MAGAZINE

Striking the right chord

Last month, I attended an all-ages matinee gig at a bar/venue in Kingston upon Thames. Having attended Kingston University some 20-plus years ago (really?!), I had already got to know The Fighting Cocks quite well, but I’d never seen it like this. 

The show, organised by a local promoter called Youth Anthems Kingston, rocks up at The Fighting Cocks five or six times a year, offering families and kids of all ages the chance to experience a proper gig in a decent venue on what would otherwise be a quiet Sunday for all involved. Running from 2pm to 5pm, it promises ‘real bands and reasonable bedtimes’ – what’s not to love?

While I was there, admiring the next generation of gig goers donning their ear protectors and jumping around to a ska/death metal outfit from High Wycombe, I couldn’t help but picture what level of business this venue would be doing on a grey Sunday were it not for this eclectic crowd flooding through its doors. The place was packed. In fact, the show was sold out, with over 130 tickets being pre-purchased in the months leading up to the gig. I asked a bartender what difference having Youth Anthems Kingston in made to them. “Oh, it’s huge,” she said. “We’d be so quiet today otherwise.”

Another glance around… queues at the bar, pints being poured, kids waiting to have a go on a REAL DRUM KIT at the end of the show. What a wonderful set-up this is. And it gets better, as everyone who attends also gets a discount at the neighbouring Old London Road Café, so the benefit extends into local hospitality as well.

Of course, not every pub or bar has the space or equipment to go this far when it comes to live music, but, my word, such a humble example from a small street in Greater London hopefully inspires our readers to consider what unique, music-led events can do for business and your guests. Strike the right chord and who knows what the future may hold. 

Tristan O’Hana - Editor