by Emily Woodcock
From rows of small businesses to a world famous market, Chester is a city where nothing is in short supply. It goes without saying that visitors and residents alike have an abundance of culture at their doorsteps. Lying below the surface of the city is a music scene that isn’t often thought about when considering what Chester has to offer. The open mic nights at Alexanders or the street buskers are a showcase of the talent that the city has to offer while the various record shops, such as Up North Records, show how much music is appreciated in the city.
Local artists chose Chester for a variety of reasons to make a start with creating music, for Tom Fedzin it was the calmness of the city. “It’s harder to get noticed [in bigger cities], that’s why Chester is quite good for starting out.” Fedzin started out busking in Chester before moving to Huddersfield to be closer to family. Busking is a big part of the culture of Chester with musicians of all kinds finding their footing on every street so gathering support is very important to getting a name out in the music scene. Fedzin spoke on this, saying “the fact there’s a lot of tourism really helps, I think it’s better for getting attention even if it’s just someone taking a video to show their mates.”
Although the music scene in Chester is much less known in comparison to other cities such as Liverpool, it’s undeniable that the hidden talent is what gives the city its personality. Every corner offers a new musical experience for visitors despite the lack of venues for musicians to play at in the city. “I miss being [in Chester] for the atmosphere, people actually stop to listen to you,” said Fedzin while reminiscing about his time in the city.
It isn’t just about the production of music that Chester goes unnoticed for, several independent record shops can be found in the city for anyone looking to add to their collection. In my podcast for the Chester Student Radio, I spoke to Ronnie Moore, the owner of Up North Records, about the importance of shops like this in the city and what he thought about the music scene in Chester. This second perspective showed how important support from residents and visitors is in keeping Chester’s understated music scene alive and well.
To hear from Ronnie Moore of Up North Records, click here
