The Mitre, Abertillery, opens with punk live music night

The Mitre, Abertillery, introduced itself onto the local scene on Saturday night with its first night of live music with four punk bands plus Halloween fancy dress ensuring a raucous evening.

A group of likeminded music fans formed a Community Interest Company and brought life back into what was an empty building after the previous business closed.  

As well as operating as a pub with live music, the group also plan to utilise the space for art and cultural activities plus develop a hub for people who may be facing loneliness and isolation.  The venture is non-profit.

The Mitre launched with a Halloween Punk Party on Saturday (Image: Dafydd John Robert Berry) One of team behind the venue, Lucy Edwards, said: "It has been a real team effort to get the pub ready to open.

"We are so grateful to people for providing equipment, materials and so much of their own time to turn the Mitre into the type of venue and business we want it to be."

The Mitre was packed for opening night (Image: Dafydd John Robert Berry) Lucy said: "It is up to us now to justify their contribution and enthusiasm and build the Mitre into a key local asset.  

"This opening night has set a high bar.  The bands were great, the audience was amazing with a full house before the bands even started. The fancy dress outfits were just unbelievable.  We even had to send out for more lager at one stage!"

The bands performing included Garbage Day Massacre, Severed Tendons, State Of Decay, and Calling All Stations.  

A number of local bands performed on the opening night (Image: Dafydd John Robert Berry) Trash Van Helsing, singer with Garbage Day Massacre said: "We were approached after our performance at Slugfest to appear at the grand opening of the Mitre. Our 365-day horror punk style perfectly slotted into the bill.  

"The pub was a full house before the first chord was struck.  The crowd stayed for all four bands, applauded every song and encompassed the growing sense of community spirit and support for grassroots music.

"A spirit that was the catalyst to the opening of this new, authentic, warm, safe and unapologetically valleys hub in the centre of Abertillery.

"Another major takeaway from the night for us was that the Mitre crowd absolutely know how to do fancy dress - and we never underdress ourselves at our shows!"

Darrel Sutton, a local musician also involved in the Mitre, commented: "What an incredible night from start to finish.  We hoped for a good crowd, got a ridiculously great one, packed from first band to last and I think everyone was gobsmacked by the response from the locals and bands.  Hopefully the first of many great nights of live music at the Mitre."

Further nights are already going into the diary and music fans will find full details on the Mitre's Facebook page.