As we are in the full flow of summer – and this year it feels like we’ve been given two for the price of one – you need to be sure you are making the most of it. Having been out quite a bit recently it’s gotta be said midweek the town centre has been buzzing!
Now without being overly pessimistic, the fact that this summer is amazing possibly does mean that the long winter is coming and we won’t get another summer until 2023; so make sure you get out there and live the dream. Do remember to stay safe in the sun, that is to say, stay in the pink by not turning pink. If you find yourself blistering like my palms did when I turned 15 you might want to get out of the heat; The Hales Bar has recently refurbished their Vaults Bar, and Hales is a great pub already, so go have a looksie and see what they’ve done?
On the offchance you have been living with your head buried in the sand, or in Goldsborough for example, you might not be aware that there are a few new bars that have been added to Harrogate’s town centre recently:
The Pit is a very big venue that has a good range of beers on and has been very busy since it opened. It isn’t particularly cheap but then this IS Harrogate dahling, and I’ve found the quality of beer to be very good. I’ve not eaten there but the food is apparently really good (this is according to some of my friends who “forgot” to invite me) and the booth seating is great, particularly if you want to rub up against a female companion (I’m speculating about the last bit, any women I ask to go out for drinks with usually suffer from a universal problem called “something came up” that is, regrettably, not a euphemism.)
Over the road from The Pit is Major Toms, which is a smaller, slightly more “hipster” bar that I really like. It’s hidden away above Space Retro (which is in itself a very cool shop) and in the bar the play list is almost universally obscure disco and beyond, which is very cool. This is a great venue to discuss the finer points of Scrabble in and they always have a good range of beers on, particularly if you like the “craft beer” thing that is winning everywhere. Some of these beers are truly amazing but do go steady as some of ‘em are like 7.5% ABV which is kind of like getting punched in the head by fun.
Another new place is “Beer and Burgers” that has taken on the venue that used to be Grape n’ Graze; now I’ve not had chance to go there yet but a couple of friends have and said it was good. Again, they could have invited me but their “phone must not have been working” which always seems to happen when I’m sat on the end of my bed rocking from side to side and weeping.
These additions have clearly revitalized the centre of town quite a bit with lots of other venues getting busier as a by-product, which can only be a good thing. Coupled with the fact that now as a country we are officially out of the recession, it feels like boom time again in Harrogate. I mean, lets not go mental, it’s not as good as it was back in the day when I was actually good at Dj’ing (that was a period of 3 weeks in December of 1997, big up to everyone who was there) but it’s definitely improving, and given the fact we already have a very good selection of bars and pubs here in town there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful and beerfull.
Here are a few things that leap out at me for your consideration from the full listings that you can find below:
This Saturday Jed Thomas must be having a well earned holiday, as instead of his regular gig at the Blues, there is the Matt Edwards Band on in his stead. So if you fancy a change from normal programming that’s worth checking out, but I’m sure Jed will be back with a spring in his step next week for another one of his legendary sessions. The Blues has a good line up on Sunday as well, which to be fair is pretty much always the case, but I can talk up Matt Goldberg’s gig there on Sunday evening as I’m playing alongside him at FEVA’s Picnic in the park in Knaresborough on Saturday August 16th. That event, the one I’m playing too, is an afternoon of live music and you need to take your own picnic (which let’s face it, is how you want it, as no one else ever picks the right stuff for a picnic do they? I once went for a picnic with a girl and she’d taken Pot noodle.)
On Saturday night the Viper rooms have a “celebrity DJ” on. Now, generally I’m not really a fan of Celebrity DJs as they are often not people who can in fact actually dj and tend to be from TV programmes such as “The Only Way is Chelsea” and “Essex Shores”. I used to get subjected to short bursts of those kind of programmes with an ex who seemed to think the stars made appropriate role models.. .I don”t want to see them on TV, I certainly don’t want to watch those “people” DJ, I don’t really want to watch them exist at all, so when I see a “celebrity dj” announced I resolutely ignore the irony and mutter to myself, “wow, someone getting paid too much to play records they haven’t even made” before jumping in my solid gold rolls-royce to head to Leeds and play another marathon 3 hour set with NOT EVEN a tea break. Anyway, this Saturday at Viper Rooms (which is what I was actually on about) there is a celebrity DJ I’d actually like to see, if only for novelty value (which I think is kind of the point anyway). Kristian Nairn is the dude’s name, and he is Hodor out of Game of Thrones. That is, it has to be said, pretty cool. He is going to be playing “EDM” which is what people under the age of 25 call Dance Music for some reason. Also playing that night are residents Angel Lee (who is fit but doen’t return my calls) and Neil Jaques (who whenever we meet sniffs my hair). I bet that is going to be a banging night really, and I am much more in favour of those kind of celebrity DJs as the actor in question already has some kind of palpable skill (as opposed to the Geordie Essexes who just have unlikely eyebrows).
Before then, on Friday indeed, the Dan Burnette Band are live at The Den. That is probably my pick of the live music on Friday, whilst my pick of the clubbing would definitely be Knee Deep, which is a house night at Moko.With guests Dale Howard & Buckley plus residents Dom Samba, James Moon, Sean Harris & Louce Tickets for Knee Deep ARE £7 but if it were in Leeds you’d pay twice that.
In a month or something ( Friday September the 12th to be less vague) at the Bilton WMC there’s a charity night for “Fighting Epondymoma”. Set up to fund research into a cure for this very rare form of Cancer, this is going to be a big gig as it features the reunions of some of Harrogate’s old underground rock and punk bands. Fans of The NYHC and proper DIY gigs will love this, and the money raised is for a very worthy cause.
I’m still playing at Lure with my Pub quizzle on Thursdays (whilst stocks last) then I’m at Rehab on Saturdays upstairs (just a normal week this Saturday I’m afraid, had to postpone the burlesque night, but if it’s any consolation I’ll wear a Tux if you like?) and I’m at Rehab on Sundays doing a night that is weirdly becoming one of my favourites… Hope to see you out at some stage, no Jager Bombs thanks ;) here are the full listings:
Listings:
THURSDAY 31 July
Blues Bar, live music from The Memphis Cruisers, Free entry.
Retro Bar, Stray FM’s Alex B. Cann
Lure Bar, fooloish Pub Quiz with Dj Trev followed by foolisher Student night.
Viper Rooms Nightclub YOLO R’n’B nigh.
Rehab Nightclub with Dj Tex. “Urban R’n’B”.
The Alexandra, Live music, free entry.
Christies Bar, Pub quiz with Sean McGrath.
FRIDAY 1 August
The Den, Dan Burnette Band Live
Blue Bar, live music from Crosscut Saw, free entry.
Lure Bar, Shuffle with Toby Skinner. House, Breaks & Funk.
Moko Lounge, Knee Deep House night, with guests Dale Howard & Buckley plus residents Dom Samba, James Moon, Sean Harris & Louce. Tickets £7.
Rehab Nightclub, “Electro Circus” dance Night. Free entry.
SATURDAY 2 August
Blues Bar, live music with the Matt Edwards Band
Revolution Bar, front bar Dj Tex (Soul & R’n’B), main room Disco Dave (upfront dance and chart) free entry.
Viper Rooms, Kristian Nairn (Hodor from Game of Thrones) Dj Set.
Moko Lounge, Drop Out house night.
Rehab nightclub, two floors of music: Top Floor : Bottom of the Bottle ROCK NIGHT with Dj Trev 10pm ‘til 4am.Downstairs: Doors open 8pm with Pop & Dance music from Djs Wayne & James. Free entry.
SUNDAY 3 August
Blues Bar, live all day: Issimo 3pm, Cam Cole 6pm & The Matt Goldberg Band 9pm.
Empress on the stray, Pub quiz every week.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Trev’s Sunday Social.
Viper Rooms. Peek-a-Boo R’n’B night.
Hales Pub, live acoustic night.
Fat Badger, Cold Bath Road, Pub Quiz.
MONDAY 4 August
The Harlow Inn, Otley road, Pub Quiz.
So! Bar, Otley Road, Pub Quiz.
Rehab, late bar.
Blues Bar, fully hosted fully entertaining open mic session, hosted by Pete Oliver.
Moko Lounge nightclub, Karaoke.
TUESDAY 5 August
The Blues Bar with Terry Emm, Free entry.
The Tap n’ Spile pub, folk night.
Pitcher & Piano Re:Session cheap drinks night.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Max Czernic.
Moko Lounge Nightclub, “Skint” main room upfront dance and electro, VIP Room Rock Box Rock night Dj Jaye Selway.
Revolution Bar, “Back to Rev’s” House Night, Half Price Drinks with Toby Skinner.
Coach and Horses Pie and Peas night with proceeds to Martin’s House Children’s Hospice.
WEDNESDAY 6 August
The Harlow Pub “Midweek Madness” pub quiz with Dj Tim Paul.
The Regency Pub, big screen quiz.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Max Czernic. Anything goes party set with Harrogate’s next big hair.
The Blues Bar, live music from the Paul Middleton Angst band .
Thanks for reading, drink responsibly and don’t be loose with your affections.
Trev x x x
