20.19°C It’s been quite a summer for live music in Colchester.
Over the past couple of weeks, Castle Park has hosted Billy Ocean, Hollywood Vampires, Becky Hill, Bastille, Richard Ashcroft, JLS and Fatboy Slim. Thousands of people have walked through the gates, and some very big names have played in the heart of our city.
The excellent Colchester Castle Summer Series has grown considerably in its second year, and whatever your musical tastes, it’s been great to see shows of this size here.
There has been plenty of local involvement too. The Lamplight Club, She’s In Parties, Peonie, Jeanie From The Mountains and Grace Calver all appeared on Summer Series bills, getting the chance to play on the same stage as some huge artists.
And we’re not finished yet. Invasion Colchester takes over the city centre this Saturday, 5th September, before ALB Festival returns to Castle Park on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September for another weekend of music and more.
When I interviewed James Young from Colchester Events earlier this month, we talked about the growing ambition for events in Colchester, and how Colchester Summer Series is a big part of that.
But summer eventually ends, and live music in Colchester doesn’t.
Live music all year round
Once the big outdoor stages have gone, there will still be gigs happening every week.
Colchester Arts Centre, Victoria Inn, Coda, Three Wise Monkeys, Queen Street Brewhouse, Roots and Grooves, and many more venues across the city will carry on putting on bands, singers, DJs and musicians through autumn, winter and into next year.
Some of those gigs will sell out. Some won’t. Some will feature artists you’ve followed for years, and others will have names you’ve never seen before.
That’s always been one of the best things about going to gigs.
You can spend months waiting to see a favourite artist, but you can also walk into a venue knowing almost nothing about who’s playing and come out wanting to hear everything they’ve recorded.
The artists who played the Summer Series have all spent time playing smaller shows. Before you get the opportunity to walk onto a stage in Castle Park, you need somewhere to play in the first place, and those places need people coming through the doors.
Take a chance on a gig
It’s easy to get excited about seeing a famous artist in Castle Park. You know the songs, you know what you’re paying for, and thousands of other people are going too.
Going to see a band you’ve barely heard of is different, but that’s part of the appeal.
I’ve spent years going to gigs where I’ve known very little about the artist beforehand. Some have not connected with me. Others have introduced me to music I’ve listened to for years.
And occasionally you get to see a band in a small venue, then watch as they go on to much bigger things.
Of course, not every artist playing a Colchester venue is going to end up on a huge festival stage, and they don’t have to. If only a few people have a great night watching a band, that’s still reason enough to put the gig on. Trust me, I’ve put on gigs for a handful of people before. They stand out too.
It would be great if some of the excitement we’ve seen around live music in Colchester this summer continues once the outdoor shows are finished.
The Castle Summer Series has shown that thousands of people will come out for music in Colchester. ALB Festival will bring another crowd into Castle Park in September. After that, there will still be plenty happening, just on smaller stages.
So keep an eye on the listings, buy a ticket, and take a chance on a band you don’t know. Get there early enough to watch the support too.
You never know what you might find.
