Music / Venue of the Month
Venue of the Month: The Jam Jar
Tucked away on Little Ann street, The Jam Jar is certainly one of the most vibrant music spaces in Bristol.
After opening in May 2014, their dream to create a venue that put the experiences of artists and audiences at the forefront has been realised.
The team prioritise this by having a dedicated team constantly putting on artists that they love. For the audience, the night doesn’t end when the headliner leaves the stage; the venue remains open for people to continue their evening.
is needed now More than ever
The venue is consistently striving for a safe space and therefore has set up a Safer Space Policy which keeps themselves as well as attendees responsible for their actions.
“We have always been conscious of inclusivity, especially cultural & financial barriers to participating in the arts. As a grassroots venue there’s no way we can tackle these issues for the whole country, but we have to do our bit where we can”, Hadie Abido, one of the founders of the venue, tells Bristol24/7.
“A large proportion of the music we promote comes from artists with diverse backgrounds, so it goes without saying that we want to see these backgrounds represented in our audiences. It’s a step in the right direction and we hope to take many more.”
The team will be taking this one step further by undertaking the diversity training from The Diversity Trust CIC in spring next year.
With eight years of live music under their belts, it’s no surprise that they have a number of favourite memories over the years.
“There are so many incredible moments to think of but I’ll list a few,” Hadie says. “When Belgian Instrumental SciFi Jazzers ‘Stuff.’ came to play their debut UK tour, the music was phenomenal – their breakdancing moves at the afterparty was the cherry on the icing!
“And receiving a transmission (email) in an alien dialect from the band Henge in 2015, we ended up putting them on with free entry before 9pm & £3 after, the poster is still stuck up in the office.”
As well as live music events, The Jam Jar also hold community events, including life drawings and choir drop-ins for everyone to get involved in.
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With noise complaints, the housing crisis and universities competiting for space, supporting independent venues is more important than ever.
What can we do to support grassroot venues like this one? “Bristol has always gone its own way when it comes to music, as a city it is responsible for a disproportionate household names”, Hadie answers.
“Its grassroots venues where these acts spawn and grow, so if you can, keep up the support, buy a ticket, or an item of merch & keep the scene going!”
Main photo: courtesy of The Jam Jar
Read next:
- Venue of the Month: Strange Brew
- Review: India Electric Co, The Jam Jar – ‘Their take on pop is literate and eclectic’
- Get to Know: Lily Huu
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