ANDY JOHNSTON

Andy is a regular attendee here at Future Yard, and has become a familiar face to our team when he visits, whether that’s for a lively gig or a mellow chat and a cappuccino. Andy attended the Future Yard festival in 2019, as well as some of the early socially-distanced, COVID-affected shows in 2021, with Chartreuse and Shame. Since then he’s continued to attend a large variety of different types of gigs at Future Yard, making him almost as knowledgeable about FY’s history of shows as the staff.

As someone who has seen it all here, his telling of events is as crucial as anyone involved with Future Yard.

What are gigs and the environment like here? 

“I think, for me, it’s a real community feel. The first thing I said to Chris and Craig when I came in that first time, was ‘what you’ve absolutely nailed is the people, the staff’. I still come in twice a week; so, I’ll chat to Reggie, I’ll chat to Adam, I’ll chat to Will, I know their names [and] they know mine. And they’ve got that so right; people who have that same passion that I’ve got for live music. They’ve got people working here that aren’t just working here to serve coffee, they’ll tell me my next favourite band. Yeah, so, I think that’s the best bit.

“Everyone in here is always brilliant, dead friendly, [they] want to talk about music, and it just feels like you’re part of something.”

“The stuff they do with Propeller is just outstanding. I’ve not had anyone I know go through that, but I speak to quite a few of the sound people and some of them have moved on, now, to bigger and better things, and I think it’s brilliant, what they’re doing for the area as well.”

What’s it been like seeing the venue grow in stature (and now size)?

“I think that’s the exciting bit now. The venue’s obviously built a real big reputation with bands. I do speak to the bands, sometimes I’ll go and watch them elsewhere or at festivals and be like, ‘Oh, I saw you at Future Yard!’ and they’ll go ‘Oh! The best, probably the second best or the best venue we’ve been to in the UK!’. So, the bands are buzzing off it, as well. 

There’s a real thought going into everything to do with it. When I first came to the [launch event] back in 2019, it felt like a proper festival. So, to now have the second space, it’s just going to open up to slightly bigger artists again, isn’t it? So, we can still have all the newer ones, and that bigger space is just going to give you more opportunities to see and attract a few more people and get some more sold-out shows.”

What excites you about the new build? 

“Even though I’m a lot older than probably a lot of the people that are coming here, I’m also all about the new bands. I love hearing something new. I don’t want to go and watch The Killers play Future Yard. That’s not what I’m about. I want to see the next, like, say, deathcrash or something. I want to see the next new band.”

“It feels like I see a lot of the same people at the gigs. I don’t know how many of them are travelling through from Liverpool. Like, I travel to Manchester or Leeds regularly, if I need to, if the band I want to see is playing. But I don’t know how many people do that for Birkenhead. I’m hoping that’ll help with that. There’ll be even more people realising it’s only six minutes on a train from James Street.”

What does music mean to you?

“For me, well, as you can tell, it just evokes a time and a place. Music for me is like when you love a song, or you love a band, it then takes you back to a particular time and place. It just kind of gives you goosebumps. That’s how it makes me feel when I hear a song that I’ve been listening to loads, and then I come here, and I’ll see that band play.”

“There’s nothing better than live music for me. I love buying a record, but there’s nothing better than seeing it played live. That’s probably it for me.”

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