At a loose end on Saturday afternoon with no Saints game ? then why not combine an afternoon watching some of the best Southampton musical talent with a look at some of the medieval vaults in the City which I bet you didn't know even existed.
On Saturday 4th October, Saints were due to face Tottenham but it has since been moved to Sunday for television coverage. What with other local teams (well, Eastleigh and Sholing) both having away games, it frees up a rare Saturday afternoon for many of us. Luckily there’s an excuse to be persuaded into an unwanted shopping trip as Southampton’s premier music event, Music in the City, returns to town with over 150 musicians playing all over central Southampton from 1pm til dusk.
Organisers are promising there is something for everybody and looking at the mix of acts on this years line up, it does seem as though they’ve covered virtually every genre going. Punk, ska, reggae, rock, classical, be-bop, acoustic, jazz - it’s all there. And not only does the festival give the people of Southampton the chance to check out the local musical talent, it also offers opportunities to visit parts of the city that most residents have never trod. The 800 year old wine vaults, which are dotted around the ‘old town’ area (the area surrounding Tudor House Museum) are thought to be the oldest vaults in the country. Many people don’t even realise they exist and it’s probably because they’re only open less than a handful of times a year and only if you book on to a guided tour.
Perry Flatt, guitarist with one of Southamptons longest running bands, The Flying Alexanders (local punks who wrote a song for Saints when they reached the JTP Final -
The Flying Alexanders has played the last couple of years and returns this year to play The Weigh House in French Street.
Perry couldn’t be happier that the Saint’s game was moved.
He said, "Music in the City is one of the highlights of the year. It’s a very well organized and well attended event allowing Sotonians a unique musical experience getting to know their history and geographical background. The sound in these locations is awesome. The Beatles only had one Cavern but we have many!”
Perry, will be playing the venue twice, once with The FA’s and once with his newer side project, Johnny Boxcars, a bluesy, roots band who have been hitting the festivals over the summer. He thinks Music in the City is great for the community; "The whole day brings together different kinds of people that bring a carnival atmosphere to each locality. There's almost a WW2 spirit at these events! This year I'm looking forward to playing outside and perhaps getting a live recording as the acoustics are so unique”. Be sure to check out Accrington Stanley, another of Southampton's longest running bands (who John Peel was a big fan of).
Another unique venue that punters will get to visit is the SS Shieldhall, the oldest fully working steamship in the country. Americana band The Paper Trains are one of just many highlights here, although perhaps a bigger attraction may be the fact the Shieldhall has a fully licensed bar (with very reasonable prices, so I’m told). And if you’d like a mini bar crawl, The (excellent) Platform Tavern will also be hosting live music until 6pm.
The music spreads from one end of town to the other, with organisers billing the programme as "From Guildhall to Shieldhall”. There will be music all day in Guildhall Square and, if you don’t fancy much of a walk, some of the city’s old vintage buses are being laid on, starting at Guildhall Square with drop offs at Holyrood Church, the Platform and The Shieldhall. The best bit about it is that it’s all totally free.
The full schedule can be found here:Music In The City 2014
Southampton is very lucky to have such a unique event that allows us to see some of our history whilst also the cream of our local musical talent. So, take advantage of the fact there’s no Saints game, take your kids, take your missus or take your mates - October 4th is a date that should be in every Sotonian’s calendar and it will be an event you’ll never forget.
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