From Rival Bands To Running The Island's Favourite Music Venue — The Story Of Strings

Dominic Kureen
1 hour ago
5 min read

There aren't many venues where future Grammy winners, hometown heroes, chart stars and first-time performers have all shared the same stage.

But in less than a decade, that's exactly what Strings Bar & Venue in Newport has become.

Today, the 300-capacity venue is one of the beating hearts of the Isle of Wight's live music scene.

It's where emerging artists cut their teeth, established acts return because they genuinely love playing there, and audiences can still experience live music up close.

Yet the story of Strings didn't begin with a business plan.

It began with two young musicians... in rival bands.

Two Musicians, One Shared Dream

Long before they were running one of the Island's best-loved venues, Claydon Connor and Andy Booth were simply trying to make it as musicians.

Both studied at Platform One Music College in Newport during the early 2000s, although they weren't exactly on the same side.

"We were in rival bands," they laugh.

Andy was the drummer for Nautical Theme, winners of the second-ever Wight Noize competition in 2003, earning a coveted slot on the Main Stage at the Isle of Wight Festival.

Claydon was busy forging his own path, running a recording studio in Northwood while developing a solo career. In 2014, he released his debut solo album, Under The Big Sky, before performing at the Country 2 Country Festival at London's O2 Arena the following year.

His music also took him to Nashville, where he built valuable industry connections in 2015.

Their careers would take different directions before eventually coming together.

Andy Heads Into The Big Time

After graduating from Bath Spa University, Andy's career accelerated quickly.

In 2007 he joined Sony BMG-signed pop-rock band Go:Audio, touring nationally alongside acts including McFly and Scouting For Girls.

The band enjoyed four sell-out headline tours, earned a Kerrang! Award nomination for Best British Newcomer and reached the UK Top 40 with Made Up Stories.

Rather than leaving the Island behind, Andy returned determined to help build opportunities for the next generation.

He founded Island Music Management in 2015, became Music Industry Liaison at Platform One and launched Inside The Industry, bringing music business professionals to the Isle of Wight to inspire aspiring artists.

In 2023 he joined the UK Music Futures Board, helping shape discussions about the future of the UK music industry.

The Birth Of Strings

Meanwhile, fellow musician Ian Davison and Claydon had identified something missing from the Island.

There simply wasn't a dedicated grassroots venue giving local musicians regular opportunities to perform.

So in 2017, Strings opened its doors, and nobody could have predicted quite how important it would become.

Over the years it has welcomed hundreds of artists, comedians and DJs while becoming one of the Island's most respected live venues.

In 2024, Andy became co-owner alongside Claydon, bringing two lifelong musicians together at the helm.

Former rivals had become best friends.

The Venue That Helped Launch Stars

One story perfectly sums up why grassroots venues matter.

In July 2021, an up-and-coming Isle of Wight duo called Wet Leg played Strings shortly after releasing a quirky debut single called Chaise Longue, and the gig didn't sell out.

"A few months later everyone was saying they wished they'd gone," Andy recalls.

Within months Wet Leg had become one of Britain's biggest breakthrough acts, winning Grammy Awards and touring the world.

It's a reminder that today's local support act could easily become tomorrow's headline festival artist.

Strings has also welcomed artists including Lauran Hibberd and Beth Brookfield in their early careers, continuing its reputation for spotting emerging talent.

Alongside championing emerging talent, the venue has attracted an impressive list of established artists over the years.

Acts including Pulled Apart By Horses, Buzzcocks, The Blockheads, Newton Faulkner, British Lion, Tom Meighan, Lucy Spraggan, Bad Manners, Howard Donald, Bez, SIX60, Stereo MC's and Odyssey have all performed at Strings, cementing its reputation as one of the South Coast's leading grassroots music venues.

A Home For Island Music

Both Andy and Claydon remain passionate performers themselves and still occasionally share the stage together.

They describe their philosophy as simply:

"More is more."

It's an attitude that's helped transform Strings into much more than a venue.

It hosts Wight Noize events, works closely with Platform One students and supports local promoters, musicians and community organisations.

Claydon says:

"We get a lot of compliments regarding the relaxed atmosphere and intimacy of Strings, so that's something we're keen to retain as we move forwards.

"That said, we are also looking to expand to new audiences, hence trying gigs at Robin Hill and having various different nights for a range of audiences."

The venue is also backed by a growing team, as Claydon confirms:

"We're really blessed to have a fantastic bar manager, James, who we know can run events when we're not around.

"He took over the role at the start of this year and is a fantastic part of our team at Strings."

Supporting The Whole Island

It's not just musicians who benefit.

Andy says Strings deliberately works with local accommodation providers, restaurants and other businesses whenever artists visit from the mainland.

"We endeavour to support other local businesses," he explains.

"By forging strong relationships with eateries, accommodation and other companies, we can offer visiting musicians easy access to what the Island has on offer."

Andy believes that's one reason so many touring artists enjoy playing Newport.

"Artists love Strings as the hospitality is so good and they have easy access to and from the venue, even if they're coming from the mainland."

Earlier this year, the venue's reputation received another boost when it hosted Steve Lamacq's BBC Radio programme, putting the Island's thriving grassroots music scene in front of a national audience.

The Next Challenge

If there's one thing keeping the pair awake at night, it isn't booking headline acts,

it's making sure younger audiences continue supporting grassroots music.

They say Strings enjoys incredible loyalty, particularly from older music fans, but inspiring younger generations to discover live music remains one of the venue's biggest ambitions.

After all, today's half-full gig could easily feature the next Wet Leg.

A Big Summer Ahead

Strings' biggest weekend of the summer is now less than a fortnight away.

Over three consecutive nights in August the venue welcomes the following to Robin Hill:

Friday 14 August: Sigma
Saturday 15 August: Tom Meighan
Sunday 16 August: Scouting For Girls

A remarkable line-up for an independent grassroots venue that began with two musicians chasing the same dream.

Now this dynamic duo are helping hundreds of others chase theirs.

Timeline: The Story Of Strings

Year	Milestone
2003	Andy Booth's band Nautical Theme wins the second Wight Noize competition.
2007	Andy joins Sony BMG-signed Go:Audio, touring with McFly and Scouting For Girls.
2014	Claydon Connor releases his debut solo album, Under The Big Sky.
2015	Claydon performs at the Country 2 Country Festival at London's O2 Arena, travels to Nashville to build music industry connections, and Andy launches Island Music Management.
2017	Claydon Connor and Ian Davison open Strings Bar & Venue in Newport.
2021	Wet Leg perform at Strings shortly after releasing Chaise Longue.
2023	Andy joins the UK Music Futures Board, while Strings welcomes British Lion, featuring Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris.
2024	Andy Booth becomes co-owner alongside Claydon Connor, and Newton Faulkner's Strings show sells out in just 15 minutes.
2026	Steve Lamacq broadcasts from Strings as the venue prepares for a huge August weekend featuring Sigma, Tom Meighan and Scouting For Girls.