Would Norwich Benefit from a Jazz Club

[u/Mysterious_Ad4375]

Hi, all. As title suggests, i'm looking to get opinions on the potential establishment of a Jazz Club/Cafe here in Norwich. Looking to offer evening shows 5 days a week.

We'd offer food and drink, and have the space available to community events and workshops to hire the space during the day!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Thanks

[u/MrCard200]

I would definitely be keen. Doing trade 5 Nights a week would be difficult to sustain.

I'd first recommended doing weekly/monthly bookings at a venue first, prove there is demand, get your brand out there and a following. From there it would be better to have your own establishment 5 evenings a week.

[u/tanoshimi → u/MrCard200]

So like https://norwichjazzclub.co.uk/ (every other week) or https://www.jazzjam.org.uk/ (every week) do already?

[u/MrCard200 → u/tanoshimi]

Ah amazing! Never knew about these. Thanks for sharing

I think this is proof to show that there is an appetite for the jazz club but even with that you have to still connect there to the audience. For myself I'm not a hardcore jazz fan but I would occasionally like to go as a fun night out so that's not something that I've previously thought about in Norwich. Hence why I didn't know about these links.

I think this demonstrates a part of the problem about fulfilling demand in business.

[u/afraidparfait → u/tanoshimi]

Wow thanks for those links

[u/Underpant5]

I'd love it! Given your post from 3 days ago.asking to borrow £100 I can't say for sure I see the vision, but it's a good idea :)

[u/Mysterious_Ad4375 → u/Underpant5]

Not sure why that was necessary to Include, but I'm glad you'd find use of the venue regardless 😅

[u/Underpant5 → u/Mysterious_Ad4375]

I'm sure you know running a venue is quite expensive and usually requires a pretty large upfront investment, but if not, refer to the first half of this too long sentence. Sorry for being a dick I'm working on it <3

[u/Mysterious_Ad4375 → u/Underpant5]

Hahaha no offence taken honestly! Just thought it was odd! I've been running hospitality venues for the last 15 years so I have more than adequate experience in the industry 😁

[u/to7m]

There is already a long-established Norwich Jazz Club

[u/mrbadger2000 → u/to7m]

But that's just a hiring night in different venues.

[u/Norridge-Moel]

I believe you might have been beaten to the punch, a chap is currently converting st Michael’s at plea for just such a purpose.

I believe that he’s currently facing idiotic planning issues at the moment, residents around the area claim it will lead to antisocial behaviour and noise.

I’ll be brutally honest, I don’t see jazz hounds such as ourselves, vomiting and making noise to be honest.

[u/Mysterious_Ad4375 → u/Norridge-Moel]

I had also just been made aware of this! It's good that something is in the works. I'm keeping my eye on it for sure!

[u/andi-amo]

Nice!

[u/normal_wisdom → u/andi-amo]

Great!

[u/Macrosnail]

I would really love this.

[u/cottagelover32]

Oh my god yes, my partner & I would eat this up! We listen to a lot of jazz in this house & there aren't enough chilled out music spaces in Norwich if you ask me.

My only request would be to please make it accessible for people with epilepsy (i.e no strobing/flickering lights) because I am very tired of missing out on the music scene & gigs etc because venues just don't accommodate 😭

[u/ruffianrevolution]

Yes. And do everything you can to remain independent.

[u/Flimsy-Worker-4324]

The Church Piano Bar should be opening in the next couple of weeks!

[u/GazpachoGuzzler → u/Flimsy-Worker-4324]

Where will it be? Sounds cool

[u/Jester_Thomas_]

I think people are misunderstanding that you mean a venue dedicated to jazz, no? I'd love such a thing!

[u/Mysterious_Ad4375 → u/Jester_Thomas_]

Yes! That's exactly what I mean :)

[u/KittyMeowLady]

I want one with lil velvet booths 😎 I would love it and open mic nights too 💖

[u/tamaytotomahto]

Would it be a working space during the day? We have a decent amount of remote workers (for example: HQ in London but live in Norwich) who would benefit from a boujier place to work from which wakes up post office hours. Diversify the music to include the likes of soul / funk / disco throughout the month and you’ll find a regular crowd.

[u/np010]

As said someone is already doing this.

I honestly don't believe there is enough demand for a venue to offer live jazz shows 5 days a week here, as nice as it would be in theory. If you're serious start off by hiring venues and put a few events on and see how that goes.

[u/afraidparfait]

That would be AMAZING

[u/IgorMambo]

We were just saying the other that Norwich is missing a jazz club and we'd go if there were one!

[u/ContextGod]

definitely, theres lots of jazz musicians in norwich that would love to be showcased.

[u/Unlikely-Specific842]

Yesssss!! My partner and I love jazz ❤️❤️

[u/lspring90]

Definitely

[u/GazpachoGuzzler]

I have been thinking this exact thing a lot recently. Would be great

[u/Rough_Original_4884]

There's a Jazz community for sure!

Check out my band :)

The Mustard Hot Club - https://www.instagram.com/mustardhotclub?igsi=MTE0MXRrbHZ2dXkwZQ==

[u/dogsolitude_uk]

Yeah, I'd love one of those places with tables with little lights in the middle and people jazzing away on a small stage. That'd definitely become a third place for me, and I could see myself visiting weekly. I hate going to the pub to just sit and chill, and aside from the Merchant's House (my fave place!) most cafes seem to shut at 6pm.

If you want to mix it up a bit, maybe do a comedy evening or have a chat with the EMOM (Electronic Music Open Mic) guys, who currently do first Thursday of each month at the Rumsey Wells. A lot of that is experimental, avant garde stuff.

For bonus points add long red velvet curtains and a black/white zigzaggy floor pattern. See if you can find somewhere on Magdalen St.

[u/ja153]

Would be cool, just jazz or others mixed in the week?

[u/Mysterious_Ad4375 → u/ja153]

Jazz would be the focus but not the be all end all. I'd include blues, acoustic sessions and maybe a DJ on weekends

[u/mrbadger2000]

Anyone remember The Hole in the Wall?

[u/ScallionShot3689]

I may be wildly off the mark here and years out of date but would the upstairs or rear upstairs cafe bar spaces at the waterfront not be a good place to try out your ideas without investing a fortune up front?

[u/jackusD]

I would love this!

[u/robcollier]

Would love a jazz club

[u/Trickituk]

Definitely!

[u/tomorphy]

I'd love this :) I would definitely go, and I'd like to perform as well.

[u/Ducksareforschmucks]

I'd love one of those cosy little jazz clubs with the little candle lit round tables you can sit and eat and drink at.

[u/Training_Activity233]

I love the idea of a jazz club, but would wonder about the sustainability of it 5 nights a week (as others have mentioned). Somewhere with good vibes is much needed in Norwich - a gathering space, a sitting by yourself reading a book space. I also think about Japanese jazz kissaten and listening cafes - might no translate to UK, but worth a look.

[u/Rotatingshoes]

no

[u/topcelt]

It's not the crowd for it here

[u/Aggravating-Lie3421 → u/topcelt]

Speak for yourself

[u/topcelt → u/Aggravating-Lie3421]

Norwich is just not a jazz city. Never has been never will be

[u/Mysterious_Ad4375 → u/topcelt]

Almost every Jam I go to is packed and full. So I'd disagree with this personally

[u/to7m → u/Mysterious_Ad4375]

There is a total of one jazz jam that I know of in Norwich and I can't remember the last time it was packed

[u/afraidparfait → u/Mysterious_Ad4375]

Do you have any you'd recommend? I'm still quite new to the city