Stoke's Best Music Venues by Ian Minger
Gumf’s Stoke on Trent Correspondent, Ian Minger
Life can be difficult. It can be especially difficult when you are hideously ugly, truly a sight for blind eyes. For me, life can feel impossible because since the day I was born, I have been gross to behold. One thing, however, has made it all easier to bear - live music.
As readers of my guide to Stoke’s Best Food and Drink will remember, I moved to Stoke on Trent after being turfed out of my home by a pitchfork-wielding mob who were so offended by the sight of me, they sought to never see me again.
Stoke has welcomed me with open arms, despite my ghastly appearance. Its many live music venues have been a safe space. As Gumf’s new official Stoke on Trent Correspondent, I’m proud to report on Stoke’s Best Music Venues.
The Sugarmill, 36 Brunswick Street, Hanley
Anyone who’s anyone knows that The Sugarmill has to be first on this list. An alternative gig hotspot and music night venue that lacks any sort of pretense and boasts an excess of character. We’re talking sticky floors, plastic cups, mosh pits, perfect atmosphere. The lot.
There’s a reason alternative and mainstream acts alike rarely make a single appearance here and always opt to come back - The setup is pristine, giving the venue a small bar feel without sacrificing the sound.
I went to an Electric All Nighter here with Gumf’s co-founders and nobody mentioned how hideous I am. Well, one of the 50 people they knew from high school did ask “Who’s your really disgusting friend?” but Connor simply replied “This is Ben, you don’t remember him from school?”
It was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me.
The Underground, 2 Morley Street, Hanley
Are you filled with angst? Do you like the kind of music where people seem fairly angry while they make it? The Underground is waiting for you to pay a visit and listen to some of the best metal, hardcore, scene and indie that Stoke has to offer.
This self-proclaimed ‘dive bar’ is the city’s incubator for homegrown talent, with all the focus put on the music and the booze. Set up as a stage in a single room with an alleyway for smoking in the back, The Underground proves that there’s never a need for gimmicks when the atmosphere is right.
Everyone is welcome in The Underground, which has made it much easier for an uggo like me to integrate. My first visit was during a Halloween event and I was heartened to win a costume competition for what they dubbed my ‘Freak Outfit’. I didn’t have the heart to tell them I was dressed in my own clothes with my own dreadful face.
I have the competition certificate hanging above my bed to this day.
The Rigger, Marsh Parade, Newcastle
Remember the scene in The Spongebob Squarepants Movie where Patrick and Spongebob go into the Thug Tug, the bar for burly blokes? Well, The Rigger is like that except everyone is remarkably welcoming and kind hearted.
With the vibe of a highway bar in the US, The Rigger is a safe haven for metalheads, biker types and every other kind of cultural creed. The place balances perfectly between raucous gigs and cabaret-style shows. When I went in a while back, there was a burlesque show on (a classy one, mind) and I’m pretty sure it was a weeknight.
It takes a lot for a place to feel welcoming to a grotesque individual such as myself (I have two ears on the left side of my head) but The Rigger truly feels like an oasis in the desert of judgement.
Eleven, 21a Newfield Industrial Estate, Sandyford
Not too far from a series of roundabouts that have claimed the lives of countless driving tests, you can find this gem of a venue. If you are over the age of 45, I can guarantee that there is a gig at Eleven within the next month that you will be dying to see.
Running the gauntlet on the UK’s tribute act scene, only the best of the best imitators play Eleven and considering most of the artists are dead or retired, this is truly the best way to see them live. UB40, Thin Lizzy, Queen, Marillion, Bruce Springsteen, I mean, come on, this is dad rock in its element and it’s done to perfection.
If your parents have ears (on the appropriate sides of their head) get them tickets for a gig at Eleven to earn some serious points. I offered to take my mum and dad to a David Bowie act but they simply replied “How did you find us after all of these years? Stay away and do not contact us again you monstrous fiend!”
I went to the gig alone and still had a great time seeing the Starman revived on stage!
Captain’s Bar, 67 Lichfield Street, Hanley
This place is a masterclass in venue minimalism. A couple small rooms (renovated from what must have been a retail location) with stageless performance space. The setup is intimate but never invasive, since the vibe cries out for quiet, respectful conversation as performances play on.
Captain’s Bar has a clear sense of community about it, although there’s never any feeling of exclusivity. Once you walk in, you feel like a regular. Like all of Stoke’s best venues, this place is unpretentious and simple. North Staffordshire’s own Lamplight Café, made for those who enjoy live music in its most unadulterated form.
At no point in my visit did anyone even begin to mention my unfortunate face. Some patrons even engaged in polite conversation with me and asked how I found the show.
For a freak like myself, that really is the best I can ask for.
