Hey Steve, I wasn't trying to force you into The Twang! Meant before, but if you feel like letting your hair down... That sounds quite an 'intimate' venue for them. I like it. After 3000 they pulled in at Brum the other week. 'Are they any good?' Just a bit. Sold out the Liverpool Academy last night, along with three other dates on tour. But to Andi, yes I believe there are still tickets at Wedgewoods. Come on down! Let's be 'avin it.
Liverpool Academy is my least favourite venue. Crap sound and restricted view unless you're at the front. Salford Lowry is my favourite. Far more civilised!
I can probably join you for a swifty beforehand. Letting my hair down would depend on how work is likely to be the following day. I'll PM you a couple of contact numbers. Not sure that's enough for my twelve and a half quid!:wink: The best pub very close by is : http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/31/31688/Phoenix/Southsea
Here's g twitpic from about an hour ago straight from the Derby stage via my friend (she's the drummer's gf) http://twitpic.com/jzyrk Saunders smashing the mic during Cloudy Room at Liverpool last night http://tinyurl.com/yawtjen And if you click on my mspace below and look at my top blog, there's a vid in that from Brum - where it pans round the 3000 and shows the atmosphere.
:biggrin: I know what you mean! The swagger, bravado and on stage attitude used to scare me a bit, to be honest, even though it was interesting to watch. Swore I never wanted to meet them in person. Then did. And whilst I still would never want to get on the wrong side of them, they are really okay, no bull**** down to earth guys - if a bit wild! Phil (you can read his tour tweets at http://www.twitter.com/the_twang) and Saunders are the two I actually get on best with. Maybe it's because the latter is a cat person - and they're always nice! (cat note to pd: it's a black shorthair, like ours, called Merlin!)
Merlin the aquacat [youtube]FTKQRWfiSfU[/youtube] [youtube]cb6oV6VjQhY[/youtube] [youtube]4eGQ5VFt7P4[/youtube] And, read this catpoo about Warner on the following link: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/07/warner-music-group-deletes-keyboard-cat-track-from-youtube/ c/a
Steve, don't know whether I'm coming Porty or not tomorrow. If you haven't seen my FB, last night's and tonight's gigs pulled due to Phil's throat problem. Awaiting doc's report tomorrow for the eve and rest of week. Wedges, London and Brighton all sold out too, so it's gonna piss a lot of people, although can't be helped. The first time ever they've had this happen. So I may not know what I'm doing until the very last minute - then a frantic dash to Waterloo!:angry:
Latest word got from manager is...looking good! Still gonna wait though, just in case. Will text you when I know def. I don't feel too good though: awake at 7am, which I never, never am - usually just going to bed!:biggrin:
Maybe we should keep a venue log here, so it can be a place to look if planning to go somewhere and not sure what the overall impression is? Perhaps a rating system for staff, main room, atmosphere, sound quality, bars + drinks prices, toilets, ease of getting to etc. What say you?
Personally I don't think this is a good idea !! If someone is interested in seeing an artist and they are playing a date that is good for them and a location that they can make and a ticket price they can afford - then I reckon 99% of the time they will go - doesn't really matter what the venue is like or the state of the toilets !!
I think you might be wrong there. From my point of view I often need to consider disabled access so always research a venue before buying tickets. I live nearer to Liverpool than Manchester but if an artist is playing both prefer to go to Manchester because of many bad experiences at various Liverpool venues. I was once involved in a bad crush(caused by the door staff) outside a Roy gig at The Adelphi whilst 6 months pregnant with twins, I have been refused disabled access at a Levs gig at the academy because they have 'rough' fans:m3: . The best was when Montford Hall(I think its one of the academy's) told us the upstairs was seated and when we got there there were wooden benches which were about a foot high and they would not reserve a seat and let anybody up there so it was more crowded upstairs than down and we couldnt even use them. Then when we tried to get down using the back stage lift, as we had going up we got to the ground floor to be blocked in the lift by a trolley full of guitars and other stuff placed inches from the door, it just opened to a wall of equipment. Most Manchester venues are much better with more friendly door staff and if you had been at the Levs gig I went to in Crewe earlier in the year(it was their last ever gig and they had the water turned off and just put it back on for the interval for some reason) you might be concerned about the state of the toilets Im glad they were using plastic glasses.
Well that could be true ... I have been wrong before !! Obviously I wasn't thinking about disabled access, but I'm sure the majority of people also don't think about such things and of course that will be a major influence for yourself, but I still think ( until someone else proves me wrong ! ) that the other factors aren't of interest to most people ( or is it just me, who isn't bothered ) - let's see what the other stormcock folk think ?
The Academies have to be some of the worst on the organisational and security side. Maybe because of their size, but they leave a lot to be desired. Loos matter if you're a woman, Chris - and men don't have the inevitable queues either! I was quite impressed with Brighton's Concorde 2 for the sheer fact that they supply Molton Brown liquid soap AND hand cream! Such luxury.
Liverpool academy is certainly crap but the Manchester academies are really friendly well organised and have great toilets. On the whole I prefer smaller independent venues if possible
Well you are definitely wrong in your dislike of Beautiful Days:17: Even without the access issue, I have turned down gigs in Liverpool because I dont want to see the act enough to be bothered with the security or the crowd
Have to say, much as I love the city itself, Liverpool gigs do my head in for the same reasons... I've often gone, but sometimes regret it! As for toilets, I have NEVER let the state of the toilet dissuade me from a gig I want to see - in fact my two fave ever Glasgow venues (the Barras and King Tuts) may have the most mingin' ladies' toilets in the whole Central Belt uke: I may let that control my liquid consumption I guess, heh heh...
Me too. Can definitely recommend Bush Hall in London. Have been there four or five times now and it has fast become one of my favourite venues. In fact, I haven't heard a bad word about it from anyone who has been there. http://www.bushhallmusic.co.uk/ Easily accessible - straight in from road through to bar and then to room with no steps - and very friendly. Lovely room with chandeliers. No seating however (only seats are a few in the upstairs bar and out on the roof terrace). I always make for the covered piano at the back for propping one's self against, piling coats, bags etc on, and handy as a drinks counter too. :biggrin: I noted the drinks prices last night, which were £3.50 for wine and spirits, beers I think something like £2.95 (?). Very easy to get to, situated on the Uxbridge Road (which in itself is a bit manky: loads of dodgy fast food places and convenience stores and not much else - that you might want to go in anyway) with buses running along outside and ten minutes walk to Shepherds Bush Green and the tube. Bush Hall is on the corner, so you have parking in that side turning and the others off of Uxbridge. I would give Bush Hall 8/10 score.
Here's one we will not be going to anymore The Luminaire, one of London’s most popular independent music venues, is set to close later this year, it ’s been announced. The Queen’s Head, which is directly below the venue, will also close its doors on December 31. “It's been a labour of love for a while now, and at this point it makes no sense for us to continue, ” a statement on The Luminaire’s website said. The owners extended their “ grateful thanks” those who had supported the venue, situated on Kilburn High Road, since its opening in March 2005. They also added that they hoped to stage some “final farewell shows” in late March 2011. The decision to close the Luminaire comes amid growing uncertainty over the future of the 100 Club. Owners of the iconic Central London gig venue have hinted that it may have to close due to spiraling rent costs.
