Ian Prowse and friends opening up the 1st anniversary of the Monday Club at the Cavern Pub. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.
Originally published on L.S.Media. July 18th 2012.
For the last year, Liverpool’s answer to Bruce Springsteen has been making artists, musicians, dramatists and poets welcome to his Monday night club at the Cavern Pub on Mathew Street.
This last Monday, the club which has only two rules to adhere to as you climb on stage, celebrated its first birthday in some incredible style with fabulous music and much laughter in a time where there is scant humour to be found on the streets of the U.K.
Down the old staircase and into the warmth of the underground public house you will find Ian Prowse opening up the night with a couple of songs of his creation, sticking to the absolute rigid rules of the club and from there on in the music lights up one of the dull nights of the working Liverpool week. It is a time to be creative, to take a risk and play for the sheer hell of it something you, and only you have written. To bring a little bit of your soul to the Cavern Pub and to take only the memory of what you have seen and spread the word. In the last year some very impressive musicians have stood on the stage and given knockout performances to those who take Ian up on his open night.
When Ian initially came up with the concept, it was only to last six weeks. The thought that after a while people would get bored and find something new to do on a Monday was ever present. However from that first week something happened in town that made Mondays special. Even when some really big names come along to the city and perform for fans in which ever venue they choose, the Cavern still manages to attract some very cool musicians and fans.
On its first birthday, Ian Prowse introduced, amongst many, his great friend and Liverpool treasure Ian McNabb to play a song and after much ribbing and joking, Ian did just that. Others in the past to have played on this now hallowed Liverpool stage is Irish legend Damian Dempsey, the very fantastic Matt Breen and his band The Endings and this week it saw the arrival of the Birmingham musician Carlton Curtis who gave a stirring performance. He is not the only person from the Midlands to make it to the Monday Club, he is in great company as the wonderful Miles Hunt from The Wonderstuff and an award winning poet have also given a flavour of other parts of the U.K. on the night.
It is a very happy birthday to Ian Prowse and the Monday Club and if you are in the area go in, check out the very obvious talent and remember that if you have an original song or poem that is yours, go along, perform. It can’t hurt and you will be made welcome.
Ian D. Hall