VENUE SPOTLIGHT: NORTHERN GUITARS
30 years’ worth of experience with guitars and sound tech?
Check.
Bar, café, and music venue?
Check.
Cheap deals on bottles of beer for when it’s the end of the month and you’re wanting a night out, but can’t quite let go of the countryside-dweller within you who’s too used to buying a San Miguel for £3.21 and shudders in revulsion at regular Leeds prices?
Check.
Northern Guitars is a place, as you can see, that is designed to tick all the right boxes. First established as a music shop about thirty years ago, it built up a sturdy reputation for itself before deciding to foray into the world of hospitality, to equally great success. Now, as I sit in the corner of their bar on their comfy sofa and write this, I can only feel gratitude that they opened this place up to the masses.
The atmosphere is cosy; it’s a small space, and if they hadn’t done it right, it could easily have felt cramped and uncomfortably tight-knit. Luckily, they did do it right. Wood furnishings, posters upon posters lining the walls, and a great selection of music at goldilocks-level volume. It feels homely and familiar in a way that many places can’t quite emulate. I mean, come on – they’ve got a QR code that delivers burgers to you from the nearby restaurant. What more could you want?
I’ve been to Northern Guitars on various different occasions. Coming for a quick drink is a given if you’re near Call Lane, of course, but that’s far from all they’re good for. Every Monday, they host an open mic night that’s the envy of the city. Well-known by all the local musicians, there’ll almost always be a lineup of artists ready to bust out some singing, spoken word, or whatever else it is they have up their sleeves. I once watched a rather eccentric man try and convert everyone to Buddhism in the first few minutes of his act, and then take out a rosary from his pocket and attempt to hypnotise a random member of the crowd. It did not work.
Don’t worry though: if religious conversion/hypnotherapy isn’t your thing, then there’s also an abundance of amazing musical talent to feast on. And hey – maybe there’s something of your own you want to showcase. Absolutely anyone is welcome to get on stage and do their thing (hence why you get people who spend two minutes swinging a rosary bead inches away from a poor stranger’s face and asking, ‘are you hypnotised yet?’), so if that’s something you want to try, you’re welcome to go for it!
As well as open mic nights every Monday, Northern Guitars also provide us lucky locals with a steady stream of gigs and live music of all genres. From rock to blues, full bands to solo acoustic artists, there’s something for every ear. Not to mention the fact that almost every time I’ve ever passed it, there’s been something or another happening on the stage by the window. So you can say goodbye to those monotonous Tuesdays sat watching repeats of whatever Channel 4’s bunged on the telly for the millionth time – you’ve got plans now!
(Okay, I’ll admit: having just checked their schedule for the week, I am seeing that in fact Tuesday is the one day when they don’t have anything on. Consider this a lesson on why you shouldn’t always trust what you read on the internet. I would like you to note that my general point still stands though- they have a lot going on.)
With wall-to-wall events, a welcoming atmosphere, and beers for under 4 quid, Northern Guitars is a guaranteed good time. Head down to the bottom of Call Lane in Leeds city centre if you want to find out for yourself, or follow them on Instagram (@Northernguitars)
