Independent venues are where many artists take their first steps. They offer a stage, build local music communities and give emerging talent the chance to reach wider audiences.
Independent Venue Week (IVW) exists to celebrate those spaces and the people who run them. PPL supports IVW as part of its commitment to the wider live music community, and to the network of venues that help artists develop their craft, build confidence and grow their careers over time. Without independent venues, many artists would struggle to get started.
This year, 236 venues across the UK took part in the seven-day celebration from 26 January to 1 February, with more than 700 gigs and events programmed nationwide.
Just some of the highlights included a special BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast from Strings in the Isle of Wight, featuring Coach Party and hosted by Steve Lamacq and Huw Stephens. Performances also came from this year’s IVW Ambassadors: Nova Twins, Brògeal and Eve Goodman.
In conversation with Walt Disco
On 29 January, Scottish band Walt Disco took part in a live Q&A, supported by PPL, ahead of their sold-out show at London’s Paper Dress Vintage. The venue is well known for showcasing emerging artists; previous performers include Sam Fender, Arlo Parks and Slow Club.
Hosted by Scott Lewis, Label Manager at EMI North, the discussion explored the role independent venues have played in Walt Disco’s rise and the next steps in the band’s trajectory.
Walt Disco’s progress has also been supported by PPL-backed initiatives. In 2020, they received funding from the International Showcase Fund to perform at South by Southwest, which eventually took place in 2022 following the pandemic. The trip led to multiple shows in Austin and the band securing a US agent.
“It was hectic – but it was a dream come true,” they explained. “It was the first time many of us had set foot in America. We picked up shows as they came our way. We grew in confidence, met lots of amazing people, and picked up a booking agent in America who we still work with today.”
In 2024, they went on to receive support from the PPL Momentum Music Fund, helping them tour with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in America. The experience opened the band up to a new audience and the ability to evolve their sound.
“When we wanted to find a slightly new sound, it was crucial to take it out of the practice room and try it out. We had a whole tour to [do that]. After each show we would ask ourselves, ‘was that quite right?’.
“It was crucial to have that time to work on our sound, and I remember how much I missed it, being able to dissect songs after the show.”
On the road during IVW
Later in the week, PPL caught up with The Orielles and Man of Moon at an all-day event at The Ferret in Preston. The venue has a long track record of hosting rising artists, with past performers including Ed Sheeran, Rae Morris and Royal Blood.
Speaking to PPL, Glasgow-based duo Man of Moon described independent venues as “where it all starts… they are the lifeblood of the scene.” Vocalist Chris Bainbridge and drummer Iain Stewart highlighted the role venues play in helping artists find their sound and build an audience.
Man of Moon received support from the PPL Momentum Music Fund in 2019, which went towards the release of their debut album ‘Dark Sea’ in 2020, alongside touring across Europe.
Keeping the circuit alive
Halifax indie-rock band The Orielles fully embraced Independent Venue Week, performing shows across the country at Coventry’s Tin Music & Arts Centre, Norwich Arts Centre, Portland Arms in Cambridge and The Ferret.
Speaking to PPL, the band said the appetite for live music remained strong, even in January. “The fact that our gigs are still selling out venues at this time of year is a testament to the work being done to keep them running,” they said.
Reflecting on the band’s early days, they highlighted a pivotal moment was supporting Madrid group The Parrots on a UK tour, “It was a breakthrough moment that opened doors to venues we might not otherwise have been able to play,” they explained. The experience of playing an extended run of shows almost every night also underlined the importance of managing the practical side of touring.
The Orielles received support from the PPL Momentum Music Fund in 2019, which helped fund the recording and mixing of their second album ‘Disco Volador’, as well as touring in Europe. “It helped get us to places we couldn’t normally afford to get to,” they said, “to play to wider audiences and get a foot in the door outside the UK.”
Independent venues remain central to building careers and loyal fanbases. That was perhaps best summed up by a moment The Orielles experienced during this year’s IVW.
“A couple came up to us at our Norwich show and told us one of their first dates was coming to see us play there,” they said. “That was pre-Covid, and they’re still together. There’s probably an Orielles baby out there somewhere.”
Follow @ppluk on Instagram for more on this year’s Independent Venue Week.
