Basement gigs, gallery debuts and a fond farewell

Medway’s culture comes in all sorts of forms, sometimes in a pub basement with room for about 30 people. For this culture briefing, Steven has been talking to some of the people making it happen.

We hear from Kevin Younger about free Thursday night gigs at the 12 Degrees, starting with Lupen Crook tonight, and Lux Orion about the personal story behind their first gallery exhibition. We also remember Nigel Adams, whose art, poetry, puppetry and occasional giant papier-mâché head left a mark on the people he worked with.

Free music, small basement, home by ten

Lupen Crook and Helen McCookerybook are playing free gigs at the 12 Degrees in November. We spoke to organiser Kevin Younger about building a Thursday night music scene in the pub’s basement...

“Will, who runs the 12 Degrees, is happy to have music down in his basement. It's a great little space down, and it's great to get anything on for anyone who's willing to have music.”

I’m talking to Kevin Younger of The High Span, who hosts a number of music events, including upcoming gigs at the 12 Degrees, which may or may not be in Chatham Intra.

The pub has a small but charming basement space, with a fire capacity of about 30 people, and a range of fine real ales and ciders. Kevin has a small PA, which is “a good size for the venue.”

Lupen Crook is returning to Medway for a gig there tonight (12 November). “He approached us looking to do a gig. He's got a new record coming out, and this will be him and Willow.”

They expect a decent turnout on the night, so Kevin suggests it may be a good idea to arrive early. Entry is free, “which is the way that Will likes to work things at the 12 Degrees,” and the pub opens at 6pm.

“It's going to be strictly first come, first serve,” Kevin says. “It should be a good one. Lupen hasn’t played Medway in a little while.”

Lupen will also have a limited-edition vinyl record of his new single, Goodbye Lazy Jane, available at the show. As for what to expect from his music, Kevin says: “It's always been a certain amount of folk element to it, but it's a bit more contemporary, a bit more indie rock. Pretty near the knuckle.”

“Unless he's come up with something completely different and going to surprise us all.”

Later in the month, Helen McCookerybook will be appearing on 26 November, with support from Allan Crockford of The Prisoners, performing a solo set of his own songs. “That should be an interesting thing.”

Helen was in The Chefs, a John Peel favourite from the early days of punk rock, “which is how she came by her curious name of Helen McCookerybook.”

“She would have been at college in ’77, in Brighton. She'll be talking about that,” Kevin says. She will also be playing songs from her new record, which covers that period.

For both gigs, the pub opens at 6pm, with doors to the basement at 7.30pm and the show starting at 8pm. “Even though it's a school night, it's actually a nice way to see live music, and it will be all done by about ten o'clock.” So not too late if you've got things to do the next day.

Despite entry being free, the acts are paid. “We pass the hat around, so people can show their appreciation,” Kevin explains.

“It's Will's intention to build up a regular scene of people coming to see live music on a Thursday. He's putting his money where his mouth is, paying bands to come and play. And for people in Medway, you've got a place to see free music.”

Folklore, family and finding peace with Lux Orion

Lux Orion has an exhibition at the Halpern Gallery in Chatham from 19 to 25 November. We spoke with them to learn more...

Visitors can expect sculpture, fibre work, cyanotypes, and drawings that explore folklore and reconnection with the local area. The exhibition also has a deeply personal starting point.