I made the following comment on an internet forum I frequent about the coming plans to build an arena venue in Derby.
Now, regarding the plans to put a recording studio and rehearsal rooms in this behemoth: Great,go ahead! The Hive is always full rehearsal wise and I imagine Dubrek has to turn people away sometimes.
So in short, I think there probably is room for more rehearsal space in Derby.
As for a studio, fill your boots. They make fuck all money btw.
On the other hand, I have NEVER heard anyone complaining about the lack of a 12000 seat arena.
If it gets built it will do nothing for any local scene. The only bands it gets will be stereophonics and Rod Stewart (essentially the bands that would have played Pride Park but are scared they wont sell it out). Those kinds of bands get no media attention, play predominantly to older people and have no status in ’serious music journalism’ anymore.
How is that going to ‘put Derby on the map’ (yawn)? How many times has that phrase been muttered in board meetings over the last 12months?
Essentially they could take a fraction of the money this thing will cost, make a GOOD, smallish venue (a la social/rescue rooms) with a good soundsystem, friendly atmosphere and a booking agent who knows about a variety of music genres and what bands are worth booking.
So that’s a relatively small amount of money to build something that would make a difference to the local scene in terms of punters and bands or a huge, disgusting amount of money on something to house stadium rock bands (read safe, middle class music). I guess it depends if you’re making a venue for people that like music or not.
I hate to hark back to forgotten times but The Dial? The Wherehouse? Where are the replacements for these venues? If you google Derby Wherehouse, it comes up with a who’s who of nineties indie bands that played there. I’m not keen on most of them but they were bands that became massive in many cases. The difference is, the Wherehouse knew what bands to book when they were on their ascent, when they’d still be happily playing venues that size. How was that not putting Derby on the touring band map? I also remember a lot of local bands getting to support the likes of Primal Scream, The Manics, Clinic, The Delgados, etc, etc.
If you’re just some average Derbian, then you won’t know any local bands and why the fuck should you? If on the other hand there happen to be some local bands supporting a band you have heard of then you might take a chance on a gig and you may like it.
That might actually get more people to start going to gigs in Derby, anyone on here in a band knows there just aren’t a lot of regular gig-goers out there. I don’t think there’s much incentive to go see three bands you’ve never heard of.
I mean we headline a gig every other night of the week right? Surely we’d know what it’s like playing and going to gigs in Derby?
I think i’ll be chalking this whole idea up to ‘another huge waste of money and a missed opportunity on something that could actually work’. The frustrating thing is it’s all so simple yet no developers will risk their money on something that might not be ‘big business’
