As summer rolls around The Soundhouse on Southampton Street has a treat in store for music fans with their Summer Sessions. From now until September you can enjoy acoustic acts on their outdoor stage every Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Free entry, live music on the outdoor stage, family friendly, dog friendly, great talent and great drinks. We caught up with the venue owners to find out more.
With the Summer Sessions running until September, tell us a little more about what people can expect?
People have always loved our outdoor space so we decided to knock up a stage and start putting on live acoustic acts so our customers can sit in the sun & soak up some of Leicester’s best artists! We are going to be hosting these events every Saturday & Sunday, 2PM – 6PM, for FREE & all ages are welcome. You can expect a pleasant mix of Leicester local both new & old alongside the occasional UK touring act for special guest spots.
What sort of artists will be performing at the sessions?
When it comes to our artists we like diversity, we will have everything from blues & rock to folk & soft pop but all of our artists will be playing sets that suit the atmosphere… relaxed & subtle so you can kick back and enjoy the summer sun out the way of the bustling city.
The beer garden at The Soundhouse is a bit of a hidden gem, you’re doing some work on it as well, right?
The garden has been slowly becoming more of a focus for the venue, especially since Si Mitchell the local and globally renowned graffiti artist decided to let loose with his creativity and produce some incredible artwork on our walls. By late June the entire garden will be enhanced, with new lights, seats, tables, speakers and everything you could need to make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a hidden gem of peace & tranquillity in this busy cultural quarter of Leicester city.
What do you think sets The Soundhouse apart from other music venues in the city?
Leicester has a great music scene thanks to the unison between music venues on a grassroots level. Handmade Festival, for example, was a wonderful event to be a part of because its core idea was to bring the city together by involving all the venues it could. The Soundhouse, like other venues, strives to bring a mixture of both big names and new talent but our main goal is diversity. The aim is to bring a mixture of all kinds of music, from Mongolian throat singing to classic Rock n Roll, you name it, we want to hear it.
As a family run business we strive for high standards as far as customers & bands are concerned. We believe in treating others how we’d like to be treated ourselves and are happy to go the extra mile for our customers. Our number one priority is hospitality and caring for those who come to our establishment resulting in people wanting to return!
What have been some of the highlights of the last 12 months at The Soundhouse?
So many great local & global acts come to play at The Soundhouse, with highlights including artists such as John Bramwell (I am Kloot) , James Walsh (Starsailor), Martin Sexton, Sean Mcgowan, Sugar Candy Mountain, Damo Suzuki (CAN) and This is the Kit to name but a few.
Who are some of your favourite live acts at the moment?
On a local level we are seeing so much talent in Leicester. Thanks to local promoters like Casbah Events, Strangling Vinyl Promotions, The Other Window & Wake Up Promotions we get to see a huge array of the city’s bands. Some of our favourites right now are Earls, The People Assembly, Smack Jack, The Brandy Thieves, Gallows High & Echolocation.
Summer Sessions aside, what other events are you looking forward to in Leicester this summer?
We are looking forward to Riverside Festival in early June, Western Park festival on July 6th & any city festival that features live music! We’ve seen a big increase in city events that have started sourcing their artists from the city itself, which is great!
How can people find out more about the Summer Sessions and other upcoming events?
You can always pop over to our website at www.thesoundhouseleicester.co.uk or alternatively you can shoot us a message or have a browse on our socials at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Summer Sessions kick off on Saturday 8 June from 2pm.