NM[E|A] / Set the GPS for the heart of the pit

[hirez]

Inspired by re-enacting an invasion of York (Swedish craft, Norwegian passengers, confused English pilot), here's an entertainment for the weekend: a venue quiz. Gig-going types with t-shirts of a certain age should have no trouble with any of them.

Should there be confusion, argument and reminiscence is absolutely welcomed. As are descriptions of bands seen, state of the bar and bogs. Though there'll obviously be a bit of comment-screening so games are not given away. Marking the London venues as 'London' is cheating, as is bothering Google for the answers.

(We also apologise for the slightly non-intuitive formatting.)



[Poll #978783]

Comments

[nemesis-to-go.livejournal.com]

I'm rather surprised at myself - I just zipped through the list in an off-the-top-of-my-head manner, and got a fair chunk of them (with a few doubtfuls along the way).

I'm assuming you're thinking of the Metro in a certain major city in Illinois, as opposed to all the other Metros out there (like the one on Oxford Street, for example)?

I also seem to recall there were two Town & Country Clubs at one time...

Supplementary question: one well-known London venue has changed its name four times over the last 20-odd years. In the early 80s it was known as the Sundown. In the later 80s it was Busby's. Name its two more recent identities. [Clue: you've almost certainly been there to see goth bands!]

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Metro: Yes.

The thing about the venues on the Peel/NME/T-shirt Indie circuit is/was that they were always prefaced by the location. I can't now think of one without the other.

I'd forgotten about the London one. There's a fascinating section in an early collection of Tom Wolfe essays ('The pump house gang' IIRC) where he's covering the Mod scene in London, and goes on at some length about something that sounds like the basement of Kenny Market, but that lives under Oxford Street. I can only guess that The Metro is what's left. I wonder if there are abandoned cellars in the place stuffed with three-button suits?

Um. Borderline?

I was going to put The Red Eye in, but can't remember where it was.

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

Ok, totally off topic but every time you use that particular user pic, I always think you have a reeeeeally long cigarette in your mouth. Just thought I'd share. /g/
Wish you were coming this side of the pond for the reunion in August.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Going for that Clint Eastwood/James Coburn vibe? I fear I'm closer to Clint Mansell.

August would be a complete laugh. Oh for a private income.

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

We'll be a few laughs short without you but we'll raise a cup your way and then maybe another...and another...

[nemesis-to-go.livejournal.com]

something that sounds like the basement of Kenny Market, but that lives under Oxford Street. I can only guess that The Metro is what's left.

Maybe he meant the Marquee. That venue actually started out in Oxford Street as a jazz club...and then all the modernists started going down there to see blues bands, and the rest is history.

The Red Eye was - erm, just up a bit from King's Cross, but not quite as far as Islington. I think that area is known as Somers Town, but I could be wrong. It's been a long time since I looked at that page of the A to Z.

The Red Eye is a block of flats now, which is a rather ignominious fate. But the pub over the road, the Lark In The Park, now puts on bands. That's the thing about venues: new ones spring up as quickly as the old ones close down. That's why I never usually get involved with 'Save This Vital Nite Spot!' campaigns, when venues are threatened with closure. New places always come along to replace the old. The karmic balance of rock 'n' roll is maintained somehow. I mean, when CBGB closed you'd think from all the fuss that NYC would be a cultural desert from that day forward. In fact, the city is still seething with snotty bands in entertainingly grubby clubs, and probably always will be.

Having said all that, I'm rather upset to read about this (http://www.spitz.co.uk/save_the_spitz.htm). Now that one does get my support. But the Astoria? Pah! I'd cheerfully swing the wrecking ball myself!

Now I think of it, keen students of the old rock 'n' roll holes of London might like to look at this (http://www.derelictlondon.com/id1430.htm).

My mystery venue: Sundown -> Busby's -> LA2 -> Mean Fiddler.

[jozafeen.livejournal.com]

Your boxes are too small for some of them sir! Perhaps that just indicates I wasted too much time raking round the uk watching bands.

[zotz]

Copenhagen Street. Back of Kings Cross.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

No, it just means that I've not been to many northerly gigs. I should probably have put in Wigan Casino, too.

[sarah-mum.livejournal.com]

Would that be the 100 club (where a certain 50s-binman and pop quiz host used to do a roaring trade - allegedly), or am I being too obvious.

I may have completed your poll in a slightly random way, since I am clearly neither old enough or 'indie enough' to know of these places. Honest guv.

[lucifein.livejournal.com]

Thing is there's two Cricketers for me. Mod scene and all that. 100 Club isn't up there, I see. Nor is the Hungry Years. >:P

[hirez.livejournal.com]

The one I'm least unfamiliar with is in Cambridge. Where's t'other?

[lucifein.livejournal.com]

Sarf london.

After doing this quiz, I came over all nostalgic. I had been thinking back to the times when I lived in London and hung with the Untouchables. Went to clubs like The 100 with the likes of Conrad Mobley, Maz, Tony Class, David Lennie etc. none of these names mean much to anyone unless they were part of the Mod scene in Northmpton or London in the 80's. >:P

[echo-echo.livejournal.com]

Some of those are chains...so Top Rank and Bierkeller could be several locations.

I can even tick off as having played or about to play some of the more far flung venues on that list! :)

Hof Ter Lo and La Locomotive in particular.

Good stories? Um. Leadmill I love as a venue. Saw the Charltans do a 'secret' warmup gig to a very over crowded audience a good few years back. TJ's was regarded as a pretty hardcore place. If you played and lived you had earned your stripes by default of still breathing. Ifor Bach...never went though I regularly saw gigs in Cardiff. Owner was a bit of a c**t apparently. Hof Ter Lo was a great venue. Horrid 1970's leisure centre architecture, completely soulless but a really good crowd and a massive stage. Oddly, being a Manc I never went to the Hacienda. By the time I was of club going age it had fallen into a bad way with gangs and shootings. Then when I returned from uni it had closed. I actually remember it being a boat showroom as a kid...me and my Dad would walk past it on the way to Old Trafford to watch Man United play. Unsurprisingly, there wasn't much call for boats in Manchester and it closed to reopen as a club. I was nearly arrested outside there once because I was carrying a record box (to play the club next door) when it had been occupied during the infamous "The Hacienda must be built" rave. And it has been built, the original building was demolished and has now been rebuilt as yuppy appartments. I loathe the idea of developers cashing in on the alternative scene that they are helping to destroy in Manchester and many other cities.

[yaruar.livejournal.com]

Technically 3 T & C clubs if you count the 2 in london and the one in leeds. That i can remember anyway.

I do remember the one which is now the Forum had the worst bouncers in london up till it changed ownership/name.

[the_axel]

Consequence of having thought about going to a gig in the UK in 10 years.
If I got more than 3 right, I'm impressed.

[nils.livejournal.com]

I think I've only seen NMA in three of those venues...

[hirez.livejournal.com]

... But they've all been in the back of the NME, and sensible GPS kit emits NMEA data.