Little Buildings started as a rehearsal space and soon shot to notoriety for their DIY BYOB gigs. It kick-started the careers of many of our region’s artists and industry newcomers by being an affordable alternative for creatives to experiment.
Co-owner Allan Scorer spoke about the beginnings of Little Buildings: “Taken on by my dad and me in 2017, we opened the doors to a wider variety of regional subcultures and genre experimentation with a more full-time programme of events. This was short-lived due to having to vacate the original premises just two years later and led us to our new home on Stepney Bank. We stayed active though by booking shows under the Little Buildings name at Anarchy Brew Co and a series of successful socially distanced shows across Tyne Bank Brewery and Anarchy Brew co.”
Speaking about what Allan does behind the scenes, he noted: “I have previously been tasked with day-to-day venue management and event programming whereas I am now more involved in outside projects tailored to bring in secondary revenue streams for the business. Stabilising the business over the years and securing its future as a nationally established GMV brings nothing but immense pride. This place changes people’s lives and it will continue to do so.”
Speaking about their ethos, Allan explained: “I feel that we bring a unique level of local authenticity and our roots are about 300 years deep down Ouseburn Valley. Our staff, past and present, help carry the reputation we have as generally sound folk who want to make your night as comfortable as possible and help provide advice to all who are trying to cut their teeth in this industry. Without Little Buildings I think that many bands/promoters may have thrown in the towel as its affordability made booking shows less of a risk.”
Speaking about their future, Allan noted: “The future looks interesting for Little Buildings with a new 10-year lease on the property and some cosmetic upgrades. We were also accepted by the UK Research Institute Edge Innovate programme late last year and are currently working on a pair of projects, with news on that soon. Above all of that, if I could hope for anything it would be stability within the live music industry and further encouragement for anyone of any age to take a chance on this as a hobby or career path as it’s never boring.”
To find out more about littlebuildings, head to littlebuildingslive.com.
