The 1865, Brunswick Square, Southampton SO14 3AR
The more I come here, the more I like it. Once you’re in it’s quite cosy with its respectfully priced and carpeted raised rear bar. Even the stage has a patterned carpet as well as the rear half if the floor. It has a 750 standing capacity and I have seen some tall tables and chairs dotted around nearer the back when less busy.
The 1865 is just about a mile from the central station, down the bottom of town in a well signposted but unlikely looking street when you get to it – like a small trading estate road off Bernard Street.
If driving, more common for me, I find that College Street Car Park is best: a surface car park thus avoiding sleeping beggars and it’s just a few hundred yards walk from the venue. Obviously we have to keep an eye on these things but last visit – The Lemonheads 12.10.2022 – it was still free after 6pm. There is some major building work going on adjacent to that car park so you need to drive around the block to get in for now.
The bar prices, beer range and feel of the place makes going as soon as the doors open quite an attractive option. If around town beforehand, it’s only a large half mile walk down from the range of pubs and eateries in Above Bar Street. If you have more time I recommend the Dancing Man Brewery, right down near the Isle of Wight Ferry Port area. Great brews and interesting setting in the end of the city walls – about 0.4 miles from The 1865. There is also the similarly individual Platform Tavern, just east of the Dancing Man, along the main road. Really good food choice and some good beers.
From the outside, The 1865 looks like some sort of industrial unit – it can’t be here can it? But yes it is. Hopefully a little queue will be there to reassure the unfamiliar.
I like the location of the bar here, up the stairs away at the back of the venue. You can stand up there and survey the place, including the merch stand, have chat and it not be in the way or disruptive for the stage. Perfect to see a support band from.
Some hand pulled beers on – last visit I had a few pints of thw Palmers Gold. Lovely and a good range of drinks that are very reasonably priced for a venue…and service is swift.
The mixing desk is just in front and below where the photo above was taken from. The merch stand is usually to the right of the staircase down to the main floor, in the corner.
There is a balcony on the right hand side, up another level from the bar, with some seating up there to the rear of the balcony. I had not seen this open until I went to see The Lemonheads on 12.10.2022, which was really busy. Previously I had only seen it used as an area for special guests/ performers.
There is another smaller bar on the right hand side as you look at the stage and some pillars down that side – handy for a lean or photo-taking place, without annoying people behind you. On my visits I have always found it easy to move close to the stage down either side for a clearer view.
I will keep this blog updated. My blogs from gigs at The 1865 are below. I am pulling away from a blog from every gig as my blogging progresses and as I start to revisit bands and venues I’ve covered before. Updating and expanding my venue blogs for places I visit more regularly is something I want to grow though.
– My Easter tour, including China Crisis (April 2022)
Gigs with Ivan 