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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

  • Thread starter Thread starter mazbeth
  • Start date Start date
JonnyH said:
I used to be (still am) a big rock music fan. There used to be a local programme on BBC1 at 7.30 on a tuesday called something like sight and sound. Afterwards the 2 presenters used to host a rock night at Romeo and Juliets and whichever band had played on the programme used to play a gig there. I think this would be around 79/80/81 ish. I also used to frequent Costermongers, Bogarts, Sentinels and a pub on smallbrook queensway that used to be next to the Wimpy, maybe the Horsetrader? Also there used to be a pub at the back of the old Bull Ring below a winding walkway, can't remember what it was called though. There used to be a big army/navy shop at the top of the walkway where we used to buy our german military field jackets etc. Also used to go to the Powerhouse when there was a gig on, memorably saw the Pogues there once. I used to go to the Pen and Wig a lot before going to the Hummingbird (Top Rank). I also vaguely remember Bingley Hall on broad street as a gig venue? and also Digbeth Civic Hall used to be a great little venue to watch bands.
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Yes, Digbeth Civic Hall was good. Saw the Pretty Things there a few times.
 
I can't believe I thought the pub and army & navy store were the opposite way round, but seeing that picture brings it all back now. Saturdays were spent in Ozzies for a jacket, Matador for a pint and then down to Reddingtons to buy some rare or imported vinyl.
 
Rita Hawkins said:
Yes, Digbeth Civic Hall was good. Saw the Pretty Things there a few times.
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While at school some point between 1965-70, perhaps 1968, I went to see various blues 'legends' touring together at a gig at Digbeth Civic Hall. Rows of individual school type chairs were put out, lol. I have always said Muddy Waters was one of the musicians and another famous guy who said 'only a few weeks ago I was working in a car factory in US when someone asked me if I wanted to do a blues tour'. Hope someone else recalls this event.
 
Upthevilla said:
I'm an old Townie from the late seventies and early eighties. Does anyone remember Crystals nightclub on Park street?
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Yes, Crystals was on Park St, then became , if not next door to, Lorenzo's Italian restaurant ,top class , used by all the ATV stars of the day, then turned into Birmingham's second Adult Club (swingers to most people ).....called ? ..can't remember at this moment
 
Beachmaster said:
Does anybody remember the Mayfair Suite. I think it was somewhere in the bullring. There was also The Rainbow Room above the Co OP.
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I can remember both Rainbow Room and Mayfair. Went mainly to Rainbow
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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Dave the cyclist said:
Saw Screaming Lord Sutch at Bloomers night club and he performed a mock execution on Alice Cooper as he said Alice had nicked his act i can remember he brought a guillotine on stage to do this i think it was around 1972 ish
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Dave the cyclist said:
Saw Screaming Lord Sutch at Bloomers night club and he performed a mock execution on Alice Cooper as he said Alice had nicked his act i can remember he brought a guillotine on stage to do this i think it was around 1972 ish
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There's a name from the past.
 
COMPRESSORMAN said:
Tommy Cooper...was an absolute bore we walked out half way through...wot u see on tv is different to realtime.
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Walked out? My word, I just have to look at him to laugh. He had an infectious humour, just a sideways glance and I couldn't help but smile. I still thoroughly enjoy his programmes. I didn't ever get to see him on the stage, but I have never heard anything but good things about Tommy previously and recorded parts of his live appearances, that I have seen have also been very amusing. I haven't walked out half way through a performance myself, but was in the audience at the Odeon, that Elvis Costello walked out on, after about 25 minutes....;)
 
Graham Joinson said:
Re: Birmingham Nighclubs of the Past- Memories


Ahh memories of the Locarno. as a budding DJ in 1972 i did an audition for the then manager Tommy Cullinane, the guest 'star' that night was Johnny Walker from radio one and we hit it off straight away. He invited me to stay on stage with him but the boss decided otherwise. He ordered two burly bouncers to 'invite me to leave' and out i went. I almost lost all of my records but managed to retrieve nearly all of them. I can laugh now........... I did work else where though: Barbarellas, Pollyannas and the Chalet in Rednal, plus a reguar spot at The Dukes in Northfield. Happy days!!
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MSN Link to news story
Johnny Walker in the news as he retires from radio. Connections with Acocks Green/Olton in his early years.
 
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devonjim said:
MSN Link to news story
Johnny Walker in the news as he retires from radio. Connections with Acocks Green/Olton in his early years.
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Graham Joinson said:
Re: Birmingham Nighclubs of the Past- Memories


Ahh memories of the Locarno. as a budding DJ in 1972 i did an audition for the then manager Tommy Cullinane, the guest 'star' that night was Johnny Walker from radio one and we hit it off straight away. He invited me to stay on stage with him but the boss decided otherwise. He ordered two burly bouncers to 'invite me to leave' and out i went. I almost lost all of my records but managed to retrieve nearly all of them. I can laugh now........... I did work else where though: Barbarellas, Pollyannas and the Chalet in Rednal, plus a reguar spot at The Dukes in Northfield. Happy days!
Click to expand...
 
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