Independent Venue Week returns from 27 January - 2 February 2025 with hundreds of live events around the UK

27 January 2025 - Press release

 

• Starting today, 214 UK venues will take part in the much-loved annual seven-day celebration of independent music and arts venues - from a 14-cap room at TheGrayston Unity, in Halifax, to the historic, 3,100-capacity Troxy in East London

• Between them they will host hundreds of live music gigs of every conceivable genre, as well as comedy events, open mics and film screenings, supporting local music ecosystems around the country

• The aim of IVW is to celebrate the independent venue community - encouraging fans to show their support by coming out, buying a ticket and seeing a show

• Among this year's highlights are five days of programming on BBC Radio 6 Music, a special independent venue tour by the legendary Gilles Peterson, and exclusive IVW shows from our Artist Ambassadors YolanDa Brown, Gwenno and rEDOLENT in London, Cardiff and Dundee

• Four newly-opened venues will take part in IVW for the first time: Soul Mama in Stratford, London; LVLS in Hackney; KOLA in Portsmouth and The Rat & Pigeon in Manchester. 

• Another three venues celebrate major anniversaries in 2025: London's Strongroom Bar (40 years); Bedford Esquires (35 years); The Castle in Luton (15 years)

• Click HERE to find out who is playing in your local area 

Independent Venue Week (IVW), the UK's much-loved  annual celebration of independent music and arts venues and the people that own, run and work in them, returns to the UK today (Monday 27th January).

Now in its 12th year and spanning seven days to Sunday 2nd February, IVW will once again unite a diverse array of venues, from intimate spaces with tiny capacities to large historic buildings, in a nationwide celebration that showcases the UK's live music scene in all its vibrant and eclectic glory. 

By encouraging fans to experience the joy of live events, IVW has made a major impact on the wider industry. Since 2014, more than 1m tickets have been sold for IVW shows.  

This year, 214 venues will take part, hosting hundreds of shows across all genres - from reggae, R&B and spoken word, to black metal, post punk, comedy and everything in between.

Positively, four of these venues have opened in the past 12 months: Soul Mama(Stratford, London); LVLS in Hackney, London; KOLAin Portsmouth; and The Rat & Pigeon in Manchester. 

Other participating venues will celebrate some significant anniversaries in 2025, such as London's Strongroom Bar (40 years), Bedford Esquires(35 years) and The Castle, Luton (15 years). 

The significance of IVW extends far beyond the seven day celebration. Independent venues are usually the first stepping stones for emerging talent, on and off stage, offering a space for artists and crew to experiment, grow, and connect with audiences. These venues also play a vital role in the cultural fabric of communities, providing not only music but a variety of artistic experiences.

With hundreds of live gigs, comedy performances, film screenings and open mic's programmed, highlights for IVW25 include:

• BBC Radio 6 Music will celebrate IVW with a week of broadcast coverage on the "State Of Independent Venues", including shows with Big Special at the Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (27 Jan) and Låpsley and Gilles Peterson at Margate Arts Club (31 Jan)

• As well as Margate, Gilles Peterson will also embark on a tour of independent venues in Lyme Regis, St Leonards and Bedford with upcoming jazz funk band orlego. 

• BBC Introducing will host special evening events at Colchester's Three Wise Monkeys (30 Jan),The Georgian Theatre, Stockton (1 Feb) and The Grand in Clitheroe (1 Feb)

• IVW partners Beavertown are promoting a series of seven fantastic showsthroughout the week, at The Louisiana, Bristol (LICE); Night & Day Cafe, Manchester(Opus Kink); The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham (Prima Queen); The Jacaranda, Liverpool(Brògeal); Dingwalls, London (TheMolotovs); Stereo, Glasgow (Toya Delazy and James Massiah); plus a special yet-to-be announced show in Leeds

• IVW partners PPL will host a Q&A with Big Special at Birmingham's Hare & Hounds (28 Jan)

• IVW ambassador and venue owner YolanDa Brown will perform at her recently-opened venue Soul Mama in Stratford, London (1 Feb)

• IVW's Welsh Ambassador, Gwenno, plays a one-off show at Cardiff's award-winning AcapelaStudio (29 Jan)

• IVW's Scottish Ambassadors, rEDOLENT,  winners of last year's Scottish Album of the Year prize, perform at Dundee's Beat Generator (2 Feb)

• MOBO nominee Ego Ella May plays Royal Albert Hall's Elgar Room as part of a Late Night Jazz series (27 Jan)

• Manchester punk band Loose Articles host a one-day event for young women and non-binary people ("Kicks Like a Girl")  at The Ferret in Preston (1 Feb)

• Bedford Esquires to host'Ceremony 4.5', a new music all-dayer featuring Divorce, Cucumaras, Heartworms and more (1 Feb)

• Brixton Windmill to host a Saturday half-dayer, featuring six bands for £6 including Silverwingkiller and Mount Palomar (1 Feb)

• The hugely popular day-time disco, Day Fever, curated by Reverend & The Makers Jon McClure comes to Here at London's Outernet (1 Feb) 

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. 

A full list of IVW shows and venues can be found at www.independentvenueweek.com 

Other artists performing during the week include: 
Ibibio Sound Machine, Jacob Alon, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand, Blue Bendy, Heavy Lungs, Caoilfhionn Rose, OneDa, Lake Street Drive, The Magic Numbers, Rhoda Dakar, The Cactus Blossoms, E L U C I D, Sam Amidon, The Bug Club, Ryley Walker, Kublai Khan TX, Dirty Blonde, Lizzie Esau, Red Method, Martyn Joseph, Joshua Radin, Du Blonde, Cattle Decapitation, The Hara, Do Nothing, Dodgy, Utah Saints, Ten Fé, James Walsh, Fightmilk, Home Counties, C Duncan, KEG, The Covasettes, The Clause, Home Counties, Avalanche Party, Fyfe Dangerfield, GIRLBAND!, Tom A. Smith, TTSSFU, Daudi Matsiko and many, many more.

Sybil Bell, CEO and founder of Independent Venue Week said: 
"This is now our 12th year of running Independent Venue Week, and I can't remember a more dynamic line-up of shows across every conceivable genre. There's been a lot of headlines recently about the lack of UK artists in the mainstream charts, but these 214 venues are showing the true depth and diversity of our music culture. All of them are absolute heroes."

"If we want these special spaces to thrive, then our message to fans is very simple: tell your mates, grab some tickets, support your local scene and come out and see a show. It could just be the best night of your life."

 

Official supporters of IVW25 include Arts Council England, Beavertown, PPL,  Rockboxand the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.