And so it's farewell to the Venue.
The Edinburgh pop institution hosted early shows by Radiohead, Coldplay, Black Eyed Peas, the Strokes, the Scissor Sisters and many others, as well as providing a valuable platform for countless Scottish bands.
But apparently this rich history means nothing to the building's new owners, BL Developments, who are going to close it down next month and turn it into a posh deli for yuppies. Typical Edinburgh! Who cares about culture when the residents of expensive flats need sushi? No wonder most successful Scottish bands form in Glasgow. Who would start a band in the capital? Soon there will be nowhere left to play.Typical Edinburgh? Typical chip-on-shoulder Edinburgh pop fan, more like. True, Glasgow has long been the epicentre of Scottish pop music, and Edinburgh has long been jealous. As has Dundee and Aberdeen (hence next week's Go North festival). Edinburgh just thinks it has a greater claim because it's Scotland's capital. If that inspires people to do something about it - and it often does, hence the emergence of enthusiastic local promoters like Guided and Baby Tiger - then splendid. But really, get over your inferiority complex. Besides, great pop bands don't emerge just because there are venues for them to play in. If you're thinking of a certain Franz Ferdinand, they played their first gigs in a flat and a disused warehouse, and would have prospered without the help of Glasgow's numerous small venues. The Fence Collective, one of Scotland's big musical success stories of recent years, have founded a whole cottage industry and a successful music festival from Anstruther. If you're confident and motivated you can start a band from anywhere.
So Edinburgh bands should find a disused warehouse to play in? That's a ridiculous argument, like claiming new theatre companies would flourish in the capital without any actual theatres - because they could just stage "site-specific" shows in houses or shops, like Grid Iron. Support networks are just as important as enterprising individuals. Edinburgh desperately needs mid-sized venues to develop its musical talent.
Does it? It's a valid question. Sometimes the most exciting music is made by people who are struggling the hardest. Then again, Edinburgh already has as vibrant a mix of live music nights as could be expected from a city of its size - Scottish Hobo Society, Goulag Beat, etc. If you're an emerging band the chances are you can find a gig at Cabaret Voltaire, the Bongo Club or at one of Baby Tiger's regular Saturday night shows. And what big pop success stories has the city produced? Idlewild (years ago), KT Tunstall (who isn't even from Edinburgh, although she lived there for a while) and Aberfeldy (much touted, and with a terrific debut album to their name, but not setting the charts alight).
And why is that? Because, if you have ambitions to be a successful Scottish pop band, you simply don't move to the country's capital. You move to Glasgow, or better still to London. Is this not a problem?
Only if you care where bands come from. For all that the Scottish press harps on about them, most of Franz Ferdinand aren't even Scottish. Neither are Snow Patrol. Maybe we should all stop being so parochial.
Source: http://living.scotsman.com
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