Nightlife
Whether you’re out for a cheeky pint, looking for a quick snack, or hungry for a slap up meal with Carlisle’s fantastic range of bars and eateries, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
The Brickyard
Carlisle’s hotspot for live music, having featured big names in the past like the Arctic Monkeys, The Zutons and Babyshambles.
It is the only full-time live music venue in the city and as well as hosting big name bands past and present, The Brickyard also showcases up and coming talent from Carlisle.
Radio One DJ Ally McCrae found this out earlier in the year when he hosted some BBC Introducing gigs in the city. He said: “The Brickyard was a great wee venue. I call it a proper venue: it stank of whiskey, you could see the brickwork, and it just felt like a proper sweaty venue.”
Ally loved The Brickyard’s rugged atmosphere and praised the local talent that can regularly be seen here including boy band Promo Girl (now The Future Kicks): “They had confidence in what they were doing. They loved the music they were making and were having a great time on stage.”
The Brickyard is not only a hit with local gig-goers but also local musicians, as Andrew Graham, who has played at the Brickyard with a few different bands, told me: “The Brickyard has a great sound system and a very intense atmosphere. It’s good for bands because they advertise well and the fact that it’s near the city centre means you can go out after a gig.”
The Brickyard caters for a wide variety of music tastes with psychedelic band Lucid Dream, The Jon Amor Blues Group and DJ Woody booked for this year. Rock however is the most prevalent genre to be seen at the Brickyard, which suits its bare bricked walls and dark atmosphere.
The 320 capacity venue may be small but what it lacks in size it makes up for with musical talent and a lively crowd.
Concrete bar and club
Laying beneath a Carlisle estate agents is a nightclub that, despite its inauspicious setting, has become destination of choice for students seeking late night fun.
Club Concrete is currently the place to on a night out in the Border City with two rooms blasting out a variety of the best music about.
In room one the nightclub has DJs playing the best music ranging from the very latest tracks to classics such as The Beatles and The Kinks. In their second room, it’s the very best of R’n’B that is blasted out on to the dancefloor. The club also hosts special guests from time-to-time – with memorable recent visits from Calvin Harris and Nick Grimshaw.
Club Concrete has two very sizable bars offering two-for-one on all drinks before midnight. It is also launching ‘Faux Fur’sday’ with selected cocktails on a two-for-one offer all night long, which means you may still have a little bit of money left in your pocket come the time you’re stumbling out at 3am.
‘Faux Fur’sday’ will also have a VIP service on offer. Club Concrete owner Tony Van Lierop said: “The VIP treatment consists of us having a four-poster bed that you can book out each night and we will give bed-side service to these people, such as serving drinks.”
Club Concrete is open four nights a week and offers student discount on admission. Watch out for themed nights such as ‘Teapot Tuesday’ and the popular ‘Crystal Disco’.
Calva Bar
Located on the Fusehill Street campus, Calva is a place to grab a bite to eat through the day and regularly hosts night time events including music, quizzes and karaoke. “In the evenings, on Monday night we have quiz night, which is quite popular. Thursday night has been an events night, with a Sol promotional night, a wine tasting night, and karaoke night. Friday night is chilled out but sometimes events are put on, for example the Carlisle Youth Zone have been in. It is less of a bar and more of a function room,” Ellie explains.
“St. Patrick’s Day is one of the best nights of the year it’s always packed. We put green food colouring in all the drinks and serve Irish stew, giving out hats and t-shirts. Nowhere else really tries as much. I like having student reunions where old students come back. It is nice to see them a few years on.”
The Lane Kitchen Bar
An eatery by day and a bar by night, The Lane Kitchen Bar has a quirky layout and a unique atmosphere with its cosy rooms and corridors.
Cameron Ellis, the bar manager and DJ, described the bar in his own words: “The Lane adapts to whatever your mood is. Through the day it’s the perfect place to enjoy a working lunch or chilled beer. By evening the candles are lit and the music steps up.”
Cameron is passionate about the bar and his own personal ambition for the bar is everyone, including UoC students, to come down and experience its unique feel. “I don’t just serve them a drink and take their money. I really try and interact with everyone who comes into the bar and make them feel valued.”
He added: “It is a bar in its own league; location, ambience, style. It’s a fresh forever changing alternatives to Botchergate.”
Cameron makes a good point, as the drunken antics of Botchergate aren’t to everyone’s taste, but The Lane still manages to maintain a lively and cool atmosphere.
The Source
The Source is a music and arts venue located in Denton Holme. The venue has a bar/lounge area, and a separate room that has a very intimate atmosphere, accommodating a range of music, from acoustic folk to heavy metal. If you’re looking for a more intimate night then The Source is for you.
Merienda
Merienda is a contemporary eatery in the city centre of Carlisle. The venue serves Spanish style cuisine and provides a relaxed atmosphere which is complemented by acoustic guitar and vocals in the evening from local musicians such as Ben Mattinson.
Botchergate
Live music can be seen on Botchergate with bands playing in Lloyds. Gigs in here are loud and boisterous – a bit like Botchergate itself – but great for a loud atmosphere. The Office regularly hosts cover band Room 101 whose take on popular hits from The Beatles, The Killers and The Foo Fighters provide a highlight in Carlisle’s nightlife.
Taxis
The two main taxi ranks in the city centre can be found beside the railway station and at the top of Warwick Road. There are plenty of taxi services available. AAA Taxis offer a 10% discount for callouts, making them a wallet-friendly choice for students.
Credits
Articles by BA (Hons) Journalism students Tom Little and Steven Ramshay.