Bolton’s diminishing indie music scene

Railway Venue

Having once called itself ‘the North West of England’s number 1 small venue’, the Railway Venue at 37 Chapeltown Road closed with a performance from tribute act, The ZZ Tops on April 30, 2016. The low capacity venue in Bromley Cross hosted many memorable nights, with performances from touring tribute bands, such as The Doors Alive and young local artists including, Alex James and the Sound.

The Blind Tiger, Bury

The first Blind Tiger opened in February, 2005. More bar than venue, the Blind Tiger Bury specialises in acoustic performances, hosting jam nights on Wednesdays and local bands on bank holidays – they even started the famous Glaston-Bury festival.

The Blind Tiger, Bolton

Bolton’s Blind Tiger brought about a surge in the local indie scene, as it hosted tour dates for exciting young bands such as Cabbage, and a notable performance at B Festival 2017 from The Blinders. Having been sold in 2017, the venue sadly closed after a memorable April 21 show this year from Manchester young-rockers Twisted Wheel, with support from Billy Bibby and the Wry Smiles and The Jade Assembly.

The Alma Inn

Holding the fort as Bolton’s leading punk/metal venue, the Alma Inn continues to host frequent gigs to cater for Bolton’s riffier tastes.