FMS-Blog : The Wildly Whimsical, Mostly Musical WebLog
Friday, May 26, 2006
Whitby Music Scene
It's going to be a busy weekend for me - after a night out this evening to celebrate my friends' engagement, I'll be heading up to Yorkshire's East coast for a few days of merriment and, hopefully, music. I actually studied for my degree in the seaside resort of Scarborough so I know the area reasonably well, but on Saturday I'll be heading up to Whitby, a small harbour town about 20 miles further North on that coastline.
Whitby doesn't exactly conform to the stereotype of a sleepy fishing town (certainly nowhere near as much as it's picturesque neighbour Robin Hood's Bay) for various reasons, not least it's ongoing popularity with tourists. But, the town has more going for it than a thriving fishing industry and a historic abbey for tourists to visit (first climbing the famous 199 stairs to the building's position on the hill overlooking the town). The myth of Dracula, for example, continues to attract those interested in the region's 'gothic' history and this brings with it related musical traditions, such as those visitor's tendency to be interested in rock music. An 'alternative' music night that presumably satisfies these tastes is offered at various venues around Whitby and Scarborough and is aptly known as 'Death Warmed Up'.
Whitby also hosts a number of large music festivals that attract musicians and audiences from all over Britain and beyond. The Whitby Rock festival is held at the Whitby Pavilion Complex in September and then, in October, Musicport presents the World Music Festival that stages musicians from literally all over the globe. Many performers at this event are experts of their particular genre of music : an absolute gamut of fantastic and hugely varied music is on offer right here on Yorkshire's coast.
At other times during the year, Whitby hosts many other smaller events, including a folk festival, and lots of the pubs in the town regularly show live music. It's been a while since I visited this town - I'm certainly looking forward to being a part of it again!
Whitby doesn't exactly conform to the stereotype of a sleepy fishing town (certainly nowhere near as much as it's picturesque neighbour Robin Hood's Bay) for various reasons, not least it's ongoing popularity with tourists. But, the town has more going for it than a thriving fishing industry and a historic abbey for tourists to visit (first climbing the famous 199 stairs to the building's position on the hill overlooking the town). The myth of Dracula, for example, continues to attract those interested in the region's 'gothic' history and this brings with it related musical traditions, such as those visitor's tendency to be interested in rock music. An 'alternative' music night that presumably satisfies these tastes is offered at various venues around Whitby and Scarborough and is aptly known as 'Death Warmed Up'.
Whitby also hosts a number of large music festivals that attract musicians and audiences from all over Britain and beyond. The Whitby Rock festival is held at the Whitby Pavilion Complex in September and then, in October, Musicport presents the World Music Festival that stages musicians from literally all over the globe. Many performers at this event are experts of their particular genre of music : an absolute gamut of fantastic and hugely varied music is on offer right here on Yorkshire's coast.
At other times during the year, Whitby hosts many other smaller events, including a folk festival, and lots of the pubs in the town regularly show live music. It's been a while since I visited this town - I'm certainly looking forward to being a part of it again!
