There are probably easier ways to research a business than spending Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday watching its shows. But I’m struggling to think of any that are more enjoyable.
Over the last few days, I’ve been spending a lot of time at The Buttermarket in Shrewsbury. With Cove Group preparing to take over beginning of January, there’s plenty to understand, plenty to plan and plenty of work happening behind the scenes.
There’s also something you can only really appreciate by being there, specifically just how many different experiences this venue delivers.
In five days, I watched John Lydon, live tributes to Jimmy Somerville and The Human League, Small Town Boy, Glam 45, Darts, K-POP Superstars and Frank Turner acoustic and in conversation with Chris .
That’s quite a week by anyone’s standards.
Wednesday: John Lydon
The week began with John Lydon and his “I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right” show.
The man many know as Johnny Rotten, from the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd, brought a very different kind of evening to the venue: an opportunity to listen to the person behind the music and hear his perspective.
Charlie our Attraction Director, joined me for this one. I did wonder whether the show’s title might make a useful addition to our leadership meetings, although I suspect the team would have plenty to contribute.
It was great to see that a night out can be built around a conversation as much as a performance.
Friday: a change of soundtrack
By Friday, we were into the music of Small Town Boy followed by Jimmy Somerville and The Human League.
Smalltown Boy celebrated songs from Bronski Beat, The Communards and Somerville’s solo career, followed by Love distrACTION performing The Human League classics.
Same building, completely different evening. That became the theme of the week for me. Each visit brought another reason for people to come through the doors, and another way to experience the space.
Saturday: Glam 45 and Darts
Saturday brought Glam 45, followed by Darts on their 50th Anniversary Tour.
There’s something special about watching people enjoy music that has been part of their lives for years. A song can bring back a particular time, a place or a memory, and suddenly you’re sharing that with a room full of people.
It’s easy, when looking at an events calendar, to see a list of artists and dates. Being there reminds you what those bookings actually become: someone’s night out, a chance to catch up with friends, or an occasion they’ve been looking forward to for months.
This one was particularly special for me. During soundcheck, original Darts member Den Hegarty came over for a chat, and we ended up talking for over an hour about all sorts. A fascinating guy with some brilliant stories, which I had the pleasure of hearing first-hand.
Those are the moments you don’t find on an events listing. An unexpected conversation, a glimpse into someone’s life, and then getting to watch them take to the stage later that evening.
Sunday: K-pop to Frank Turner
Sunday probably demonstrated the venue’s range better than anything.
K-POP Superstars kicked off at 11am with a meet and greet, bringing smiles to the faces of children and parents alike, before entertaining the crowd with an hour of songs and dance from the world of K-pop.
With that event finishing at 1pm and doors opening for the afternoon session at 2pm, the team had just an hour to turn the venue around before welcoming more than 300 people for a very different experience: Frank Turner performing acoustically and in conversation with Chris Hawkins from BBC Radio 6 Music.
It was a wonderfully personal, intimate gig, the kind of performance that gives you goosebumps and reminds you how powerful live music can be.
Those are two very different shows to deliver in the same venue on the same day.
For me, that’s fascinating. The space has to work for the performance, the audience and the atmosphere each event needs. The programme may change dramatically, but the welcome and the quality of the experience still need to be there.
The people making it happen
A huge amount of credit belongs to Claire and the whole Buttermarket team. As a customer, you see the show, behind it sits the preparation, technical work, bar service, security, cleaning and all the other details that help the event run well.
Spending time here is giving me a greater appreciation of that work, alongside the variety of the programme itself. It also matters to me that we understand what people already love about The Buttermarket as we prepare for the handover.
Why I’m excited about January
We’re buying a business with an identity, an audience and a team already delivering some fantastic experiences. Our job is to understand those strengths and build on them.
This week has reinforced my excitement about bringing The Buttermarket into Cove Group. It combines a distinctive building with something I care deeply about, giving people compelling reasons to visit, spend time together and return time and time again.
There will be plenty more to share about our plans. For now, I wanted to celebrate a remarkable few days and the people who made them happen.
And if anyone asks why I’ve been at quite so many shows recently, it’s essential business research, obviously.