The Greatest Rock Venue

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

The Greatest Rock Venue

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Thats a very good question. In general I've been too drunk to notice a lot of them in the old days- they always seemed dark, shadowy, largely functional , a bit down at heel and most seem interchangeable with each other. Often I remember the band but get the venues mixed up with each other, that is looking back over the years.

Most of my haunts have either been in Dublin or London with a few Irish or British "provincial" venues thrown in. There's also been quite a few over the years but I cannot come up with one in particular that stands out. In Dublin the music venues keep changing, or at least the used to. I remember seeing Pulp and The Fall in the same venue in Dublin but its closed down now- so many of them keep moving, though there is a list of about maybe 5 or 6 venues that remain constant.

I've got a much better eye for football stadiums around the Uk and have been to many- sobriety and daylight help in this case. As regards music venues I don't have a particular favourite-maybe I'll come up with one.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
As regards music venues I don't have a particular favourite-maybe I'll come up with one.

In a way the question isn't really about favourite venue, personally I think the Highbury Garage was the best, but rather it's place in rock folklore.

I voted for 100 club as it was pretty much the birthplace of Punk/New Wave and has always been a landmark venue despite being pretty small.

Anyway, Noel, you have to nominate at least one Dublin venue.

suss · In the Long Grass

I'd put in a shout for Hammersmith Palais, particularly having been there for some great gigs, including Rats. Pogues there on Paddy's Day in '86 was one of the best ever.

The fact the Clash 'immortalised' the venue must make it a contender in folklore terms?

From original list I've only been to new Marquee.

If it was personal faves I'd probably say Brixton Academy...just shades it over Whyteleafe FC smile

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Wow, The Boomtown Rats payed Eric's....

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/music/music-news/2011/08/12/bob-geldof-tells-jade-wright-why-eric-s-was-so-important-to-him-100252-29223635/2/

"ERICS was a massive part of the early days for us, says Bob Geldof, the shaggy haired philanthropist and songwriter.

People say that the punk scene was coming out of London, but that just wasnt the case. London was following what Liverpool was doing in those days. We played a lot of gigs there, because we felt a real buzz. Plus, it was close to Dublin. Its always been a place Ive enjoyed playing.

" Id like to play Liverpool too. Maybe next time.

At the newly opened Erics maybe?

No, its too small, he shrugs. Id like to go and have a look at it, but my days of playing club gigs are done. I play theatres now. At one time I played arenas and stadiums, but I didnt like it. I like playing theatres. That suits me better.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

There are no really famous punk bands from Liverpool so I'm not sure what Geldof is talking about when he says London was following Liverpool.There probably were bands from that city who didn't make it in terms fo becoming famous. It was a deliberate policy of the Rats to play a lot of gigs outside London because London was swamped with so many punk bands. Hence their stint at the Lodestar in Blackburn. Manchester, in comparison produced a whole slew of well known punk bands in the period 1976-79.

The scallies have produced Echo and The Bunnymen and Clinic, nevermind the Beatles so Liverpool is a proper music city.

The Icicle Works produced a really great song about Liverpool in the late '80s just after the Heysel Stadium riots/disaster hence the lines.. ' and we're folklore in Turin'. The song is called Up Here in The North of England.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMQeyAxWaZU

-- Edited by noelindublin on Friday 19th of August 2011 01:24:50 PM

-- Edited by noelindublin on Friday 19th of August 2011 01:35:03 PM

-- Edited by noelindublin on Friday 19th of August 2011 01:37:03 PM