"More than a building and a stage, it's something that's grown over years, and it's a feeling. It's like a form of magic."
- Jarvis Cocker
Words by Georgia Mulraine
Perhaps the most vital sector of our entire music ecosystem, 'grassroots' is commonly identified by its intimate nature, DIY-led, local and passionate. Invaluable yet often undervalued, grassroots culture allows for experimentation, raw, rough and ready performance where artists can trial ideas that lead to new scenes and genres. A driving force to the continued cultural evolution of our music scene.
Some of the most common discourse around grassroots music focuses on the existence of grassroots venues, defined by Arts Council England and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as "providing a central beacon of music activity that inspires towns/ boroughs/cities to be musical". Despite this impressive attribute, reports on the state of grassroots music venues have long been a grim picture, with Music Venue Trust (MVT) finding in their latest annual report that two grassroots venues close every month in the UK, 43.8% of grassroots venues reported a loss in the past 12 month and 25% of MVT members face the threat of permanent closure. A particularly sad and drawn-out recent venue fatality has been the renowned Sheffield grassroots venue The Leadmill. The first venue a fully-formed Pulp ever played in their hometown of Sheffield, The Leadmill announce their eviction in the same month that Pulp have returned with their first new and number one album in 24 years, More.
Before the band's big arena tours, there was The Leadmill, a trajectory replicated by many of the scene's biggest players; the small, sweaty backrooms will always precede the big stages.
"It’s a weird thing: that idea that you can invent a scene… This is the first place that Pulp played in Sheffield, it’s developed over a lot of time, and to create a place with that kind of history and atmosphere to it is not something that you can buy.”
As artists, fans, promoters, and all figures across the music industry need to continue to look for ways to protect grassroots culture, and the springboard it offers new artists, we decided to refresh our own sources and inspiration for keeping grassroots alive and loud.
Explore our Rough Guide To UK Grassroots - where it lives, who supports it, and how you can get involved.
Independent Labels To Follow
Discover some of our favourite labels, independent in terms of operations and their commitment to championing non-mainstream and innovative music.
Rough Trade Records
Arguably one of the most iconic independent labels of all time (we’re not biased). Rough Trade Records’ evolution, of course, starts with its beginnings as a record shop founded by Geoff Travis, who subsequently launched a label entity primarily serving the punk and post-punk scenes in the UK. The label is known for playing a crucial role in shaping the UK indie scene, signing influential bands like The Smiths, The Fall, and later The Strokes and Belle and Sebastian. Today, the label continues to sign artists based on its own vision and indie ethos, working with exciting and notable emerging artists such as caroline, Geordie Greep, Lankum, The Sophs, Jockstrap and more
Sonic Cathedral
Recognising a real appetite for the new and experimental sounds which fell under the umbrella of shoegaze in the early 2000's, Sonic Cathedral are a highly reputable platform for showcasing classic psychedelia, shoegaze and ambient. A trusted destination for 'nu-gazers', today's generation of new bands operating within or inspired by the shoegaze sound. Home to artists like bdrmm, deary and Emma Anderson.
Big Dada
Big Dada exists as an important platform for Black British artists, initially focusing on UK hip-hop, grime, and underground rap. In 2021, the label relaunched as a label run by Black, POC, and minority ethnic staff, specifically to amplify artists from those communities. The label's current roster highlights include Young Fathers, Rahill, Roots Manuva and Girl Ultra.
XL Recordings
Part of Beggars Group, an independent group of labels (including 4AD, Rough Trade Records, and Matador) XL only releases a small number of records each year, focusing on long-term development and an artist-first approach, maintaining their reputation of taking innovative, often left-of-centre, music and helping it reach a wider audience. Home to The Smile, Fontaines D.C., Jim Legaxcy, Casisdead and more.
Honourable mentions must include Speedy Wunderground, Young, Matador, Warp Records, Ninja Tune, Nice Swan, Hyperdub, Houndstooth, Erased Tapes and Moshi Moshi Records, Chess Club Records, Clue Records, 4AD, Gondwana Records and AD 93.
Initiatives, Communities and Collectives
From venue preservation, artist support and musical movements.
Music Venue Trust
Fiercely defends grassroots venues across the UK through lobbying, fundraising, and its Own Our Venues initiative.
Independent Venue Week
Celebrating and supporting venues of all sizes, Independent Venue Week is an annual celebration of grassroots venues with exclusive gigs and spotlights.
Tomorrow's Warriors
An organisation which embodies grassroots culture, offering free-access training and strong representation for Black, female, and financially disadvantaged young musicians. The initiative's alumni include Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings, Sons of Kemet and more.
Sister Midnight
This South East London collective operates as a not-for-profit Community Benefit Society, championing community ownership and democratic control over cultural spaces. The team are currently fundraising to open a community-owned music venue in Catford, which would be a potential future grassroots music haven and Lewisham's first community-owned music venue.
Honourable mentions:
Touching Bass (London), Hockley Hustle (Nottingham), Noods Levels (Bristol), Gladrags (Nottingham) Steam Down (London), Chew Disco (Liverpool), Outer Town Festival (Bristol), The Cube Cinema (Bristol)
Legendary Local Venues
A snapshot of the best spots showcasing live music and nurturing new talent, as selected by our staff.
Quarry, Liverpool
Quarry is the definition of grassroots. They built the venue themselves with one goal in mind: to make music accessible for everyone. Quarry sadly got evicted from their venue and, in May, announced their closing party. For me, that will be the most memorable night there. Watching Alice Low with a sold-out crowd, seeing Quarry off in style. I have never felt such togetherness, and I know that everyone there felt that they were part of something special. Thankfully, Quarry has just announced the opening of a new location on Hardman Street. I'm excited for what the future holds. Long Live Quarry.
Jacob Kyriacou, Rough Trade Liverpool
Strange Brew, Bristol
Strange Brew arguably had the most challenging startup of any venue that we're personally familiar with. Originally intending to open in April 2020,'brew was prematurely stumped by a multitude of COVID-19 restrictions. Yet thanks to a successful Crowdfunder, the venue opened later that year. Since opening, Strange Brew continues to push the boundaries, diversify & equally represent what a venue can and should be! A particularly fond memory for us would be Nourished By Time, because, like many other occasions, it was an evening where almost half of our entire team were present at the same gig, at the same venue, watching an artist we all love - a common occurrence with us and Strange Brew.
Josh/Josie/Noah/Leila, Rough Trade Bristol
JT Soar, Nottingham
JT Soar in Nottingham is a former fruit and veg warehouse turned DIY music venue, known for its intimate, no-frills atmosphere. Run by the passionate Phil Booth, it champions underground and experimental music, offering a vital space for emerging artists. With no stage and a capacity of around 50, every show feels personal and raw, like you're part of the performance, not just watching it. Its community-driven ethos and refusal to commercialise make it a rare gem in the UK’s live music scene. JT Soar isn’t just a venue; it’s a reminder of why grassroots spaces truly matter.
Anthony, Rough Trade Nottingham
Shacklewell Arms, London
I used to work behind the bar here, and it’s still one of the best places I’ve ever worked. It has consistently given artists a space to showcase projects, to experiment, collaborate and to evolve both sound and performances, sometimes at its own detriment. In 2021, I saw a very special performance from David Pajo, formerly of Slint, Gang of Four, Tortoise, playing Papa M tracks mixed with some beautiful covers. The place was so full that people had to listen from the garden! Alexis Taylor also made an appearance - I think he was the main instigator to be honest.
Matt Baghurst, Rough Trade Denmark Street
Start The Bus, Bristol
26th November 2013, METZ completely flattened Start The Bus in Bristol, with an all-star supporting cast of Cheetahs and Wytches. Probably one of the best gigs of my life. A who's who of Bristol bands in attendance, it must have been what that Sex Pistols show in Manchester 76 felt like. The band and crowd literally hanging from light fixtures, sweat covered every inch of the venue and 200 minds were completely blown. For a few years, it hosted every cool band on their early tours. It eventually got swallowed up by the corporate machine and turned into a lifeless sports bar, leaving us all a bit sad. But for a while, our little record label had an office upstairs, and it really felt like a hub; one of our NYE parties had bands playing in empty rooms above the venue, with IDLES popping the Buckfast corks and welcoming the new year below. This is why Grassroots venues should be nurtured and protected; we've lost too many good ones.
Adrian, Rough Trade Bristol
Honourable mentions:
The Windmill (London), Cafe OTO (London), Brudenell Social Club (Leeds), Cube Microplex (Bristol), Louisiana (Bristol), The Moth Club (London), The Bodega (Nottingham), Band On The Wall (Manchester)
Recommended Reading
Scenes that don’t document themselves risk being forgotten. Help keep grassroots alive and loud by supporting and subscribing to one of these print platforms and indie magazines.
So Young
A community-led creative platform bridging the gap between illustration and music, So Young presents a beautifully illustrated magazine blending punk, garage, and indie music with striking artwork, in-depth interviews, and posters. There's a strong focus on the UK underground gig scene, so grab this for your best new music tips. It's also worth keeping an eye on their record label, launched by the magazine in 2021.
Crack Magazine
One of our favourite creative organisations to share our Bristol neighbourhood with. Crack is all about supporting emerging and boundary-pushing artists. We love their striking output, both online and in print. Look out for their monthly edition available to pick up for free in select record stores, cafes and venues across the country.
Loud and Quiet
This long-running monthly magazine covers left-field pop, experimental sounds, and cult favourites. Excellent interviews with a finger firmly on the pulse of alternative culture.
The Wire
A bible of experimental, avant-garde, and genre-defiant music. Features include long-form criticism, underground histories, and coverage of everything from free jazz to noise. After 40 years of running, The Wire is fighting the harshest rises in print and distribution costs and needs support to make it to their 500th issue in October. To support them, consider taking out a print or digital subscription.
Honourable mentions:
The Quietus, Line of Best Fit, God Is In The TV Zine, Boot Music, Leftlion Magazine, Hate Zine, Stamp The Wax
Recommended Listening
Real sounds amplifying the sound of the community from the ground up.
- NTS Radio – A brilliant curation of shows from grassroots collectives like Touching Bass, Eastern Margins, Adonis and more, allowing underrepresented genres (e.g., footwork, grime, experimental jazz, club music, amapiano, spoken word) to reach a global audience.
- Bandcamp – Follow label pages, genre tags and crate dig your favourite up and coming artists direct. (Also a great place to acquire digital downloads of your treasured albums on vinyl).
- SVARA Radio – A creative hub broadcasting from the Baltic Triangle, dedicated to showcasing local DJs, producers, and grassroots artists.
- Noods Radio – Part of Bristol’s independent media “trinity”, hosting free masterclasses, residencies, and youth-focused radio broadcast training. Noods offers residencies to 230+ local artists per month, nurturing producers, bands, solo artists, and composers based in Bristol. The station also operate a community interest company (CIC), Noods Levels, designed to train and employ young creatives in Bristol.
- No Tags Podcast - Hosted by Tom Lea and Chal Ravens, No Tags is a deep-dive audio publication unafraid to explore niche trends, DIY scenes, and underrepresented genres
Help Today
Moth
London's Moth Club faces a second building planning application - sign the petition!
Music Venue Trust (Save Venues)
Donate via their website (“Make the Pledge” campaign).
Help Musicians UK (Musician welfare)
Donate via website under “Donate” – Gift Aid eligible.
Youth Music (Musician welfare)
Donate via website; options include one-off, monthly, legacy.
Sister Midnight
Donate via their Keep the Campaign Rolling crowdfunder.