Independent Venue Week at The Smokehouse
Why grassroots venues like The Smokehouse are the backbone of a thriving music scene.
Photo by Ruben Hackett
Independent venues are the pulse of local music scenes around the world, they’re pockets of connection between both crowds and bands. Without grassroots venues, the bands we know and love today would not have these crucial opportunities to establish themselves within music scenes.
Independent grassroots venues are playgrounds of evolution and community. We first opened our doors with The Smokehouse in 2016, our smallest venue operated by Brighten The Corners. The Smokehouse has been home to home to countless first shows, sold-out nights, and moments that live on long after the lights go up. It’s a space where emerging artists find their footing, audiences find their new favourite bands, and the foundations of lasting music communities are built one show at a time. Since then, we’ve had hundreds of local and regional bands play at our venue.
Photograph by Matthew Thompson of The Smokehouse during BTC Festival
Sam Milne, a local singer-songwriter who has recently blown up in the Ipswich music scene notes that
“The Smokehouse has helped us as a band massively, from being the first ever venue we played at (for both iterations of our band) and the first venue we ever headlined… I think, personally, the Smokehouse is the greatest music venue in Suffolk, and is so important to not just us, but loads of other local acts, as it gives every band a platform, no matter the status, talent or age. The Smokehouse as a grassroot venue is fundamental for the Ipswich music scene.”
With the stage so close to crowds tightly packed into the room, there exists an irreplaceable connection between artist and audience that larger commercial venues just don't have.
Photo by Rosie Burl of Sam Milne and The Tyrants playing The Smokehouse
We’ve always been driven by a collaborative diy approach between promoters, artists, staff and volunteers, creating independent spaces where experimentation is encouraged, mistakes are part of the process, and creativity is able to develop organically.
Mincer on independent venues in Ipswich quote
“The Smokehouse has been a place we could go to since we were teenagers. It's affordable and straightforward to put on gigs there, and having an all ages venue has been great, especially for our younger audience. The Smokehouse along with other great venues such as The Steamboat Tavern are always a part of our gig promoting toolkit, and it's good for the punk scene that there are always low/no hire cost venues in Ipswich”
We’re one of the only dedicated venues for live music and performance in Ipswich, alongside The Church and The Baths (also owned by Brighten The Corners). As a town with a rich cultural history and a growing creative community, our venues provide a crucial platform for local artists, promoters, and those interested in live music. Grassroots venues like The Smokehouse don’t just support artists, they strengthen Ipswich’s cultural identity, create shared experiences, and ensure that the town’s music scene continues to evolve from within.
Photo by JMFB Photography of Mincer
To celebrate the importance of Independent Venue Week to us, we have a number of gigs across our venues, commencing with DJ and producer Jaguar Skills at The Church on Thursday 29th. Matt Storm, with support from The Rabbitts, plays The Smokehouse the following day. To finish off the week with a bang, the iconic Happy Monday’s Bez will be DJing at The Baths bringing his unmistakable energy and legendary party spirit to round off a week dedicated to championing grassroots music, independent spaces and the communities that keep them alive.
Written by Faith Hussain
Cover photo Ruben Hackett