Music is a huge part of what we do up our very steep hill just outside Stroud, and it’s been a busy start to the year already at the Albert.
We had our first crowdsurfing when Prodigal played with Chasing Dolls and Pebble Daisy, great fun. We also had a 25 piece male voice choir, and then a ranting poet. We like extremes! Music, food and drink all add up to bring what we hope is a great offer that keeps people coming back and giving us fab reviews.
Although many do Dry January, and with more folk watching their alcohol intake all year, we don’t seem to suffer too much on footfall as we offer a great selection of beverages that aren’t going to make you fall over.
Last week we enjoyed Independent Venue Week – it’s 13th year, when many of us smaller grassroots venues around the country get together to encourage folks to come out by putting on extra gigs at a time which would notoriously be pretty dead and dull. And it works – with three events the previous weekend and last week we celebrated a Flamenco Saturday night, musicians played and an excellent dancer, local fellow Kostka Garcia brought them all together and the audience loved it. Ole.
Recently we were invited to the Music Venue Trust Annual launch at the Victoria and Albert Museum, MPs were invited and our Stroud MP, Simon Opher turned up and we spent time talking about the importance of music, community and the creative arts with him. Venues are struggling with the average making little profit, and many closures. But we love it and we will keep at it.
Dale from The Great British Pub Crawl visited Stroud and he dragged himself op the hill to see us, and was blown away by how busy we were at 4pm on a Friday – the Celtic Session was in full swing and many families and dog walkers in for an early pizza and drink. Check out his YouTube of his review of the whole town – it’s well worth watching.
Into February – fresh shoots all around us. The sun is shining today and this is such a beautiful place to live. We have a few Sunday matinee gigs coming up – families are welcome to these for a bargain price.
Jessie Reid played last Sunday, a new artist for us which is always exciting.
We are launching a Songwriters Stage night this month too with Ben Brocket from Fireside Bookshop, aimed more at performers that haven’t graced a stage before, and and making it a safe welcoming space for young people, and women is key.
Also new is our Winter Beer Festival the 5th to the 9th. A fine selection of the more sticky, dark and warming ales. We sell in third of a pint as well as the usual sizes, and it’s free all weekend.
Plus the Six Nations is underway – all games shown on the big screen inside and some in the covered courtyard too.
So come up that hill and say hi. Opening times and full details on www.theprincealbertstroud.co.uk
