The Donkey - 203 Welford Road

The Donkey is a fitting name for this venue. Now in it's fifth year of live music, it humbly carries a mighty share of the live music events in Leicester. Hosting a wide spectrum of events from a recent secret warm up gig of the Fun Lovin' Criminals to relaxed Sunday jazz gatherings, the venue caters to a wide range of audiences. With something on almost every day of the week from lunchtime bands to touring acts, comedy and the 'Mid-Week Mule' open mic night on a Wednesday, you could be forgiven for thinking events are organised without much thought. This is not the case however. Within minutes of sitting down to talk to Gaz Birtles it is clear that it is the genuine love of music which the people who run the venue have that has lead to its success. The staff here have a deep well of experience in music to draw upon.

Due to my late arrival I arrive half way through an in-depth conversation about the state of the music industry today - discussing that the old way of getting into the business of find band, write tunes, play tunes and build a fanbase no longer leads to bands getting signed.

Much is done here beyond the boundaries of a typical music venue. The jazz gatherings being a community and the Sundays often being long relaxed events, often with music from 4 until late - Gaz himself notes the gradual shift the pub has seen from typical pub regulars to regular musicians and people with an appetite for sound. In the past the venue has funded CD releases for bands on their own Donkey label, matching costs by selling the CDs, thus promoting the venue and supporting local music.

The Donkey is trusted as a good venue, relying on a consistent stream of good acts, rather than flooding it's audience with a 'muddy river' of mediocrity. The size and its layout enable it to be properly 'Harvey Dent' - at once comfortable enough for the mellowest acoustic and big enough for the dirtiest blues. A regular newsletter further helps keep people aware of what's on, listing regular events and booked acts with a slant towards offering an alternative to the already oversupplied indie music scene.

As I prepare to leave Gaz smiles and recalls how in the beginning he just put on the bands he wanted to see, "It's just down the road from my house, I just thought - who do I want to have play here?'' The breadth of sound played here has broadened considerably since, but the basic principle is the same - high quality entertaining acts in a positive atmosphere.

But there is more to a good venue than simply the acts that it puts on - the atmosphere of a venue can warp music, turning a river into a colossal waterfall. What causes this elusive atmosphere I'm not yet clear on, but with it's ample assortment of sofas and late night orange glow, the Donkey feels like it could have it.

Get down the Donkey! If you fancy an afternoon down there then Sundays can be highly recommended - Drew organises these and has been involved with the venue for sometime. I personally get a lovely, warming feeling every time I visit - from Warren behind the bar to the old man in the corner, there is a great mix of people and everyone is welcomed.

This weeks article was written and edited by 2 local music lovers, i would like to thank Lawrence Wendell Thereiznois for writting the article and John Fowell for editing. Further comments Mike Harper

I would also like to give a huge thanks to Gaz and Warren for taking the time to chat to us. Thnx

"If people want to be added to our mailing list please visit www.donkeybar.co.uk and subscribe. Emails come to me and I send a newsletter each week to let you know what's happening. The Fun Lovin' Criminals gig was a testament to the power of the newsletter. We sold that out purely to our regulars and newsletter subscribers. So if you don't want to miss out on future goodies...." Gaz Birtles

Upcoming Events

- FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH - THE SONG CLUB - now in it's third year, this popular Original Music Showcase attracts acts from all over the world! 4 acts a night performing original material to an appreciative audience - FREE
- EVERY WEDNESDAY - MID-WEEK MULE open mic night with Mr Plow - FREE
- EVERY THURSDAY LUNCHTIME - THE CREDIT CRUNCHERS - live Jazz, Country, Blues and originals from the Crunchers - FREE
- THE JAMES TAYLOR QUARTET - June 11th 2010 - £13 adv/£15 door
- DAWN KINNARD - June 25th 2010 - £7 adv/£8 door