Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

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moonjiver
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Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby moonjiver » Mon Aug 11, 2014 1:59 pm

Just having a bit of a moan about the declining number of pubs/bars where you can hear good bands. After I moved to Hastings ten years back, there seemed to be countless good venues for live music, sometimes I used to be out several nights a week and I made lots of friends.

But so many places have gone or changed their nature. The Smugglers, Gritti Palace on the pier, Harper's - a cracking late night music bar, now the polite JD Bar where you can safely take auntie. It's hard to think of any good music venue in the town centre apart from Pissarros, nice but a bit off track.

St Leonard's is even worse. I was dismayed last week to find that the Roomz has closed again. After several ups and downs, they seemed to be doing well with good bands on Friday/Saturday nights and lovely jazz etc. on a Sunday afternoon. Miki's bar on the Marina, opposite Azur, was hosting some really nice folk duos etc. but got some complaints from neighbours apparently. The Relax cafe nearby was trying some music on Friday/Saturday nights but incredibly now seems to be closed at those times.

What I find surprising is that, in the middle of the summer when surely people like to be out enjoying themselves, these places are struggling. Are they not offering really good bands or are people not so willing to spend their money these days?

Thankfully there are several perennially good music pubs in the Old Town (tho a bit of a tel for some people). My favourites are the Stag, FILO, Jenny Lind, Dolphin. The Hastings Arms is quite good too with an open mic every Wednesday night run by lusty-voiced New Yorker Rob Ramsden.

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moonjiver
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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby moonjiver » Mon Aug 11, 2014 2:08 pm

Having found the Roomz closed, yesterday I met some friends at the JD Bar - but that place too has stopped the Sunday afternoon jazz! Used to be Pete Burden and various other good performers. I'm quite put out. Feel the area is declining somewhat.

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Geoff
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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby Geoff » Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:27 pm

Purely my own thoughts on this. I love visiting Pissaros and the majority of old town pubs but would choose not to go in if they had a band on at the time. Live music just isn't my thing. Surely it's a supply and demand thing? If people wanted live music venues then there would be more of them to meet the demand? Having said that, the beer festival is always a success and that's 100% live music. Who knows?

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moonjiver
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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby moonjiver » Mon Aug 11, 2014 5:42 pm

Live music is not for everyone and I like also sitting in a cosy quiet pub spreading out my papers or discussing the meaning of life with a friend.

But I've always been a party animal, if the jazz or rock band is good I'll be there till 2 maybe and dancing with the rest even! The noisier the better!

Some of the places I mentioned were packed at times. People will go there if what's offered is good. I know times are hard for pubs these days but I also think a lot of the live music at present is fairly run-of-the-mill. More for the tourists and the students!

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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby moonjiver » Mon Aug 25, 2014 2:30 pm

Things change and places come and go .. I'm glad to add that a new music venue started up not many weeks ago and is getting very popular. The Owl and The Pussycat, on a second floor in Robertson Street, near Debenham's, has a lovely decor, big comfortable leather sofas, wood panels, massive chandelier. Reminds me of jazz bars in Chelsea or somewhere. Apart from Thurs/Fri/Sat music nights, they are doing blues, jazz etc. on Sunday afternoons, nice way of taking a break at the end of a long week.

Pass The Cat (Nana Tsiboe and co.) the other weekend, yesterday Chris Hutchinson and others. Real treat.

Kingy1066
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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby Kingy1066 » Tue Mar 10, 2015 6:39 pm

The Royal Standard is the only venue in town worth bothering with

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moonjiver
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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby moonjiver » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:06 pm

Yes, good atmosphere and good music. I think they are still doing blues on a Thursday night, also live music usually on Saturday.

St Leonards may be good for art galleries but it's an absolute dump for nice pubs and decent music.

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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby Mick. » Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:44 am

Yesterday (Sunday 6th March) you had King Size Slim playing in the Jenny, Lianne Caroll playing in Porters, 1066 Rockit Men in the Trader, another band playing in The Royal Standard as well as Dr Savage performing in the Albion. Hardly a music scene on the decline. I got talking to a couple of day trippers in the Jenny (who were most impressed with Toby Berelli..AKA King Size Slim) and with Hastings Old Town in general (a view often expressed by visitors)....a music scene on the decline...I don't think so.

Westfieldmike2016
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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby Westfieldmike2016 » Mon Mar 07, 2016 4:23 pm

I have been trying to find out who organises the bands for the Stade in the summer. I found a councilor, Dawn Poole, who is something to do with it, sent her an email with a sample of my Son in Laws band, but she didn't even reply. Does anyone know how you get bands booked onto the Stade ? Who do I contact? Why is it so hard to find any info on who books them?
Thanks.

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moonjiver
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Re: Declining live music in Hastings/St L.

Postby moonjiver » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:21 pm

I'm glad to be contradicted! Yes, it's quite true that lately there is much more live music and Sunday gigs seem to be very popular. Hastings being the strange town it is, things change quite unexpectedly at times.

The Jenny Lind at one time was doing hardly any music, just one night a week I think, and there was certainly no music on a Sunday at Porter's. The Albion was previously very down-at-heel but has, I gather, undergone a big transformation and is much smarter.

All good. One of my favourite nights is at the JD Bar (near the library) on a Thursday. Pete Burden's "Jazz Organisation" has different guest soloists (young and old) every week and often the place is throbbing and packed. You can find details on the band's website and on their Facebook profile.

The FILO (High Street) also has excellent music nights. The Hastings Independent Press is a good place to find info on various live music gigs.


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