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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

bobsummers, Erskine T is sadly no longer with us. He pased away about 6 years ago, or maybe a litle longer. I was invited to his funeral. I remember him working in The Diskery when it was in Hurst Stret in the sixties. He nicknamed me 'SAD SONG' because of my choice in music.
 
Wales, this thread is about Nightclubs will it be o/k to show you some of my work, or would it be better on another page?
 
Stitcher go to home page and scroll down to Original Artwork and start a new thread like Stitchers art. There's almost a joke there. I would love to see your work as I love embroidery and cross stitch.

I only vageuly remember Erskine T but it's sad to hear he is no longer with us. :(
 
Wendy, I will do that tomorrow. I have put the camera batteries on charge ready. I am not an expert with a camera but I will try to get some pics without the flash spoiling them. It might bounce off the glass you see. I did a set of 21 flower faries so I will do 2-3 of those first. I also used my pooter and did one of our white boxer dog who was my best mate for almost 14 years. Sadly he had cancer in his spine when he was 14, but my wife,my son and me enjoyed his company all the time we had him.
 
Thanks Stitcher.....I'll keep on checking on Brum Beat until I find this band from the Lockers. Looking forward to see your handy work on the site.
 
was an 80s clubber my self , boogies for the happy hour then on to samwellers , i think the dj was stupid cupid ??? then off to millionares still have an entrance ticket will upload it soon , memories ,!!!!there was snobs , faces , i was also at the launce of the dome it looks brilliant you was stood under a huge dome in side the building , there was steptoes , where all old furniture was pinned to the walls , kalidrscope was next door to samwellers , and pakcoda park , with its little chinesss bridges you had to cross to get to the bar and dance floor , great!
 
Hello vmills
I certainly do remember the Rainbow Suite (above the Co-op in Birmingham City Centre) and I used to see lots of groups at The Plaza in Handsworth. The Rainbow Suite was really great, as it was a rooftop club, I loved it there.

Did you go to the Top Rank in Dale End? I will never forget walking in to the sound of Green Onions by Booker T and The MGs, playing and thinking I was the bees knees!!

Its great to remember isn't it? Its a shame out bodies age but our minds don't.:cool:
 
This is brilliant!!
I remember all these clubs. I loved The Top Rank, Dolca Vita and.........wait for it.The Elbow room...aaarrrrrggh!! :sick:
 
Hi Kezza,

Yeah I was an eighties clubber too, although I started at 14 - Barbarella's to see The Clash in '76, whoops just gave away my age! I remember all of the places you mentioned of course. My best friends ex was a DJ at Sam Wellers, where you stuck to the floor and getting to the bar was a nightmare.

Don't know what your route was but we'd start at the Parisian (later le Pub), move on to Cagney's (I remember when that opened, it was '81 I think), then go to Sam Wellers and Kalaidescope (I was there during the opening weekend, when, unless I'm mistaken the pumps failed -bad news, long queues). We would then go to a few clubs. We didn't have to pay to get in to most of them because we worked at a club in town (won't mention which one unless you twist my arm), so we could have cheap night out compared to most people, but wherever we went, we would almost always end up back at Snobs to try and grab a staff taxi home (oh no...I've said it and without any arm twisting!). I think I finally ran out of steam around about the time that rave started, but by then I'd worked at Snobs for a long, long time...

I've got loads of very happy memories of that time, especially working at Snobs and I can still picture many of the people I met back then. I wonder where they are now?

By the by, someone posted a question ages ago asking what was the name of the club where the walls were draped in white. That was Bananas (spelling?) and they had white plants and palm trees too with the whole placed bathed in UV lighting; everyone had horribly white teeth and every little speck of lint on your clothes showed up in stark relief, I won't even mention what happened to those of us wearing white bra's under dark clothing. They were also very fond of using the smoke machine - I can smell that strange odour even as I write about it.

Take care

Kitty
 
:Dancedancer08:Hi Marshell50

Top Rank was brilliant. That's where I first tried barcardi and coke, and was hooked, still my tipple!

Use to go 3 nights a week. One of my friends had her hen night there and we had a really good night. Met a chap called Roger there and we went out for a short time, I wonder what happened to him?

Yep, the mind remembers, but the body can't quite take in the same. Spirit willing and the body weak as they say, but I can still dance the socks of some em!

We use to do all the new dances, remember the one to the Israelites? Not forgetting of course Return of Jango and many others.

Those were the days!
 
The Israelites! I never could work out the words to that song!

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A14jdfuYLg"]YouTube - Desmond Dekker - Israelites - (misheard lyrics)[/ame]
 
Yes I was there too, Dont forget Rebecca's, the Move were performing there, and also Sight and Sound (any one else remember them?) Great times. An other good place was in Park St Birmingham "Prohibition", bit of a jazz club with fantastic food. A very good intimate club, I dont think I was old enough for any of these places, thats what made it so fantastic to be out. The Town Hall was a good venue to see bands too.
 
Yes I remember the Le Metro, it had a strange smell about it I recall.
Pete York was the DJ. :D
 
Hi there, I still have my membership card for Heart beat,:( Im now 54, it seems like yesterday, i think the DJ was Doc Holiday.?;)
 
Another couple of clubs

The Chalet--Rednal

One in the Atlas Ballroom, Stecheford (cant remember the name)
 
I remember the Chalet and Prykes club near the wholesale markets. Although I am a brummie, I cant believe there arent any Irish people on the forum so who remembers the Emerald Club? My friend worked the door at The Speakeasy on Camp Hill and going back further does anyone recall The Sabre Club above the shops near to Walford Road?
 
There was an Irish club towards the top of Broad Street in the late 1950s or in 1960. I left in Brum in January 1961. The local cops on the beat could frequently be found having a drink in there at one in the morning!
 
Rob Prykes Club was The Moat House and was on the site of the Bham Moat!
 
Malvern, thats the one.because I did door work, I tended not to be club goer as such. I used to watch out for a man in The moat House where he played Chemi De Fer. I used to earn £10.00 per week on my full time job and I got ten bob an hour to look after this guy.
 
Seem to remember Pryke had a stall in the wholesale fruit and veg market, close by
 
Malvern, I believe he was a wholesaler, I seem to remember bananas but I couldnt be sure about that.
 
Yes he was quite a big wholesaler--looks like we have been folowing each other around!!! I worked on the market for a month
 
Malvern, I did not know much about the markets but I did know Jack Lemmon and Johnny Horton if that is how it is spelt. One was cock of the fruit and veg and the was the cock of the meat market I think. You see in those days if you threw your weight around someone would give you a slap. No guns or knives, just the right to try it on if you felt you were good enough. Happy days.
 
Hello.... i loved The Metro club... under the arches of Snow Hill... i stpped going to the Tower about 2 years ago but it's re opened now !!


Debz
 
the bull coventry rd, heartbeat, pink elephant, la dolca vita, elbow room, locarno, rebbecca's opposite lock, barberella's, mackadown, golden eagle hill st, the old crown digbeth, tower, moat house, cedar club, and anyone remember the all nighters at the town hall ?? hey those were the days huh. tony
 
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