IF it seems that the local music scene has been a little quiet of late, things are about to liven up significantly.
After being closed for refurbishment, The Brook in Portswood is holding its grand reopening and tenth anniversary celebration tomorrow.
One of Southampton's most popular live music venues, The Brook now has a 600-person capacity and a reputation for bringing top-calibre acts to the area.
Some of the newly-built additions to the venue include a spacious bar with extra comfortable seating, a new cloakroom including facilities for disabled people, and also some fantastic upgrades to the stage.
Ten years ago, the founders of The Brook, Bryn Lewis and Richard Davey, set about converting a 150-year-old pub into a venue where music lovers could hear the cream of a diverse range of live performances.
"People thought we were crazy when we first opened," recalls Bryn. "Opening a venue from scratch away from the centre of town was a surprise to some, but we've made it work and built up a huge following."
To begin their new and improved era on a positive note, blues-rock attraction The Hamsters will be playing at The Brook's reopening night.
The trio, who have been together for more than 18 years, have been referred to by Radio 2 as one of Britain's very best live bands. As well as having a fantastic repertoire of their own material, The Hamsters are also widely regarded as the UK's leading interpreters of the music of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top.
The band are well-established at The Brook and their 18th anniversary year happily coincides with the venue's reopening.
The Hamsters will be showcasing songs from their new studio album Open All Hours and concert video To Infirmity and Beyond! as well as some old favourites.
So if you're up for an enjoyable night of live music, scamper over to The Brook to watch these veteran vermin of blues-rock in action.
Tickets cost £10. For more information, contact The Brook on 023 8055 5366.
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