RE: THE CLUBS AND BANDS OF BIRMINGHAM. SHARE YOUR MEMORIES WITH US HERE - 2

#16 by Sheldonboy , Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:18 am

Phil do you remember The Whikey A go go, it was above Chetwyns mens shop which I think was in John Bright Street.

#17 by phil ( deleted ) , Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:57 am

Yes SB

I remember the Whisky above Chetwyns on the corner of John Bright St and Navigation St, another place that I never used. Though people tell me it was very good, didn't it used to be a dance school before it became the Whisky a Go Go?

Phil

#18 by lynne webb , Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:46 pm

Thanks SB, thats it the Valets, wonder what happened to them. Phil, the dance school over Chetwyns was Laura Dixons, I went there a few times but not for dancing lessons.

#19 by phil ( deleted ) , Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:23 pm

Rather cryptic remark Lynne, now we all want to know what you went there for if it wasn't for dance lessons?

Phil

#20 by phil ( deleted ) , Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:30 pm

Another place that guaranteed a good Saturday night was The West End Ballroom a place that disappeared much too soon under the Queensway. I find it strange that no one seems to remember all the fights that occurred inside and outside. Perhaps it was just my crowd chose the wrong nights to go. It was one of the reasons why we never went that often.

Phil.

#21 by lynne webb , Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:13 pm

Phil, they used to have normal dance nights, like the Locarno or the West End, I only ever went to them. I went to Bocker and Bettridge, another dancing school, it was a few doors away from the Crown in Station Street but we were asked to leave for laughing. I remember the West End well, with its sprung floor, dont remember any fights though.

#22 by astoness , Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:20 pm

Posted by lynne webb
Phil, they used to have normal dance nights, like the Locarno or the West End, I only ever went to them. I went to Bocker and Bettridge, another dancing school, it was a few doors away from the Crown in Station Street but we were asked to leave for laughing. I remember the West End well, with its sprung floor, dont remember any fights though.

lynne i cant believe you were asked to leave an establishment

#23 by phil ( deleted ) , Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:29 pm

Yes I know of the dance rooms by the Crown, I never used there either. I couldn't walk past the Crown to go there. They used to have some good dance nights at the Crown with some of the groups mentioned earlier on this thread though I have to say that I spent most of my time in the bar downstairs or in the Lounge at the back if I had company.

Phil

#24 by Sheldonboy , Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:50 pm

Was the West End a Club or a dance hall.

#25 by lynne webb , Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:28 pm

The West End was a dance hall. Most of the clubs you have listed SB were long after my time, the only one around then was the Club Cedar.

#26 by phil ( deleted ) , Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:57 pm

The thing is that we have to take into account that SB is only a baby and most of his clubs were not even around when us old uns were strutting out stuff. Mothers came into existence after I married and as we all know that puts an end to a guys nightclubbing days.

The nightclubs of my day were dark seedy places that only came into existence because of the Draconian drinking laws in Birmingham and the licensing authority were very circumspect in where they allowed licenses for nightclubs. Until the mid 60's they were mostly just local drinkers until the owners saw they by putting a few records on and the occasional group that they could fleece the youngsters for a fortune.

Phil

#27 by Sheldonboy , Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:07 pm

I did visit Club Cedar a few times, the last time I was there I was with a young lady. When we went in I paid of course but even I didn't realise that everyone was entitled to a free plate of Curry and rice. Then when we went into the club as the music stopped and one of the guys from the band came over and bought us a drink. Even I was surprised, it turned out to be Graham Gallery. I knew Graham from when I worked at The Albany Hotel Graham was a regular in our bar there while his band was resident at La Dolce Vita.
Now this girl I was with was amazed when one of the band treated us at the bar, then we had a free meal and later Graham sent us a bottle of bubbly over.
It was a great night.

#28 by Sheldonboy , Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:51 am

Can anyone remember please.
Just up from The Cedar Club was a cafe called The Surfside Stop. Above The Surfside stop was a club, you had to go up to it in a lift. The club was like caves inside as I remember.
Does anyone rember the name of this club. This was in the 60s

#29 by Sheldonboy , Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:00 am

Regarding my tender years Phil (and I am not too far behind you) there is loads of room on here for any bands and music venues right back from your caveman days up to the present time. So we neednt lave out your Jitterbugging pal. [Silly Grin]

#30 by signman ( deleted ) , Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:24 am

I went in there once SB,can't think for the life of me what it was called,was it the Castaways ?.
I'm like Phil I only used dens of iniquity,I was never a dancer, just a drinker, my two hot spots were the Garryowen and the Dolls Club.

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