Sunshine, Music & Shenanigans!

The Crow Crew
Jul 24
3 min read

Who knew we'd actually have a summer this year! Like a real summer... One that was hot and lasted more than 2 days! The first couple of weeks of sunshine were fantastic, everybody seemed happier, suddenly energised to don some shorts, get out the house and quench their craving for cold beer and badly cooked burgers... Then, a week or so in, the cracks began to show. The lack of sleep, the sweaty commute to work, the trying to concentrate/do something productive when it's officially hotter than Satan's bum cheeks...

It hit 36 degrees! The thin sliver of tolerance I had managed to keep hold of into my 40s had melted. I would be in a good mood, perpetually thankful for our air conditioning, laughing and joking, then some idiot would annoy me, and it was game over... Get out... Come back when it's either 10 degrees cooler or you're less of a cretin! Luckily at The Crooked Crow Bar, our cretin count is pretty minimal. Still, even outside of the bar, the cheery "sun-worshipers" that had been such a welcome break from the gloom, with their bright wardrobes and bronze tans, started to bloody irritate me as the temperature kept growing and I struggled to find my rotund, milky carcass some shade. I was becoming fed up with being disgustingly sweaty, having crazy alpaca hair, being circled by wasps and having to make eye contact with neighbours who probably had to listen to my "sexy time" as it was too hot to close the bedroom window!

Then, right on queue, Saturday was the first day of the school summer holidays, and the heavens opened. Now, I'm not saying I prefer the rain to the sunshine... I'm all for blue skies and al fresco cider (albeit, not when it's over 30 degrees), but the idea that I get to shove my porky backside back into my trusty jeans and have a decent night's sleep certainly makes a refreshing change!!

Whatever the weather, now that summer has arrived, our trade will be impacted. We start competing with BBQs, festivals, weddings, and holidays, so, understandably, the events trade becomes a bit volatile.

As you know from my previous, extensive overshares, we've had a difficult journey with the pandemic and subsequent hikes in running costs. It's now been almost a year since I started managing The CCB alone. Whilst we’re currently navigating tighter margins than my trousers after an all-you-can-eat curry night, we have made decent progress and are definitely financially stronger than we were last year. Yet it's still hard not to worry, knowing that as we head into that bumpy summer trade, two grassroots venues close down in the UK every week! I genuinely believe that with a bit of luck, sticking to the plan of introducing regular monthly events every Wednesday to Sunday, a good supply of coffee, and the motherload of expletives, we'll survive... In fact, if we continue to trade at the levels we did March-June, we should start to (finally) thrive! So, buckle up! —because who doesn’t love an underdog story with a side of insanity?!

So whatever you get up to this summer, please do try to support us when you can. We have tons of fantastic events lined up and more are still TBA, so keep your eyes peeled on our website for the latest gig listings https://www.crookedcrowbar.com/

- CROW FEST 2025 -

We are excited to announce the full line-up for Crow Fest 2025!

Get ready for a whole weekend of live music at Leighton Buzzard's home of live music! Showcasing amazing original artists, live vinyl DJ sets and more!

15/16/17 August 2025

TICKETS