The format was simple and powerful. Five acoustic sets. Four unscripted conversations in between. After every performance, the artists sat back down on stage and talked. About anxiety. About the insecurities that nearly stop them doing what they love. About what actually helps them get through it. No script, no preparation, just honesty in front of a crowd ready to listen.
Getting up to play is one thing. Sitting back down to be that open is another. Every performer who did both deserves real credit.
For us, the decision to be part of this was personal. Construction loses too many men to suicide. It has one of the highest rates of any sector in the UK, and the culture that runs through our industry, get on with it, don’t show weakness, sort it yourself, makes asking for help feel impossible. Events like Live and Direct exist to push back against that. Not with lectures or leaflets, but with music, honesty, and a pint in hand.
Two Pints Deep understand that men don’t walk into support groups. They walk into good nights out. That’s exactly what they’ve built, a format that feels natural, that lowers the guard, and that creates the kind of space where the real stuff gets said.
Thank you to Two Pints Deep for building something that works, and to Charters Bar for holding the space.
This is not a one-off. We’re already planning more.
