Anyway, the big news is that the Pioneer has revamped its sound-system, to the tune of about £67,000, and also had a general refurbish. It certainly looks refurbished:
I didn't do much dancing, as I'd had a massive Nando's, but I did enjoy sets by Polly Poison:
And Canterbury:
Who both put on pretty storming sets. The sound wasn't perfect, but it's early days for the new rig, and hopefully the Pioneer will be able to build on attendance for subsequent shows.
Whichever way you look at it (except maybe from under a Community Support Officer's helmet), having the Pioneer back can only be a good thing. It was instrumental in a scene that produced Enter Shikari and Gallows, but perhaps more importantly, it gave a lot of kids something to strive for in a town which can be carelessly indifferent to their needs. I met some of my best friends there, and I wouldn't be half the musician I am today without having had a place like Pioneer to make my first mistakes. As well as that, it was a place to grow up, to take some hits (sometimes literally) and find out a bit about life and love, between the hours of 6:45 and 11. Now that they've also included an over-18s area, it should be even better as a cornerstone of what once was, and can be again, a thriving local scene.
02/08/10 UPDATE: Ben Jacobs' photos of the night
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