Think we were there in different eras! Mine were soft metal on a Saturday night (Bedrock) and proper metal on Sunday nights (Moshpit). Highlight would be Mordred I reckon. For contemporaneous reference Red Stripe was £1.60 a can.It was a great place to see bands.
The only unpleasant part was that sweat would condense on the low ceiling then pour onto your head.
I saw Lyle Lovett there. Later that year he played in the playhouse.
Amongst others I saw there were LCD Soundsystem, Jonathan Richman, Bruce Cockburn, Jellyfish, Martin Stephenson & The Daintees, Danny Wilson, That Petrol Emotion, Brendan Benson, The Selector, Roachford and lots of others
What is soft metal?Think we were there in different eras! Mine were soft metal on a Saturday night (Bedrock) and proper metal on Sunday nights (Moshpit). Highlight would be Mordred I reckon. For contemporaneous reference Red Stripe was £1.60 a can.
Indeed they were and I what a night at the Venue that wis. They had to extend the stage to make space for the disco decks and the rest. What a night. Wee treat for you Jacko:Mordred were apparently a San Franciscan thrash/funk metal band between 1989 and 1994.
Nah they were still all live acts. The scene was so good at that time though that they could split them between heavy stuff and softer rockFrom the music nights you speak of it had become more of club venue rather than a venue putting on bands so it was probably the beginning of the end.
Biggest bams were on the Sundays. Glory daysNah they were still all live acts. The scene was so good at that time though that they could split them between heavy stuff and softer rock
That's good.Indeed they were and I what a night at the Venue that wis. They had to extend the stage to make space for the disco decks and the rest. What a night. Wee treat for you Jacko:
God knows where you found that guff. Here's another belterThat's good.
I listened to them doing a poor cover of a Rick James song "Super Freak" and an impersonation of Thin Lizzy on a track called "Smash Goes The Bottle". Copied the Scott Gorham guitar sound and the vocalist even sounded like he was trying to sing and phrase like Phil Lynott.
That sounds funOne of my fav nights out as a youngster was in the Venue, watching Daevid Allen and Gong tripping out of my face on magic mushrooms, it was fucking magical..
Saw many a band, first at the Jailhouse then as the Venue.Bands I would have seen included the Shamen, Ege Bam Yassi, Cop Shoot Cop, Annie Anxiety , The Iron Brotherhood, Swans and one which I was partly responsible for puting on a Love Music hate Racism event with Fundamental ,the only time I've ever had Ecstacy and I had a great time.
I also went to Pure maybe about 3 times (bit boring on alcohol if I'm being honest) and Chocolate City which was much better.To be honest I was getting a bit too old for all these girnning arseholes,and so moved on to just going to the pub with the odd gig thrown in.
Motorhead at the Barras was the loudest I ever heard. Big part of the reason I'm deef now imoLoudest band I think I ever heard.I had a buzzing in my ears for about a week after that one.
Motorhead at the Barras was the loudest I ever heard. Big part of the reason I'm deef now imo
Deep Purple at the Odeon (I think) early seventies. Couldn' t hear the traffic outside afterwards for the ringing in my ears.Motorhead at the Barras was the loudest I ever heard. Big part of the reason I'm deef now imo
Motorhead were in the record books for loudest band on the planet. I suppose depends on the type of venue and the quality of the sound engineer working. I have been at some exceptionally loud shows which can ruin it. Motorhead were perfect the times I saw them.Saw Motorhead a few times through there, loud but not as loud as My Bloody Valentine!
Loudest band I think I ever heard.I had a buzzing in my ears for about a week after that one.
I saw them the same year as Black Sabbath at the Empire mate.Deep Purple at the Odeon (I think) early seventies. Couldn' t hear the traffic outside afterwards for the ringing in my ears.
I too was at that dav. Fantastic.One of my fav nights out as a youngster was in the Venue, watching Daevid Allen and Gong tripping out of my face on magic mushrooms, it was fucking magical..
Sabbath was my first proper gig, Playhouse 1987Black Sabbath at the Empire in 1971 must have caused structural damage to the building. As above regarding my lugs.
BIG G
Saw them at the Odeon in 1980.....loud but great !Sabbath was my first proper gig, Playhouse 1987
Nae wonder Ozzies body is shot, playing at 1000dB for decades.Sabbath was my first proper gig, Playhouse 1987
Wisnae Ozzy when I first saw them.Nae wonder Ozzies body is shot, playing at 1000dB for decades.
BIG G
abbath was my first proper gig,
That would have been it. I saw Sabbath too the same year. Support band were Black Oak Arkansas?I saw them the same year as Black Sabbath at the Empire mate.
BIG G
One of my fav nights out as a youngster was in the Venue, watching Daevid Allen and Gong tripping out of my face on magic mushrooms, it was fucking magical..
I saw Slade at the same venue. The only reason I was there in any conceivable manner was to see the support band, The Sensational Alex Harvey band, who were absolutely fucking sensational.the Wombles at Leith Town Hall fair belted it oot.
Not sure how Orinoco and Uncle Bulgaria wi those big lugs survived the experience.
Next!I saw Slade at the same venue. The only reason I was there in any conceivable manner was to see the support band, The Sensational Alex Harvey band, who were absolutely fucking sensational.
BIG G
Worked at Newbattle Abbey years ago, and spent a good few ' dreamy' nights thereMescaline was my trip of choice in the early 70s. First dropped it at the magnificent Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Plant based is best. God bless San Pedro Cactus.Meat is Murder. Did I ever tell you about tripping on Mescaline with my then to be wife circ 1972/3, getting a lift from Dalkeith to Musselburgh by a guy in an NCB van. Silver Machine came on his radio/tape and both of us held hands whilst the van took off into the blue sky and flew across the Forth, like jets do now, before landing us in Galt Avenue. Poor driver, we thanked him and he looked in puzzlement at us. The time prior to the lift was spending a splendid night with two friends, in Newbattle Abbey grounds. It is worth another conversation in itself.
*Drugs deaths in Scotland are the worst in Europe, and hope it can be reverse sooner rather than later. I can only be honest and share what were life changing, joyous experiences I had 5 decades ago. *
Anyway @davhfc In that Edinburgh Pop Festival at the Empire in 1973, which I attended most of the 9 or 10 nights that they were on, I saw some brilliance in my opinion. In 1973 pleasantly high on, Red Lebonese, Pakistani Black or rare but splendid Nepalese with wee cobwebs of white opium would have been me at gigs
Getting back to Gong. I loved the whole Canterbury Scene 50 years ago and still do now.
Daevid being an Australian, but was definatley an associate member, starting as he did Soft Machine with Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt etc. Caravan another, splendid band.
The best of the gigs in my opinion was one night that 3 of my top 10 favourites were on the same bill, Kevin Ayers , with Ivor Cutler as MC and Gong.
I was like a pig in shit. Only to be surpassed by a strategic placed Gong entourage in the upper flight firing hundred of paper plates printed on them, 'We are from The Planet Gong'. Quality.
There were two comic cut bouncers at the stage front. Hard as fuck looking, who ended up like Keystone Cops. Trying to catch the offending flying saucers and bumping into each other. Spendid at battering drunk erses, but couldnae handle Hippy Intercallatic bams.
BIG G
I was there too and you are 100% correct! Did I see Add N to X there around 1992?Loudest band I think I ever heard.I had a buzzing in my ears for about a week after that one.
Interesting band but I don't think they were active in 1992.I was there too and you are 100% correct! Did I see Add N to X there around 1992?
Couldn't fucking stand Slade. Still hate that bloody Xmas song!I saw Slade at the same venue. The only reason I was there in any conceivable manner was to see the support band, The Sensational Alex Harvey band, who were absolutely fucking sensational.
BIG G
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