Update from The Wedge

Hello from Team Wedge, we thought we would give you another update on our progress. A lot of you were understandably concerned by the news of venues like Deaf Institute closing last week (since saved!) as well as excited (or confused) by the August 1st reopen date given by the Government. We thought we would offer some reassurances, let you know what we are doing and how you can help. This is a long one so if you want to jump forward to a specific section we will be talking about.

• Government Funding
• Crowdfunder
• Merchandise
• Planning ahead
• Statement on August 1st reopen date

Government Funding

So the fun task of applying for grants begins today! We’re applying for Arts Council England’s Grassroots Music Fund. This was introduced last year and the first step in music venues receiving the recognition and support they deserve. ACE has traditionally been more focused on theatres and art centres so the announcement of a dedicated music venue fund in 2019 was very welcome. It was sadly put on pause at the start of lockdown but reopens today. This grant is not related to COVID and we will be carrying over an application we had prepared earlier in the year. IF successful this will help us financially and technically whilst making us more environmentally friendly, but more on that IF we get it. With regards to COVID we’re now waiting for info on when the emergency fund will be released and what it consists of. This will be followed by a recovery fund later in the year. Both of those come from the £1.57 billion investment announced by the Chancellor to protect Britain’s world-class cultural, arts and heritage institutions. We still don’t have specifics about these but have been told to expect them soon.

There is some scepticism around this announcement but it is important to note that music venues and Music Venue Trust are explicitly mentioned. While this might seem like a small gesture it means a lot to us. To be honest we have felt left out for a long time and it is nice to finally be in the conversation around culture in this country. This will hopefully change the perception of venues and lead to us being held in the same esteem as those theatres and other art institutions. Our music industry is one of the best in the world, one of our finest exports and it is about time it is treated as such.

So we’re being patient, we’ll see what happens and if we’re not happy we’ll be sure to let you know.

Crowdfunder

You’re probably aware by now but we have a crowdfunder (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savethewedge). We hit our initial target of twelve grand in 12 hours. Since then we have stretched it further, currently standing at a gobsmacking £22,000. We’ve ran out of words for this so we’ll just reiterate what we’ve said before; thank you, thank you and thank you. 

Since its creation the MVT have added Save Our Venues t-shirts as a reward for future £20 pledgers. Costs of those are covered entirely by MVT so we get the full twenty quid. If you’ve browsed through the pledges on the crowdfunder (and you should the comments are lovely) you would have seen two very generous contributions; one from our friend, artist in residence and upstairs neighbour My Dog Sighs and another from Solent LEP. The #SolentPayItForward scheme match-funds (up to £5,000) once 25% of the funding target had been met through supporters’ contributions. So this is a consequence of your donations so thank you once again.

Solent LEP Board Director SJ Hunt explained: “With micro and small businesses making up 98% of the Solent’s economy, it seemed critical that the LEP find a way to support them through what has been one of the most difficult economic periods in living memory. Independent businesses like the Wedgewood Rooms are much loved by locals and play an important part in making the Solent region special.”

More on this here: https://solentlep.org.uk/what-we-do/news/solentpayitforward-scheme-helps-save-iconic-wedgewood-rooms/

Merchandise

Besides the Save Our Venues t-shirts we also have a new merch range! This is something we had been planning for a while and lockdown gave us the time to finally realise this We have a collection of retro tees and totes from different parts of our almost thirty year history. We make less from these (as we cover the costs) but every little helps, plus they look cool and turn you into a walking advertisement which helps. We hope to expand this in the near future and we have already added two different ladies cuts to the selection.

We also have some old posters for sale!

Like with the save our venues t shirts the costs of these are kindly covered by MVT and TCB Merchandise. We currently have 16 for sale featuring Joe Strummer, Muse, My Chemical Romance, The Killers, Buzzcocks, Johnny Marr and more. This is a big job that requires going through old files and digitising physical prints so we will be drip feeding them over the coming months.

You can find links to shirts and posters at our lush new website which is another long term project finally realised in lockdown, go have a look www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk. Besides the listings you will find extensive venue info including venue history and a ‘get a gig’ page, which will be handy to you musicians.

Website photo by Nikki Court (Mix It All Up)

One of the last and more important ways you can help us

Start planning ahead to Autumn/2021

Slow Readers Club – Photo by Tony Palmer

Indoor live music at our level is still a while away but that gives you lots of time to get acquainted with the acts we have booked so far!  Keep up to date with shows that are being moved and announced for later in the year/2021. When we do open we anticipate its going to be tough and we will need your support. Listen to the acts that have been advertised so far, see if anything takes your fancy and visit us when we do open. Live music at our level was struggling before COVID and we don’t anticipate that changing. So take a chance on something new. We’ll be announcing more shows soon. 

If we are to open in 2020 it will most likely be tribute, comedy and local acts at a reduced capacity. If you’ve never been to a comedy event you really should. Hot acts like Romesh Raganathan passed through our Comedy Club multiple times. To help you discover new acts we have made a Spotify playlist of all the bands booked so far. Follow us at https://spoti.fi/2VR510C.  It is incredibly likely that all of our touring shows will move into 2021. This is a decision made between artists, management and promoters. Make sure you keep an eye on your inboxes and our social media channels for the last of the reschedules.

We’re also very excited about the Passport: Back to Our Roots campaign which could see huge artists returning to smaller venues for some very special shows. We don’t have any involvement in the decisions around this but hope to be included. Make sure you are registered with them and following them on social media to stay up to date.

Statement on reopening

Safe to say we won’t be opening on the 1st of August. We feel the statement from the Music Venues Trust below perfectly explains this.

“UK Government has announced that from 1 August live music events will be permissible in Grassroots Music Venues if they observe social distancing, and that pilot projects will take place prior to this date to test the conditions for such performances.

The government has been in talks with various organisations, including Music Venue Trust, within the live music sector with regards to pilot events being held. However, we have not received confirmation that any of these events have been authorised to take place in Grassroots Music Venues as yet so would question whether August 1st is a realistic date for those pilot events to have taken place and to have informed the final guidance for venues.

It should be noted that we have already provided evidence to the government that staging live events with any level of social distancing measures would not be financially viable for the majority of Grassroots Music Venues. If such socially distanced events are to be part of the progress towards normality within the sector from 1 August, significant subsidies will be required if this measure is to have any noticeable impact upon the number of shows actually taking place. We would also note that events at Grassroots Music Venue level typically take between 6 weeks and 6 months to arrange, and that a notice period of two weeks is another enormous challenge to the objective of bringing back live music safely.”

We hope this answers some of your questions. We do have some projects in the pipeline we can’t talk about just yet but rest assured we will be using our time wisely. We’re choosing to be optimistic and we look forward to seeing you all again in the not too distant future.

Stay safe, Team Wedge x

So what now? An update from The Wedge

Photo by Tony Palmer Photography

For the foreseeable future we are not able to open; we would like you to understand why this is, and what you can do to help prevent the permanent closure of The Wedgewood Rooms and other Grassroots Music Venues.

Yesterday the PM dropped the baffling news that theatres and venues can reopen but with no live performances. The live music sector is understandably confused, but not surprised, by this announcement. I saw a post that likened this to restaurants being told they can open but they can’t serve food. Since then some of you have expressed an interest in how we plan to move forward. So we thought we would take a second to let you know where we are, what we’ve been doing and how we would like to proceed.

What we would like to do

To be clear, we, and the majority of venues we are in contact with via the Music Venues Alliance, do not feel comfortable about reopening right now. We closed of our own volition a few days before we were told to shut , even back in March we realised the gravity of the situation. We accepted that our core business include a number of high risk activities as defined by Public Health England, such as singing, dancing, close personal contact and being in a confined space for a period of time. We want to open when it is safe for our staff, the artists and our customers. To do so imminently will require financial support, waiting for the situation to improve will also require financial support.

In April over 400 of the UK’s leading artists, musicians and creative figures signed a letter calling on the government to release funds to support the creative industries, warning that unless more is done the country could become “a cultural wasteland”. While we have received financial support from the initial business grant (for the period March – June) to see us to this point, there is no clear plan now this has come to an end. We are using, and accept, that the Furlough scheme is in operation till the end of October. The MVT led save our venues campaign has done a wonderful job of raising awareness and funds so far but it pales in comparison to what the government COULD be doing with a dedicated effort.

With this recent announcement it would be easy to assume the government have opted out of any meaningful long term support and put the onus entirely on us (again!). We wish we were wrong but given the closure of venues over the last decade you can forgive us for feeling sceptical about their commitment to live music venues and the cultural sector at large.

With this in mind the Music Venue Trust have proposed a hibernation period in an open letter to the UK Government. They have proposed a £50 million financial support package and a reduction on VAT on future ticket sales. Not only will this allow 800 grassroots music venues to  remain closed until safe but will help with what will be a slowly recovering sector. If you haven’t please read this letter. 

What we have been doing

Behind the scenes all the members of the MVA have been collecting data about what they can and can’t do and how it might look. A survey by the MVT of 28,640 members of the public found:

-Only 36% of people felt confident that it would currently be safe to attend a concert.
-Just over 50% of respondents said they would visit venues fewer times or not at all in July
-Audiences are more confident about attending later in the year – when considering an October gig, that figure drops to 16%.

The MVT in collaboration with venues produced the REVS (Reopening Every Venue Safely) document, a questionnaire to calculate capacity under social distancing, whether you can mitigate against risks, the costs of opening during social distancing and more importantly, the costs of remaining closed if you can’t open due to it not be financially, or even physically possible. This was a stressful but necessary effort carried out by venue owners all over the country. The result was unsurprising, social distancing and gigs don’t exactly gel.  To use just example a singer alone requires 6 metres from band members and audience. This is because singing can lead to a faster transmission of the virus. The government has all this information, there can be no live performance.

So why have they told us we can open anyway and what are they expecting? (not rhetorical, I honestly don’t have a clue)

Alternative use of space

A set up we sometimes use for shows pre covid 19

So singing, dancing, standing close to other people and being in a confined space for a long period are all considered high-risk activities. This rules us out as a live music venue but, as some of you have pointed out, we have a bar so in theory could open as a seated pub (or screen football/live performances as suggested by you). While this seems like an obvious solution it brings its own complications. Pubs will look drastically different when they open with anything classed as entertainment being severely restricted.

Further as a predominantly live music venue we will have to adhere to the guidelines for pubs as well as the proposed guidelines for live music and the proposed guidelines for performance spaces, most of which is not currently available.

Below are two points on entertainment from the Governments guidance for restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services.

• At this time, venues should not permit live performances, including drama, comedy and music, to take place in front of a live audience. This is important to mitigate the risks of aerosol transmission – from either the performer(s) or their audience.
• All venues should ensure that steps are taken to avoid people needing to unduly raise their voices to each other. This includes, but is not limited to, refraining from playing music or broadcasts that may encourage shouting, including if played at a volume that makes normal conversation difficult. This is because of the potential for increased risk of transmission, particularly from aerosol transmission.

This presumably means no sports on pub tvs, no energetic music and nothing that could be considered a group activity. Even a board game could potentially result in voices being raised so we would assume that would also be off the table too. Being compliant with the guidelines, especially after a few drinks, doesn’t sound very practical or fun and puts enormous strain on the staff and licensee.

We are larger than a lot of pubs so there is potentially some leeway with social distancing but on a financial level it is hard to see how viable this model is. With the weather getting warmer it seems incredibly likely people will turn to beer gardens, their own gardens or the beach to socialise. Summer is difficult enough when we have shows, remove the prospect of music and I doubt we stand a chance. Even if we screened gigs we would have to enforce very strict rules and it is doubtful we would have a turn out big enough to justify opening.  Any initial novelty factor would wear off quickly so it’s hardly a realistic or sustainable replacement.

We know people want to support us but if it actually comes to that choice, between our large dark room and fresh air, people are rightly going to choose the sunshine. Unlike pubs we are not designed for people to sit in and drink, the whole room is designed to point your eyes to the stage. So much of what we do is tied to a vibe or atmosphere cultivated by the band, the techys and the audience. When we are rammed it is cosy, when we are empty it is not.  We really hope our neighbours and friends in the pub trade thrive but they’ve been put in an incredibly difficult position, more difficult than the recent announcements would suggest. Please be patient and kind with them if you do venture out to support them.

Sitting awkwardly between a pub and a theatre is usually why venues do not get the same funding or attention as theatres and opera houses. This is despite our enormous contribution to the economy and culture. Some of the UKs biggest acts have developed in the walls of GMVs and we regularly welcome groundbreaking acts from all over the world. This lack of reverence was an issue before Covid and may explain the governments lack of clarity and concern right now. I do hope that from this comes a better understanding and appreciation of venues, assuming it is not too late.

On a positive note we would love to talk to independent businesses and community groups about how we can help them, and find creative ways of using the space in a not for profit capacity. We feel this would be far more rewarding. We recently turned the front of the building into a mini art exhibit which we plan to update every month. People have also suggested mini markets which is someone we used to do once a month for a few years. We’d love to bring it back but its not realistic replacement for the income lost from gigs. Ideally we want government support before we can do stuff like this. You can help us with that by scrolling down further.

What can you do?

We need to make some noise. Tomorrow a debate will take place in the House of Commons relating to sector support needed for areas of the economy unable to open.

If you would like to help us put pressure on the government please write to your local MP or councillor expressing your concern and asking them to back the save our venues campaign and the proposals put forward by the MVT.

You can find out who to contact and how at www.writetothem.com

Don’t forget to include the open letter in your e-mail
https://www.scribd.com/document/466569754/Open-Letter-to-the-UK-Government

Mark at MVT has done a video to help

Now is also a perfect time to get clued up on the amazing work of the Music Venue Trust who have been an incredible source of support. The last few years have been difficult, we have tried not to make this anyone’s burden but our own, but covid has tipped the scales considerably. We can’t thank you enough for all your support with our very first Crowdfunder. We feel like you’ve done your bit, now is the time for the government to step up to the plate. Unfortunately they might need a nudge in the right direction.

We really want to get back to doing what we do, when it is safe to do so. We hope tomorrow provides some good discussions around our neglected industry in the commons but until the government clearly states their intention to support this sector we are going to have to be loud.

Thank you for reading

Stay safe, Team Wedge x

As for shows, every event in July has now been cancelled or rescheduled. We are currently communicating with the acts about the three sold out shows we have booked in August. The majority of touring acts we had planned in the Autumn are already moving into Spring 2021 (more dates tba) Everything is being done on a show by show basis so please bear with us.

 

In Appreciation of The News

Sending our love to some of the staff at The News, Portsmouth who have been furloughed. Like the rest of us, newspapers have taken a massive hit due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite record digital readership publishers are currently struggling to make advertising revenue, which is now a big part of keeping local newspapers afloat. Most of us read news updates free of charge but fail to recognise the news isn’t free nor has it ever been.

In that respect it’s much like recorded music, we take for granted the individuals that produce the work and fail to acknowledge what it offers. When you buy a newspaper what you’re paying for is trusted, fact-checked content, something that is incredibly important these days. While we recognise this shamefully isn’t true of all national papers (and yes even The News has caved into click bait culture on occasion) we still feel it’s really important to support regional newspapers and their staff. After all, The News, and its entertainment section The Guide, have always been really supportive of us and culture in Portsmouth. Not only does it serve as a legitimate source of information but by extension The Guide Awards has become a really important part of championing creativity and events in the city. 

I say this not only as someone whose livelihood admittedly benefits from a presence in The Guide but as someone who has played in bands and put on charity events. I still get a massive kick seeing an act or an event I’m involved with mentioned.  Not only can it help locals acts reach a larger fan base but it can be a massive morale boost, especially when it so often feels like no one is listening. And live music is only one aspect of what The Guide covers!

Like us, local newspapers were already suffering, this virus has just made it more apparent and accelerated what some might call inevitable. While the imputes for this is a worldwide pandemic these issues were there way before and will largely remain once we go ‘back to normal’ if that is even a possibility. So consider supporting your local newspaper and your independent businesses, not just now, but further along when it’s safe to go out.

You can help The News by subscribing to a digital subscription, they’re currently running a three month trial costing just £1 a month, which is a small price to pay for staying informed. You can do so at portsmouth.co.uk.

We’re looking forward to keeping The Guide busy once this all settles 🙂

Heres a piece written for our 25th Anniversary during Independent Venue Week in 2017 (pictured). You can read the article online here https://bit.ly/39C46WW

Stay in, stay safe, Team Wedge x

Promoter Spotlight: Portsmouth Psych

Portsmouth Psych Festival has become a staple of the events calendar here at The Wedgewood Rooms, showcasing some of the best international psych bands across two rooms of music. The inaugural event headlined by Bo Ningen was a great success and now it returns for its third outing this Saturday, headlined by the mighty Yak. Besides Psych Fest, chief organiser Nicki has put on some great shows with bands like Warmduscher, Crack Cloud and Sextile to name a few. She is also an active collaborator having worked alongside fellow local promoters Strong Island Recordings and Calamity Cratediggers to bring the very best psych, post-punk and alt to the city. We thought we’d ask Nicki some questions about promoting the festival ahead of the big day.

Q: What inspired you to put on shows?

Nicki: My Parents took me to see The Cure when I was 11 or 12 and that gave me my initial love for live music. I was in a band in my twenties but left to move away for a while, when I came back to Southsea I wanted to carry on with the music industry but on the promotion side and worked with Josie for 10 years helping with Southsea Fest. When Southsea Fest came to an end, I then decided to start on my own which lead to Portsmouth Psych Fest.

Q: What was the first show you put on? Any specific memories?

Nicki: Well, I guess the early Southsea Fests were the first shows, the most specific memory was only last year when Black Midi played Portsmouth Psych Fest, undoubtedly the best live band in the UK at the moment.

Q: How have things developed or changed since then? 

Nicki: Its a lot harder to get people to attend live music gigs than it was 10 years ago, music, as we all know, is easily accessible online and people don’t have the money to spend to socialise and watch live music anymore. With Portsmouth Psych Fest we are growing but I have made a conscious decision to grow in small steps. I’ve seen a lot of events come in all guns blazing and are not able to uphold that for a second or third year.  It takes a good 5 years to be well established.

Q: What is your favourite gig/line up that you have put on so far? 

Nicki: I have put on And Yet It Moves a couple of times, One of the most hard-working, talented bands you could ever meet. Sadly we lost Dale last year and it broke my heart so by putting them on, making good friends with him and his wife Laura I will always have that memory to take with me.

Dale is the only person I have paid who has then given me half the cash back in my hand, a true gent and an honor to have worked with him.

Q: What can we look forward to in the future?

Nicki: Well, the next big show is Portsmouth Psych Fest 2019. Lots of amazing bands will be playing, Black Midi were our ones to watch last year. I already have my ones to watch for this year, which no doubt I will tell all on our socials on the run-up, very exciting!

Q: Any advice for people wanting to put on shows or local bands looking to get more gigs?

Nicki: Do it for the love, I don’t make any money from putting on the small shows and we break even on the festival. My advice is to Network, go to other promoters shows. Also, travel, I make a point of going to small shows in London, Brighton, Manchester, and Leeds to watch live music.

Q: Describe the Portsmouth music scene in one word

Nicki: Underrated

Portsmouth Psych Fest returns to the Wedgewood Rooms this Saturday (4th May) Sets from Yak, The KVB, Snapped Ankles, Scalping and much more. Tickets £17 in advance from http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk 

Fb: facebook.com/portsmouthpsych/
Instagram: @portsmouthpsychfestival
Twitter: @PortsmouthPsych

Promoter Spotlight: Calamity Cratediggers

Calamity Cratediggers are the latest purveyors of alt, psych and garage to enter the Southsea musical landscape. CC first came on our radar in November 2017 when they put on Sonic Memory Hole, a great all dayer in support of food banks. Over a year later and they have put on hotly tipped acts from all over the map including America and Australia. They host a very special all dayer in The Edge for Independent Venue Week on the 3rd of Feb. Expect their winning formula or international touring acts and local favourites as well as a huge local arts, records and zines fair. We thought we would ask them some questions about the journey so far.

Q: How did you get involved in music?

Sam: I have been going to gigs for years but got personally involved in music when we put on the Sonic Memory Hole together. I had long had the urge to put on shows myself but never had the time, knowledge or cahoneys to have a go. Then I found Radd.

Radd: Having worked at the wedge many moons ago as well as helping the people at Pie & Vinyl put shows on I have always enjoyed the nuts and bolts for live music. When Sam came to me with his plan to start putting shows on I naturally jumped all over him (naked) and asked if we could work together. 

Q: What was the first show you put on? Any specific memories?

Sam: The first show we put on was the Sonic Memory Hole. My biggest memory of that event was the early afternoon freak out, thinking that no-one would turn out and then the feeling of immense satisfaction and pride in the local music scene when we were full at 8pm. 

Radd: Much like Sam my the first show that I was totally responsible for was the Memory Hole. I think my major memories surrounding that event come from the arrival at the memory hole concept and how excited we were to hear a full roster of local bands re-interpret an artist that both Sam and I love. I also had major meltdowns and buzzes on the day like Sam. 

Q: How have things developed or changed since then? Any difficulties/learning curves? 

Radd: In terms of developments or changes, I would say that Sam and I are in regular pinch-ourselves positions over the kind words we have sometimes heard about what we are doing. We have become probably more confident than  we should be but that is all part of the rush. The gamble is costly but when it pays of the feeling of having maybe done something that people will remember is unrivalled. 

As far as difficulties are concerned…MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEYYYYYYY. (In an O’Jays voice)

Q: What is your favourite gig/line up that you have put on so far? 

Sam: I would honestly say that my favourite show to date would be the Olden Yolk gig, the line up was BANGING, local fav’s Number 9 and Barbudo brought the psychedelic magic and sleazy funk to the party and Olden Yolk were absolutely mesmerising. They have a new album coming this year and I would love to bring them back. 

Radd: To be honest I have to agree with Sam, Olden Yolk were so lovely and by far provided our best crowd to date. I would also say that JOHN made my face slide off a little and overtime we have put on Fat Earthers the room has lit up a fair as well. 

Q: What can we look forward to in the future? Upcoming shows? Plans for the future? 

Sam: We are really looking forward to our Music and Art all dare, and having the chance to do something with the Wedge during Independent Venue Week. Its really important that we support our local venues because without them we would be nothing.

Radd: As Sam has said I cannot wait until the 3rd of Feb for the All-dayer and I am also looking forward to collaborating with other promotors such as Portsmouth Psych and Honeymooner. Sam and I are in this to work with people, so as John Donne said, no man (or any other gender for that mater) is an island, even if we all live on one.

Q: Any advice for people wanting to put on shows or local bands looking to get more gigs?

Sam: Come and talk to us. We don’t bite. We love an opportunity to promote and support our local DIY community. 

Radd: Same as Sam, come say hi. The more, the merrier. Get out there and knock on proverbial doors, they won’t always be answered the first time but the more you knock the greater your chances for getting somewhere. You’re not gonna retire on your rewards but if you really lucky (ourselves included) someone will look back and say that what you did was good. 

Q: Describe the Portsmouth music scene in one word

Sam: GNARLY.

Radd: Burgeoning.

For more info on Calamity Cratediggers IVW alternative all dayer event go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/568538440273688/

Tickets £8 in advance from http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk 

Fb: www.facebook.com/CalamityCratediggers/
Instagram: calamitycratediggers

Promoter Spotlight: Square Roots Promotions

Square Roots Promotions have quickly become one of the definitive sources for Americana, Bluegrass and Folk on the South Coast, putting on authentic roots acts in intimate locations in and around Portsmouth. Since 2012 the promotion has gone from regularly selling out The Square Tower to selling out the Wedge and have even graduated to The Pyramids. You might be surprised to know the man behind this promotion is also a punk rocker! Ken Brown has been a visible member of the music scene for decades now, having created Portsmouth’s first punk fanzine back in the late seventies. His story is a fascinating one and we were very excited to get his thoughts on promoting ahead of his show with Gangstagrass at The Wedge on the 30th of Jan!

Q: How did you get involved in music?

Ken: A mate and I started (arguably) Portsmouth’s 1st punk fanzine (Safety In Numbers) in 1977 – it was very much along the lines of “Here’s one chord, here’s another – now go form a band”…except we did it with words due to the complete lack of any musical ability. So we basically copied “Sniffin’ Glue”, but gave it a Portsmouth slant. And it went from printing 10 copies on the school “Gestetner” copier (memories for those of a certain age!), to being printed properly and having 2,000 copies printed. Ironically in time honoured tradition I threw all my copies away years ago – only to realise that I should have kept them to show my kids! So I have managed over the years to get a copy of most of them back again. Funnily enough I was tracking issue number 7 on E-Bay a couple of years back (it had a screen printed front cover of The Clash and local boys The Media on the back), which went to a collector in Greece for £130!!

Q: What was the first show you put on? Any specific memories?

Ken: Chris Abbott let us promote “alternative nights” at Basins in the Tricorn many moons ago now. It was a great lesson in how to lose money quickly! I think the first one we put on was either The Wild Flowers or Pop Will Eat Itself (for the princely sum of £100!). However, the one which will live long in the memory (for a multitude of reasons!) was Sigue Sigue Sputnik, or as it was a secret gig, the “Sci Fi Sex Stars”. How it got leaked to the press I’m not sure (cough cough), but it sold out quickly and it was a dynamite night. The band could play (their 3 hour sound check proved that!), and assorted hangers on (including Janet Street Porter, who was Tony James girlfriend at the time) kept us amused for hours afterwards!

Q: How have things developed or changed since then? Any difficulties/learning curves?

Ken: Technology and the advent of the digital and social media age has meant that there are multiple “tools” for a promoter to use, and that’s obviously a great thing. However, the “leg work” is still the same – or at least it should be if you want a well attended show. As a “part time promoter” (I run my own building company!) for me the difficulties are always finding enough time to do what I need to do, and do it properly! However the aim is to be professional and hopefully Square Roots Promotions does achieve that. The learning curve for me has been finding out, and having to realise that you can’t please everyone all of the time! I came to that conclusion pretty quickly, and try not to take any criticism personally although sometimes it’s hard as our shows are done for the love of the music and not for any latent financial gain.

Q: What is your favourite gig/line up that you have put on so far?

Ken: There are 2 shows that stand out immediately (although of course I would say that they are ALL brilliant!). The first at the Square Tower – we managed (somehow!)

to persuade one of the US’s top bluegrass bands Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers (multiple IBMA award winners and regulars at the Grand Ole Opry) to fly into the UK on their way to a big festival in Belgium, and play just one UK date for us! It was a magical night. The audience knew they were watching something very special in such an intimate venue (the musicianship was frightening!), and as every song ended their was an enormous roar from the crowd. They were just knocked out by the Portsmouth crowd and were genuinely taken aback by the audience love for them. Of course we’re hoping they’ll return one day!

The second – well it had to be The Dead South at the Wedge in April of last year! How did 400 people know about an obscure band from Saskatchewan? Well they did, and sang along to every song! One of those nights that just made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up!

Q: What can we look forward to in the future? 

Ken: Square Roots Promotions is now in its 6th year, and going forward I’m looking at retiring from the “day job” so that I can put more into building Square Roots up as a brand that people will trust. We’re in the very fortunate position that our audience trusts that what we promote is going to be quality – so even if they haven’t heard of the band / artist, they know that it’s got our seal of approval. We’re hoping that we can continue to grow that audience organically, and hopefully into other geographical areas (although not to the detriment of our core area). I’m also a massive admirer of other brilliant local promoters – people like PVC (Ian) and Beats & Swing, put on some amazing and eclectic shows, and hopefully one day Square Roots will be viewed in the same way.

One of our upcoming shows at the Wedge is on 30th Jan and we have an awesome genre-busting band from the States called Gangstagrass! Who’d have thought that a bluegrass / hip-hop mash up would work? Not me…until I saw their videos and listened to their album. It’s one of the most exciting and fresh sounds I’ve heard for a long time, and they’ve been flooring live audiences wherever they go. Can’t wait for that one!

Q: Any advice for people wanting to put on shows or local bands looking to get more gigs?

Ken: Advice for local bands – if you want your local promoters to support you (ie by including you on one of their shows), then you MUST support them. I’ve had numerous messages / e-mails from local bands / artists asking us for a gig. Yet when I ask if they’ve ever been to any of our shows, invariably the answer is no. So if you don’t support your local promoter / venue then don’t expect them to support you. It’s a 2 way thing.

My advice to others wanting to put on shows – 3 main things.

1. Never undersell your product. If you believe in what you are putting on then give it a realistically high value.

2. Do it as professionally as you can – if your posters / flyers / website look amateurish then that reflects on what you are promoting.

3. Work your arse off getting the message out there – and sometimes that means standing outside handing out flyers in the freezing cold! A successful show is the result of hard work. There’s no substitute!

Q: Describe the Portsmouth music scene in one word

Ken: Divergent! (which is a great thing – and the Wedge is right at the heart of that!)

Square Roots Promotions bring hip-hop/bluegrass fusion act Gangstagrass to The Wedge as part of Independent Venue Week on the 30th of January! Also upcoming at The Wedge is The Phil Beer Band on the 23rd of March. Remaining tickets for both shows available from www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk

For a full listing of Square Roots Promotions gigs see:

Website: www.squarerootspromotions.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarerootspromotions/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SquareRootsProm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarerootsprom/

Promoter Spotlight: Trash Arts

Trash Arts are a long running arts collective based in Portsmouth. Spearheaded by Sam Mason Bell, Trash Arts have been creating films and putting on gigs, film festivals and networking events for over a decade. Throughout they have maintained a fierce independence and strong DIY ethic. We thought we would ask Sam some questions ahead of their show with British/Dutch trip hop band Alcuna Wilds on the 29th of Jan.

Q: How did you get involved in music?

Sam: We started TrashArts for event promotion and film making back in 2007, and was simply inspired by the others around us, and those who were starting to soundtrack our films. We always try and make sure we feature a decent amount of local music.

Q: What was the first show you put on? Any specific memories?

Sam: First show I put on was back at Bar Black (now The Fat Fox) we put on Joe Black, Underdog and The Visitors. We used the show to raise funds for our first feature film ‘Flummox’. First thing I learnt was being horribly drunk was not the best move, happy to have learnt that early enough!

Q: How have things developed or changed since then? Any difficulties/learning curves?

Sam: Having run several Sunday clubs at Drift and The Registry we began to learn the strengths and advantages of a decent schedule. Timing is everything with live music, saving grace by hitting the curfew and not pissing off the venue!

Q: What is your favourite gig/line up that you have put on so far?

Sam: We had the oppertunity to book Sleaford Mods before they exploded, was a fantastic opportunity cramming 147 people into the Fox, plus they were very cool chilled people. Another show which was fantastic was bringing Akala to the Wedgewood Rooms, a truly brilliant artist. I also personally have loved the shows with good local bands and acts who became friends- Ben Farrant, Fugitive Orchestra, Holdfast… just to name a few.

Q: What can we look forward to in the future? 

Sam: We have the fantastic Alcuna Wilds, which we are very excited to be hosting. We aim to do more of our OPEN YA MOUTH event, an open mic night we run at the Loft once every month, and hoping to continue networking opportunities for local film makers pushing our film festival Making Waves Film Festival, which is hosted at The Wedgewood Rooms.

Q: Any advice for people wanting to put on shows or local bands looking to get more gigs?

Sam: Best advice I can give is to respect those you work with from the bands, the venue, the sound man, the bar staff, an event is not successful down to one person it is a team effort and that can never be undervalued.

Q: Describe the Portsmouth music scene in one word

Sam: Aspiring… whether thats positive or negative, that’s up to you.

Trash Arts bring Alcuna Wilds to The Edge of the Wedge on the 29th of Jan. Tickets available from http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk They also have a Making Waves Networking Session in the Edge on the 13th of Feb. Follow them on social media for more details.

Fb: www.facebook.com/trashartsuk/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/trashartsuk/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TrashArtsEvents

Promoter Spotlight: Fitz Promotions

While we’ve focused largely on experienced local promoters in our previous entries, we thought we would start talking to some newcomers who have been impressing us. Fitz Promotions specialise in showcasing the best indie rock bands from the South Coast. Built on a partnership between Billy Fitzjohn and Conor Clements, they have only been putting on gigs since September but they’ve got off to a great start. Following a string of busy shows we thought we would chat to Billy ahead of their gig this Thursday with The Taboos. 

Q: How did you get involved in music?

Billy: I first got involved in the music industry because of a friend of mine called Matt…he was in a band and invited me to his gigs and took me along as the band got bigger. This was possibly the first time I felt like I had to get involved within music. I’d always loved music, however I began to finally get the urge to work within the industry that I love. I then transferred that into writing articles for Gigslutz and Boot Music and began helping companies run their shows with the dream of putting my own shows.

Q: What was the first show you put on?

Billy: The first show I put on for myself after creating Fitz Promotions was in September 2018 at Edge of the Wedge, a venue which I absolutely love. It featured Belles, Cascade and local band Drusila as headliner. I’ll be honest, the show seemed to absolutely fly by because I was a nervous wreck worrying about any potential problems but it was an amazing show to be involved in. The bands were great on the night and lovely people to meet, perfect way to kick off our events! Some memories of the show included a hilarious moment involving a rider request. George from Drusila had asked for some chewing gum and a bottle of wine to get ready for the show…my business partner and friend Conor Clements ended up coming back with a roll of hubba bubba, a random bottle of wine and a packet of chicken and mushroom slices…was rather a strange experience! Bet they thought we were absolute weirdos!

Q: How have things developed or changed since then? Any difficulties/learning curves?

Billy: Things have built massively over a small amount of time and I’m loving every minute of it! I spent a lot of time working out what I was doing as I honestly was winging half of it and I couldn’t have done it without the help of the people supporting me. Of course there’s been a lot of learning curves, however every knock back just makes you learn more and builds you to be better next time! The worst difficulties are always the ones you can’t control but it makes you think on your feet and when you love what you do, the difficult times aren’t as difficult anymore. Things have also developed in the way we aren’t just music promoters anymore, we’ve delved into the art of management also, so exciting times ahead.

Q: What is your favourite gig/line up that you have put on so far? 

Billy: I’m torn between two gigs for this! Firstly our line up which featured Brixton’s, Crystal Tides and HOOLi was absolutely mega! We had an packed out room at Edge on a Monday night! Who the fuck goes out on a Monday? That lot was mad for it and it’s a proud moment in my eyes.

I also can’t move past this question without mentioning the amazing Blithe gig we had in November! All the bands on that day absolutely smashed it out the park. We were lucky enough to sell out that night and it was also amazing to finally book the legends that are Glass Peaks for that show! So big up Sam Tucker and Lee Vincent from CloseUp! This is also possibly my favourite because of my brother Josh, who supports me at every show, telling me how much he loved Blithe and he’s possibly the hardest person to please!

Q: What can we look forward to in the future? 

Billy: Plenty of more shows coming up and also being involved in tours alongside other promoters! You won’t be able to get away from us that easily! We’ll be going to new places and new venues but it’ll be the same amazing show which you’re used to! Don’t worry we’ll still make sure we have our monthly show at Edge of the Wedge which I’m so proud of! Cheers to Geoff and the team at Wedgewood rooms for taking a chance on just a couple of lads from Pompey wanting to turn a dream into reality.

Be sure to check out our social media’s because we advertise everything on them! Obviously all plans have to be secret for the time being but I can officially announce our next show will be on February 7th at Edge of the Wedge.

Q: Any advice for people wanting to put on shows or local bands looking to get more gigs?

Billy: I always feel like such a dick when I get asked for advice but honestly if there’s any one out there with an idea for a show just run with it… it’ll be the best thing you ever do. The best advice I was ever given before starting putting on shows was from Rob Baker who used to work with Pete Doherty and it was never rest on your laurels, never expect to earn money from a show. You’ve simply got to do it because you love to! If you’re able to earn money out of it then that’s sick but the love of music is gotta be there! That’s why I hand pick all bands that play!

The best advice i can give to local bands to get more gigs is just keep plugging away! Go out to shows, meet people and network! If you don’t get a response from an email straight away, keep trying… never give up!

Q: Describe the Portsmouth music scene in one word

Opportunity

Fitz Promotions bring The Taboos to The Edge of the Wedge on Thursday 10th of Jan. Support comes from Colour of the Jungle, Basement Club and Moth. Tickets available from http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Fitzpromotions/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/fitz_promotions
Instagram: www.instagram.com/fitz_promotions/

Staff Picks – Best Gigs of 2018

We had some amazing acts pass through our doors this year with over 300 shows between The Wedge and The Edge! We’ve had living legends like Lee Scratch Perry, grizzled vets like Dreadzone & The Skids and fast rising stars like Freya Ridings & Black Honey to name just a few. We thought we’d ask our staff what gigs stood out to them either as punters or from their respective work stations. Let us know what shows you enjoyed in the comments 🙂

Womble – Skindred

Skindred photo by Mr Teeth

We’ve had so many amazing gigs this year, but by the one that stands out the most for me was Skindred! I am so late to this party – I have to admit I hadn’t heard them before – but they were incredible! There’s generally a good vibe at a sold out show, but the energy coming out of the venue that night was crazy-it was the biggest party! I’ll definitely be heading to see them next time they play!

Tiller –The Nightingales w/ Stewart Lee & Grief Daddy

I’m going to be upfront and admit to being slightly biased on this one as I did play in the support band BUT The Nightingales gig was such a unique and divisive evening that I feel compelled to mention it. This night somehow merged the jazz infused post-punk of the Gales with the meta stand up comedy of Stewart Lee (yeah him) and the minimalist electro ranting of Grief Daddy. Despite the eclectic line up it retained an arty cohesiveness throughout (some might say a shared pretentiousness). Shows with more uniform line-ups are great but I really enjoy variety and gigs that go against the grain and challenge the audience. The evening as a whole might not have been to everyone’s tastes, there was palpable confusion in the crowd at times, but it definitely got a strong reaction, which is what good shows should do. Honourable mentions to Andrew WK, Gruff Rhys, Lee Scratch Perry, Sunflower Bean, all the comedians and especially to Dream Wife for taking a genuine interest in the city, the venue and it’s audience.

Andy – The Annual St Valentines Day Massacre

Its been a diverse year at the Wedge with more female acts coming through and bands like Dream Wife raising LGBT issues which is always a good thing. Being an old indie kid I enjoyed the oldies like The Bluetones and Turin Brakes. But a mention should go to The Lottery Winners who were the support for Sleeper. A real testament to keeping an eye on the support acts and being blown away. A special show was also our own night the ‘Valentines Day Massacre’. By bringing the local scene together in such a freeing and diverse manner is a breath of fresh air from all the seriousness of touring bands.

Sarah – Willy Mason

My most memorable gig this year has to be Willy Mason, I was looking forward to it anyway as he is always so good but this time he was the first of the gigs in what we refer to as “Touring Season” where it gets quite hectic and it just hit the right note as a soothing calm before the storm moment. I was transfixed and filled with joy along with the other 300 or so audience members, who sang along, laughed at his anecdotes and just fell in love with him and his music. Perfect start to the busy season for me

Tanya – Skindred

Skindred photo by Mr Teeth

I was going to write about Andrew WK which took place back in April, mainly because of the fun he brought to Pompey. He told us all to keep partying whatever happens in life, and generally gave everyone in the venue an unforgettably good time. But then along came Skindred in November – Andrew WK would have been proud at the partying capabilities of everyone in the building that night. We even got to witness the famous Newport Helicopter, instigated by Benji who literally 10 minutes before had the crowd sitting on the floor, eating out the palms of his hands. Massive respect to such an awesome front man, and a band who are more than capable of performing some amazing ass-kicking metal, a sound to die for and a room full of gig goers who appeared to have the best time ever. Definitely my top gig of 2018, purely for the energy it brought.

Charlie – Dream Wife

I was lucky enough to be working in the cloakroom earlier this year when Dream Wife played. Aside from the awesome fact that the band ran a workshop beforehand for local non binary people and women, their set was properly, genuinely fresh. The lead singer’s fractious energy on stage was captivating for the whole gig and at times downright menacing. A band that can keep you on your toes and really kick out some unexpectedly hefty tunes deserve all the success that’s coming to them.

Alice – Dream Wife

Dream Wife rose to expectations with their set at Wedgewood Rooms. They started the evening with an intimate panel with fans to find out more about the local music scene. It was brilliant to see Dream Wife taking an interest in their fans and to see the influence their message has on them too. The panel was attended by members of support band Queen Zee and local band The Hippaes. All these talented musicians in the room passing on their knowledge and advice to young upcoming artists/promoters is something that should happen more often. You could feel the energy and excitement in the room during each support band waiting for Dream Wife to take the stage. The positive and welcoming vibes from Dream Wife allowed for the audience to feel part of their family. Every song they played the audience were full of energy singing along to every lyric; its not something you see often. I predict that 2019 will be the year for Dream Wife…. Watch this space

Final Thoughts

So there you go, some great picks from our incredibly hard-working staff. 2018 has been another strange year filled with the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs and the creamy middles associated with running a live music venue. Summer in particular was a very difficult time for us as has become the tradition. However with your support and enthusiasm for live music we’re looking up and strutting into 2019 ready to rock and reach the ripe old age of 27. Big thank you to everyone who visited us, bought a t-shirt, put on a show or played at the venue. Hopefully we’ll see you in 2019 🙂

For a full listing of 2019 shows and tickets visit http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk. You can also support the venue by buying a t-shirt! More show announcements coming soon so make sure you’re following us on facebook, twitter and instagram. We also have a great line up go gigs as part of Independent Venue Week at the end of Jan. Check them out.

Last gig of 2018 is tonight with a huge NYE Party with The South Coast Collective! They will be blasting through five decades of hits from the Swinging Sixties to Noughties Indie. We will also be live streaming Big Ben at midnight and following it up with DJs until late. Just £12 in advance. Hopefully see you there 🙂

Promoter Spotlight: Portsmouth Punk Promotions

Portsmouth Punk Promotions (PPP) are arguably some of the most prolific local promoters in town, having been involved in approximately 17 shows this year alone. This shifting collective have years of experience promoting shows and playing in bands, maintaining a strong DIY ethic throughout. PPP fit into a larger punk network founded on gig swaps, hospitality and enthusiasm which has enabled them to bring in acts from all over the world. We thought we would pick their collective brain ahead of their big show this Sunday with Swedish punk veterans No Fun At All.

Wedge Bot: What inspired you to put on shows?

Jochen : I used to put on some shows at the HorseShoe (RIP) to help get my band out there and play some shows (The Shabazz Lovemonkeys now The SLM). We lived out of town and we had no where in Denmead to do it. Putting on shows is a great way of getting mates from all over the UK and Europe to come play your home town and hang out. You get to meet so many new people through putting on/playing shows. It also helps build up a scene of like minded people to have a great time with and enjoy music with. Also putting on gigs is a good way of getting gigs in other city’s doing gig swaps with other bands. Also a great way of promoting my record label Charlie’s Big Ray Gun Records and bringing the distro along with me

Jack: I started organising punk/hardcore gigs over the last couple of years up in London, putting on bands at places like The Unicorn in Camden, The Bird’s Nest in Deptford and the New Cross Inn- I saw the work that people like Umlaut Records and Be Sharp Promotions were doing, giving awesome new and not-so-new bands the opportunity to regularly play and build up a sort of community and I guess I just really wanted to be involved with that… coupled with the obvious, awkward but unavoidable fact of how lucrative a game promoting DIY punk and hardcore shows seemed to be and I was completely SOLD!! Ahem…

Wedge Bot: What were the first shows you put on?  Generally and as PPP

Joch : I first got involved with PPP around 2015 along with Joe Anderson (now Nerd Rage Bookings) Ant Harrison was the founder of PPP. There were a few promoters doing things around Portsmouth but it was nice to get involved with a group of people under one banner. My first show was 2 Sick Monkeys, Strength in Blunders and 3 local bands Dead By Dawn (Miss them) Shooting Fish (Also not around any more great band) and my band The SLM. This Sunday is 2 Sick Monkeys final gig which is a massive shame, amazing band but they have been going for many years, see you both soon Pete and Fred

Jack: My first PPP show was a 6 band bill on a Monday night back in April this year with Red Terror, Revolution Summer, The SLM, Down Love, KRANG and Sombulance.  It was my first time organising a gig in Portsmouth after having grown up going to gigs at The Horseshoe and seeing soooooooooooo so many awesome bands there, so it was a pretty big deal for me! The scene in Portsmouth is pretty small but is bulging with some of the friendliest, most talented people and brilliant bands I’ve ever met/seen. It went pretty great despite my determined insistence that 10 minute changeovers are a great idea (NOTE: They aren’t )

Wedge Bot: How have things developed or changed since then? Any difficulties/learning curves along the way?

Joch: When I first started out I had no clue really what I was doing but after watching some local promoters and playing lots more shows over the Uk and Europe you pick up on things and earn a good way of doing the gigs and looking after touring bands. Making sure you have somewhere for the band to stay and some food in at least for breakfast and some cheeky beers for after never goes a miss. Learning how to not lose too much money, promote a good night and just make everything run smoothly comes with time, also making sure there is a whole back line helps too! Also now I have Dave Sloan doing CBRG.TV filming loads of bands sets which we put on also just did the 2 new videos for local boys Misgivings and the video for The SLM ”Zombie Shark” which we also used the Wedgewood Rooms for the second half of the shoot ….. Cheers Geoff 😀

Jack: I genuinely never have a fucking clue what the hell I am doing! I 100% relied and in many ways still rely on the patience of people up and down the country that have been doing this a lot longer and lot more successfully then I could ever hope to do and I am very lucky and very grateful that, because of the help and advice I receive from people (in particular from the beautiful humans involved with PPP and Charlie’s Big Ray Gun Records) that I improve with every gig I organise, I hope?! I just try to make sure the bands have some booze, food, decent turn out and get paid fairly or whatever was agreed. Standard stuff, I guess…

Wedge Bot: What is your favourite gig/line up that you have put on so far?

Jack: It kind of sucks, but the only time I really get out to see bands is when I put on a gig with PPP, or previously with the London shows when I put on gigs as Kick the Crutches- so honestly, I get something out of every gig I put on, which is a preposterously dull answer, but that’s the truth! With PPP I have been involved with a few shows this year that stand out as being quite special for me- the Aerial Salad and Raging Nathans gig in I think, August (?) was particularly great, as was putting on Grand Collapse and seeing them absolutely destroy half a room on a Monday night… so many great bands have helped through this year, gargh!! I organised an all-dayer at the New Cross Inn a couple of years back that I somehow managed to pull off, through a slack jawed blizzard of profound drunkenness and confusion… That day had pretty much every band that I could possibly hope to see in one place, I remember feeling pretty proud of having organised that one… despite the fact I was a sweltering mess of an awful human by the end of the night. Ho hum.

Wedge Bot: What can we look forward to in the future?

Jack: The No Fun At All gig on the 16th of December is going to be a triumphant end to a pretty busy half a year or so, we can’t wait for that one and are very excited to be hosting a band like NFAA at a venue as intimate as the Edge of the Wedge. We’ve been pretty lucky and have a few gigs to announce that are pretty exciting, bands that I have wanted to put on for aaaaaaaaaaages and am finally getting a chance to do so, I can’t wait to announce 🙂

Joch: As Jack Said, keep an eye out on our FB page and random posters scattered around town 😉

Wedge Bot: Any advice for people wanting to put on shows or local bands looking to get more gigs?

Jack: I am definitely not the person that should be giving advice on running shows, ever! All the usual advice that people have heard a bazillion times over and over still applies- just try not to be an abominable prick, as a rule, is a worthwhile line to tread and one that I struggle to try and navigate with varying degrees of success with each show… For bands, I guess, if you want someone to put you on, come out to a show and say “Hi-uh” it’s always nice to hear about and meet new bands so yeah, check out who is putting on what, when and where, then just show up… Alternatively, just book a room above or in the back of a pub and bring some bands through- forget about making money for yourself, that shouldn’t be a priority or motivation, in my opinion, at all (NOTE: There is absolutely nothing wrong with making money from a show, you have put a lot of effort into organising, just so long as you are putting the needs of the bands and venue first. In my opinion!) Oh, and try to enjoy yourself, especially if you’re preoccupied with the aforementioned and taxing effort of “not-being-a-prick” … it is easier said than done but if you’re really not enjoying yourself or getting anything out of it, let someone else have a go.

Joch: Well Put Mate 😀 just give it a go make sure you have everything to do the show with, a nice sound guy. Make sure you look after the venue to as if you want to come back they need to be happy ….. Go make some noise… jump around a lot …. drink some beers and have a bloody good time…..

Wedge Bot: Describe the Portsmouth music ‘scene’ in one word

Jack: Coastal

Joch: Splendiferous

PPP bring No Fun At All to The Edge of the Wedge this Sunday (December 16th) with support from Darko, Captain Trips and On a Hiding to Nothing. Tickets available from http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk  

They’re also planning ahead and look set to bring Pizzatramp back to The Edge on the 31st March. More info to be confirmed soon.

Follow them at:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/portsmouthpunkpromotions/