It is officially Independent Venue Week until Sunday Feb 4.

The Brook, The Joiners, The Alex and Talking Heads are among Southampton's Official venues for the UK's Independent Venue Week.

The seven day celebration of small music venues around the UK gives a nod to the people that own, run and work in them, week in, week out. No big chains, just people who toil and sweat to put on gigs!

These venues give artists their first experience of playing live in front of an audience and for fans, somewhere to get up close to artists that one day, may well be playing stadiums and festival main stages.

These venues are the backbone of the live music scene in this country and Independent Venue Week wants to recognise all that they have done to create some of the most memorable nights of the past so they can continue to do the same in the future.

James Walsh, front man of Starsailor who headline one event at The Brook said: ‘I think Independent Venue Week is a great initiative. In an era when the live music business is very unforgiving and venues are closing all over the place the ones surviving are doing an amazing job and are well worth celebrating. They are often a first port of call for upcoming bands making their first steps into the live arena & established acts looking to play a low key show in a legendary place. We’d be lost without them.’

Phil Selway of Radiohead added:‘Small venues are the lifeblood of British Music. When you start out as a band, you aspire to playing in your local venue and feeling a sense of achievement when you get a gig there.’

The Brook has a host of events all week.

Tonight, Friday, February 2, Starsailor headlines with his soaring vocals and strong Van Morrison, Jeff Buckley and Neil Young influences. James will be joined by two brilliant talents, Up Down Go Machine (Acoustic) and Calum Lintott, both powerful and formative artists. Expect a wonderful, emotive melding of rock and soul.

And on Saturday, February 3, three brilliant bands are brought together to celebrate the spirit of independence and culture of live music. 1990s indie rock band The Real People headline with big guitars and soaring harmonies, with support from The Dead Freights, a four piece Southampton based rock & roll band with a sublime mix of melodic pleasure and pain, plus The Villanovas, another emerging Southampton talent with Rock n Roll attitude. This is set to be one of The Brook’s highlights of the year.

For full line up of gigs please visit www.the-brook.com