BBC 6 Music DJ and champion of independent venues Steve Lamacq is returning to play a DJ set at the Rescue Rooms to mark its 15 years at the heart of the city’s live music scene.
Opened by DHP Family on 22 February 2003 as a place to host cutting edge live music, the Goldsmith Street bar, main room and club has been described as a ‘jewel in the crown’ of Nottingham’s live music and is an important destination on the touring circuit for emerging acts.
Steve Lamacq – who played during the opening week – will pay tribute to its musical legacy taking a journey from punk rock through Brit Pop right up to his current favourites when he plays a special event on Saturday 24 February.
“The Rescue Rooms is a great little venue, especially for bands just on the cusp of making a breakthrough. It’s still small enough to feel intimate, but big enough to create a sense of excitement and promise. I remember seeing the Kaiser Chiefs there, just as they were about to take off and it’s still one of the best sets I’ve seen them do.
“So it’ll be lovely to be back and have a crack at DJing again. It’s quite a varied set these days from punk rock through Brit Pop and up to a few things I really like at the moment.”
The party gets underway at 1pm on Saturday 24 February with the free ‘All Dayer’ offering two rooms of live music from local up and coming artists as well as acts who have played Rescue Rooms in the past.
Since its inauguration into the Nottingham music scene in 2003, Rescue Rooms has consistently shown itself to be ahead of the game with a forward-looking booking policy.
Everyone from The Killers, Calvin Harris, La Roux, Four Tet, Chase & Status, Bloc Party, Magnetic Man, Simian Mobile Disco, Ellie Goulding, Animal Collective and The Libertines have played the 450 capacity venue since it burst onto the scene 15 years ago.
“Rescue Rooms is rare thing – an intimate venue that still boasts the sense of occasion of a room three or four times its size. The layout, the spec and the generosity of the stage are all top-notch, but the people, in the crowd and backstage, make this venue what it is. It’s always been a pleasure to play and watch gigs here. (I’ve also had some incredible and irresponsible times in the bar and at the club nights over the last decade.) Happy birthday, Rescues.”
Jeremy Pritchard, Everything Everything
“The Rescue Rooms will always be an important venue for us. We played there on our debut album tour, and at a time where the UK is losing so many independent venues, it consistently puts on amazing shows. It has an incredible history in such a short space of time, and will continue to host the next big artists in the UK.”
The Amazons
“We’ve had some of our rowdiest shows ever at The Rescue Rooms, the crowd always brings plenty of noise with them! I vaguely recall a night on which we played with our buddies Wintersleep, and it involved teapots filled with booze. Rescue Rooms, you never disappoint! Happy birthday!”
Frightened Rabbit
“The Rescue Rooms was full when we walked out at our headline gig there. We knew then that people were proper interested. These kind of venues were out of reach for the average local band and it was a turning point. We had the people’s support and more importantly they were local people.”
Sleaford Mods
Completely refurbished in 2011, Rescue Rooms was relaunched with a brand new look and feel in the main bar and a new layout to the concert hall to improve sightlines and access as well as the installation of top of the range light and sound systems.
Every Saturday the venue teams up with Stealth nightclub next door for Stealth Vs Rescued, a Saturday night clubbing experience that encompasses all styles of dance and alternative music to create a weekly mini clubbing festival.
DHP Family’s director of promotions, Anton Lockwood, who joined the company to open Rescue Rooms, said: “We recognised the need for a first class small/medium sized live music venue in Nottingham. We did a lot or research and hard thinking about venues around the world that we liked, and didn’t like, and took the best of them all along with the experience of live music from Rock City. It was brilliant to finally have a venue with the right atmosphere, capacity and facilities to be able to bring in the kind of artists into the city that we couldn’t before. And now 15 years later, Rescue Rooms continues to showcase artists who are often on the verge of making it to the next level.”
Birthday Week Celebrations
Thursday 22 – 15th Anniversary Party with This is England DJ’s. Free entry.
Friday 23 – Bama Lama Singsong
www.alttickets.com/bamalamasin gsong-rescue-rooms-2018-02-23- 20-30
Sat 24 – All dayer event celebrating local bands, food and beer in Nottingham
Saturday 24 – Steve Lamacq DJ set part of Stealth Vs Rescued
www.alttickets.com/steve-lamac q-tickets
Sunday 25 – Comedy Night. 6.30pm doors £5 per ticket
www.alttickets.com/sensible-su ndays-comedy-night-rescue-room s-2018-02-25-19-00
Monday 26 – Acoustic Rooms takeover event
Tuesday 27 – Pressure Special Event
Wednesday 28 – Rescue Rooms Super Quiz
Rescue Rooms Timeline
22nd Feb 2003 – First gig (Echoboy)
2003 – The Libertines
2004 – The Killers, Bloc Party and Amy Winehouse played the venue in this year
2005 – Stealth vs. Rescued Club Night Opens
2005 – The Subways, Kaiser Chiefs and James Blunt played Rescue Rooms
2006 – Plan B and Jamie T played the venue in this year
2007 – Foals, Happy Mondays and Calvin Harris played the venue this year
2008 – One Night Only played the venue on the 5th Anniversary
2008 – Named best music venue – Nottingham Bar & Club Awards
2009 – Best Club Night (Stealth vs. Rescued)
2011 – Grand Relaunch of the Rescue Rooms following a huge refurbishment
2013 – Named Best medium bar at Best Bar None awards
2013 – Your Demise played the venue on its 10th Anniversary
2013 – Disclosure and Bring Me the Horizon played the venue
2014 – Jake Bugg, You me at Six and Machine Head
2015 – Wolf Alice and Reel Big Fish played the venue
2016 – Record turnover for Rescue Rooms in a calendar year
2016 – Rag n Bone Man and Frank Carter played sold out shows
2017 – Everything Everything returned to play a small show before going on a national tour to promote their new album
2018 – 15th Anniversary Week long Celebrations 22-28 February
