bands would play at The King’s building in Pixon Lane and often my friends’ bands would get up and have a go, a bit like open mic nights but for the whole band. A small charge on the door of about £2 was a fair amount and affordable for any teenage/student weekend budget. We also hired village halls such as Stoke Climsland Old School, and hosted our own band nights; inviting all local musicians to participate and again charging a small amount on the door to cover costs and overheads. Any extra money was then split between the bands that had played and this was such a brilliant way of exposing new talent and enjoying a great night out just round the corner from your house! Friends met up and chatted about the latest musical releases and swapped copies of Kerrang and Metal Hammer magazines whilst enjoying the best local musical talents. Those nights will stay firmly in my memories ,as I’m sure they do in others that were there, as being times when like- minded people got together to forget about the rubbish days they’d had at work/college and enjoy what they had a real passion for – proper music!
I have written this article and why I am having such nostalgic thoughts; what has happened to the live music scene, not just in Tavistock but across the country, and where will it be in another 15years time? So many venues in Tavistock alone have been and gone or have cut back on music events, leaving only memories of the past to cling to. Cafe Liaison for example had a great vibe featuring Live Music on a Friday and acoustic sets on a Sunday . The Tavistock Inn helped out local bands by supporting the upcoming groups and giving them a shot at their Saturday night slots. The King’s building used to be an excellent large venue for local bands to showcase their talents and the Royal Standard at Mary Tavy had a great selection of music events. All of these venues have either stopped putting on live music altogether or have cut back on the number and diversity of events.
12 Which brings me on to the reason
However, this is certainly not at the complete control of the event organisers as it is undoubtedly the lack of audience members that cause a knock on effect. The recession, high beer prices and the smoking ban have surely caused the biggest pressures on venues to try and pull in the punters. But, with the right promotion and ambition it is possible to provide talented musicians to the town for the folk to enjoy. A few years ago, Dan Kemish helped to organise a
music night at the Town Hall and managed to pull in a great crowd. Tavistock and Kelly College musicians can really push their talents forward if they have a drive and desire to play for their friends and families by booking their own small venues and promoting the event to death! A recent successful night at The Wharf for a local band The Needletones has helped to prove that with the right promotion and organisation, people will pay to see the music they enjoy. I spoke
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