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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

  • Thread starter Thread starter mazbeth
  • Start date Start date
brumbaby said:
The Rainbow Room. Yes remember it well, used to go weekly. I think it used to specialise in a lot of blues. I can't remember the Mayfair Suit was that around in the mid 60's also?
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It was actually called the Rainbow Suite.

The Mayfair Suite was certainly open late 60's / early 70's as I sat a Civil Service examination in there around that time - odd place maybe but I suppose it was somewhere fairly large they could hire during the day!
It was situated at the side of the bridge link that went across Smallbrook Queensway to the old Bull Ring shopping centre, on the New Street station side.
 
Yes Mike it was burnt out, when it was renovated I think it became a furniture shop, I have a hazy memory of buying something from there once. Here is a photo of the entrance of the bridge that crossed the the Ringway and joined the Bull Ring up with New Street Station and another of the interior. I did have one of the entrance from the Ringway that was used at night but I can't seem to locate it at the moment. If I come across it I will add it later.

City Smallbrook Eingway The Mayfair Entrance.jpgCity Smallbrook Ringway Mayfair 1966.jpg
 
A Sparks said:
It was actually called the Rainbow Suite.

The Mayfair Suite was certainly open late 60's / early 70's as I sat a Civil Service examination in there around that time - odd place maybe but I suppose it was somewhere fairly large they could hire during the day!
It was situated at the side of the bridge link that went across Smallbrook Queensway to the old Bull Ring shopping centre, on the New Street station side.
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As mentioned...now TKMaxx.
 
There was the Pub called "Night and Day" by the old ATV studios and the nightclub above it was called "Mr Moons" - used to go there a bit, been to quite a few of the ones mentioned here actually - oooh! dirty stop-out xx
 
John Harney said:
The Carlton Club in Erdington, forerunner of Mother’s which I can’t remember. But at The Carlton I can remember seeing, The Crickets, Dave Berry and the Cruisers, Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages, he had everything going for him but could not sing for toffee. There were local bands in embryo such as Carl Wayne and the Vikings, Denny Lane and the Diplomats, Roy Wood was there and so was Jeff Lynne. I still have the pink membership card somewhere in the house. I live in Bolton now
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John, I went to the Carlton a few times. the Ritz, Kings Heath to see the Small Faces but from the age of about 15 yrs I was a regular, together with a large group of friends from Sheldon, at the Brum Kavern in Small Heath. All of these clubs were part of the same entertainment group and the acts used to play all three clubs on the circuit. sometimes on the same night.
Interestingly you mentioned the colour of your membership card, the one I had for the Kavern was grey. One of the regular groups at the Kavern was The Kinks and even in their early days they had a great following at the Kavern and were always well received.
I also recall my first visit to the Kavern and was somewhat worried about getting in as I was underage and when I finally got to the pay box I was so relieved to see the guy taking the money and issuing the tickets was a classmate of mine from school. His family was connected with the club's ownership and this was his Saturday job. No problems ever after :D
I could go on for ages with tales of those times, for me some of the best times in my life.
 
Does anybody here remember The Midnight City in Digbeth opposite side to Digbeth police station, remember The Who appearing there. It was an all night affair on Saturday nights.
Also another all nightier was the Penthouse Suite above the Surfside Stop coffee bar on Constitution Hill. You had to go up in a fur lined lift to get to it. Don't know how you would have escaped if there was a fire.
 
Elmdon Boy said:
Does anybody here remember The Midnight City in Digbeth opposite side to Digbeth police station, remember The Who appearing there. It was an all night affair on Saturday nights.
Also another all nightier was the Penthouse Suite above the Surfside Stop coffee bar on Constitution Hill. You had to go up in a fur lined lift to get to it. Don't know how you would have escaped if there was a fire.
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Elmdon Boy remember them well
 
Elmson Boy,

I think if you track back through the posts on this thread you will find mentions of both the clubs you are asking about. Putting the names in the search-box might be a quicker way of turning them up.
 
Phil said:
Yes Mike it was burnt out, when it was renovated I think it became a furniture shop, I have a hazy memory of buying something from there once. Here is a photo of the entrance of the bridge that crossed the the Ringway and joined the Bull Ring up with New Street Station and another of the interior. I did have one of the entrance from the Ringway that was used at night but I can't seem to locate it at the moment. If I come across it I will add it later.

View attachment 134087View attachment 134088
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Lovely photo's Phil. Seeing that photo of the entrance on the bridge has brought back such happy memories of how the old bullring used to be linked to new street station, as I worked at the old woolies.
 
We used to start out at Horts Winebar (5-ways) and work our way into town - stopping off for a thirst quencher as needed (of course). There used to be a bit of a character who approached us regularly beginning with " I am sorry to disurb you ...." Let me tell you he disturbed me! and he tipped up in lots of different places (collecting for charity maybe?) - very odd character.
 
Anyone recall Boobs Nightclub in Yardley, opposite the Swan. Met my first wife in there on a night when The Baron Knights were performing,all went downhill thereafter:(:(
 
NoddKD said:
Anyone recall Boobs Nightclub in Yardley, opposite the Swan. Met my first wife in there on a night when The Baron Knights were performing,all went downhill thereafter:(:(
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When you say "opposite the Swan" whereabouts do you mean? Are you referring to the Cavendish Club in the Swan shopping centre? If you were I didn't know that it operated under that name, what date was that?
 
jmadone said:
When you say "opposite the Swan" whereabouts do you mean? Are you referring to the Cavendish Club in the Swan shopping centre? If you were I didn't know that it operated under that name, what date was that?
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Bit of a cock up here. See my reply to Robert above. The date for interest was 1972. Hope that sorts everything out:innocent:
 
Freddie Starr made it big after Who Do You Do ,it was probably the right time . Nowadays this country is so Politically Correct , Mr Starr wouldn't raise a laugh strutting round as Hitler , around the same time Love Thy Neighbour . Could you really see Jack Smethurst getting away with his remarks today . Mr Starr did nothing for me really , I could take him or leave him, humour is slowly leaving this great land of ours so much so that we are becoming stuffed shirts . I have a sense of humour but some of Mr Starrs repetoire was embarrassing because it was not funny . With regards to the PC factor nearly every professional comedian is saying that they have to watch what they say nowadays . Viva La Laugh
 
Williamstreeter said:
Freddie Starr made it big after Who Do You Do ,it was probably the right time . Nowadays this country is so Politically Correct , Mr Starr wouldn't raise a laugh strutting round as Hitler , around the same time Love Thy Neighbour . Could you really see Jack Smethurst getting away with his remarks today . Mr Starr did nothing for me really , I could take him or leave him, humour is slowly leaving this great land of ours so much so that we are becoming stuffed shirts . I have a sense of humour but some of Mr Starrs repetoire was embarrassing because it was not funny . With regards to the PC factor nearly every professional comedian is saying that they have to watch what they say nowadays . Viva La Laugh
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I did see Freddie Starr but very early in his career, I think it may have been at the Brum Kavern when he was a straight singer with his group the Delmonts. A better than average singer and there was no comedy in the act.
 
Sloopy
mazbeth said:
Anyone got any memories and information about nighclubs in Brum, from any time last century?

Some names of ones that I remember and went to...

Samanthas (was over Silver Blades ice skating rink in Hurst? St)

Pollyannas (Newhall? St.)

The Locarno (definitely Hurst St. with the Bali Hai one at the back)
I remember this band..
John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. https://www.brumbeat.net/andicaps.htm

Just found this out
The Tower Ballroom closes its doors at the end of 2005 after more than 50 years https://www.saga.co.uk/1057fm/pages/lisEvent.asp?id=5373
went there once...

Snobs (didn't like that one much)

There was one in the same road where Bingley Hall was (can't remember what it was called..brain's not working too good lately :D) saw Herbie Hancock there...and Deaf School, and AC/DC :eek: (not my choice...just a crowd I was with at the time)

Any more? ...or any memories? :)
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mazbeth said:
Anyone got any memories and information about nighclubs in Brum, from any time last century?

Some names of ones that I remember and went to...

Samanthas (was over Silver Blades ice skating rink in Hurst? St)

Pollyannas (Newhall? St.)

The Locarno (definitely Hurst St. with the Bali Hai one at the back)
I remember this band..
John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. https://www.brumbeat.net/andicaps.htm

Just found this out
The Tower Ballroom closes its doors at the end of 2005 after more than 50 years https://www.saga.co.uk/1057fm/pages/lisEvent.asp?id=5373
went there once...

Snobs (didn't like that one much)

There was one in the same road where Bingley Hall was (can't remember what it was called..brain's not working too good lately :D) saw Herbie Hancock there...and Deaf School, and AC/DC :eek: (not my choice...just a crowd I was with at the time)

Any more? ...or any memories? :)
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Sloopys
 
jmadone said:
I did see Freddie Starr but very early in his career, I think it may have been at the Brum Kavern when he was a straight singer with his group the Delmonts. A better than average singer and there was no comedy in the act.
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I was in the Queen Elizabeth hospital 8 or 9 yrs ago for a stent, after heart problems. Freddie Starr was in also for heart probs, but in a private room upstairs. He toured the wards cheering us up(!!), and informing us that Dr Death would be along shortly. He had a glamorous companion in tow who he said was only there to make Hamster sandwiches. Thenurses tried to eject him in a kindly way, i think they thought their patients would die of laughing.
 
SuBee said:
Re: Birmingham Nighclubs of the Past- Memories

The Locarno was my fave..............

Dolca Vita - saw Shawaddywaddy there live

The Dome...............I was on the dance floor the night the press took the picture of the opening of The Dome (loved The Night out Too)

Bloomers

Barbarellas - loved all the different rooms with the genres of music

Top rank

Rainbow Suite

Ooooooooooooooh..............those were the days
I also remember Snobs and Rebecca’s....
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Well I got to this thread a little late (100 pages ) so forgive me if these have been talked about ,La Metro was in a railway arch in the city centre alo Bogarts on New Street, The Locanno on a Sunday night, Saturdays all the usual Top Rank (Gary Glitter and Slade HA HA) Barbarellas, the place down by the swan ? also we would go to the Locanno in Coventry on a Saturday night.
 
Only ever saw Freddie live once.When I was a Lorry driver in 1980.Had an overnight stop in Scarborough and saw he was on at the theatre.What a great show it was.He never used the language they use now to try and get a laugh
 
Robert Ensor (bob) said:
Well I got to this thread a little late (100 pages ) so forgive me if these have been talked about ,La Metro was in a railway arch in the city centre alo Bogarts on New Street, The Locanno on a Sunday night, Saturdays all the usual Top Rank (Gary Glitter and Slade HA HA) Barbarellas, the place down by the swan ? also we would go to the Locanno in Coventry on a Saturday night.
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Ah, the Locanno………...Yes many nights!
 
We use to go to the locarno in the 70s it was the main club to go to .I remember calling it grab a granny night as I was only 17 and anyone over 25 was classed as old ! Those were the times when men or boys came over and ask you for the last dance nearly everyone was guaranteed a dance and a snog at the end of the night .how times have changed ! I also remember going to the la dolce a vita in Hurst street on the corner it then changed to romeo,s and juliette then it changed to pagoda park .I dont know what it has changed to now or even if it is still there.yes they were good times !
 
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