Finchy Posted 16 January 2009 Posted 16 January 2009 Was or Have Glasvegas played at the Charlotte? Yeah they played last June.
davieG Posted 19 January 2009 Posted 19 January 2009 From the Merc Rock heroes Kasabian have vowed to help the closure-threatened venue that helped kick-start their career. Frontman Tom Meighan told the Leicester Mercury the band would support the fight to keep the Charlotte open. The Blaby and Countesthorpe lads join several Leicestershire acts who have promised to help out since the venue's financial crisis was revealed. Kasabian are one of the country's most successful new rock acts and have enjoyed a string of hit singles and two huge-selling albums. Lead singer Tom, 28, said he was shocked when he found out owner Andy Wright had put the venue's operating company, the Princess Charlotte Public House Ltd, into administration. He said: "I found out on Thursday it might be shutting, but I haven't heard anything more. It's the recession, man, it's happening to everyone. "It's awful because I know Andy well. We'll do something if we can save the Charlotte, we've spoken about it, but we're not sure what's going to happen yet. "If we can help, we will. At the end of the day, it's a legendary venue. It's quite distressing to hear that it might be taken away. "That place needs to stay. At the end of the day, if it wasn't for places like that... who knows?" Calls have been made for local bands to support the Charlotte with a fund-raising gig. There are now almost 5,000 members of two internet campaign groups set up to support the much-loved venue. Bands, including the Displacements and the Screening, have said they would be happy to take part in a gig to raise cash. Andy Stone, lead singer and songwriter with The Displacements, said: "We've e-mailed Andy and said we're willing to help if needed. We need venues like The Charlotte. It was our first ever gig, the Charlotte, so it's part of our history as well." Mr Wright blamed the Charlotte's plight on a fall in audience numbers and losing major names to bigger venues. He is to meet with bosses at the brewery later this week. Mr Wright said he had been inundated with offers of help. He said: "I got a call from Kasabian's agent. He rang to tell me they would be up for doing something. The big question is, is it affordable to keep a dedicated live music venue on an ongoing basis?"
Ultra Posted 20 January 2009 Posted 20 January 2009 Mr Wright said he had been inundated with offers of help. He said: "I got a call from Kasabian's agent. He rang to tell me they would be up for doing something. The big question is, is it affordable to keep a dedicated live music venue on an ongoing basis?" Course it is, it happens in many other cities! If he's had enough of the place, he should give it to someone who wants to look after it and restore it to its former glories.
Bellend Sebastian Posted 20 January 2009 Author Posted 20 January 2009 It pains me slightly to say it, but I'd sacrifice the Charlotte if we could have a decent midsize venue instead, like the old De Montfort Uni Students Union building, and what would be even better would be one with a room or rooms for smaller shows, like they do at Rock City, Birmingham Academy etc etc. Leicester is completely off the map gig wise now, isn't it?
Joe. Posted 20 January 2009 Posted 20 January 2009 It pains me slightly to say it, but I'd sacrifice the Charlotte if we could have a decent midsize venue instead, like the old De Montfort Uni Students Union building, and what would be even better would be one with a room or rooms for smaller shows, like they do at Rock City, Birmingham Academy etc etc.Leicester is completely off the map gig wise now, isn't it? Well a fair few decent bands play at Leicester Uni, so it's not all lost yet. That may now possibly be "the" venue for Leicester music now.
Finchy Posted 20 January 2009 Posted 20 January 2009 Leicester is completely off the map gig wise now, isn't it? Definitely, even Brum is losing out to Shottingham at the mo. Nothing like as many gigs in Brum these days. Just about all tours go through Shottingham tho.
Ultra Posted 22 January 2009 Posted 22 January 2009 We need a Rock City size venue (Athena?) and maybe an arena too. But the last campaign for an arena-type venue attracted about as much support as Russell Brand at a Daily Mail rally..
Finchy Posted 22 January 2009 Posted 22 January 2009 We need a Rock City size venue (Athena?) That's exactly what we need, i like the Athena suggestion, it's a perfect size, would be great. I don't think we need an arena we just need De Montfort hall to pull their finger out, because it's a pretty big venue that could attract big bands.
Lillehamring Posted 22 January 2009 Posted 22 January 2009 Well a fair few decent bands play at Leicester Uni, so it's not all lost yet. That may now possibly be "the" venue for Leicester music now. and even then it's not a particularly great venue, it just happens to be an ok size and running. DMU are the lowest of the low, when they submitted plans for their new student union building it was going to have a replacement venue for the old arena, of course as soon as the plan's were approved, they decided they weren't and scrapped it. i believe htey have something there but i suspect it's nothing like the old one.
Edmund Posted 22 January 2009 Posted 22 January 2009 That's exactly what we need, i like the Athena suggestion, it's a perfect size, would be great. I don't think we need an arena we just need De Montfort hall to pull their finger out, because it's a pretty big venue that could attract big bands. It would be good. The city seems to be full of bars and the same old clubs. A big fook off arena would be top for big lineups etc Leicester union's not that bad think it's just expensive to hire out.
Trav Le Bleu Posted 22 January 2009 Posted 22 January 2009 That's exactly what we need, i like the Athena suggestion, it's a perfect size, would be great. I don't think we need an arena we just need De Montfort hall to pull their finger out, because it's a pretty big venue that could attract big bands. It is a great venue for bands. I've never been to a venue where bands sound better. It was designed as a music hall and the acoustics are great. You just don't get that at most places which are just boxes to cram people into.
Finchy Posted 22 January 2009 Posted 22 January 2009 It is a great venue for bands. I've never been to a venue where bands sound better. It was designed as a music hall and the acoustics are great. You just don't get that at most places which are just boxes to cram people into. I agree, it's excellent when the bands play in there at Summer Sundae. But they just aren't getting that many bands that people want to see. Looking at the acts you get there today, it's hard to believe The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zep played there once.
Ultra Posted 23 January 2009 Posted 23 January 2009 That was in the days before arenas, though. The Trent FM Arena has a 10k capacity - five times the size of DMH..
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