Scene Report: Dunwells On Leeds, UK

Venues Of Note

 

The Wardrobe – St. Peter’s Square, Leeds

Joe: We have played there twice. It’s a venue close to my heart, and it gives me great memories. There is nothing like playing in front of your home crowd. In fact it’s more frightening doing that than anywhere else.
 
Dave: I love the Wardrobe and have been going to shows there for many years. In fact, I saw the late great folk guitarist Bert Jansch perform there a few years back and list that as one of the best shows I’ve ever been to! The reason I love the venue so much is that although it is a 500 capacity club, it has a really intimate feel about it. And because it is a basement room, it has that underground ’60s vibe to it. They also have an eclectic music policy, and being so close to the music college, you can always hear the best jazz, funk and blues music during the week. I suppose it’s the closest we’ve got to an American live music club (like the ones down Sixth in Austin).

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The Brudenell Social Club – Hyde Park, Leeds

Joe: The Brudenell Club is another. I remember watching Foy Vance with Dave Dunwell when the band was just starting out and saying, “I wish!” But we were not ready. Two weeks later, we were asked to do a support slot there. One tick on the wish list. It’s a strange venue. It looks dated, the kind of place you would hire out for a birthday because the drinks are cheap and the room is big enough. It has its very own pub dog that kind of runs the place.
 
Dave: The Brudenell is like stepping into a time warp. It hasn’t been refurbished since the 1970s. The appeal of this venue is that it is 60 percent tiered seating, so the audiences can always get a good view of the stage. They have a great sound system in there, and the beer is cheap! It’s also close to the university, so you can always expect a good student crowd.
 

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The Bedford – Balham, London

Dave: I feel like I’m cheating now as the Bedford is nowhere near local for us! However, it feels like our “local,” as it is the place where we have performed live more times than any other venue. It has such a wonderful sound, the acoustics are amazing. The policy at the Bedford is similar to the Bluebird in Nashville: no cover charge, three to four acts per night, hosted and always the finest music. Because of this I can honestly say that we’ve never played with a bad act at the Bedford. They run it so well that they get the cream of artists wanting to play there. We’ve been on the same bill as Ed Sheeran, Michael Kiwanuka, Lucie Silvas, Marcus Bonfanti, Judie Tzuke, plus many more. The Bedford has been the most important place we’ve played so far, as all roads to Memphis led from here…
 

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