Female-led live rock music night returns to Hastings
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The Coven Club, a fabulous new live music night to showcase femme-fuelled rock, punk and metal bands, returns to The Carlisle Rock Bar in Hastings in July this year. The night has already lived up to its aim of promoting up-and-coming talent, with April’s headliners Vampyra having since secured a coveted slot at this year’s Bloodstock heavy metal festival.
Vampyra, the feisty Kent-based horror punks who headlined The Coven Club just weeks after debuting their revamped line-up [pun intended!], have gone on to win their regional Metal 2 the Masses competition, securing them a place on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock.
The Coven Club is run by vocalist Amanda Brooks-Byron and bassist Steph Bennion of Hastings rock band Ditch the Demon. Both are keen to do more to support women keen to forge their own path in the male-dominated world of heavy rock, in a similar vein to how Loud Women are championing the role of women in punk. Hastings already punches above its weight in terms of its music scene and they saw the potential for something a bit different in town. All the big names in rock music started life in grassroots venues like The Carlisle. Vampyra are but one success story and The Coven Club will undoubtedly see more.
The Coven Club runs quarterly at The Carlisle Rock Bar in Hastings, with at least one local act appearing on each bill. The next event on Friday 24 July will feature: Key Change Electric, lyrical indie-folk from Bexhill-on-Sea; Deity and Devilry, operatic symphonic heavy metal from London; and headliners Kindred Spirit Band, prog/folk-rock from London.
The Coven Club will return with a Halloween special on Friday 30 October with hosts Ditch the Demon, special guests Dead Blood Cells and headliners Not Now Norman.
A core element of The Coven Club is to make gigs more financially viable for grassroots artists, while keeping ticket prices low to encourage bigger audiences. Money raised through ticket sales will go directly to the bands, supporting original music. Tickets for 24 July (£5) are on sale from The Carlisle, online at Skiddle and will also be available on the door.