Waterfront CultBar is becoming a regular music venue

Radio broadcaster, and Ipswich Star music columnist, Stephen Foster has been a champion of live music in the town for many years.

Sadly the demise of the local pub, and the tendancy to them being snapped up and sold for other commercial premises such as shops, has seen a lot pubs which provided live entertainment and venues for bands to perform and develop disappear.

The town needs pubs, clubs and other venues for a thriving live music scene.

Now Stephen, who lives at the Waterfront, is helping to promote live entertainment in that area as well as other venues in the town.

He said:“I have been living down here for the last three years, and I absolutely love the place, and I am pleased to promote live music here.

“I have been promoting gigs ever since the 1980s, so that is 25 years in Ipswich.

“I have put on a couple of events at DanceEast and already have some plans for next year including a show, in May, at the New Wolsey.

“The Waterfront is a tremendous area of the town and live music is my passion.

“Music at The Cult Bar is well supported by the univerity students, and it is open to the public too.

“The Cult Bar is also a great venue, with plenty of space on the ground floor, a great bar and food. I have been here a few times and it has a great atmosphere.

“Mike and Georgie Keen from The Brewery Tap are doing a great job.

“My next event is Eddie and the Hotrods on Thursday December 19. It should be a very good night just before Christmas. We are planning to do a few more next year.”

Mike and Georgie keen took over the venue, within the UCS James Hehir Building, in August.

“It is going well,” he said, “and we have live music every Friday.

On Friday December 20 there is music from Kevin Pearce plus the Jazmine Ava Band.

The historic Brewery Tap is further down river at the other end of the Waterfront, and is well known for its food offering and beer.

Mike said they only had occasional live events at the Brewery Tap, “We usually have about three a year,” he said, “We have the Keston Cobblers Club coming in March.”