For ten years alternative music venue, the White Rabbit was at the heart of the Plymouth music scene. Forced to close down earlier this year - the previous owner has taken on a new venue and feels it's his obligation to keep a thriving music scene alive in the city. EMILY SMITH reminisces
Many cities remember closed down music venues or popular pubs and it's no different for Plymouth. The White Rabbit was the place to play, be seen and now be remembered.
Dan James took on the lease for the huge space at Bretonside ten years ago and since then the White Rabbit has welcomed alternative folk star Frank Turner, female singer Kate Nash and local heroes Crazy Arm, plus many more.
The promoter and venue owner was heartbroken when he handed over the keys to the black door to make room for a brand new Imax Cinema complex.
He did everything he could to try and find a new venue but hasn't had much luck, now managing The Junction on Mutley Plain, he will continue to fight his cause.
"I came out of there with no money at all. There weren't any suitable buildings and I couldn't afford to have something in the city centre," he explains.
"There were no massive spaces away from residential areas that would be suitable. I needed parking and somewhere for a tour bus, as well as a backstage area inside.
"We had it for ten years and we had a good time - but really it should never have worked.
"For me I feel the venue was a part of Plymouth's culture."
Before the 32-year-old took over The Junction, on behalf of the previous manager Rich Pearce, he was putting on gigs across city venues - giving them the events he had worked hard to get.
Now six months down the line he is bringing a whole range of musicians to the pub/music venue on the outskirts of the high-street.
He says: "Everything I had worked for and established for ten years was over.
"I want to try and take elements of the White Rabbit and bring that to The Junction. It's interesting to take what we did there and bring it to a busy street and capture that passing trade - we didn't have that element before.
"After the White Rabbit closed I was desperate for work but I was lucky enough to be offered a position at The Junction by its owners - Andy and Julia, for which I am incredibly grateful."
What Dan feels Plymouth is missing is a 1,000 capacity venue, much like the White Rabbit. As a city, Plymouth is blessed with the Pavilions and many smaller venues but the promoter feels there is nothing in-between.
Over his ten years as a gig promoter and venue owner - it would seem Dan has certainly played his part in placing Plymouth on the map.
"No-one was coming down here they were all stopping at Bristol or Exeter. I love Plymouth and somebody had to make a difference and get a bigger venue up and running.
"If Plymouth wants to be taken seriously - it needs another venue similar to what we were doing before," he admits, "we don't have that variety of venues now in the Plymouth.
"It's integral to the city.
"I'm the man that can make that happen - it can work if we have somewhere we can go into. We have already proved that it can work.
"Plymouth is a melting pot of so much great talent. There are people here who don't get a look in and have to go to other cities to play those bigger venues."
The White Rabbit is a venue that will always be loved by local gig goers and the musicians that played there. It provided a platform to up and coming stars and brought hundreds to the city.
The idea to lease the iconic venue presented itself to Dan and his parents after their family-run bakery, Crumbz, was forced to relocate to make way for Drake Circus.
Growing up, Dan was surrounded by his parent's record collection and his love for live music grew when his friends from sixth form started sharing mix-tapes with each other, started attending local band shows and went to Reading Festival for the first time together.
"I went to Plymouth College of Art and did a Btec in design for multi-media and the whole time I was just going to loads of gigs at The Cooperage.
"I worked in the bakery for a bit as well. After that shut down people came to us and said about the site on Bretonside. Dad wanted to turn it into a cafe and run a little bakery. I went down to look at it and it was massive.
"Dad set up the cafe and I spent all my time in the other room trying to find bits of wood to build a bar and we started putting on a few underground shows without a licence."
It cost £3 on the door and people could buy a couple of drinks. From there it grew to one of the most well-known city venues.
"I had never worked behind a bar before. We just thought 'why not.' A lot of people just started to come in without knowing anything about the venue.
"We had the White Rabbit for ten years and it was never the most profitable of businesses but we made sure we broke even.
"We made every mistake we could.
"The bands that we had coming in were charging lots of money. I have nothing left now."
But it wasn't all bad news - the 32-year-old met his now wife, Jessica, in the venue and has created a name for himself as 'the man who can bring good music to the city.'
Dan will now continue his plight to get Plymouth recognised as a place musicians should stop.
He says: "I'm currently working with Ben Turner at The Underground and we pick out shows between us.
"I'm just waiting for the right venue to come up. It's the missing jigsaw piece the city needs.
"It's definitely down to us local people to get the scene going again. When the White Rabbit was open we felt the city building momentum. I'm trying to bring that to The Junction - I just need time."
Dan's pick of local acts to keep an eye on
Steve Strong
Black Foxxes
The Badcore Horns
Patrons
WOAHNOWS
Walnut Falcons
Memories of the White Rabbit
Steve Strong: "I worked at the White Rabbit for four years. Dan gave me a job when I moved back to Plymouth from Bristol and the opportunity to play. He also created a safe hub for friends to hang, a platform for up and coming bands and a sense of belonging. Dan is an important and consistent part of the Plymouth music scene. It's in his blood and he couldn't be a nicer person!"
Brad Sherman, singer and guitarist of Blowouts: "Not only did Dan run the best venue to play in Plymouth, it was also one of the best small venues to play in the UK. He booked bands that you wanted to see, he looked after the bands well and it was always a pleasure to play there. He gave us opportunities that we wouldn't have gotten anywhere else. It was a friendly atmosphere that was solely concentrated on the love of live music."
Alternative folk singer, Frank Turner: "I've played the White Rabbit a bunch of times on my travels – it's the staple underground venue in the city of Plymouth, a fact confirmed by people I know in the town. The shows I've had there have always been great – a good atmosphere, well run, a good crowd, the right intentions. Small venues are crucial to keeping underground and independent music scenes thriving, they are the lifeblood of any scene and a training ground for many, many bands who go on to bigger things – be it Radiohead, Biffy Clyro, or even me. It deserves the support of the live music community and the people of Plymouth."