The Song Remains The Same....

A few years ago I started writing this bloggy thing called Real Ale, Real Music. This weekend I was reminded of why I started writing it in the first place when I visited a favourite venue in Halifax which will shortly be embarking on the next stage of its adventure....

I have always enjoyed a generous serving of music to accompany a beer or two and it was in recognition of that fact that I first initially, and very tentatively, put fingers (or more accurately, finger!) to keyboard and wrote a blog about this particular pleasurable way of passing the time, with the title drawing the two together. And whilst over the years I have written far more about beer than I have about music, the intention in those days was to feature both more evenly whenever or if I even did another. Back in 2014 when I did that initial blog you would have found me most Sunday afternoons in one of the pubs in Brighouse or surrounding areas,  enjoying some live music from mainly local bands and singers along with a few pints, and my writing back then was aimed more at the local area than further afield. So it was artists like Blood, Sweat, and Beers, The Rainey Street Band, Roger Davies, and Chris Martin who would be featured in those early days, with the focus of the beers and pubs similarly local, because that in the main was what was going on in my life.

I made the point in that original blog that it didn't need to be the type of music that you'd normally listen to or even the beer that you'd normally go for to have a good time, and I still think that's true now. Enjoy a wonderful pint of real ale or some great music, and it can help you appreciate the other. And if they both hit the spot, then better still. But for me as a default if pairing musical styles with beer, I always think that a spot of folk music always goes down particularly well with a great pint of real ale.

And so it was yesterday, a rare Sunday not working and I had the opportunity to go and watch local folk singer John Bromley perform at The Grayston Unity in Halifax, a place that did not even exist when I first started writing this blog. And John, who sings in a commanding deep bass voice, is someone I saw originally back in the 1980's when I was living in Leeds and he used to pop up sometimes for a guest appearance at the regular Sunday night folk evening at the former CAMRA-run pub, the Eagle Tavern on North Street, where the regular folk groups Aiken's Drum and later Two In The Bar would provide the evening's entertainment and I first appreciated mixing real ale with music. This afternoon, John was in fine voice as he treated us to a varied selection of traditional songs, in which either he accompanied himself on guitar, bodhran, or not at all, each preceded by a few words of generally humorous introduction to the songs and their subject matter. And along with a few pints of Marble Pint, it made for a very pleasant and convivial way to spend an afternoon, in the same way as those Sunday evenings all those years ago.

The Grayston was opened in May 2016 in Wesley Court by Michael and Jess Ainsworth, and it is fair to say that since then it has been by far the most regular place where I have seen live music. Folk music has been part of the mix, and whilst local musicians like John and Gareth Scott have appeared regularly, so have rising stars such as Katie Spencer and Henry Parker, along with folk royalty like Belinda O'hooley and the late, legendary Michael Chapman, although he would have probably said himself that what he did was more country blues by the time he played here. But that only covers a part of the wide range of bands and artists covering a wide range of genres who have appeared here over the past 7 years, which has included many young artists starting out. Artists such as the Blue Orchids, The Bug Club, Nadine Shah, The Burning Hell, Holiday Ghosts, Dilettante, Working Men's Club, and The Lounge Society have all appeared at the Grayston in that period, whilst the Orielles launched their first album in this small pub next door to the town hall. It has hosted jazz, blues, rock, funk as well, although I don't think there's ever been any sludge metal on the bill. But it is not just about the music; the Grayston has also regularly hosted spoken word events, talks and interviews. It soon became the meeting place for a community of like-minded people who shared the Ainsworth's view of trying to do something to support the town and communities of Halifax. Indeed, the name of the bar was a combination of the surname of family connections on Michael's  mother's side who'd run a brewery and pubs in the Keighley area and 'Unity', ie. bringing people together.

When it first opened, the Grayston was split into two small rooms, along with a corridor area which led out to a then loosely-covered yard round the back. The bar was in the room as you entered the pub, which was a place for conversation and catch-ups whilst gigs took place in the other room, which was decked out like it was your Grandma's living room with sofa, rug, and various other quirky ephemera. The official capacity of this room was only 18, which made the Grayston at that time the smallest licensed music venue in the country. The novelty that brought was great for publicity, but in reality it became impractical as it limited the scope of what could be offered. 

The Grayston Unity in its original layout

And so, during the second lockdown the decision was taken helped by financial support from the Arts Council amongst others to remove the dividing wall and turn the Grayston into a single room. Tweaks to the bar itself took place, and the floor in the two erstwhile rooms, which had been at slightly different heights, was levelled out. The resulting changes meant the capacity was able to be increased to 55, which opened up new opportunities of what could be featured, and certainly in the past 18 months or so there has been a steady stream of ticketed gigs, many of which have been sell-outs. And whilst initially the changes to the bar weren't initially to everyone's taste, the old Grayston camaraderie and spirit continued to thrive. A membership of the Grayston was introduced which offered discounts off gig tickets, merchandise, drinks, and other benefits, which has proved to be popular and serves to enhance the sense of community.

Moving forward though, even in its enlarged form it became apparent that there were limits to what the bar could achieve. Put against the context that the heart of Halifax has been gravitating for some time towards the Piece Hall and Westgate end of the town and the Grayston is somewhat out on a limb. It's fine in the summer when the sun is shining and tables can be set up on the pavement outside the town hall, but on a cold and rainy night in November it can be very quiet indeed. Add to that that the lease was up for renewal in May 2023 and decisions needed to be made.

The Short Causeway: one of many young bands who've gigged at The Grayston

And so, a week or two ago, after much work and discussions behind the scenes, it was finally announced that in what is effectively phase 3 of the Grayston's development, it will leave its home in Wesley Court at the end of August 2023, a 3 month extension on the lease negotiated with the landlord there. And then in October 2023, it will re-open under the same name in new premises on Horton Street, which are being developed in line with the expansion of Halifax's Westgate Quarter. Based in a former children's clothes shop, it immediately increases the scale and potential as to what the bar and venue can aspire to, with the ethos exactly the same as what led Michael and Jess to open the Grayston in the first place The bar, which as now will feature a range of cask and craft beers, is to be based on the ground floor, whilst downstairs in the basement along with the beer cellar there will be a room for events with a capacity of 110, double the current size, plus an office/green room. Upstairs from the bar there will be a small snug. Location-wise, it is handily-placed for the train station, the Piece Hall, and the Grayston's sister bar, the Meandering Bear, which is just around the corner, along with most of the town's other bars and restaurants. From a personal point of view it is closer to the Shay, thus making the Saturday afternoon walk to the football after a pint or two much shorter, although the new location will be further away from the re-vamped bus station.

Coming soon: The new Grayston Unity premises

Whilst again from my point of view it will be sad to see the old place go as it holds so many wonderful memories of great gigs, conversations with friends, meeting some wonderful people, and sometimes the odd too many pint, you have to be realistic, and I am sure the new place will become just as much an essential part of the town scene and community as the original. And with the Town Festival coming up in the autumn and other gigs already pencilled in, there is already much to look forward to. And I am sure that just as The Grayston Unity has played such a big part over the past 7 years of enabling me to enjoy my twin loves of real ale and real music, in moving to the new place it will continue to do so. 

The background may change but the song remains the same....

Follow me on twitter: @realalemusic