The aim of any band is rock out on stage in front of a mental audience, so we’ve put together a list of gig venues in Norwich, where you can go to host your own gig or go to see other bands play theirs.
Waterfront Norwich is located at 139-141 King Street, Norwich NR1 1QH and has been rocking audiences since 1993. This club is somewhat unique; students from the University of East Anglia run it but anyone is welcome, meaning there is always an interesting mix of people in the audience. It has two rooms, a 700 capacity room for larger acts and a more intimate 200 capacity room for less well-known bands. Many great bands have graced its stage, including The Cribs, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana and Johnny Marr, giving the club great rock heritage. It’s club nights also rock, so don’t let the lack of a gig prevent you from going down.
Norwich Art Centre probably has the unusual claim to having the best morals of any venue in Norwich. It has charity status, meaning that is you want to a gig with nothing weighing in your conscience, this is the place to go. As well as this, it’s situated right in the centre of Norwich at St. Benedict’s Street, Norwich, NR2 4PG, meaning that it’s really easy to get to and good if you’re planning on hitting the town after a gig. Not only have bands such a Veronica Falls, Daughter and Everything Everything graced its stage, but it is also a comedy, theatre and visual arts centre. Therefore, if you’re planning on staging an avant-garde Led Zeppelin rock opera-come-pantomime, this might be the venue for you.
The Brickmakers optimistically calls itself ‘Norwich’s Ultimate Music Venue’, a title we’re not entirely sure it lives up to. Nevertheless, this music venue certainly oozes charm: its friendly pub atmosphere complements the great bands its hosts, guaranteeing that every gig is a treat. Locals have certainly taken note and Brickmakers has won music awards as a result. The open mike sessions it holds and a multitude of local bands which regularly play the venue mean that Brickmakers is the best place to see local emerging bands and live music. Head down to 496 Sprowston Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 4DY to take a look for yourselves.
University of East Anglia is the second contribution the University of East Anglia has made to the music scene in Norwich. As well as the aforementioned Waterfront, the LCR is kitted out to host gut-busting gigs. It is Norwich’s the biggest venue, meaning that its 1500 person capacity can attract huge acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Coldplay, Stereophonics and Kasabian. To have a look for yourself, head down to Students’ Union Services, Union House, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ. Who knows, keep practising those major scales and one day you might be able to pack out such a great venue.
