A tucked away bar which has drawn live performers from across the world has promised to deliver a “mini revolution” in music.
Round The Corner is located on Kempston Street in a building that had stood derelict for 15 years. The venue, in Liverpool’s Fabric District, was opened by Jake Kellie and Andrew Coventry in November 2021 after a huge restoration project. The owners wanted to combat adversity that local musicians and creatives had been facing following the pandemic and Brexit.
Round The Corner is now home to live music three times a week, as well as stand-up comedy every Wednesday and monthly poetry nights. The venue, which has a rooftop bar, is also open to hire, and has hosted album launches and filming for music videos since its inception.
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It has labelled itself a “hidden gem” where a “mini revolution is taking place”. In its attempt to bridge the gap between new and established artists, Round The Corner ensures that all ticket sales from its event go to the artists and promoters.
Jake said: “Music is the heartbeat of Liverpool. The city is synonymous for its music scene — music is in our blood. It’s vital that we give local artists a chance and a fair deal — to have these spaces where creatives can play music, host gigs and album launches, perform poetry and comedy, film and do photoshoots. We’re proud to be supporting that, even though costs are rising.”
A 2022 UK Music report concluded that the UK Government needed to support music spaces by reducing VAT, introducing business rates cuts and new duties to protect music. Since then however, many have been forced to shut due to rising costs.
Jake added: “With many iconic music venues closing, there seems to be a gap in the local scene. Many artists have the choice of either playing in their local pub or at a huge venue, with a real lack of quality venues where they can ply their trade and develop without being hit with big venue hire costs.
“We aim to give artists a chance and a fair deal. We work with LIPA and LMA and offer free venue hire to students looking to film or host their projects here. We’ve been hit by rising costs ourselves but instead of passing that on to artists, we continue to offer a space in which they can showcase their work.”
Co-owner Andy said: “We’ve developed a great reputation these past 18 months, with some amazing local talent coming through and artists coming to play from as far as Brazil, Mexico, the U.S and Europe. During the pandemic many artists resorted to showcasing their work online and things have been against them ever since, so we feel it’s really important to keep live music alive with venues like this.”
Liverpool-based musician Matty Burke, who has played at Round The Corner, said it was a vital part of the local music scene. He said: “It really is a gem and Jake and Andy are great guys."
He added: “Many friendships have been made through the venue and the quality of artists and bands that play here is immense. If it wasn’t for the venue, many wouldn’t have an audience or would be playing underpaid gigs.”
Round The Corner is located at 51-53 Kempston Street. You find out more about the venue by visiting its website.
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