the big names though as there are plenty of small venues throughout the UK putting on wanna be rock and rollers every night of the week.
Even the biggest of bands started somewhere and it’s easy to overlook making the effort to see someone new. Will they be crap? Will anyone else show up? Are they really worth the £2 entry fee?
To encourage you to head out and see someone new perform, I’ve picked out 4 band's first gigs to show you that even the smallest of steps lead somewhere!
The Arctic Monkeys - The Grapes, Sheffield
The Yorkshire rockers first ever gig was the Grapes Pub in Sheffield. Without any tunes of their own frontman Alex Turner knocked out a couple of White Stripes covers and an Undertones number. The band earned just £27 between them that night.
Biffy Clyro - Key Youth Centre, East Kilbride
All the way back in ‘95, after joining forces at senior school and then performing under the name Skrewfish, the Scottish trio played their first gig at their local youth centre. They supported a band called Pink Kross. No, me neither.
The Libertines - The Delaney Mansions, London
Can’t find a venue? Make like The Libertines and perform in your basement. Apparently The Libertines partied on into the night until their electricity meter ran out. Luckily, a quick whip around ensued and they got enough money together to go and get an electricity top up so they could carry on their antics.
Bring Me The Horizon - Central Station, Wrexham
After having released just one album, the metal core band played Central Station with a capacity of just 900 people. Central Station is a well known venue having hosted plenty of soon to be big names. 10 years on and BMTH’s recent tour saw them hitting venues of up to 16,000 capacity!
Whatever your music taste, there’s someone just starting out that needs a little bit of encouragement and a couple of supporters. Go visit your local gig venue soon and you never know who you might discover!
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