Independent venue week which took place from January 29th to February 4th is a time of great excitement for local music enthusiasts. The culture that these venues bring to the town is celebrated with a full out week of non-stop gigging, and for some possibly non-stop drinking too, after all what better way to support your local venues? The Lab and The Black Prince were the local venues hosting for Northampton this past week with a total of nine events to offer the town.
Previously known as ‘The Labour Club’, The Lab ditched it’s political ties to pursue it’s dream to be a grassroots music venue, it’s a quaint place sometimes referred to as “your grandmas living room” but with big potential that really showed its colours this week.
Friday night at the Lab was almost spiritual, Nerissa & The Vibe played their first live gig as a full band, supported by Afreine & Aisha Daisy. The soul music caused what can only be described as a pink and golden hue around the crowd. The place was packed but everyone found room to sway to the rhythm and the glittery look in people’s eyes seemed to be contagious.
Saturday was Peace & Dub featuring Restoration Sound System. The crowd was hypnotised, the bass seemed to be quite literally taking hold of people. Heads were down at the bass dropped, people edging closer like it might tell them the secret to the universe if they just listened hard enough, one woman even got down on her knees like a true worshipper of the sound system.
On Sunday, Picky New Promotions hosted post- punk bands for a daylong blow-out style celebration. Bands features from all around the UK included; Tummy Ache, Hypothetics, Kickyboy, Mindframe, Austen Showers & Skumgutta. The up-and-coming generation of music lovers congregated for the event, the future of Northampton’s venues usually miss all of the fun that starts on the weekends after 9pm so as you can imagine the atmosphere was buzzing. Giggling, screaming, and out of control mosh pits with very brave crowd surfers’ overhead were the vibe as the youth debuted themselves at their first Independent Venue Week. One very sweaty looking youngster commented “that was my first mosh pit” with a look in his eyes that can only be described as pure adrenaline.
Heading home on the Sunday, everyone looked pleased, and a little tired, safe to say people enjoyed a great Independent Venue Week with the Lab and a sleep that may have lasted just as long after!
