He put the town on the map as one of the hottest rock spots.
And now, The Parish’s ubiquitous Mikey Baird is celebrating 10 years in the job as one of the most renowned music promoters around.
Huddersfield born and bred, he has made it his mission to bring music to the people while showing bands that they need not look to a city to find a great crowd.
Now both legendary bands such as The Bronx and John Power to talented local bands like Knuckle and Wobbly Bob have shared stages across the town, since he began to work his magic.
And he has done it all while continuing to tour with Pure Rawk award-winning outfit Mr Shiraz, while remaining one of the most chilled out pros on the scene.
His obsession with booking bands started in 2005, when then 25-year-old Mikey was working at Joseph’s Well in Leeds.
“I was gigging a lot with Mr Shiraz and I was making lots of friends with people in other bands.
“A few of them asked if they could play in the area so I tried to help them out.
“The first band I booked for Joseph’s Well was Edison Medicine and it worked really well.”
But it was not long before he began his campaign to encourage bands away from the bright city lights to Huddersfield, where a lively rock scene had been established.
His first bar job in the town was at another renowned rockers’ venue, the West Riding in Albion Street.
“I thought I’d start putting on more gigs to get more live music into the pub. Finding bands willing to come have a go is never hard but I wanted to offer them something special.
“I did all the art work for gigs myself and started to get bands coming to us before they became famous, which was awesome.
He moved to his current home in The Parish in 2007, where he has worked his way up and alongside finding time to also be a DJ and quiz master supremo.
“It had a stage when I started but had no character so we tore it down and made a bigger gig room from scratch.
His first big gig was American ska punk Voodoo Glow Skulls and has since amassed a never-ending list of impressive bookings to the roster, like Agent Orange, The Anti-Nowhere League, Sonic Boom Six and livewire punk reggae act, Jaya the Cat.
“Being in a band myself has helped me get the bigger bands and I just want to treat them right and now I’m lucky that bands search out me.
“Having an intimate venue is great because it offers them something that they can’t always get elsewhere.”
It is a strategy that has obviously worked, as The Parish proved when it became Pure Rawk Awards’ venue of they year.
Music fans flock not just from surrounding cities, but even as far away as France in search of a good night.
As a successful promoter, he has had to deal with his fair share of odd and extravagant rider requests.
“I hosted a hip hop group who’s rider cost more than their guarantee.
“One guy wanted mobile phones and rooms for 10 people despite there only being four in the group.
“I had one that was so expensive I got in touch with the manager to see if they would knock anything off and the only thing he could suggest was a packet of Haribo.
“Luckily I’ve got friends in the business who I could turn to for advice and nowadays I’m a lot more stern but it all paid off.
“Then you also have people who are just plain prima donnas and musicians who hang off anything they can find in the venue.
“It costs us money for the repairs but it’s just all part of the show – as long as people are having a good time then I think more power to the bands.
“Huddersfield has an amazing scene and it should be shown off to as many people as possible.”
His plans for 2015 are more ambitious then ever before.
“The aim is to keep making the venue better and better.
“I’d like to start a music festival in the town and I’ve got loads more bands bigger than the Bronx signed up to play but I’m just not allowed to announce them yet.
“I hope I can soon because I feel like I’m going to explode with excitement.
“We’ve also just been nominated for best venue of the year by Pure Rawk again and I’ve also been shortlisted for best promoter, while we’re up for three awards for Mr Shiraz.
“It’s epic to say the least.”
He will celebrate his 10 years in the industry tomorrow during a free party with live bands at The Parish.
