16/03/2026
Last week we played about with AI to create some great caricatures of the musicians who got up to play. Who knows what else we'll do this week. Probably try to sneak some googly eyes on beer pumps and guitars or something equally as childish.
Actually, although these nights are mostly about the music, that are also about community, support and friendship. Not only are we supporting and building up one another, we're also helping to keep the pub music scene alive whilst the government seems to want to shut them down, and the breweries just want to squeeze as much money out of them as possible.
The drinks are more expensive than Wetherspoons, but what that extra couple of quid gets you is an evening of brilliant local talent that you don't get in soulless chains. Without things like open mic nights, quiz nights, bingo, meat draws and even the dreaded karaoke pubs are struggling. If you want to keep this great British institution going and keep music live then come down. Open mics are not just for musicians but for everyone. You get to see some bloody good acts, newer artists, gigging musicians, retired singers with life left in them and people who just enjoy entertaining. Both Stephen Upham and Simon Lane are proud of these nights as they give people a chance to get used to performing in front of an audience, get back on the scene after years of experience, have fun and above all entertain people.
Please come along and support everyone who puts themselves out there in the name of local music and entertainment. They deserve to be applauded, and the venues deserve to be full again. Let's make pubs the community hubs and support centres that they always have been. Only you can do that. Bring your spare change and remember that for the price of a takeaway you can have a few beers whilst watching anything up to 18 different acts a night. You never know who will turn up.
