Two hard-working musicians from the North East are turning their hand to a very different trade.
Barry Hyde (The Futureheads) and Dan Donnelly (Celtic Social Club/The Wonder Stuff/The Levellers) have opened a pub, restaurant and music venue in Sunderland City centre.
The Peacock, which was formerly a Flares Night Club and The Londonderry Hotel, is quickly turning into a thriving cultural space for artists and musicians alike.
Upon walking in, you are likely to hear tracks from Lou Reed, David Bowie, Brian Eno or Can, rather than the generic current pop on a loop in most large busy bars, and We Make Culture community choir (featured in the image) often use The Peacock as their base.
At the end of the evening, Barry often serenades the dwindling crowd with some tunes on the in-house piano that is as old as the Edwardian building itself. In fact, on an evening, one or other of the owners has been known to jump up on stage downstairs and play a short set to the unsuspecting drinkers.
The 220-capacity venue upstairs is where Barry and Dan get to invite their famous friends to come to Sunderland and play for the local aficionados. There have already been sell-out shows from The Lake Poets and Ferocious Dog, with future engagements featuring acts such as Martyn Stephenson and the Daintees, The Karpets, Tony Wright from Terrorvision to name a few. The Futureheads themselves have already sold out 2 nights in February.
Trained as a chef, Barry has a personal input into the menu, devising new techniques and combinations to provide sustenance for punters. Dan, on the other hand, has worked in bars in New York and can be found behind the bar slinging out pints and cocktails. Most nights one of them will be in there, working or playing.
Dan added: “The ethos of the bar was for us to bring back to the North East a little of what we have sampled around the world on our travels. You can find beer from Japan, Germany and Spain, Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches, French Armagnac, Venezuelan delicacies and Portuguese custard tarts, among other things.”
The outside is currently being restored to its former glory and is surrounded by scaffolding – but don’t let that put you off, the fact that it appears closed makes it Sunderland’s best-kept secret and once you are inside you won’t want to leave.
Tickets for the venue can be purchased at dice.fm and the menu can be perused at thepeacock.pub.
