What a wonderful Wednesday and day three of Independent Venue Week 2025 we had yesterday! The #IVW25 train didn’t stop for the team as yet again they found themselves in various pockets of the country, anticipating another night of exceptional events at independent venues.
After a long but picturesque train ride from York to Cardiff in Wales, via Bristol, our founder and CEO, Sybil, headed to Acapela Studio in Pentyrch accompanied by former Independent Venue Week Ambassador, avid gig-goer, and all-round legend Big Jeff. Some things are definitely meant to be, and the gorgeous sunset greeting ticket holders outside of the Welsh venue was no exception to this. Our Welsh Ambassador, Gwenno, later performed that evening to an intimate crowd at the renowned venue. A converted chapel, Acapela Studio boasts spectacular acoustics as well as its own grand piano, therefore it could not have been more suited for a special performance. Captivating the crowd with her wistful melodies and enchanting Cornish lyricism, Gwenno delivered an unforgettably beautiful show in celebration of #IVW25. If you didn’t manage to catch our Welsh Ambassador’s performance last night, but want to learn more about Gwenno and her involvement in #IVW25, read our interview with her in the link below.
For some members of the #IVW25 team, watching performances is simply not enough. This was definitely the case for two of our team members who took to the stage last night at opposite ends of the country in their bands Slow Team and UNLUCKY. Supporting South London five-piece, YOWL, the UNLUCKY trio tore up the stage at Strongroom Bar in Shoreditch, proving themselves to be an excellent warm-up act for the lucid noise-punk headliners. YOWL equally held their audience in the palm of their hands, as they commanded the stage in the music venue-cum-recording-studio. Over two-hundred miles away in Leeds, post-punk outfit Do Nothing headed to the third stop on their Independent Venue Week tour: The Oporto Bar. Famous for its Irish bar (which we’ve heard serves the best pint of Guinness outside of Ireland) Oporto is the ultimate gigging venue for fans wanting to meet their musical heroes. Having sold-out the 120-cap venue, last night was nothing short of memorable for those in the room. Prior to Do Nothing’s set, Leeds-based shoegaze grunge trio Slow Team delivered a mighty performance of synth-rock bangers and hard-hitting harmonies. Shortly after, the Do Nothing boys took to the Oporto stage, providing an excellently crafted set combining their greatest hits and a couple of new songs to be released this year. That’s the beauty of playing to crowds at independent venues; artists can afford to test new material without worrying how it’ll be received because every ticket holder is there for the same reason, that is to surround themselves with music and people. There’s no judgement, just a shared passion for sound.
As we head into the second half of Independent Venue Week 2025, we’re anticipating another few days of brilliant music and gripping performances across the country in our beloved independent venues.
If you’re hungry for more #IVW25 news, check out some of the other coverage we received yesterday in the links below, and don’t forget to follow us on social media.
https://www.bigissue.com/opinion/independent-venue-week-live-music/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqld22k7w0ko
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/du-blonde-live-review/
https://www.metaltalk.net/the-hara-hit-billy-bootleggers-on-independent-venue-week.php
IVW Interview with Gwenno:
https://independentvenueweek.com/uk/2025/01/26/read-our-interview-with-ivw25-welsh-ambassador-gwenno/