The Early Doors Club returns to The Snug for another intimate evening of live music. It brings together community spirit with two compelling performances from John Baby and Liam Fender.

THE EARLY DOORS CLUB

Nothing beats walking into The Snug on a Friday evening. It’s cold outside, but you’re instantly met with warmth as you step through the door. Acoustic tones from artists’ sound checks drift across the room, while familiar faces welcome you with a smile.

It’s more than your usual early evening gig; it feels like a community, and that’s exactly the point. The Early Doors Club is built on the idea that live music should be for everyone. It uses early-evening shows. It also follows a pay-what-you-can approach. This helps to bring people back into local venues and support the grassroots scene.

JOHN BABY

That sense of belonging doesn’t fade once the music starts. John Baby opens the night by taking to the stage with his guitar. He quickly draws the audience in with his strumming. Every word he sings captivates them.

With raw energy, Baby’s No One’s Watching You delivers powerful lyrics. The song includes lines like “Bend your knee and sacrifice yourself.” It also features “No one likes a martyr; death is not good for your health.” His raspy, urgent tone adds weight to every word. The themes of self-sacrifice, burnout, and giving too much of oneself feel immediate and personal.

LIAM FENDER

Following that intensity, Liam Fender offers a striking contrast in both tone and presence. He draws influence from artists such as Nick Cave and Tom Waits. He carries himself with a grounded, working-class sincerity. His demeanour lacks bravado.

There is an honesty to his performance that resonates deeply. His words are delivered plainly, yet with emotional clarity, creating a sense of intimacy that fills the room.

TIME COMES AROUND

Tracks like Time Comes Around reflect on darker chapters while hinting at something brighter ahead. A cello’s soft melancholy accompanies the line “the light is too good to fight.” This line lingers long after it is sung. It leaves the audience visibly moved. The crowd feel that intimacy. A cello adds a backdrop of melancholic hope. Fender’s words, “the light is too good to fight,” leave the audience transfixed. They believe that brighter days are ahead.

The Snug is a small space, but the feelings it evokes are anything but. By the final moment, it’s clear that this was an Early Doors show to remember. Every voice leaves its mark. Every note resonates deeply. Each pluck of a string and every songwriter’s story stays with you long after the last song ends.

Liam Fender: Instagram

John Baby: Instagram

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