Entertainment For Lively Minds
I've just been in a bar in Glasgow..
I'm in Glasgow for a couple of days, on my tod, up watching The Open, and was ambling around the centre of town in post-prandial fashion when a winebar beckoned. They sold Budvar on tap and had newspapers to read. I sat down. Music played.. Teenage Fanclub. World Party. Tom Petty. So far, so jolly good. The Jayhawks. The Pernice Brothers.. oh my word.. Matthew Sweet. Big Star. The Thorns. Never have I heard such music in licensed premises. I thanked the owner and we sat and agreed with each other for some time as regards Quality Music.
So.
Who else can flag up a bar wherein one might listen to music they never expected which might also give their heart great joy?
I'll tell you he name of the place tomorrow. At the moment I'm pissed and have forgotten already. It began with a "V".
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Pub music
The Basketmakers' Arms in Brighton lets staff play their own music when the owner's away - that's how I first heard Beirut's Gulag Orkestar. The owner himself, somewhere pushing 70 at a guess, plays hardcore blues and r'n'b whenever he isn't away. It's all good.
As a young, impressionable 18-year-old
I went on a five day sojourn to Paris. On the first night, fancying a drink, my companion and I walked into a bar in Pigalle called La Fourmi.
There didn't seem to be any music playing at first but within 15 seconds, the unmistakeable sound of Jeff Buckley's Mojo Pin began to waft through the bar.
"Smashing," thinks I, "deux bieres, s'il vous plait," I say, thinking that this place knows its music. I was doubly thrilled when I realised that it wasn't a compilation but they were playing the whole Grace album. I refused to leave until it had finished and then visited every night for the rest of my trip.
Bradleys bar
Hamway St, Off Oxford St - great jukebox suspended in time in around 1972. 45's only. Lots of old rock'n'roll and singalong stuff.
That's in London
of course
Dolly!
Thank you!
I was going to be all pedantic and take you to task as it's a minor annoyance that some people will post as though we all live in London Village and therefore must know that Smalltackle Street is off Cockerny Lane and they are both in The Village.
But then I couldn't be bothered. :-)
Fule
Don't be stupid. Cockerny lane is nowhere near there. You're getting confused with Gorblimey Square.
I doff my Titfer to yer
for yer kindness and suchlike.
Bradleys
Is nowhere near as good as it used to be. I spent most of 1989-1993 in there, and it's gone downhill since it changed ownership some time in the 90s. It's still better than most bars though.
It may have gone down hill,
It may have gone down hill, but it's where I met my wife, and for that alone it is the best pub in the world..
I was in a pub in that there London last night on Grays Inn Road called The Blue Lion...I was moved to thank the barman when he played Trespassers William's version of Vapour Trail by Ride...TWICE..
The last time I was in Bradleys it flooded
and we all had to leave. It's pokey but nice.
I've seen it flood downstairs as well
Suspect it happens often
Bradleys
I spent many happy hours in Bradleys in the 1990s - the music, the people... there was something lovely about the place. It's one of the few bars in a UK city where you could chat to a stranger without it being a bit difficult. They also used to serve tapas served by an oldish Spanish chap called Manuel (not sure if that was his name or what we called him!) - tapas bravas with a beer, Sugar Mountain by Neil Young on the jukebox and a chat with mates & others on stuff. The lovely barmaids. Good times.
In the days when 11:00 was chuck out time, a group of us used to head down Hanway St to an illegal drinking club a few doors down. You used to knock on the door and if you face fitted then in you came.
I recall them losing their food licence, Manuel going and new owners. Never the same. We went back there for old times a few weeks ago - still nice but still not the same. If anything the Gents is worse than ever!
Chatting to strangers in pubs
May be odd in London, not at all unusual or difficult in Glasgow.
obligatory
innit, n'at?
Aye
And apparently incomprehensible to tourists. I can still picture the first time I was in a pub in London on my own - 30 blokes drinking in miserable silence with two or three small groups of social revellers. Never happen in Glasgow . Or probably anywhere north of Sheffield, in my experience
Bradleys
I remember Bradleys too. Again about '89-92. I used to work nearby in Statford Place and had mates who worked over in Manchester Square and HMV. After meeting up in the Green Man on Berwick St we would inevitably end up in Bradleys. Remember lots of interesting conversations with strangers, usually about the merits or otherwise of Charles Buckowski.
Must be a bit of a music lovers bar...
I remember going there with a mate to meet up with a bunch of his old pals there before all heading off to a Jesse Malin gig at the ULU. It was a great place but we had to stand outside as it was so packed so didn't really get the benefit of the jukebox!
Blue Lion...
...is also the name of my son's band. So without further ado, here's a shameless plug (he's the one on keys btw)...
Our paths may have crossed
I spent a lot of 87-90 in there. It was always a good meeting place at the very least. Got a bit full at times, mind.
Shame to hear its gone down hill. It did look a bit scruffy (as did all of that end of Oxfoed Street) when I walked past yesterday.
Telfords
in Chester always has great music playing. It's also right on the canal and serves cracking food too! What more could one want? [of course it has beer, are you mad!]
Telfords is superb
a real diamond in the cultural desert that Chester currently is. Had a few great nights in there, Half Man Half Biscuit and John Cooper Clarke stand out.
The Cottage on Brook Street seems to have a policy of "If we dont have it on the jukebox, ask us and we'll get it". Coupled with Black Sheep cask bitter, real fires and no large screen Sky Sports it is the last bastion of decent alehouses in town.
The Aldgate Bar
Not in London Village but Tokyo. Apologies if this seems a tad pretentious, but it provided a memorable night. Ordinarily a British theme pub is the last place I'd go, but I was tired, thirsty and wanted a little comforting familiarity.
Not only did they have Old Speckled Hen, but two record decks and about 2000 vinyl albums. No mixing of single tracks, instead whole sides of albums. Nothing cool or hip - we had Queen, The Firm, Echo & The Bunnymen, Fleetwood Mac - but the perfect soundtrack for my very own (old fart's) version of Lost In Translation.
An Irish Bar in Kyoto
Irish celidh music played by 3 Japanese students...and great beer too.
Starbucks
They must have their own CD or piped-in music cos I heard 'New Slang' by The Shins in two seperate Starbucks. Astonishingly good taste for a place renowed for the opposite.
When I went to my new local just after I moved, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when their jukebox played 'Yellow Country Teeth' by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
Agreed
I dislike many things about Starbucks but they do have an interesting music policy. They do (did? I'm not sure if it's still a going concern) have their own record label too.
The landlord at my local
the Royal Oak in Tableview Cape Town, loves his 60s rock & blues so its Bluesbreakers, Cream, the Faces et al most afternoons. Once he's gone it tends to switch to post punk, ska & new wave for the over 40 expats. I'm not sure which is better. Sick of hearing that babylons burning though!
KFC
Once heard 'Head Home' by Midlake in the KFC in Baker Street, London. No idea whether their playlist extends to other beardy Americana types.
Well, it's one in the afternoon Len,
on the day after, so I presume the hangover was/is immense. Whenever you can open your rhueumy eyes far enough to log back on, perhaps you'll let us know the name of that bar. It sounds like essential local knowledge for future research trips.
Er..
Went in again tonight. Packed. Still can't remember the name but it did begin with "V". Still great music.
Should I drink less?
I think it is encumbent upon you
to make at least one further visit, for research purposes. Hint: take a pen, scribble bar name on hand, avoid washing, report back.
You've been in a bar in Glasgow
yet Brother Blast has yet to contribute to this thread?
I can only conclude the Sisters Of Mercy must have reformed and he's too busy on the gig trail.
Stavka - Polish bar, Sauchiehall St. 2005
The Sisters are playing the ABC (excellent venue BTW) just up the road, it's been arranged online that people from all over Europe will meet there for pre-gig drinky poos.
Bar fills with various black clad midgets, Goon goths and regular Joe's, very quickly faces and online personas are recognised - a club atmos ensues. I walk up to bar and ask if they could bung on this CD of Sisters rarities I have in my hand, it will really get the atmos. up a gear.
Reply: We don't play punters music.
We didn't go back there after the gig and I refuse to step foot in there ever again until they have a sign saying "FREE BEER AND SEX".
Stavka - Russian Bar
Aye, the Jukie in there was mp3s played on a laptop downloaded frae napster. If it weren't The Zutons or The Killers then the 'Hipster' bar staff wouldnae play it.
That night was the start of the rot as far as i'm concerned, as I never went back in there again either, and I really used to like the place. It had an identity all of it's own, mostly due to the 1930's Soviet style decor and Gorky Park being shown on the big screen on looped repeat tae! (which helped you forget about the muzak from the laptop).
I walked past a few weeks ago and its going by a different name, it's probably become one of those soulless post-grad Student "Hipster" hang outs that are all the rage these days.....
Candidate
Is it "The Universal"? Down a lane round the back of Bath St near Hope St ?
It sounds like the kind of music they play - I remember one lazy Sunday afternoon in there listening to a compilation CD that started with Neil Young's "Are You Ready For The Country" and then had a pile of Gram Parsons / Jayhawks / Lucinda Williams.
If it definitely begins with a V, I'm short of candidates. Street name ? Clue ? Unless Vroni's has changed its vibe entirely.
In Sheffield in the late 80s there was a great real ale pub near Attercliffe Common that played classical music which went down a treat. I hadn't imagined that I would enjoy hearing Brahms while getting Brahms & Liszt!
I'm here all week, try the veal ...
Vronni's or Vroni's
was my guess, used to be called Smith's in chice~chice days.
I remember them playing REM (when they were awrite), Shriekback (that's a lie), Wire (Honest!), The Cult, Go West (go figure), Nyman and FashiØn. Very keen but kinda dates it, my mate and I used to repair to Nightmoves afterwards to see things like Tones on Tail and on one unfortunate occasion - Six Grown Children!
Rubbish irrelevant comment removed
:-)
Canna think lad
... but can I recommend the Trent House in Newcastle?
When I went there the juke box was free and it featured Theme De Yo Yo by The Art Ensemble Of Chicago. This impressed me beyond all reason.
Mucky Duck, Shotts.
The jukebox covered Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Hank Williams, Etta James, and Television's "Little Johnny Jewel".
Nicky, the owner, now runs McChuill's on the High St in Glasgow, where of an evening you will hear The Skatalites, The Stooges, Charles Mingus and John Lee Hooker.
I've gigged in McHuill's and
I've gigged in McHuill's and it's the only place I've played in where the owner (the aforesaid Nicky) blasts the between-bands music louder than the ruddy bands themselves play!
The poor stereo ends up brutally overloaded and distorted.
Not been in there since the smoking ban, though, so I presume his ever-present cigars are no more...
He's a fine fellow
The first time we played there he was onstage handing out tequila to the band while we were playing!
McCool's
the penny has jist drapped here!
I'm ashamed to say the last time I was in there, I was the 'better' for drink and having a wonderful night out with (Sisters) friends but there was some nutter wi a trumpet who insisted playing along to tunes being played by the bar staff (some guid stuff too). I even got them to play Reward by The Teardrop Explodes - he murdered it of course. It didn't end in tears but came very close, I later saw him wandering up the road blowing random trumpet blasts as I had a fag and waited for a cab.
Great Nicht Oot! :D
McChuill's (Straight No Chaser)
(A former regular)
A couple of years back we were all told they were closing down and being re-developed into a block of flats. So Nicky moved to the Rock Bar(?) on Queen Street and all his LP's disappeared from the walls and the place got a new coat of paint and all new bar staff. 2 years later and he's now back in the joint with his LP's and CD's, and it's still the most mental and alternative Celtic Supporters pub around.
Some of the beer can be a bit pricey and when it's packed ye cannae move or even hear the person talking that's stood next to ye!
Rock Garden / now Twisted Wheel
The pub he moved to was for many years called The Rock Garden. Now it is the Twisted Wheel. I suspect that the need to ding down old solid buildings and then sling up new ones has receded in the last year
Rock Garden
Aye that's the place!
There's a stuffed bear in the front corner window. I heard he'd gone back to McChuill's last year just to help out for a bit, as the replacement managers "jist wurnae very guid".
Mibbees he's now "Back for good"?
Hipper than hip...
back in the day. Frequented by that breed of be-quiffed and unfeasibly tall Glawegian rock dudes like James Grant of Love & Money and Graham Skinner of Hipsway. Conveniently close to a clothes shop I dearly miss - Flip. Just the place for yer vintage 501s and long overcoats, as well as other Americana that was great to look at but not, perhaps, for wearing - baseball jackets anyone?
The Star & Garter, Montpelier, Bristol
Back in the day when I were a-coutin' a lass down Bristow way - we had some excellent times in the above.
Lock-ins, late nights/early mornings - and the best ska/reggae/dub courtesy of an old fella called DJ Derek
Probably all changed now - it was a long time ago.
Feels like yesterday mind
Star and Garter
Me too re: late night ska in the Star. It would have been the early nineties for me.
DJ Derek made an appearance in the mighty Word a year or so back, didn't he?
DJ Derek
is here...
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Meet-DJ-Derek/article-678558-detail/...
67 this year and still rocking the house
Blimey! Me too!
I used to live in Richmond Road, just up the hill, and after regular hours in the Beaufort or the Cadbury or somewhere, we'd all pile down the hill to hear Derek play until the dominoes ground to a halt in the front bar.
The Cadbury!
A friend and I spent a full thirty minutes today trying to remember what it was called...
Happy days, etc.
Dave the Working Class Tory used to run it.
Lived there with his Mum and her umpteen cats. You could tell. I was living 100 yards up the road (number 118) when the Falklands conflict was happening. The day the Sun published the infamous 'Gotcha' headline, he festooned the bar with Union Jacks and played the National Anthem very loudly on the jukebox. After that final straw, we started making the longer tramp down to The Beaufort at the bottom of York Road, even in the rain, however conveniently close The Cadbury was.
The Ragged Trousers
If you ever find yourself round these parts (Tunbridge Wells), your best bet for decent music and a welcoming atmosphere is the Ragged Trousers in The Pantiles. It was rescued after many years of being various failed restaurants by some sort of co-op arrangement between four blokes who have since gone on to take over another two more local boozers.
The wine is a bit ropey but the beer is good, and you get to listen to whatever is on the iPod of the bar-staff working that day. In any one sitting you might get a bit of Black Uhuru, Flaming Lips, Jeff Buckley or whole albums like Jimi Hendrix 'Axis: Bold as Love' or The Sundays 'Reading, Writing and Arithmetic'. The walls are used to promote local artists works. Think Citizen Smith or Tony Benn's ideal local.
the Variety Bar...
on Sauchiehall St perhaps?
Ah now there's a thought!
usually pop in there before a gig at the Garage, could well be the place.
that sounds likely!
Lenny - is it this one ?
Jenny Lind, Hastings
Walked in here once, and "It's Heavy In Here" by Eric Matthews was playing - I thought I was the only person that even *owned* this album.
Another time - "It's not too Beautiful" by the Beta Band (one of the best openings of any song ever, incidentally) -
A third time - XTC's "English Settlement" (again, I thought I was the only XTC fan in a 100 mile radius)
This turns out to be the work of one of the bar staff, when he thinks no-one's looking... needless to say, I'm now a regular, and the barperson in question is a good friend.
Mind you, went in for a quick pint during the week, and they had some cocktail lounge pianist doing slightly disturbing instrumental covers of Doors songs. You haven't lived til you've heard "Moonlight Drive" embellished in this fashion...
Eric Matthews
Not a typical Sub Pop recording artiste, was he ?
I've got 2 of his : haven't listened to them for a while but I'm just about to put "The Lateness Of The Hour" on, now that you've reminded me!
The Lateness...
One of my favourite opening tracks ever.
My other favourite Sub Pop artists also not very typical - Zumpano (Canadian power poppers featuring AC Newman pre-New Pornographers). Two very fine albums, sadly world domination failed to ensue.
Me too.
Both albums nestle on my shelves. That makes three of us bought them, then.
4
well, I bought the first one.
Thank you
both, for making feel a tiny bit less freakish today...
(*sits in corner of room, naked, rocking back and forth, back and forth...*)
Ah
I've got to spend a few days in Hastings in a couple of weeks for family nursing reasons.
Will try and hunt out said establishment for XTC pleasure.
(I also rather like the sound of a cocktail lounge version of Texas Radio and the Big Beat.)
Old Town High Street
He doesn't always get his own way on the music front, so you may encounter hours and hours of stodgy blues rock or Van Morrison.
(not that I'm saying that's a bad thing...)
PS.
The Pernice Brothers - they're good, aren't they? Why aren't they huge?
Vroni's
James Blast's got it.
And the Pernice Brothers are fantastic.
*points up*
Scuse me, I named it in the post before.
*inserts great big smiley*
Apologies
And caps doffed in the appropriate direction.
Are you sure it's Vroni's?
It's a champagne bar and looks a bit posh...not the sort of place I was picturing.
Of course it's a bit posh.
What sort of place would you expect a gentleman such as wot I is to frequent?
And anyway I was drinking lager.
Oh come now, real ale please...not lager!
No, sorry it was just "good music" and "champagne bar" aren't normally seen together - but fair play, next time I up in Glasgow I'll give it a try.
Errr, have we actually established that is the place?
Confirmed and rubber-stamped
http://www.vronis.co.uk/
diz ma toon
still huv such a bad name?
elhombre and others will dispair at this cynicism
we have moved well beyond razors, stabbins' and fried pizzas - it's you who are stuck back in some tabloid idea, it could even be construed as racism - you decide, me, I'm kinda disappointed
What did I miss?
Someone mentioned the Trent
Someone mentioned the Trent House in Newcastle - brilliant free jukebox, advertises itself as the best in the UK and couldn't disagree. Was in Nice and Sleazys in Glasgow briefly last week after Springsteen at Hampden - very young crowd but cool music on the go in there as well. Good old Sauchiehall Street!!
You could also try...
The Belle on Gt Western Road in Glasgow, very good wet afternoon (or any afternoon) pub with excellent music and good beer. The Doublet on Park Road upstairs is a blast on Saturday nights - get in early for a seat, Budvar Black and Budvar ornery on draught.
The Griffin
is not dead, I was in there tonight pre-Testament
It is a quiet bar, the bier is guid (nothing unusual) and you can have a chat, Nick Harper is playing there on Sat. 16 Aug. I think I may toddle along.
Bradley's: A wee Quibble
Love Bradley's. Have done since ah came to t'smoke nigh on 10yrs ago. One wee quibble though. The bog does have a 89% urine humidity level. Maybe it's a secret club for asparagus lovers...
Lanegan's World
On a recent soujourn to Galway, the scheduling of which included plenty of free time for some quality pints, I popped into a former local of mine from years ago - Neachtains (or Tigh Neachtain to give it its proper Gaelic name). Imagine my delight as I prepared to dive into the first of several creamy pints to hear the gravelly tones of Mark Lanegan drifting from the stereo. Over the course of a few pints there was solo Lanegan, Lanegan with Isobel Campbell, a Screaming Trees song or two, and some awesome Gutter Twins/Twilight Singers material and when the owner decided it was time for a change of pace he stuck on Pink Floyd. If there is a God, he was certainly smiling down on the West of Ireland that particular afternoon.
Blimey, I don't recall …
… any music in Neaghtain's from my visits there. I must have been concentrating too hard on my pints.
Oh the mighty Mark,
he sang an acoustic set including "Creeping Coastline Of Lights" and "Sworne & Broken" last Sunday night at the Festival Hall on Southbank in London. I nearly wept.
The Griffin
Aaah, The Griffin. Used to be a cool meet-up place in the mid-80s for various cash-starved urban tribes (or was it just my mates - memories as hazy as the pub atmosphere). I have fond memeories of their chilli burgers and, at lunchtimes, a pie and a pint for a quid.
was that it ?
I remembered it as peas, a pie, and a pint for a pound. (beans were also an option, but not as alliterative.)
Tienes la razon, hombremalo
You're right! Once more my memory fails me.
Unfortunately those days are gone. Pooped in a few months ago while on a visit and The Griffin, while seemingly retaining the decor of yesteryear, has adopted a thoroughly modern price policy. Bah!
Crap typing
I popped (not POOPED) into said Glasgow drinking establishment.
Yes, Bobsy said he had to bar someone uncouth
But the pricing when I was in a few weeks back was very reasonable for a city centre bar
A Weegie barman no called
Boaby!? I find that hard to believe
I know, I know
He sounds like one of the Secret Seven, but he's a dude.
Karaoke's no' deid...
On the topic of Glasgow bars and music, some memories of the 80s were rekindled for me on a recent return visit when I went into a (fairly nondescript) pub on George Square called 'The Piper' or similar. DJ played Talking Heads' Slippery People (live version) - in my memory at least, one of the most popular choons heard at such haunts as Fouquet's on Renfield Street and Headroom on Miller Street, along with The Blue Nile's Tinseltown in the Rain and Simple Minds (when they were good) Love Song - oh yes! Later that afternoon in the same pub another Glaswegian speciality - a guy singing basically high quality karaoke (Drew Robertson?) - Superstition and suchlike. In no other UK city (with the probable exception of Liverpool) can you experience this phenomenon. Karaoke upstairs in The Horseshoe is of course legendary. Great pub to go into if you're alone - you won't be for long!
I've just got up after a nicht in a bar in Glasgow...
WEST Brewery in the old Templeton Carpet Factory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Templeton_Building.jpg
it's a big picture so I'll just post the linky
anyway - no music and it serves litre jugs of onsite brewed German style bier - I lost the power of perambulation, then speech and fell in the door at 23:45
it's very child friendly, serves food and occasionally hosts live music, and just for a change in Glasgow the sun shone all day long