Music in Reading and Independent Venue Week: why it makes a difference

This year's Independent Venue Week, running from January 27, has got bands prepping to play the town's most busy live music venues at the end of the month.

The week, a national project supported by BBC Sounds, is a "celebration of music venues around the country and a nod to the people that own, run and work in them," according to the official organisation's website.

For locals, this means all of Reading's best bands come together to play shows in both the Purple Turtle bar, and the Rising Sun Arts Centre - both of which have been a staple to up-and-comers and established bands on the Reading circuit alike.

Although the bands themselves are naturally the main attraction, those working around this hectic seven-day-stretch of live music are not to go unappreciated.

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Band promoter and owner of Club Velocity Steven Siddle, or Sid said: "It'll be 17 years since Club Velocity first started in March, and it doesn't feel like its been 17 years, it's gone really quick - it doesn't feel like an achievement yet, maybe when we get to 20 years.

"When I first started, there was hardly anyone putting on nights, there was one girl doing shows, then I started putting some on - it was more about bringing new London bands to Reading back then.

"More local bands started playing in around 2006, that's when the music scene in Reading got quite exiting - The music's always been good, and there's a lot more bands circling round now. There's a lot more going for Reading than just the festival."

Towards the end of this decade, local bands such as VALERAS, The Amazons and Sundara Karma sky-rocketed in popularity, with the most popular songs of latter two bands reaching between 15 and 30 MILLION plays on Spotify.

Sid added: "Generally, January is generally quite a quiet month, so the point of Independent Venue Week is to get people through the doors, which makes an impact on those in Reading's music industry."

Sid hosts the majority of his events within the Rising Sun Arts Centre, and will be organising this week's event on behalf of the venue.

The positive impact of Independent Venue Week can be felt right down to the grass-roots of the town's local music scene.

Matthew Foster, owner of music charity the Rock Academy Foundation, said: "Reading Rock Academy was founded as a social enterprise by Pete Doyle in 2009.

"I joined The Rock Academy in Autumn 2015, initially as the music enrichment manager before becoming the head of academy in 2016.

"As someone who has been involved in music education in Berkshire for over 20 years, I’ve been privileged to see so many young musicians develop and grow.

"Venues have changed but the vibrant music scene in Reading has continued to grow.

"Established independent venues like The Purple Turtle, The Rising Sun Arts Centre, The Face Bar and Readipop have continued to support new acts by giving them a chance to perform their first public gig.

"Reading has always had a great homegrown music scene, it’s been great to see this grow and develop."

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Music promoter for the Purple Turtle Emily Bedward said: "I think IVW is massively important, not just for Reading music scene but for the music scene in general it's a celebration of everything independent and celebrates, the people that own, run and work independent venues, week in, week out.

"Purple Turtle being one of the last independent venues in Reading, it's important to showcase what is so great about us."

The music producer explained how the UKs music scene would be lost without independent venues.

She added: "IVW is a good reminder of the importance that independent venues have - we definitely wouldn't have the abundance of great local bands we do without them."

Damien Passmore, programming and marketing volunteer for the Rising Sun Arts Centre, added: "We always look forward to what Independent Venue Week brings to the centre.

"While many of the faces both on-stage and in the audience are familiar to us, there's a different atmosphere in the air - especially the Sunday night which always has the most special and intimate line-up of the weekend.

"I personally will be volunteering behind the bar for one night and in the audience for another, and I can't wait."

Independent Venue Week, funded by both private and public funding, will be running across the nation from January 27 to February 2.

Thrilling live Reading artists such as the Keep Cats, Harroland, Psychopomp, and many others will be playing at the Rising Sun, and bands on tour such as MEMES, Argh Kid and more will be playing in the Purple Turtle - Don't miss out.