Small and medium sized live music venues across the UK are closing down at an alarming rate. Music Venue Trust say that around a third of the nation’s small gig spaces have closed in the past decade.
A blight that leaves music fans poorer and denies artists valuable opportunities to hone their craft and to play intimate live gigs. Such closures also diminish local communities and Arts scenes.
But there is a ground swell of like-minded music and Arts lovers who are fighting the fight to save and encourage the smaller venues to stay afloat and to keep music live. Indie venues, artists and music fans standing together to fight the trend.
Rising UK blues and country artist Elles Bailey is determined to help one such venue; The Little Rabbit Barn in Ardleigh on the Essex and Suffolk border, with the release of a free live four-track EP recorded at that venue.
Started in 2011, Little Rabbit Barn runs house concerts: an independent live music model that’s become very familiar to American audiences, which is becoming increasingly popular here in the UK. Although a house concert is a private gig, for which the audience are sent personal invitations, it’s open to all music fans. The model is non-profit-making, funded by guest donations and the host’s subsidy.
Elles Bailey has played Little Rabbit Barn and speaks very highly of it: “It’s tough out there on the road, but the hospitality that we received when we arrived at Little Rabbit Barn was some of the best we have ever had in the UK.
“We had covered well over 2000 miles in eight days and as you can imagine, we were rather travel-worn, but the show was a little haven of refuge for us! We even got to have a post-show cuddle with a rabbit! What more could you want?”
Jonathan Rabett of LRB responds, “It was a privilege for us at Little Rabbit Barn to host Elles at our end of year show, and to record Elles Bailey and her band towards the end of their extensive ‘Wildfire’ UK & European tour, 2017.
“They delivered a stunning performance without overpowering the intimacy of the space. A performance that is now etched into the very fabric of the Barn. I know you will enjoy listening to this recording, which has been authentically mixed by Jay Stapley and closely overseen by Elles.”
The EP is now available as a free download, with Elles personally appealing to those who do download it to please make a donation of any figure they can afford, to support Little Rabbit Barn and the live, grass roots cause.
“What Jonathan, Lyn, Terry and the team at LRB have built is such a beautiful thing,” adds Elles, “It’s a testimony to their hard work and love of live music. I’m so happy to share these live tracks, and to give back in the small way I can, to this amazing live music venue!”
Check out Time’s A Healer – Live at Little Rabbit Barn – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qelzslIYp38&feature=youtu.be
You can download the EP and make a donation here https://show.co/UTURI37
