The Chester Music Scene (Bank Holiday Weekend)

I've recently been getting into the Chester music scene with the gorgeous Mia - an old housemate and good friend. This last week we've been to a few events at Alexander's and Telford's and each offers a different vibe! So here are our thoughts on our musical weekend:

Telford's; Saturday night:

SARAH: Telford's offers different live bands each weekend, so it costs a mere £4 to get in after 9 (before 9 it's free). This week a band called 'Broken 3 Ways' played; they're a 7-piece ska-punk bank and the atmosphere was fun and exciting with dancing and a lot of laughs! Having never heard of the band before I was blown over by the music and found myself singing and dancing the night away very easily!

MIA: I am a massive fan of the music scene in Chester and I am a regular at both of these venues – especially Alexanders, being there every day whether there is music or not! However, since this post is specifically about our musical weekend, I shall stick with writing about that J Telfords Warehouse on Saturday was absolutely fab and the band was amazing. Knowing one of the members of Broken 3 Ways may make me biased, but judging by the response of the people in the crowd dancing away, I’m fairly certain anyone would agree with me. I thoroughly enjoyed being there to listen to them with a group of friends supporting Jay and just appreciating the sound and genuinely having a good time.

Alexander's; Sunday – The Gathering Festival 2014

SARAH: Alexander's hosted a music festival called The Gathering, which featured 2 stages of music: both of which were AMAZING! The main stage had a mixture of bands and the atmosphere was very festival like - there was a mixture of age groups present, due to the range of things going on (face-painting, a BBQ and wall art).

The inside stage was acoustic, featuring bands such as Portlights - a much more chilled stage with a lot of energy. Good company with a decent crowd with a love of music! Overall an amazing experience and I can't wait until the next festival! (Cost: £5)

MIA: I absolutely LOVED the Gathering Festival on Sunday. As a regular at Alexanders, The Gathering is one of the biggest events the venue holds that I look forward to. It is the first festival they hold which then kicks off a series of other festival taking place over the coming summer months. I went to all of them last year and I honestly loved them. I’d honestly say they are one of the highlights of the year for me as far as music is concerned in this gorgeous city. I came to this festival to show my support to many of the bands and musicians playing, as I know the majority on a personal level, but two in particular who are my all time favourites and never fail to amaze me – Dead Pixels and Portlights. I love them both as bands, and I love the members all as close friends. They were amazing and are sure to go far. The other bands that played the festival were also in turn very good, and the atmosphere was incredible. With Alexanders practically being my home and where I spend the majority of my time with the staff and other regulars there, the festival sure felt the exact same in terms of atmosphere despite there being many many more than just us regulars there. It still felt like home, and I cannot wait for the rest of the festivals coming up this year, and hearing and getting to know more acts, new and old.

Telford's; Sunday night:

SARAH: We moved onto Telfords for their open mic night; lots of acoustic acts for a very different vibe to Saturday. The lights were dimmed and the area was filled with sofas and tasteful wooden boxes - the acts were fantastic and offered a lot of variety (cost: free). It was relaxed and there was the opportunity to sit and enjoy the music or have a chat with friends with a drink to enjoy a Sunday bank holiday! I loved it and will definitely be back!

MIA: I stayed at Xander’s all Sunday night and did not leave until everything was packed up and closed away. But I am a regular at Telford’s on a Sunday night usually for the Open Mic, again because I know the majority of the acts and love listening to them all and supporting them, as well as getting to know and listen to new ones! As with Alexanders, it is the family atmosphere created by the regulars that make the night and it is just an all around good night. It is definitely worth coming along to and getting to know us all and treating your ears to the sound of some fab musicians.

Alexander's; Tuesday night.

SARAH: Tuesday night is Alexander's famous open mic night and each week has a different vibe. There are many regulars and music can be spontaneous due to the quality of the musicians playing! There's every kind of music: jazz, country music and some lovely acoustic sounds. Definitively worth a visit! I’ve been visiting on an irregular basis for a few years now and it never fails to entertain: and there’s always the opportunity for new musicians to get involved and show a taste of their talent! (Maybe one day I’ll find myself up there – who knows! Prepare to be amazed by the pure quality of the acts that play: and stay till the end! The final jam at the end is one of the best bits and you won’t want to miss it! (Cost: £2 after 9, free before).  

MIA: Tuesday night at Xanders is my absolute favourite. It is where I met everyone who I consider to be my closest friends and family here in Chester and is the one night I will always write off everything else to make sure I am there. It is definitely the highlight of the week and something I always look forward to. The music is of a very high standard and I love how everyone supports each other. It really is one big family there. Come experience it for yourself and you’ll soon find out. One of the highlights and key features of the night is the late night jam session at the end of the night where anyone and everyone can join in and have a sing along and/or just sit and listen to a load of talented musicians and friends gather around together and have a good time, sharing one thing we all love  - music. It really is fab

We've loved doing a joint blog post: we hope it gave you different perspectives on the same music scene!

Check out Mia'a blog! http://estiloefashion2014.blogspot.co.uk/