So. Farewell then, Talking Heads...

Back in July the bad news broke that Southampton venue The Talking Heads was to close its doors. A combination of a rise in business rates and a lack of local support appear to have done for the venue, which only moved to new premises in the Polygon in 2016, but it would remain open to honour commitments through to the end of September.

The Talking Heads originally operated in Portswood, a short distance from The Brook, in a pub that used to be known as The Red Lion. In some respects its previous life as a hostelry made it an odd venue, welcoming punters with a cosy bar at the front when they stepped inside, confusing them when they looked for the stage in the narrow and low-ceilinged room that led beyond.

The repurposed nature of the venue meant that the stage area was at a lower level than the rest of the pub, situated in a space that you had to step down into, adding to the quirks of the place. The best place to watch a band was up close to the stage area, which meant squeezing in as best you could amongst a throng of folks doing the same (jostling for the sweet spot by the mixing desk). If you stayed nearer the bar all you'd likely see was the lights in your eyes and the backs of other punters' heads. However, being close to the stage also meant you were slightly removed from the poor acoustics of the low-ceiling room, acoustics which all too easily carried the sound of chatter.

Despite being a trek for a Portsmouth-based punter such as myself, with the threat of the last train home via Eastleigh that enjoying a gig too much could result in, I undertook the schlep across to the other city on the Solent on several occasions (one of which, the excellent Easy Star All Stars gig there, sticks in memory).

Unfortunately planning permission to redevelop the site into student accommodation went through in 2014, after failing the previous year, which led to the venue lifting and shifting to The Maple Leaf on the Polygon. A new beginning then, yes, but one which sadly hasn't lasted despite a sterling array of local, national and international acts performing there. 

The curtain falls on The Talking Heads this weekend, with the venue cheering itself goodbye with a weekend of music that showcases the best of what the venue was all about, an eclectic mix of styles and genres. It's not all bad news though, the Heads' sister venue, The 1865, remains very open for business (and plays host to both the James Taylor Quartet and the Lovely Eggs next month).

So. Farewell then Talking Heads, and thank you for the music.