Looking for the names of smaller rock venues of the 80's from your area.

[Wat_Tyler]

What I'm looking for are the clubs and venues in your town or area (wherever you live, US, Canada, Australia whatever) that existed (or still exist today) in the 1980's. If you can remember any details (anecdotes, capacity etc) that would be a bonus. It's for a writing project that will likely never see the light of day, but there you go. I'd call smaller less than 2,000. Basically club and University venues.
Cheers in advance.

(i'm looking for the period between 1981 and about 1991)

[fudge stripe cookays]

1. Austin, Tejas

Club Foot
Raul's
Liberty Lunch
Joe's Generic Bar
Cannibal Club
Emo's
Hole in the Wall


I'll have to go home and check my old Chronicle SXSW blurbs for others. Some of these are very early 80s; some are later and into the 90s and present.

[Wat_Tyler]

4. Cool. I had Clubfoot, but not the rest.

Thanks, FSC. :yourock:

[fudge stripe cookays]

10. You're welcome!

I wasn't old enough in high school, but I know a lot of up and coming punk bands started out at Raul's. Lots of the older kids in HS talked about it.

Most of the best shows of my life were caught at Liberty Lunch. RIP. Everyone from Nirvana to Pato Banton, to Living Colour, Soul Asylum, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, the Replacements, Jason and the Scorchers...you name it.

Cannibal Club (which later changed names--it escapes me right now) was my home away from home for about a year and a half 89-91. Saw Afghan Whigs, lots of Hoot Nites, and tons of friends' bands here.

PM me and I can give you more later when I have all my stuff in front of me at home.

FSC

[fudge stripe cookays]

15. Oooh...add The Back Room.

How could I forget?

Saw The Grapes of Wrath, Long Ryders, The Call, The Godfathers, Faith No More, Jane's Addiction, The Rave-Ups, The Pursuit of Happiness, etc there.

Also, add The Texas Tavern at U.T.

Saw the Grapes of Wrath and a few others there. Caters to singer/songwriter types.

FSC

[Wat_Tyler]

21. What about the Armadillo World Headquarters?

As made famous by the back cover of London Calling.

[fudge stripe cookays]

28. That was mostly 70s, and before my time.

BUT it was demolished sometime I believe in the early to mid 80s.

I spent a brief 3-year stint in San Antonio 82-85, so I kind of missed when the demo occurred. Any Austinites remember this dark day in history?

FSC

[argyl]

68. Don't remember the closing but I was there for the opening. Leo Kottke

was the main act and the place didn't even have a beer license so they let us bring in our own.Must have been about 1971.

[GOPisEvil]

156. RIP Liberty Lunch

That was an awesome place to watch a show.

[proud patriot]

2. Bay Area "The Omni" in Oakland

that is where Metallica and many other bay area
metal bands first played .

Also "Rock on Broadway" SF

[Wat_Tyler]

5. Was it exclusively metal, or would other groups play there?

What about say, Sonic Youth or the Replacements, would they play there?

[proud patriot]

109. I don't know

I only went for the rock shows :shrug:

I was a hardcore metalhead then , and anything
pop or alternative "SUCKED" IMO youthful opinion .

I hated the other music so much that I organized
and formed "The Rock-n-Roll comittee" at my jr.
highschool . I made the school agree to play some
rock at our Dances ..

The school's Student Council finally agreed
to 1 rock song for every 3 Soul songs .
We played KISS , Led Zeplin . No one danced
but we got our music ...LOL

My first political move .

[ixion]

3. The Drumstick: Lincoln, NE

Used to be the coolest place to hang out in the mid 80's when I was in college. It was a dark, mustly hole in the wall that had some of the best bands of the era (X, Meat Puppets, REM, 10k Maniacs and on and on) would come to play.

I had more wild and drunken nights there than I can remember.

It was something that would never be allowed to exist in today's society, I think.

[Wat_Tyler]

6. That's exactly what I need.

Thanks.

[JimmyJazz]

7. Here's the TLA in Philadelphia - one of my favorites

http://www.digitalcity.com/philadelphia/entertainment/venue.adp?sbid=108101889

[Wat_Tyler]

11. Thanks very much.

[Phillycat]

33. Just for clarity.

The TLA is still open and very much functioning. I had the impression you were looking for defunct clubs. But 101er is right, the TLA was great in the 80's and it still is. Also, still-functioning clubs in Philadelphia that were around in the 80's include the Khyber Pass Pub and the Trocadero.

[Wat_Tyler]

39. Not just defunct, still open ones work too.

[regularguy]

57. Also the late Chestnut Cabaret.

Pretty crappy place but I saw some good shows there over the years: PFunk, kd lang, yellowman, NRBQ,Camper Van Bethoven...

[Phillycat]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Chestnut! That is defunct now.

The sound was always horrible there (as it is at the Khyber) but some good bands played there.

Good memory! :thumbsup:

[flvegan]

8. The Rocket Club, Tampa, FL

Probably couldn't fit 1,000 folks in there. The owner knew some of the "metal" bands at the time, and they'd play there under assumed names. They'd also get some of the better small bands. Loved that place.

[Wat_Tyler]

12. Good. I'm a little weak on Florida, so that's a great help.

[flvegan]

24. There's also The Masquerade here, but

I think it had a different name during the time span you're talking (Tampa, still).

[peekaloo]

62. Did you ever got to the Ms. Lucky Club

I believe it was on Nebraska Ave. They used to feature the XXX Girls and all the geezers would show up looking for T&A. :P

punk and New Wave club for the weekend warriors.

[peekaloo]

67. p.s. also The Cuban Club was a great place

I think it's still there, too.

[flvegan]

107. Ms. Lucky Club?

Nope, never been there. Nebraska still has it's share of odd little strip clubs, though (never been to those either). Weekends (at the time) were spent at Club 911, DNA sometimes...
Cuban Club is still here, yes.

[tridim]

9. The Outhouse in Lawrence Kansas

is my favorite small venue of all time. It held about 200 people, and was a crappy cinder block structure on a muddy farm. Apparently it's now a strip club.

Here's a pic of Sonic Youth at the Outhouse in 86.

[Wat_Tyler]

14. Perfect.

That's exactly what I need.

[tridim]

32. You might want to look at the Bottleneck

also in Lawrence. Both of these venues have very impressive histories.

[Wat_Tyler]

36. Will do.

[flamingyouth]

13. Eagles Auditorium/Hippodrome, Seattle

(Closed in '83 and is now the ACT Theatre)

You probably know the rest - HUB Ballroom at the UW (where a lot of Sub Pop bands played the ASUW Four Bands for Four Bucks shows), Moore Theatre, etc., which are still around.

On edit - do you want info on over-21 clubs too? Or just all-ages places?

[Wat_Tyler]

16. What's the history of the Showbox?

That was around in the early 80's, right?

[flamingyouth]

Oh yes, very much so

They were one of the original punk rock venues. They closed for a while and became a comedy club, but now it's the Showbox again. The first punk club was the Bird, at 1st and Spring, which opened in 1978 and had a tumultuous existence, especially after the cops came one night and beat the shit out of some club-goers.

Other places include:
Roscoe Louie
Squid Row
Gorilla Gardens
Metropolis
Astor Park
Rainbow Tavern
Central Tavern
Wrex

And lots of bands played the Carpenters' Union Hall on 2nd Avenue.

[Wat_Tyler]

34. Thanks.

Obviously, Seattle will be an important part of the project.

[flamingyouth]

37. I would love to read this project

As a music geek of the first order, I admit it fascinates me.

[Wat_Tyler]

42. Give me a couple of years, then we'll talk.

:D

North America and the UK are easier than Australasia and Japan. I've spent most of my time so far getting the Australian and NZ venues together.

[flamingyouth]

46. I have a lot of info on Sydney and Melbourne places

The book on Radio Birdman has a list in the back, if you're interested.

[Wat_Tyler]

50. Perfect.

I've got a really comprehensive list for NZ, but Australia is weaker.

[flamingyouth]

54. Let me get back to you on that

I'm pretty sure I know exactly where that book is, but my basement is in complete disarray due to a recent flood down there, and it will involve the moving of shelves, etc., to get to it.

[Wat_Tyler]

56. Thanks.

I should have my touring history, biography and discography of my imaginary band ready soon, then I have to write the actual novel.

[miss_kitty]

120. I saw Devo, Iggy Pop and Paula Poundstone at the Showbox

3 different shows though...And Michael Franti. I nearly got crushed at the Iggy Pop show when the drum kit CAUGHT ON FIRE. (On Edit: Someone in the crowd lobbed a flaming firework through the air-what a fuckin arm! I saw it arc over the crowd and it hit the back wall and rolled under the drum kit, where it proceeded to flare up.) Did you know a crowd PUSHES FORWARD when fire happens? I was in the very front. That was the same night a group of assholes discussed beating the shit out of me because they said I was "such a fox" HUH? Don't hate me because I am beautiful. :)

Iggy was so excited after the drum kit incident...he said "THAT WAS THE BEST FUCKING REACTION I HAVE EVER SEEN OUT OF SEATTLE! I THOUGHT YOU WERE A BORING BUNCH OF FUCKS, BUT BECAUSE OF THIS, WE'RE DOING AN ENCORE!!!!!" They used pots and pans for the rhythm section.

The Rainbow was a place my Mom went to in the 40's. She asked me once if they still had rainbow trout in the tanks there! Uh no mom. It's pretty much A BIKER BAR now (that was the answer in the 70s). The Magnetics played there once. Only the Rainbow and The Showbox are still here though-and the Central. I think.

There was also Parker's aka Parker's Ballroom and 'The Aquarius' Now it's Parker's Card Room, I think. I saw Tim Finn there. That's another venue my mom went to, only in her day, it took nearly an hour to get 'all the way out there' It's a 20 minute drive if there is no traffic.

There were loads of places in Pioneer Square in the 80's if I was not drunk and stoned at Astor Park-I was drunk and stoned in Pioneer Square. I can't even - wait Doc Maynard's? I think was the name of a place...

Also a minor venue that Robert Cray played before people knew his name is a block and a half from where I am sitting-Another Biker Bar-The Eastlake Zoo. Not music there so much because of the neighbours...

[Wat_Tyler]

141. Thanks. I'll ply you for info later.

:headbang:

[flamingyouth]

162. That Iggy show is freaking legendary!

And you were there! WOW! :D

[miss_kitty]

166. I was in FRONT...It was an EXTREMELY memorable evening

because the people wanting to beat me up just for the wAy I looked, how I turned around (There was an 'encore' call going on and he wasn't coming back because the audience was unamusing to him) just at the right time to see that lit roman candle thingy fly through the air and just watch it fly all the way to the stage in slow motion, thinking "MAn we are FUCKED if that goes up. after the Fire got put out. he came out banging on a pot with a spoon, and he had a soup pot over his head.

I had no idea it was Legendary. It was about 1980. i still have the shoes-blue Candies Fuck Me pumps! Ahhhhhhhhh sweet youth

[flamingyouth]

51. Oh! Almost forgot the Music Hall!

Ah, the late, much-lamented beautiful Music Hall... closed in the late '80s, sadly demolished in 1992. I saw several shows there, including REM, X and the Dickies.

[Wat_Tyler]

20. Over and under is fine.

Was the Moore Theatre a seated theatre?

[flamingyouth]

23. Yes, it still is around

It's smaller than the Paramount, and less fancy, but you get the idea. It's on 2nd and Virginia.

[miss_kitty]

125. Ahh the Moore

A derelict theatre turned into a movie theater (The Moore Egyptian) I saw the dutch film 'Kathy Tippel' there.

I saw Crowded House, Roger McGuinn open and did the most fuckin awesomest version of "The Chestnut Mare" EVER! It gives me chills just saying he did it!

And Crowded House-what a great concert! We were up in the balcony, and at one point in the show Tim Finn was talking to the crowd and he said "If someone can identify this note, I give them a big prize'" So he played a chord and from the 2nd or 3rd row someone yells out "C sharp Minor!" He said "Who was that? You? come 'ere!" and this gal from the audience gets up on stage. He asks her her name and shit "Whaddya do" She said she went to university he asked what she was studying and she said she was a music major. He laughs and said "She's a Majorette!" and someone in the band starts up some marching music.

Then he says "You know I picked such an obscure chord, I didn't think anyone would get it. I don't have a prize. I feel really bad. Would you like to sing a song with us for your prize?" She said "Well-YEAH!" I can't remember which song she sang, but she was pretty good for someone with no warm up...

I ran into her a few months later when Tim Finn came through as a solo act and asked her about the whole thing "wow perfect pitch! How cool is that-that you got to use it like that!" "oh I don't have perfect pitch. I'm not EVEN a student! I just guessed! And it was totally cool singing with them like that!"

[miss_kitty]

130. The Paramount in Seattle

My mom saw a 7 year old Sammy Davis Jr there when she was a little girl. It was a derelict for years. After an extensive remodel, BB King reopened it in 1972. My mom went to that, too. I saw Frank Zappa there in the 70s. I saw PIL, BAD and some total shite group there in '92. and I saw the 'Escape from New York' tour with Blondie, Tomtom Club and The Ramones there, whenever that was...

My dad took me to see Cats there. and I have seen many other bands there, just can't think of them anymore right now! :)

[flamingyouth]

35. I should add this about the Eagles

It had been around for a long time, and hosted quite a few bands in the '60s. I saw my very first concert here in 1981 - the Go-Go's with the Flestones as the opening act. I was in 8th grade. :)

[miss_kitty]

126. I dropped acid at the Eagles in 1969

Saw The Retina Light Circus light show there, but I can't remember any band names...

[RandomKoolzip]

17. I grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, so:

Toad's Place (saw Sonic Youth/Bewitched, Wallflowers, Counting Crows (before they were big!), fIREHOSE, and a few more there whom I forget now.) Toad's was the "big" club in NH; The Stones did a one-off there while rehearsing their "Steel Wheels" material, and Dylan did the same thing that same year.

Tune Inn: (saw Voodoo Glow Skulls, The Fastbacks, Max Creek, many more...my own band played here a bunch of times circa 1993.)

Student Union, UConn (Storrs, CT): (saw Jawbox (twice), Shudder to Think, Holy Rollers, Fugazi, Gunk, others....)

The Anthrax (Norwalk, CT): Didn't see any bands here, but all my friends did: many many great Hardcore acts (local and national) came there to play.

Other assorted venues: My high school auditorium, House of Cards (my dad's band played there a lot in the 60's), The Pine Orchard Club (again, my band played there twice,) The Stony Creek Puppet House (once again: my band, two gigs.)

Oh, and the Agora Ballroom closed before I started going to shows, but my mom and dad saw a bunch of shows there.

I was mainly interested in seeing my OWN band play while growing up; I actually missed a lot of important shows in this time period. At the larger venues, I saw The Moody Blues, The Fixx, Jane's Addiction, The Rollins Band, Metallica (twice), The Cult, and a bunch of others. Lots of local bands, too (sizing up the competition)

[Wat_Tyler]

25. Thanks, RKZ.

New Haven is a pretty major stop for touring acts, right?

[RandomKoolzip]

40. It's between Boston and New York, and Yale is there....

Yale's radio station (WYBC) was unbelievable: I got to hear the best, weirdest stuff while growing up.


when I was growing up, there was an incredible Hardcore scene going on in Connecticut: 76% Uncertain, Youth of Today, Unyn, etc. Revelation Records started there, and Moby played guitar with an HC band called the Vatican Commandos back in 86-87.

[Beer Snob-50]

59. the agora ballroom was a fantastic place to see a show.

saw areosmith, squeeze, the ramones, and nrbq there numerous times,

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

121. Also the Webster in Hartford

[Phillycat]

18. Philadelphia: Revival

Awesome goth club. Backwards-running clock on the wall.

[Wat_Tyler]

29. Thanks, Jane.

[Phillycat]

41. See above for my reply to 101er's post.

Has a couple more clubs for you.

[Phillycat]

43. Ah, you did already.

Quick one, you are. :)

[Burma Jones]

19. DC Area

The Keg - May have closed by 1981, Saw George Throrgood, Captain Beefhart, Root Boy Slim and Blotto there

The Bayou

Branding Iron Beef House

Columbia Station

The 9:30 club (old site) - Still in buisiness, but much bigger.

The Wax Museum - This was a great club that inhabited the old DC Wax Museum. There were wax figures all over the place of politicians and famous criminals.

DC Space - Important to the DC punk scene.

[Wat_Tyler]

30. Thanks. That covers DC nicely.

[Phillycat]

61. The difference between old 9:30 and new 9:30.

The old 9:30 club was a tiny, smelly, concrete box with a two-foot high stage, and it cost $5 for a cup of warm, yellow water. I broke a toe there, before I knew to wear boots to shows.

The new 9:30 club, is, you know, fancy. It's more like a theater or whatever.

[Burma Jones]

82. I played in both places and I sometimes miss the old 9:30 club

When I have that hankerin' for the old days, I go over to Black Cat

The new 9:30 club is a LOT more comfy, and the space for the performers is a lot better too.

[Phillycat]

85. Oh sure, but the old one has such fond memories. :)

Somehow the filth and stench are nostalgic now, aren't they?

Who did you play with? Maybe I saw your band back in the day (I am old)

[Burma Jones]

93. Tone, the Guitar Ensemble......n/t

[soothsayer]

86. still fun, tho! But yeah, i miss the old one with its weird layout

[soothsayer]

84. don't forget the Birchmere (still there), Madam's Organ (punk)

I saw the Ramones at the Wax Museum! And Wendy O Williams and the Plasmatics at the Ontario Theater (Adam's Morgan).

Was the Cellar Door already closed by the 80s?

[Wat_Tyler]

89. Thanks.

[Burma Jones]

96. I think Cellar Door Closed around 1980

I forgot Madam's Organ

I always though of Birchmere's as more Roots and World Music than Rock, but you have a point

[soothsayer]

114. Birchmere would be hilarious to write about because of their nazi-like

SHOOSHING of the audience! (shhhhh, no dancing, no moving, no talking, no dancing, face forward).

Good place to hear music, but it does crack me up.

[imax2268]

170. Hey now...

I saw Bonnie Rait there before she hit it big...it was a nice place to see a show...

Also the Bayou...in DC...to bad it's closed now...that's where Foreigner got their start...!

[soothsayer]

95. Lisner Auditorium holds 1400. (still there), Childe Harold (springsteen's

first dc venue, and they make a mean chef salad!). Georgetown U's Gaston Hall is a small venue.

Oooh! Found others mentioned here:

http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/98/brace981204.htm

[Burma Jones]

99. Lisner is a great place and is where (70s) Waiting for Columbus

was recorded by Little Feat. Saw a great Camper van Beethoven concert in Gaston Hall.

Would the Warner Theatre Count?

[Burma Jones]

97. OOOPS - I forgot Twist and Shout

A sometime club occupying an American Legion Post in Downtown Bethesda.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

133. Saw Bo Diddley at the old 9:30. Also Timbuk 3, believe it or not! LOL

[bif]

22. Detroit area

Royal Oak Theatre, The East Town, The Punch & Judy Theatre, Harpos. Ann Arbor: The Michign Theatre and Hill Auditorium. I'll post more if ai think of any.

[Wat_Tyler]

44. Great.

[XNASA]

26. Chicago..........

Schuba's, Fireside Bowl, Empty Bottle, Berlin, Medusa's, The Beat Kitchen, Exit, Metro, Phyllis' Musical Inn, The Rainbo Club, The Vic Theater, Neo, The Lyon's Den.....

Can't forget, Tut's, which back in the 60's was the Quiet Knight. At the corner of Belmont and Sheffield. The Furs, The Cure, Captain Beefheart, Killing Joke, Bauhaus, Iggy...everyone played there. It was where Joy Division was to make their Chicago debut.

Great club at the time. Perfect size, lot's of different rooms. It's the club where Iggy was once 'serviced' while atop the pool table in front of about 100 people.

[Wat_Tyler]

48. That covers Chicago, then.

:yourock:

[RetroLounge]

103. Forgot a few from the Chicago Burbs

Beginnings in Shaumburg. First place the Scorpions played, the night before they played ChicagoFest on Navy Pier.

Haymakers in Palatine. Saw The Ramones there. Low ceiling, really loud. Cheap Trick, Styx, REO Speedwagon all played there on their way up.

Thirsty Whale in River Grove, I think. Lots of heavy Metal bands played there.

RL

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

150. Also 950 Lucky Number, Cubby Bear, Gaspars

And Smart Bar, that little place next to Metro.

I loved the Vic. Saw Robyn Hitchcock there a couple times. If the Vic counts, what about the Aragon, Riviera and Uptown Theatre? Too big? And Park West - too swanky? ;)

[XNASA]

172. LOL!! 950!!!!!

"Jehddie, Jehddie, get broom. Clean floor. Make deerburger. Of course I scared. I shoot!! Eyes one inch theek!"

Not sure if you remember Vess, the owner. But that's how he would talk. He was an avid hunter and would sometimes make various meat products and serve them at the bar. What a character he was.

Perhaps the Aragon, Riviera and Uptown are too large to count, but the rest, especially the Park West, certainly belong on the list.

[ProfessorGAC]

175. You Forgot The Park West

That's one of the best sounding mid-size venues in the area. That or The Vic.
The Professor

[Champion Jack]

27. L.A.---here's a few

On Klub
The Masque
The Whiskey
Cathay De Grande
The Starwood

[Wat_Tyler]

52. Great, I was pretty weak on LA.

[Tikki]

90. More LA....

Anti Club
Club Lingerie
Country Club (SF Valley)
Madame Wongs
Roxy
Argyle
Coconut Teaser
The Palace
Perkin's Palace
The Palladium
The Golden Bear (OC)
Trancas

[Wat_Tyler]

92. Neat.

:headbang:

[henslee]

154. Gonna ad to that Jack.... (I posted downthread put will repost)

Perkins Palace/Country Club (mixed)
Stardust ballroom - mixed (LA)
Club 88 - mixed, legendary(LA)
Blackies - New wave(LA)
Godzillas punk, a big warehouse(OC)
Madame Wongs - new Wave (SM)
Honk Kong - punk(LA)
Bogarts - rock/punk(near LB)
Cuckoos Nest - punk (OC)
Vex punk (LA)
Corral - country/rock(topanga canyon)
The Palomino country - country rock(LA)
Myrons Ballroom - mixed (LA)
La Casa big hall, rap(LA)
Radio rap (LA)
Trancas - reggae (Malibu)
Gazzaris - rock, glam rock (LA)

[Beware the Beast Man]

31. Electric Banana, Pittsburgh, PA

Had a long and illustrious history of ripping off performers.

[Wat_Tyler]

53. Very useful information.

[Magrittes Pipe]

87. I have an outstanding tape of a Great Plains performance there in '85.

[Beware the Beast Man]

94. I used to go to the Banana all the time

Back when I was a teenage headbanger. It was this tiny, cramped, scary club that was probably the closest thing Pittsburgh had to a CBGB. Yeah, and the owner used to wave the gun around if a band gave him any trouble. Sadly, it's now an Italian restaurant.

[tigereye]

98. including me! more about Pittsburgh below

I used to live in that place. It was disgusting, but Judy was nice and served great food. Also saw amazing shows there, including Firehose.

We played at many of these places and saw great shows as well:

bar

The Decade... The Pretenders, The Police (very early 80s), The Replacements, Yo La Tengo, Cindy Lauper, The Dead Milkmen, The Screaming Trees were a few.
Bloomfield Bridge Tavern - that might be more 90s
The Upstage
Heaven - saw X there, and Per Ubu and The Ramones, and GAng of Four
THe Stanley - bigger theatre - saw Joan Jett, the Clash, Gary Numan.

non-bar
The Sonic Temple - Scrawl et al and lots of indies
The Foundry - was a real foundry at one time, saw Beat Happening there and Eugene CHadbourne,I think.


hmm there were probably more...

[Beware the Beast Man]

102. Sonic Temple was awesome!

See my post below. :hi:

[tigereye]

111. hey Beastman

the Banana is now a very good Italian restaurant called Zarras. So my old punk cronies tell me.

:hi:

wonder if I saw you there... who did you see? Did you know Manny and all those folks?

[Beware the Beast Man]

117. Funny, I know of Manny

My friends in were in a band called Hedgerod (only around for a few months), and I think Manny used to run the door at the Upstage.

As far as local bands, I saw Half Life, Eviction, DoomWatch, Bird of Prey, Necropolis, Travesty, mostly late 80's metal and punk acts. As far as major acts at the Banana, I saw Gang Green, Goo Goo Dolls, and DRI there. I can't recall who else at the moment. Small world! :hi:

[tigereye]

153. I'm an old school punk

I graduated from Pitt in 1980 and grad school in 1985. I was there sort of at the inception of punk in Pgh. My husband lived in an apt. with the singer from Carsickness, one of the first "punk" bands in the city... this guy is pretty well known in the city and he was one of the first people to talk bar owners into allowing original bands to play. That's how I started going to the Banana and to Chief's and to art openings where punk bands played and house parties, etc.

I was in a few bands ( I played the drums since no one else wanted to) with a bunch of other women and all my friends were in bands... so that was a big part of my life for about 15 years, until I had my son. We played the Upstage a number of times, the Banana many times, the BBT, coffee houses, parties, Graffiti once, and in Ohio and WV. We even got to play at the Kinitting Factory in NYC once! We made a record and two CDs. Then I had to "retire" so to speak, but I still play drums and take lessons. :hi:

[Beware the Beast Man]

159. Would it be the Barbed Wire Dolls?

If so, I remember seeing them a couple of times..

[tigereye]

167. no we weren't that wild!

I know of them.. used to see them around. Nah we were called Bone of Contention. Kind of odd, post-punk, more melodic and story telling band with instrument changes, and tape loops and that kind of thing. No blue hair or fishnets... we were a bunch of writers and grad students. More about poetry I suppose.

[Susang]

38. Detroit (and surrounding)

Clutch Cargos, new wave & punk, existed in various incarnations, first in an old unheated building in the Cass corridor that used gigantic industrial kerosene heaters whenever they had an event. Later they moved to St. Andrew's Hall in the Greektown section of downtown Detroit, sometime in the mideighties, I believe. I saw the Cramps, Lone Justice, Duran Duran, Iggy Pop, X, the Violent Femmes, the Smiths, Adam and the Ants, and Siouxie and the Banshees there, among others.

Lilis 21 (in Hamtramck, a mostly Polish city that is actually inside of Detroit), small family run club with mostly local bands and some cool national acts. Saw Was not Was there, as well as a lot of other Detroit bands that no longer exist. Seminal Detroit band Destroy All Monsters featuring Niagra played there regularly.

Hamtramck Pub, hardcore punk and punkabilly scene. My friends Snake Out and Elvis Hitler used to play there a lot.

Old Miami, Cass Corridor Vietnam veterans bar that hosted bands. Lots of local acts played there, nobody famous. Very surreal vibe, with vets hanging out with kids with mohawks. Surprisingly, not many fights.

Todds, A gay bar most nights, on Monday's it was "new wave night" and drinks were two-for-one. They had a basement bar that the punks hung out at. Occasionally hosted shows. I saw the Violent Femmes, the Pogues (both with Shane MacGowan and with Joe Strummer)and Divine there. One of my favorite bars ever and probably the most influential bar in the scene. Many House and Industrial DJs got there start there.

[Wat_Tyler]

55. Thank you very much, Susan

That'll do very nicely.

[Susang]

73. There's more if you need it

I have Chicago and Kalamazoo info as well. That's what I get for living in bars for most of my adult life. :-)

[Wat_Tyler]

83. Yeah, maybe later on, once I've processed all this.

Thanks muchly.

[Susang]

91. You got it

You might want to think about talking to touring musicians of that time, particularly regional ones. I'm sure XNASA could help you out there, and I could also put you in touch with a couple people whenever you're ready.

[phatkatt]

45. The Tip Top Cafe in Huntsville, AL

It was in an old garage and still had oil stains on the floor. They busted out a brick wall to make it one big room. Several big name passed through there before hitting it big like Black Crows. A friend of mine worked there and in the back room found a bunch of unopened promo packs from bands, including Alice In Chains.

Oh, the memories ...

[Wat_Tyler]

58. Good.

Getting places that are not in the major areas is priceless

[vajraroshana]

106. I loved the Tip Top Cafe...

In the daytime it was a diner that served typical meat and three veggies type food and catered to the working-class neighborhood regulars. I think it's now reverted to being just a diner.

At nighttime three or four nights a week it was a punk/alternative act club. Capacity was maybe 100. Especially popular around the late 80s. Too many bands to even remember them all. Fetchin' Bones played there a few times iirc.

Great times!

When Black Crows played, they weren't very popular and hadn't yet evolved into their stoner-southern-funk type sound, but instead were more of a screaming grungy mess.

Keanu Reeves and his little band played once, but I missed it (didn't miss much, I was told).

It was the closest thing to a "scene" in the Huntsville area; overshadowed for about a year by the Texican Taco Company which hosted some good acts and had fantastic food, but the profits unfortunately went up the owner's nose (or so the rumor had it)!

Was your friend Chris Brown, by the way? He did the sound and other stuff there for years; haven't seen him in ages.

[phatkatt]

118. Tip Top

I know Chris, but I was talking about a different dude. Chris works at Thai Garden now and hangs out at the Old Town Cafe if you want to catch up with him.

[Philostopher]

47. Cincinnati/Corryville (The 'UC slums') had Bogart's.

http://www.bogarts.com/

They were really the only long-term showcase club of that size -- just under 1,500 "seats" (you didn't sit at Bogart's very often, except in the balcony) -- in Cincinnati. Acts also played Music Hall and, occasionally, the Emery Theater, but Music Hall and The Emery were a little more upscale.

Bogart's is basically a huge brick shoebox (no matter what they say on their website).

The UC Fieldhouse at the University of Cincinnati had some acts come through, though I think the night Ray Davies assaulted someone (might have been Dave, might have been an audience member) made them a little more particular about the acts they'd have there.

There also are two decent clubs in Dayton -- Gilley's and Canal Street Tavern -- that had/have acts, though Gilley's often is more likely to host blues and jazz acts as rock. Canal Street Tavern is small -- probably only seats about 300 -- but it's about the only venue the right size for anything up to a showcase act.

On edit -- it's where Guided By Voices always played when they did a gig in their hometown.

One more -- Cincinnati had a showcase club down on the Ohio River called Annie's. It was strictly hair metal for many years, and I think it seated about 500.

[Wat_Tyler]

63. Great. Ohio is pretty crucial to any music history of the US.

[Magrittes Pipe]

71. A warning about Bogart's: the staff was HORRIBLE.

Rude, crude, and unattractive. Boorish and dull-witted.

Canal Street and Gilley's are great stops of note in D-Town, also McGuffey's House of Draft (a/k/a the Beer & Brawl) for the butt-rock.

Any Cincinnasty talk must include a mention of Sudsy Malone's, the BEST "rock & roll laundry and bar" in the country. I know Sudsy's was at least around in the late-'80s, btu I was too wee to know of such things much before then.

[Wat_Tyler]

76. That's what I need, surly staff.

Most useful.

[Magrittes Pipe]

80. Not just surly. Ugly.

And foul-smelling.

[dolo amber]

138. The staff was surely no worse

than the crusty, pimply-faced teenaged boys who'd slime into town from god only knows what one horse cuzzin'-luvvin' backwater hovel to come ogle the foxy voluptuous barmaids...oh yes...;)

[Magrittes Pipe]

140. You mean the crab-ridden vermin who used to puke all over the club?

Yeah, they were REALLY worth ogling. :eyes:

[Philostopher]

164. Bethel.

Where Chuck Cleaver of the Ass Ponys was from -- and he probably did his time ogling barmaids at Bogart's, that's absolutely right. And Felicity. Williamsburg, Batavia, Amelia. Oh, and let us not forget New Richmond.

[Jokerman]

64. I saw Warren Zevon at Bogarts.

Must have been '84 or '85.

[fudge stripe cookays]

49. Dallas, TX

Theater Gallery: Spearheaded the "Deep Ellum" scene, which changed an old worndown warehouse district into the hottest entertainment area in town.

Starck Club
Trees
Art Bar
Fast and Cool Club
Twilite Room
The Arcadia Theater
The Prophet Bar
Club Dada
Club Clearview

Not as much experience with these since I was a broke college student in Denton, but I did see The Church at Fast and Cool, Mission U.K. at Clearview, and lots of local bands at TG. My old college roommate dated one of the guys in End Over End and several of our dorm friends were in Last Rites. (one of whom, Mike Malinin, now plays drums for the Goo Goo Dolls)

Here's a cool link to lots of Dallas info:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/1999-06-17/music2.html

[Wat_Tyler]

65. Thanks. Out come the bookmarks.

[fudge stripe cookays]

On the

Russell Hobbs conversion to fundie thing, Three on a Hill had a song on their cassette that came out right after that blasted him.

They called it "Saved."

"I was walking in the park.
Met a prophet on a lark.
Saving lives was his good job.
And his name was Russell Hobbs.
I was Saaaaaaaved."

FSC

If you can get a copy of the Deep Ellum compilation, grab one. It's quite good.

[fudge stripe cookays]

78. dupe

self delete

[BigBigBear]

60. Boulder, CO

The Blue Note, which was hot in the late 70's to mid 80's.

Wynton Marsalis once said it was his favorite place in America to play - I saw his original quintet (with Tain Watts, Branford and Kenny Kirkland) there in about mid '84, and they blew the f-ing doors off the place.

Seen Wynton at least 8 times since, and none half as hot as that night.

Other venues in Boulder, and other shows @ Blue Note, but that's what comes to mind immediately.

[Wat_Tyler]

Thanks. I have next-to-nothing for Colorado, so that's a great help.

[Beer Snob-50]

66. in the western mass area

my favorite place was the rusty nail in sunderland, ma. i saw stevie ray vaughn, numerous local acts, and rumor has it that an unknown act by the name of bruce spingsteen played there during a snowstorm. my favorite moment was when nrbq played there and the allman brothers came in toward the end of the show came in and tried to jam after nrbq finished. nrbq came out and broke up the allman brothers though (which really sucked but...)

[Wat_Tyler]

69. Very useful.

Cheers.

[Jokerman]

70. Indianapolis...

The Vogue
The Patio
Celebrities Music Hall
Piccadilly's

Just the ones I remember off the top of my head.

[Wat_Tyler]

72. Neat.

Much obliged.

[BiggJawn]

168. Don't forget "The Emerson", or the "Murat"

Wasn't there a place down in Beech Grove? can't remember the name.

Gawd, "Piccadillys"....We used to call that place "Pick-a-Disease" in the late 70's...

[Jokerman]

169. Was the Murat Hosting Shows in the 80's?

Thanks for reminding me about the Emerson, I forgot all about that place.

I hesitated in mentioning "Pick-a-Disease" because it was usually a slimy disco/pickup bar but I did see The Marshal Tucker Band there once.

[BiggJawn]

177. Yes, and even earlier than that...Can't remember any names, though...

Wish we had someone around who worked for Sunshine...They'd know...

I know they had shows there in the late 80's-early 90's. R and B acts, if memory serves.

Mostly Punk shows at the Emerson...

And the "Rivoli"? wasn't it a venue before it bacame a XXX house?

[asthmaticeog]

74. Cleveland, dates and capacities are approximate

Peabody's Downunder, capacity 4-500
Phantasy Niteclub, capacity 300
Phantasy Theater, capacity 800
Variety Theater, capacity 600
(EVERYBODY played these first four venues after the Pop Shop closed in the early '80s. There were no other significant indie/alt venues for most of the decade. Except for the centrally-located Peabody's, all these venues were in the West-Side suburb of Lakewood. Which is partly why it sucked ass to be a freak living on the East Side. Phantasy Niteclub was originally a seafood restaurant, and when it was converted to a music club, they left the prop fishing boats in place. In fact, they're still there. It's pretty funny.)

Babylon A Go Go ('88-'92), capacity 200 (Extremely cool little spot whose floor was literally almost caved in by enthusiastic dancing at a Primus show. It's a foo-foo restaurant now. Played host to first Cleveland shows of Urge Overkill, Cop Shoot Cop, the Melvins, and numerous others who'd go on to relative hugeness.)

The Empire, capacity 1,500 ('87-early '90s, torn down to make room for Jacob's Field. My Bloody Valentine and Nirvana played there.)

[Magrittes Pipe]

79. You didn't mention the Euc?

Fuckhead.

[asthmaticeog]

142. Euclid Tavern didn't really get going until '91.

At least as far as hosting touring bands is concerned. It was exclusively white blues and cover bands until about '89, when Derek Hess sarted booking local indie & punk bands, then in '91 the place started getting the likes of Helmet, Alice Donut and Unsane. But Wat specified '91 as the end of the range he wanted, so I left out the Euc. Believe me, I didn't forget the place - I was their promoter for a couple of years!

[Wat_Tyler]

81. Hey. Cleveland Rocks.

Someone might want to write a song about that at some point. :evilgrin:

[johnnie]

124. The Cleveland Agora

The Agora was a pretty big Venue in the 80s.
As stated above, The Euclid Tavern was another club. That's where they filmed some of the Micheal J Fox film "Light of day"

Funny, all the ones you mentioned I got to play at a few times. With the exception of the Pop Shop.

[asthmaticeog]

143. Of course!

How could I forget the Agora? Stupid, stupid, stupid...

[Phillycat]

75. I know this is research for you...

but this is the coolest thread to read for any music geek! Thanks, WT. I've been very entertained.

[Wat_Tyler]

77. No problem. I'm glad it's a good read as well as a gold mine for me.

[tigereye]

100. with all the music heads around here

you should be swimming in factoids!

cheers!

[Wat_Tyler]

88. I'd better share some details myself, eh?

The Glasgow Barrowlands (1900 cap) is one of the most legendary venues east of the Atlantic. Once the haunt of a serial killer and several WWII riots, in the last 20 years it has become the most renowned rock venue in the UK. I saw Sonic Youth, Ash, Radiohead, Pop Will Eat Itself (for some reason), Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, Supergrass and countless others there. The only time I ever crowdsurfed was at Sonic Youth, where I ended up at Kim Gordon's feet.

King Tut's Wah-Wah Hut is the classic small venue (200 cap). I saw Sparklehorse, Fountains of Wayne, Supergrass (again), and hundreds of other bands there. The only ever rock interview I did (Ian McCulloch) I did there.

The Glasgow Garage (formerly the Mayfair) (800 cap) is a great club-sized venue. I saw Tricky, Pavement, the Jesus and Mary Chain and others there. No night was complete without a little ultraviolence.

The Glasgow Arches (1200 or so cap) are disused railway tunnels under the city. Great for theatre, techno event, things like that. I think I saw Mudhoney there. Can't recall for sure.

[Beware the Beast Man]

101. Some other notable Pgh. venues:

Graffiti: excellent club, but the son of that fuckwad Richard Mellon Scaife shut it down to make his own personal garage. Saw Mudhoney there, probably my favorite show of all time.

City Limits: aka "Shitty Limits" for its lousy PA system. Basically just a modified roller rink. Big for metal shows. Saw Megadeth, Overkill, Nuclear Assault, Slayer, COC, Motorhead, Death Angel and the Necros there, as well as local acts.

Sonic Temple- this place was open for just a few months back in 1989. It was an old Masonic lodge leased out by some Pitt students. It was a successful venture, but they couldn't renew their lease. A ton of acts rolled through during that era. I saw a couple hardcore shows there; no one notable.

[tigereye]

113. Graffiti was great - saw the Mekons there

and Bad Religion there once. Also QUeen Ida, not punk, but the best Zydeco ever. Also saw Robyn Hitchcock there, Judy Tenuta, the Roches, and a host of others. What a great club that was! We played there once, too. We played everywhere at least once. (cue cymbal hit)

I was blanking on the name of Graffiti. Were you a "hardcore kid" as we used to call them? ;)

[Donkeyboy75]

104. Growing up in Columbus Ohio,

there was the Newport Music Hall - which had all sorts of bands - and the Alrosa Villa, where I saw some crappy metal bands in the late 80s.

[Ripley]

174. LOL...Alrosa Villa!

I saw Robin Trower there....sad, towards the end of his heyday. I had seen him years before at the arena downtown. :hi:

[Donkeyboy75]

176. Yeah, that place was a dump.

There's something really sad about seeing a downward artist at those smaller venues...

[auburngrad82]

105. Strand Theater, Marietta, Georgia

Saw the Ramones and the Georgia Satellites there. Cheap Trick played there. Theater is still there but I don't think it's a club any more. I moved about 10 years ago so I don't know what it is now.

Also, Eddie's Attic, Atlanta, Georgia. Saw the Georgia Satellites there.

688 in Atlanta as well. Used to have lots of punk bands playing there.

[Terran]

108. In San Francisco

the was Club Deviate (or maybe it was Club Devi8te? been a long time). I saw Thomas Dolby there--very 80's!

[JCMach1]

110. Einstein's a-go-go, JAX, FL

Club which hosted concerts like

Nirvana (before they hit)
Sonic Youth
and many more...

[Wat_Tyler]

112. Cool.

Thanks.

[Tom Kitten]

115. Portland OR

Early tavern/club type venues that hosted local and national acts at the beginning of the 80s included the Earth Tavern (I saw Television there), the Euphoria, and Luis La Bamba. They were larger in size, could hold a few hundred people. The first punk clubs were the Urban Noize, Clockwork Joe's, and The Met, pretty small places , and the Long Goodbye, an even smaller place where I saw several bands including the Wipers.
I moved away from Portland to Corvallis a couple years to finish college... down there the pickings were slim, there was a place called Mother's Mattress Factory that the Crazy 8s played regularly and John Lee Hooker played there once in a great show! Also saw the Violent Femmes and the Dead Kennedys at the Benton County Fairgrounds, which was kind of amusing...Just a big empty concrete room.The Marquee before the DKs show was funny...It read "Tues. American Legion Bingo Night Wed. the DKs" (I guess putting up the full name was offensive to someone)
Moved back to Portland and Satyricon was already going, it lasted twenty years until it closed last year. Anybody and everybody played there, supposedly that is where Kurt met Courtney... It had about 200 capacity, many people you'd see there you had no idea existed otherwise! I went there too many times to remember, unfortunately it kinda went into decline the past few years until last year when it closed. Other small venues around this time included Key Largo (now called Om and owned by Dan Reed), the Belmont Inn (the Gits and Dead Moon co-billed there frequently, also saw a few others there, it's still open but no longer has live music...a bartender was murdered after hours in a robbery there and it kinda put a bad vibe on the place...A larger venue most of the "alternative" acts played at was the Pine Street Theatre, later called La Luna...It was a big and spacious place, capacity about 2000, but later when "alternative" got big they had a tendenct to never sell out the shows and just pack the people in so much it became unbearable (the cigarette smoke would actually form a fog bank above the crowd, no place to sit or even move!) Let's see...The Blue Gallery was open a couple of years, it was a combination art gallery, bar and music venue..It closed in 1991...
I'm sure I left some out!

[Wat_Tyler]

116. Brilliant. I really need Portland, obviously.

[Tom Kitten]

119. thanks...remembered another one!

The X-Ray Cafe, downtown on Burnside Street...An all-ages club that was open all hours...I saw Bikini Kill, the Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, and several others there. It closed about 5 years ago...maybe a 100 people capacity...

I found some cool little pics...Don't know if you want or need them, but here they are anyways!

[short bus president]

122. Cats Cradle, Chapel Hill

moved to neighboring Carrboro in the early 90s, I think.

[sundog]

123. 9:30 Club, Washington DC...

Just a whole in the wall -- painted all black with barely enough room to breathe... but all the best acts who came through town did 9:30

[KittyWampus]

127. Stephen Talkhouse In Amagansett, NY On Eastern Long Island

very small club that gets great bands.. from cajun to blues, rock, jazz, alternative...

Had a weekly poker game with some of the guys who worked there.

Place still rocks.

[mac56]

128. Minneapolis

Everybody knows about First Ave., of course, thanks to Symbol-Boy's movie. But we also had the Cabooze and Whiskey Junction (right next door to each other), the Five Corners Saloon, the Union Bar over in Northeast, and the Blues Saloon and O'Gara's over in St. Paul. Out in the suburbs were the Mermaid, the Purple Barn, and Schlief's Little City. Plenty more, I know, but those were the ones I grew up with.

Add on edit: The Longhorn was Mpls' answer to CBGBs for a time, until one day it abruptly became a gay bar.

[Wat_Tyler]

131. Cheers. Most useful.

[mac56]

137. Thought of a couple more!

Getting old, I guess.

The 400 Bar on Cedar Ave., and Bunker's on Washington Ave.

[no name no slogan]

171. Also GlamSlam to a lesser extent

But that was only after Symbolina's "Under a Cherry Moon" flick. Wasn't he part-owner or something for a while? It's now the Quest Club, and is a decent room for shows.

Also, I always thought the Longhorn was a gay bar, even in the Suicide Commandos days? Of course that's a little before my time....

One of my funniest memories from being a teenager has to be of endless Soul Asylum gigs at the 7th Street Entry at First Ave on Sunday nights.

Sunday was all-ages night, and it seems that Soul Asylum played the Entry almost every Sunday for several years. It became a bit of a joke, really-- "Hey, let's go to the Entry on Sunday. I bet Soul Asylum's playing." They were always the also-ran of Mpls, it seemed. They were still playing the bars when Husker Dü and The Replacements had major-label deals and were selling out 1,000 seat halls.

Then "Runaway Train" hit huge and the rest is history.

[-..__...]

129. Boston area

The Underground.
The Rathskeller (the Rat). (Bostons response to CBGBs).
Paradise.
Maverick's
Cantone's.
Inn Square Men's Bar.
Storyville.
Jumping Jack Flash (formerly McNastys).
Streets.
Johnny D's.
Green St. Station.
The Channel (might have been more than 2,000 cpacity).

[Wat_Tyler]

132. Thanks.

[Kat45]

144. You forgot a few in the Boston area:

Bunratty's
Jack's
Club III
Jonathan Swift's
Axis (bands on Wed. for heavy metal night)

Did I mention Bunratty's? ;-)

[-..__...]

158. Brain Fart.

(no, it's not the name of a club). :)

[Texasgal]

134. In Austin:

Soap Creek Saloon

I know that club foot has been mentioned already....but what an awesome place!

Also the Old Austin coliseum....ahh the memories!

There was also the beach caberet on UT campus!

[peekaloo]

135. Club Hey Hey in Houston

Fun place in mid to late eighties. Small venue, maybe 300 cap., featured local musicians of all stripes. Nice patio in back. It sat across the street from Rockefeller's, an old converted bank that became a great music venue for big names who liked intimate settings. Oh and the old Tower Theatre, held less than 1000 but another great place to see up and comers or one hit wonders, as it were.

Houston gets shat upon a lot on these boards but it's a great city for live music.

[miss_kitty]

136. Hey check out my story cotributions in and among the

flaming youth comments! i think you missed them because
1) I replied them to her comments
2) you have me on ignore

[Wat_Tyler]

139. Or, because this thread has gotten to #142 and I can't keep up.

That and the ignore, clearly.

[Rambis]

145. M- Shop Ames Iowa

famous Replacements show there once


http://www.m-shop.com/

[miss_kitty]

151. clearly! :P n/t

[SidDithers]

146. Toronto ...

Horseshoe Tavern is still going

El Mocambo was shut down for a while, but has been re-opened

The Masonic Temple was where lots of 80's bands played, before CTV bought it and turned it into a TV studio (for Mike Bullard)

Gasworks was harder rock - I think it shut down mid 90's.

Lee's Palace
Silver Dollar Room
Albert Hall above The Brunswick House - gone a couple years ago too, great jazz and blues when it was alive.

I graduated from UofT in 92 and then moved out to the 'burbs. Don't get downtown nearly as much as I used to. I'll post more if I can think of em.

[Wat_Tyler]

147. Thank's Sid.

[henslee]

148. Southern Cal. (L.A., OC)

Perkins Palace/Country Club (mixed)
Stardust ballroom - mixed (LA)
Club 88 - mixed, legendary(LA)
Blackies - New wave(LA)
Godzillas punk, a big warehouse(OC)
Madame Wongs - new Wave (SM)
Honk Kong - punk(LA)
Bogarts - rock/punk(near LB)
Cuckoos Nest - punk (OC)
Masque - punk (LA)
Vex punk (LA)
Corral - country/rock(topanga canyon)
The Palomino country - country rock(LA)
Myrons Ballroom - mixed (LA)
La Casa big hall, rap(LA)
Radio rap (LA)
Trancas - reggae (Malibu)
Gazzaris - rock, glam rock (LA)

[Bossy Monkey]

149. Cola., SC: Rockafella's & Greenstreet's, both now defunct n/t

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

152. Baltimore. "Hammerjacks". Bigass warehouse on the outskirts of town.

Mostly metal/hard rock acts, and pop as I recall. Does it still exist? Pretty big place, I don't know if it fits the venue restrictions...

[NightTrain]

155. Connecticut....

The Agora Ballroom (West Hartford)
The Boiler Room (New Britain)
The Sting (New Britain)
Toad's Place (New Haven)
The Tune Inn (New Haven)

[blondeatlast]

157. Phoenix, Arizona

Mason Jar; 32nd St and Indian School Road

Little more than a bar, really, but the best place to see punk/alternative in Phoenix.

Sheesh; who DIDN'T I see there?

I did see:
Fishbone
X
Screamin' Jay Hawkins (unbelievable!)
Camper Van Beethoven
Many others too numerous (and fogged) to remember

Still exists, though it is more a metal bar now, but they still have great national acts occasionally.

[the Princess]

160. OK I gew up in Central New Jersey these are some of my old hangouts

On RT 35 - in South Amboy - The Colonel's Garter and The Play Pen (known by locals as the PIG pen)and the Fountain Casino.

In New Brunswick - The Main Event - saw the Semi-famous Good Rats numerous times.

Princeton - RT 27 - The Tin Lizzie

Piscataway - The School House

Jamesburg - Emmett's Inn (I saw Twisted Sister there in a tiny tiny room way before they were famous - it took a week for my ears to be right)


Then there was Staten Island -

The Factory that became Snoopy's

And of course the infamous ROCK PALACE!

[BigBigBear]

161. Pittsburgh

The Decade.

Seedy, sticky-floored club in the Oakland district. Bands like Devo and Human Switchboard and Pere Ubu used to come in from Ohio and play there in the late seventies. The first music article I ever had published was on hometown heroes Iron City Houserockers (Joe Grushecky and Co.), and I interviewed them right after a homecoming Decade gig. (That was about 1100 articles ago...in '79.)

I remember seeing Robert Fripp and the League of Gentlemen play there also in '79 (?) - Fripp was seated on a stool, and told everyone that there would be no standing and gawking front of the stage, otherwise he'd stop playing; it was reserved for dancing only.

Tore it down in '97, I think.

[Red State Rebel]

163. Mississippi Nights - St. Louis, it's where Melissa E met Julie

Not sure of the capacity but there have been some decent bands play there.

[Philostopher]

165. Don't know if you're still toting up ...

but there's also the Metro in Chicago -- I saw Sloan at the Metro a few months back. It's not completely unlike Bogart's, except there's not a bad seat in the house at the Metro. Definitely a collegetown club.

[Ripley]

173. The Sugar Shack, Columbus Ohio.

Near The Ohio State University. Very small (few hundred) and wild. The Godz played there regularly (Their hit: "Feeling Fine on a Seven One Four!" - you get the picture!) and I heard Bob Seeger played there a lot early in his career.

I haven't lived in Ohio for years, so I don't know if it's still there. I'm sure there isn't the open use of drugs now as there was in early 1980's. :P