Gig cartoon exhibit to raise money for music venue

A series of cartoons drawn during live gigs at a cult Bradford music venue has gone on show to raise money for the club.

The sketches by artist, musician and teacher John Davison are on display at The 1 in 12 Club, accompanied by QR codes linking to tracks performed by the bands in the cartoons.

A compilation album of the songs by bands such as The Wind Up Birds, Nutty Skunk and Waiting for Wednesday has also been created to raise money for the venue, which celebrated its 45th anniversary earlier this year.

Davison said drawing cartoons at the club's gigs had become a habit over the years, adding that the 1 in 12, which opened in 1981, was "more than just a music venue".

He said when he started, he was just creating cartoons for bands celebrating a big event, but it had gone on to become a regular thing.

"I picked it up from doing commemorative things for people - their last open mic night, a piece for a couple that were getting married or something like that," he explained.

"But then I sort of started doing it anyway and realised I could do it for pretty much every gig."

Davison said he was also a member of a band called Speed Dinosaurs who had performed many times at the venue on Albion Street.

The exhibition of drawings opened at the 1 in 12 Club on 12 September and runs until 22 November.

It is dedicated to the memory of musician Chris Smith, otherwise known as Captain Hotknives, who died suddenly in February.

Davison said one of his happiest memories at the club had been a night he performed alongside Smith.

"He gave us all this big group hug and it was just like this amazing, gorgeous - like, just melted into each other - sort of hug," he remembered.

"I don't know if I could name a favourite gig - there've been so many good ones - but that was just an enduring memory for me."

Davison said he wanted to support the club because Bradford had lost many small music venues since the Covid pandemic.

"The 1 in 12 is one of those places that is more than just a music venue," he said.

"I love the ethos. It's a lovely space. So I was really happy to do something to help support them."

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