Showcasing Small Spaces: Interview with Dubrek Studios, Derby

Posted on Wednesday 22nd May 2024 at 16:00

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Gigantic Tickets is showing love for the grassroots gig venues vital to local communities. According to the Music Venue Trust, two venues a week permanently close doors whilst 1-in-3 are operating at a loss. Our Intimate Venues Hosting The Next Big Thing series shines a spotlight on independent spaces you need to know and the hardworking people running them.

Dubrek Studios has been a central hub of Derby’s music community for over twenty years. The 100-cap performance is popular with gig-goers far and wide, attracted to its diverse range of innovative bands and rising stars.

Dubrek recently relocated to the University of Derby campus. It now offers a studio, two practice rooms plus a large gallery space that regularly hosts art exhibitions. Their café and bar complete with outdoor tables serves locally sourced beers.

This weekend sees the cherished venue play host to Pete Bassman of Spaceman 3 and Barry Sutton from The Las for The Dubrek Bank-Holiday Extravaganza! The awesome all-day festival also sees sets from Al Bamfs, Bo Daphney, Stone Anthem, Kez, and many more essential alternative acts plus DJs James Thornhill and Daryn Shepherd. The exciting event takes place on Saturday 25th May 2024 and tickets are available HERE.

This week, we talk to Dubrek’s director Jay Dean to ask why he lives his job, what makes his venue so special, and his personal favourite shows.

What’s the best part of your job working as part of a small venue?

Making new friends! Myself and the team love meeting new people and the artists and audiences that come are always awesome.

If you had to name one thing that makes your venue special, or stand out from the rest, what would it be?

It's not just a venue. We also have a recording studio, rehearsal rooms and an art gallery.

How can gig-goers and local communities help support small venues more, and why is this important?

Use it or lose it! It's the audiences that keep places like Dubrek going.

What’s the best show you’ve seen in your venue?

That's really tough to answer but ones that spring to mind are Teeth of the Sea and Thee Alcoholics. Oh, and The Jonny Halifax Invocation

What's the biggest success story you can think from a show at your venue?

We're the first step in a band’s career so we've seen many move to bigger stages, tours and festivals. Too many to name them all.

What are you most looking forward to in the next 12 months?

Making some improvements to the venue in terms of staging and lighting. We constantly look at ways to make the Dubrek experience better. We also have some awesome touring bands coming...but I'm not allowed to announce them yet.