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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

  • Thread starter Thread starter mazbeth
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Not really a Nite Club......

Did anyone go to the Jug O'Punch Folk Club run by Ian Campbell?

In the late 60's it used to be at the back of Digbeth Civic Hall, then moved to Carr's Lane.
 
Stitcher said:
Hello Maggs. I worked there from the early sixties to about 1970. There was me, Ben, Roy, Ray, John and another one whose name escapes me. I did 7 nights a week because the hours of my full time job fitted in with it. It was normally ballrom through the week and a Greek wedding or something similar on Sundays. I must say I enjoyed the ballroom music and the type of people at the Tower far better behaved and more interesting than the club scene. We did get a bit of trouble most weekends but we had a good team and anything untoward was dealt with very quickly and quietly. My wife worked in the cash kiosk there and we started dating then married and we have a very good sone who is now 37.
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Thank you for telling me all that Stitcher (are you Trevor), You were there a little later than me then. I stopped going in 1960, but I loved the ticket dance on a Friday night, never missed. I do remember that there was always a doorman. What I also remember is how safe it was to walk home in the small hours alone in those day's. I had to get all the way back to Icknield Street and it was no problem. So you found a good wife and along came a good son. Well done. :)
 
yes went to the JUG of PUNCH from 65 till 73 then moved to FRANCE
saw some great acts Fairport Convenion, The Stawbs, Ralph Mctell and
many more Ian Cambell did a great version of Dirty Old Town
Steve Molloy
 
I used to go to the jazz club in Dale End but it wasn't my scene. The Avery's were a large family and I remember going to school with Anna. Mossy Michael would be about that age as I remember he was a couple of years older than myself. Jean.
 
Re: Not really a Nite Club......

suemalings said:
Did anyone go to the Jug O'Punch Folk Club run by Ian Campbell?

In the late 60's it used to be at the back of Digbeth Civic Hall, then moved to Carr's Lane.
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Yes, I went a few times - under sufference as I don't like folk music
:D

To be honest it was mainly to have a chat to Dave Pegg who had joined Ian Campbell, we used to know him when he was in rock bands previously (we couldn't understand why he would want to join a folk band but with hindsight it really did him a good turn!)

I mainly stayed in the bar but I do remember hearing the Strawbs who I quite enjoyed as their music was a bit more rocking!
 
I remember many of the places that have been mentioned, i had 2 mates that were "bouncers" at the Lacarno , and also they worked at The West End , the dance floor was sprung ,and was strange at first.
my favourite places were The Whisky , also called The Marque , it was over Chetwins shop on Hill street , It was an all nighter ,as was my all time favorite place The Midnight City in Digbeth. The resident DJ was Erskin T , I saw some incredible acts there including The Who. I remember seeing Cream at the Whisky, and then later that night Ginger Baker the drumer came to the Midnight , and stood talking to me while he eat a cheese roll. Got loads of memories about those times 1964 -1966 Max
 
Maxwell. I don't know if you know but Erskine T. died few years ago. He was a great DJ. His day job was behind the counter in The Diskery when it was in Hurst Street.
 
Laura Dixons was over Chetwyns shop in Hill St. That was in about 1960. Great place. Also the Locarno was super on a Saturday night. The West End had the best dance floor and was good on Sunday nights when jazz bands visited.
 
Just been informed that Erskin T is no longer with us, How sad i was introduced to some cool music by him. Mothers has been mentioned , I used to go there when it was The Carlton club ,that was befor Mothers . You are able to get a book on Mothers ,Which was described by Bill Board In U.S.A " as the greatest club in the world " some accolade for a club over a furniture shop. I am new to the Forum so i dont know if i am allowed to mention where to get book from.
 
Any one remember Andy Grays club called i think ! The Holy City Zoo ? It was in Livery St
 
Hello again Max, I am glad you asked that because when I posted some time that The Holy City Zoo was in the arches someone disputed the fact.
Getting back to Mothers, I have posted before that the man who owned it changed the name from The Carlton but he formed Carlton Johns Agency and almost all the Brum pop groups auditioned ther. They did the audition as a gig but did not get paid. If they got a good reaction from the crowd, they were then booked to perform at any or all of about ten or twelve venues operated by the agency. When I worked on the doors at these venues we got £3. for three hours. That gave me £21. per week which was good because I only got £20. per week for driving an HGV low loader.
 
I've still got a Mother's Membership card somewhere. Last time I went was to see Pink Floyd. Can you imagine them performing in a room over a furniture shop now!
 
suemalings said:
I've still got a Mother's Membership card somewhere. Last time I went was to see Pink Floyd. Can you imagine them performing in a room over a furniture shop now!
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Still got mine too - or at least my parents have, up in their loft somewhere I think!

I wonder why you always had to 'join' places in the 60's - was it a licencing requirement do you think?

Had to lie about my age a time or two when I first started going out :rolleyes::D
 
Stitcher said:
Hello again Max, I am glad you asked that because when I posted some time that The Holy City Zoo was in the arches someone disputed the fact.

Stitcher you are quite correct it was under those arches and was formally "The La Metro" it was part owned by Andy Gray and for a time was managed by his brother Duncan Grey. The other two owners who ran the club were Johnnie Rawson and Peter Warren whom has managed many venues in town since.
Andy is very reluctant to talk about his 1st and only club as it went bankrupt. It was a cool venue with a private bar upstairs called "The Mars Bar" where have I heard that before. it lasted about 2 years as they where all on a very enjoyable ego trip if you understand my meaning. well 2 of them where at someone else's expense!!:cool::D
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Bob, I was a taxi driver in those days and I have to say that neither the Metro or the zoo appeared to be very busy.
 
If it was the same club that was originally Le Metro then the space is now still a club called Subway City.

I used to go to the Metro back in the late 60's and went to Subway City in the early 90's. the club was twice as large as it had been extended to two arches - presumably in Andy Gray's time?
 
Stitcher said:
Bob, I was a taxi driver in those days and I have to say that neither the Metro or the zoo appeared to be very busy.
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Your quite write Stitcher the metro's Best night was a Wednesday or Saturday, and the Zoo was dead till Fri and Saturday nights.

Stitcher,Erskine was an old chum of mine in the mid 60's I remember he lugged all his records round in an old case to all his gig's, he worked the Whiskey and other venues in town as well as Mothers and at the Discorie. Have you any details of his demise and when it was, he was a loverly lad when I knew him and drank coffee with him at the old KD (Kardoma in New Street). Has anyone got a photo of Erskine T.
 
Bob, the best man for information is named JIMMY, he runs the Diskery and was always a friend and workmate of Erskines. I was invited to the funeral but there was something I could not put off so I missed it. Erskine was a great bloke as well as an exceptional D.J. and was missed by many. If you are not in Birmingham you can phone the shop and ask for jim or I will see if I can get more details for you. Let me know what you want to do.
Trevor.
 
I loved Rebecca's. Cheap entry some nights.
The Locarno and Top Rank.
Snobs
Rum Runner..........me and a mate turned up there one night in the 80's and were stopped by the bouncer who said "Its Jazz Funk Night". I said "So". He repeated himself. I asked if we were dressed OK or if there was a problem. He reluctantly said no.

Me and my mate went in, we are both tall with auburn hair, and ...........we were the only white people in the place.

One of the best nights out I ever had. A West Indian girl in a leopardskin leotard was unforgettable - she wouldn't leave me alone.

I'm sure the guys thought we were either police or gangsters and left us well alone.
 
i used to go to the locarno in the sixties but my favourite dancehall was the west end ballroom .with its sprung floor .lots of live groups ...dance partners were billy evans from nechells and barbara knight from bournbrook ....where are you barbara ....also did barbarellas and rum runner ..good rock and roll revival there with mike sheridan .....
 
Kandor i nearly fell off my chair laughing about that poor woman on her own:) I really enjoyed the Night out to see live acts but i went to clubs later in my married life then when i was single. Also i prefer to go out of town as you never feel quite safe around Broad Street any more.
 
colinwilliams1 said:
Hiya

So where was the Locarno then? I thought La Doca Vita was at Five ways . am I wrong ??
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the Doca vita was on the opposite side of the road to the Lacarno which was on Hurst Street just off Smallbrook Ringway, well thats where it was when sober in day light
 
Stitcher said:
Bob, the best man for information is named JIMMY, he runs the Diskery and was always a friend and workmate of Erskines. I was invited to the funeral but there was something I could not put off so I missed it. Erskine was a great bloke as well as an exceptional D.J. and was missed by many. If you are not in Birmingham you can phone the shop and ask for jim or I will see if I can get more details for you. Let me know what you want to do.
Trevor.
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in the 1970s.sold a suitcase of 78s.lp's.singles.rock'n'roll. gene vincent.elvis on the sun record label.all for a pittance of £8-00.to the diskery. which i needed to pay for a wedding ring. they knew they were worth a lot more as reddingtons rare records had the same gene vincent lp selling for £30. needless to say i nealy cried when i walked out of their shop.and swore i would not go in there again. over 30 years later .still married and remember what that band of gold cost me.:cry:
 
locarno was on opposite side of road to la dolce vita near smallbrook ringway.we used to go from locarno on to the la dolce vita till early morning ......the locarno is still there but renamed..as is la dolce vita....good times
 
There was a club in yardley shopping centre, cant remember what it was called though.

didnt go there much - mustve been about the last club in brum to refuse admission if you werent wearing a tie.

There was a poster inside the door, with a picture of a teddy boy on it, urging people to dress smartly. This would have been 1972/73, when suits and ties were well on the way out.
 
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