Bunkers Hill is a venue I haven’t been to for live music before for no other reason than that every time I could have gone there is something going on elsewhere. I can usually manage a bit of venue hopping but haven’t made it down the hill for anything other than comedy gigs before tonight. It wasn’t busy at all which surprised me given that it was promoted by I’m Not From London, who have built a reputation for live events, but have maybe spread themselves a little thin in the last few months to the detriment of their crowd pulling ability. It’s a pity really because they all work so hard and have spent years building it up.

Upstairs is a nice little space, although the presence of two supporting pillars in front of the stage reveals the fact that it isn’t a purpose built music venue (technically it isn’t, it was built as a bank). Everyone involved made an effort but it was audience members that were missing once again and for no real reason. This was a free to enter gig, as are most INFL gigs in the city, so why nobody made an effort to turn up and support the local music scene is once again a mystery.

The Fade recently announced that they were splitting up and played their final gig last week. While that band was on their final gasps Joe Sheldon (who used to be our sound engineer at NottinghamLIVE) and Sam Purser had formed Baybo Squabo. I’m not sure how many gigs they have done, but they put in a strong performance and sounded like they had been doing it for years. Joe’s laid back bantering with what passed for an audience makes him a brilliant front man, so it was a good move coming out from behind the drum kit.

Baybo Squabo was the first of three bands that I went for, but unfortunately OneGirlOneBoy had pulled out due to illness. However tonight was my first chance to see Adam Clarkson’s recently formed new band Poirot’s Boys. The band sounds a little like Captain Dangerous used to, but with a punkier sound. From my viewpoint Adam looked a lot more comfortable in this three-piece than he has in recent Captain Dangerous shows, although that have more to do with the fact that he just enjoys playing and Captain Dangerous only do a handful of gigs a year. There were a few comments between themselves about how nobody has bought their latest single, (although it has only just come out) and that nobody liked them at their gig last night. Those people are idiots; if they persevere with this band and don’t treat it like a side project then they could become quite a force in the Nottingham music scene. Rather than repeat myself I will ask you the reader to go back to Wednesday’s blog and read about how baffling I find it that the lead singer of a band that fill the place to capacity can make very little impact on his own.

I was starting to flag a little bit due to the combination of a busy working week and the gloriousness of the first beer at the end of it. It was only about half past nine as I had a cigarette outside with Roo Inns, (there to take photos) and I was thinking about heading for home until gaining momentum and popping to Jam Café to see Dick Venom and the Terrortones opening their monthly night. The cartoonish Carry On punkabilly styling of Venom and company was as brilliantly chaotic as it always is, and by now I really was ready for home. I don’t think three bands in one night is too bad when you’re pretty much running on fumes. As much as I love live music, the satisfaction of pyjama bottoms, a cup of tea and Eastenders on demand was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders.

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