Witness frontman Gerard Starkie talks music and the grassroots scene at Bailiff Bar

Get down to the Bailiff Bar at Wigan’s Old Courts this week for a date with the former lead singer of Witness, Gerard Starkie for a free conversation event about his career and tips to upcoming artist

Wigan musician Gerard Starkie will appear at Bailiff Bar on Thursday July 2 at 6pm for a free, in-conversation event covering his career in music and his advice for grassroots artists carving out their own path.

The Old Courts host a monthly Musicians Network in their Bailiff Bar. | The Old Courts

placeholder image — The Old Courts host a monthly Musicians Network in their Bailiff Bar. | The Old Courts

Starkie is best known as the former lead singer of Witness, the alternative rock band formed in Wigan in 1997 that went on to release two critically acclaimed albums on Island Records.

Following the band's split in 2004, he built a solo career marked by a string of albums showcasing his distinctive songwriting and voice.

He has also played guitar with The Blue Aeroplanes, and today records and performs both under his own name and as one half of The Jesus Bolt.

The event offers a rare chance to hear Starkie reflect on more than two decades in the music industry, from major-label success to navigating life as an independent artist, with practical insight for musicians building their own careers outside the mainstream.