For me it is always a pleasure to go and see and hear live music. As I have said in previous posts these days I much prefer to do this at a smaller venue and over the last few years my interest in the genre known as the New Wave Of Classic Rock (NWOCR) has led me to some of these smaller venues to see up and coming bands. Probably my one exception to that, over the past 12 months, was my visit to the 02 Academy in Leicester in January 2022 for the Hard Rock Hell Festival of NWOCR. I was lucky enough there to see such great bands as:
Bastette
Twister
Massive Wagons
Trident Waters
and many, many more.
In recent times the largest venue I have been to is the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill which I think holds around 1200 people. It is a very pleasant venue with a nice atmosphere. One of my favourite gigs there over the last year featured King King and When Rivers Meet.
I have travelled the country to see many bands:
Empyre (Northampton, Kettering, Gravesend, Wolverhampton)
The Dust Coda (Dover)
Bastette (Wolverhampton)
Scarlet Rebels (Gravesend)
Myke Gray with Daniel Byrne (Gravesend)
and have already got gigs lined up for the first part of this year to see Empyre, Sons of Liberty, Kid Kapichi, Suzanne Vega and King King again.
One of the things that I find really exciting are some of the bookings being made for bands at my local venue The Carlisle Rock Pub in Hastings, UK please see THE OFFICIAL CARLISLE PAGE | Facebook if you are interested.
In recent times performing there have been Stormbringer, Sacrilege, Sulvain and a double header from Australia featuring Wicked Smile and Cassidy Paris. All quality rock acts. In addition to this the current music booking also includes popular local covers and originals band.
Lined up for the future the Carlisle have already got booked:
Hearts & Hand Grenades (from Buffalo, New York) on Sunday 12 March 2023
White Raven Down (NWOCR from Essex supporting Hearts and Hand Grenades
Twister (NWOCR) from the North East on Saturday 1 April 2023
Fury & Sacrilege (British Metal) on Sunday 9 April 2023
Hastings has a wide and eclectic music scene with many venues and musicians but, in my view, the booking of the bands mentioned above by the Carlisle shows a step up in the bringing of top class rock music to the Hastings area. I have enjoyed the shows I have attended there recently and am looking forward to seeing what else this year brings.
Hopefully this year I will be reporting across a wide selection of music that happens in and around Hastings.
Tony Davis