#starandgarter

[elenadurey-blog]

Study of a local pub 

[metalpixie-blog1]

Oathbreaker, Svalbard and Pijn

I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks that a person’s experience of a gig/concert/event is always going to be somewhat unpredictable – regardless of whether drink is involved. The music can be great and you can have fun, but the overall feeling can often be awkward somehow and subpar.

This is definitely likely to be the case if you have really bad social anxiety, and even more so if you happen to be on your own. I find that about fifty percent of an event is memorable and retained as a positive experience. I’m not preaching, just saying how I see it. You need to have balance in your life, sure, but things aren’t always going to go smoothly or the way you want the whole time. Emotions like overthinking or being scared or anxious can easily get in the way. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I recently wrote a piece about a gig that I didn’t enjoy fully, and just reminding myself of that fact made me feel better, so I thought I would share.

But on to the review. You’ll be glad to hear that my time at the following gigs wasn’t at all anxious.  Far from it, it was brilliant all the way from the kick off right up until the last few notes had played out. Time to talk about the bands – Oathbreaker with the support of Pijn and Svalbard.

Some info: Oathbreaker are a post metal/hardcore band from Belgium. Pijn are a post metal/hardcore/sludge band from Manchester, England. Svalbard (from Bristol) are classed as post-hardcore, crust punk, post metal and melodic hardcore (a bit of a mouthful but it all helps imagine their music to some extent.) So, all-in-all a good mix and well-matched.

Venue

The Star and Garter was a place I knew of but had never visited, even though I used to live only 10 minutes away (go figure!). It looked a little misleading from the get-go. When I walked in it felt like a (to put it bluntly) an old man’s pub – somewhat homely, small in scale and with a touch of age. I couldn’t see where the bands would be playing at all, and it was only when I went upstairs that the stage was revealed.

 The Bands

First up was Pijn who I hadn’t seen before and so was a little nervous about. As it turned out, I needn’t have worried as they provided a great opening to a very intense and mesmerizing evening. 

           As I was snapping away with my camera, the two band members that stood out the most for me were the vocalist, who at points looked meek and fragile and at others looked strong and sturdy (a personal observation), and the bassist.

 (Not happy with how the rest of Pijns pictures came out so this is the cover apologies).

[bonjiman]

Dinner with friends and a view :) #falmouth #starandgarter #cornwall (at Star & Garter Falmouth) https://www.instagram.com/p/BopCAYAgc49/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=mc1q4hdcnsjl

[madcam2000-2008-blog]

Sonic Boom Six @ Star And Garter, Manchester, 23rd March 2003 - Some excellent Ska-Punk from one of Manchesters finest, here in their early days, but still going strong today. https://u.madcam.co.uk/8 Unfortunately, this are low-res digital shots - I have some 35mm shots in storage somewhere, but this is it for now.

[lokeygraffiti]

Here's another piece (& the original sketch) painted on the day of St.Paul's Carnival back in 2009 alongside @sepr on the Star and Garter ... (rip dutty ken) . . #fbf #flashbackfriday #st.pauls #carnival #starandgarter #duttyken #bristol #bristolgraff #bristolgraffiti #graff #graffiti #3dgraff #3dgraffiti #grafflife #graffitilife #graffiti4life #inthesunshine #loke #loki #lokea #lokey #ktf #keepthefaith (at Star and Garter)

[adibren]

"I have the faintest recollection of us" Thank you @intoitoverit for last night (and thanks for letting me get to hear the songs off the split with @kojisaysaloha again) #intoitoverit #iioi #starandgarter #manchester #mcr #emo #sadboyz (at The Star and Garter)

[ghoulette-night-out]

Venom Prison were sick this evening. #venomprison #starandgarter #manchester (at The Star and Garter)

[scarletpamplemouse]

I enquirer about the availability of #seaurchins and #sprats @boroughmarket sprats maybe one day in the year, sea urchins November or December I sobbed into my snack #scampifries #scampifriesarethesnackofgods (whoever hashtagged that originally is a legend in my book) #london #starandgarter (at Star and Garter, Poland st)