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Here at Soho Sonic, although we specialise in recording music, we can’t deny that the best way to hear your favourite band is to experience them live. There is nothing better than being taken over by the atmosphere and mood of a live gig, as you unite with every other person in the room. However, not every gig takes place in a pub, academy or arena. Some of the best gigs (and probably some of the worst) have been held in pretty odd venues, so today, we’ll take a look at a selection of our favourite weird gig venues.
Motofest
If you’re looking to attend a bizarre gig, this year the Greyfriars Green Tunnel in Coventry will be closed to the public and turned into a pretty huge club. The event is being held to celebrate the opening of the tunnel, and will play host to a night of DJs and other entertainment for a crowd of 5000 people. If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to get dancing in the street, now’s your chance!
Locked Up
This may be one of the most famous gigs of all time, and it ticks the box of being held in a bizarre venue. In 1968, Johnny Cash decided to play to the inmates of Folsom Prison as the institution provided inspiration for his song Folsom Prison Blues. It went down so well with inmates that he received numerous letters requesting that he play for them. Their wish was granted and he also went on to perform in San Quentin Prison the following year.
Stinkin’ Ska
You know that feeling you get when you’re at a gig and you think, “you know what’s missing from this? Human waste.” No? Well it would seem that someone thought it, seeing as ska-punk band The King Blues chose Brighton sewers as a gig venue in 2010. Bet you’re gutted you missed out on that one, right?
The Mile High Gig
In 2007, the king of ridiculous hats, Jamiroquai, set a new world record when he performed in a Boeing 757 at 33,000 feet. Sadly, his record was broken in 2010, when the king of annoying songs, James Blunt, took it a whole 9000 feet higher.
While we’re on the subject, it’s also worth mentioning Kanye West’s outburst on a US plane, when he took control of the PA system and performed to the unwitting (and most likely, unwilling) passengers aboard the flight.
Out of This World
So we’ve been talking about the weirdest places to host a gig on earth, but what about in space? Yes, it has actually happened, sort of. Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut who was living aboard the International Space Station when he recorded informative YouTube videos to teach us a thing or two about space. He made all our dreams come true when he recorded a cover of David Bowie’s Space Oddity, which we are choosing to count as a gig.
Here at Soho Sonic, we can’t help but admire some of these artists who chose to think outside the box and take their art to some of the more bizarre venues. As sound engineers in London, our studio isn’t the weirdest place to perform, but it’s still pretty great, and we can promise that it will be an improvement on Brighton sewers! If you would like more information about any of our services, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us today by calling 020 7193 4467 to speak to a member of our team.
