Music venues in Bristol.

I was searching Professor Google to see if i could find any information on Avonmouth Boys Club where I learnt how to climb rocks, abseil and best of all, Pot Hole.

Almost everyone I knew at that time was a member of Avonmouth Boys Club.

It was run by a guy (whose name escapes me but might have been Les) who rode a motorbike and side car which was very cool back in the day. He was supported by a guy called Pete ‘Daisy’ Hayes a general bad boy from Lawrence Weston School. He could be heard a mile away clip clopping down the corridors in his winkle picker boots.

He alway wore a waistcoat, usually bright yellow but I think he had a range of colours, all of them at odds with the preferred school uniform.

That made him a bit of a local celebrity.

Daisy was then and if Im honest, still is a hero to me. I owe him so much. He was the server on my dinner table and my protector in the playground where it could be a dangerous place to stand out from the crowd, which i did with my Fake Mod Cut which i perfected with two long strips of hair which hung down in front of my ears, like Stevie Marriott.

I often wonder where Daisy is and what his life was like. Unfortunately, he came to my Dads house once many years after we left school and had gone our separate ways.

I was embarrassed and didn’t really treat him as well as i should have and for that I will always be sorry.

So whilst i was looking for some history on the boys club I got distracted with some stuff about the local music scene in Bristol, some thing that was very close to my heart.

I used to tag along with a local band called “Pentworth’s People” who were on the verge of becoming a ‘Pro -Band’ which was a big deal. Lot’s of band’s who went pro thought they might make the grade and get a recording contract. Some actually did. Some of them even had Minor Hits. Usually one hit wonder’s but for that short Cameo, it was the best time of their lives.

I came across this piece in B24/7 and I thought some body might be interested in my memories of some of the venues.

The Granary

I was a regular at the Granary as were the guys from Pentworth’s People. We knew all the local Pop Royalty, if not by name, at least by face and it was always a bit of a buzz when one of the bands would say “Hey Man’ whilst I was stood at the bar. Initially that was a s far as I could get as I was 16-17 years old and under age but alcohol didn’t play a major part in my life then. Half a pint would last for ages and i don’t remember being drunk until much later in my life.

I saw lots of Big name bands at the Granary but I was completely blase about it, we all just accepted that as our right, we were part of the scene and as such took as much credit for it as the big name bands.

I seem to remember Frank Zappa playing an impromptu set at one time?

It was also the first place i ever saw a Psychedelic light show using Oil slides on a projector. At the time it was amazing.

The Locarno

When I was about 14 I used to go to the Locarno on a Saturday afternoon though in later years I used to go to the Tuesday night session where we mixed with all the big boys. There were two bits to the Locarno, the dance area, which included part of the balcony and the bar area which was a no go area for us under age Mini Mods.

I used to catch the number 28 bus from Sea Mills Square, pay half fare as I was under 16, get off the bus on the centre then go straight in to The Drawbridge, (a pub long since disappeared) and buy a pint of mild and Bitter, all for less than half a crown.

I used to get a lift home on the back of Jeff ‘Gobber’ Miles’s Lambretta.

The highlight of the Locarno for me was a gig by ‘The Who’ and I salvaged a piece of drum skin and a guitar string from the mayhem that was left on the stage after they had finished their performance.

The Top Rank

We used to go to the Top Rank on a Saturday morning for the under 16 disco where we tried to emulate the bigger kids in Bristol. The Pasco’s were well know names in the Mod World that focused on the Centre, where the best Mod shop was sited.

Carnaby One was right on the centre and it was run by a very camp old guy who had some connection to the real Carnaby Street in London.

The area around the bus station and Broadmead was a no go if you wore  parka jacket as it was the stomping ground for all the Bristol Rockers.

The Top Rank was right on the border between both camps and we had to catch the bus to the Bus station and then run the gauntlet of Leather jacket Thugs as we made our way across the danger zone wearing our Butcher striped trousers and my mums head scarf as a neckerchief.

My first early visits to the Top Rank were with Mickey Thorne and there was a DJ called Bonzo who had peroxided blond hair and wore a leopard skin waistcoat. I first heard Country music there. Nashville Cats by the Loving Spoonful was the first record i ever bought and i still love it today.

The Vic Rooms

This was a far more sophisticated venue where we saw band that appealed more to students from the Uni than to us Pop fans. We had to cut our teeth on some very self indulgent bands whose names fail me.

We also went to the Students Union just up the road and to Redland Teacher training College but these were rare events.

The Corn Exchange

This was a Wednesday Night, which was a school night and I had to be in by 9.30 pm. Me and my mate Pete Hunt used to go down early, watch the support band, wait till the last second when the headline act came on, then leg it to the bus stop and hope we got home in time to avoid a telling off.

The next day in school we would brag that we’d seen the small faces or the Kinks, which was strictly true but we never heard a single note played.

The Dug Out

Was almost compulsory for any “Head”. That was what the cool dude were called in the day, heads.

There was a resident band called (I think) the Deep who played really heavy Blues. The atmosphere was always claustrophobic, smokey and a bit dangerous, but that made it all the more appealing to a young Man.

Tiffanys

I have some history here. Before it was a Cheesy dance hall it was the best place in the world to five year olds. It was a giant playground with things like, Mobo horses, scooters and three wheel bikes, sand pits and swings. We were taken there as a treat when we were very small, by my Gran.

Later as a dance venue we used to go there regularly and ponce around the fake palms trees looking cool. Sadly, my younger brother Andy was beaten up here and spent three weeks in Hospital.

I was also involved in its demise. I was on duty at Southmead Fire Station the night it caught fire and we spent hours pouring water into its roof. Late that night one of the boys on station was asked to revisit the site to ensure it hadn’t re-ignited. He had to drive up there alone in the station van. When he got there it was so creepy he decided not to get out of the van, instead he reported everything was fine and hoped for the best.

Its now the Spire Hospital and I had my Knee replacement here some 5 years ago.

The Stone House

This was a great Venue and my brother Tony’s band ‘Zed Alley’ played there often.

We had a fancy dress night there once and my brother Andy, (Yes him again)  dressed as a Fairy got into a fight and I remember him hitting this guy on the head with his magic wand, like he was granting this poor guy a wish.

The Bamboo Club

This was a step too far. It was in St Pauls and back in the day this was considered a dangerous pace to stray if you were a 9 stone white boy who modelled himself on the lead singer from ‘Sweet’.

We knew it had some Kudos as a venue but it just wasn’t on my radar.

Seymours.

Finally Seymours  was where i first saw Bernard Manning. We all thought he was so funny. I was completely unaware that some of his humour was offensive and it was many years later that I realised I didn’t really like stand Up comedy.

So thats it. My memories of these great venues.

There is so much more I could say, when you set your mind to rummaging in these murky thoughts it opens up a flood gate of memories that you thought you’d forgotten.

Hope you enjoyed.

Spitfire Restaurant. Saturday 14th May. 2016.

1 Hannover Quay, Bristol. BS1 5JE

0117 925 4585

http://www.spitfirebarbeque.com

One of the good things about the  Bungalow in Frampton Cotterell is that we’re right on a Bus Stop.

We can see the number 46X from our lounge ( or as it was called when I lived with my Mum and Dad, the ‘Other Room’) as it comes down our street and that gives us enough time to get to the stop.

So, we’ve taken to catching an early bus into Bristol where we can have a few drinks without having to worry about driving.

Last Saturday we met some friends at the Bus Stop and took the 40 minute trip into Bristol.

Riding on a bus brings back so many memories.

I remember traveling home from a night out on the last bus was always a bit frightening but it was great to get a seat in the warmth after standing in the cold for ages.

When we were kids we always looked up to the bus conductor, especially the young ones who used to hang off the back of the bus to wolf whistle at the girls. They had the same balance and skill’s as the guy’s on the Wurlitzer at the fair.

They always looked so romantic, with their uniform and a fag end (we called them Chippers) behind their ear.

Gone is the top deck for smokers.

The bus stops at the Bus Station in Broadmead which was ‘Greaser Central’ in the 60’s.

This was a no go area for a young wannabe Mod and you had to run the gauntlet when you got off the bus here.

Mod’s on the other hand had the City Centre as their domain. This was where all the Boutiques were sited. My favourite was Carnaby One right smack on the Centre. We would get off the number 28 bus and stand in front of the window dreaming about owning a pair of check trousers or flared jeans  (Bell Bottoms we called them).

So it was in this direction that we headed, walking out of the back of the Station, through a small park then onto the main road with its noise and the chaos exasperated by road works.

Bristol seems to be completely at the mercy of road works these day with almost every road either closed or restricted. Thank you Red Trousers.

Our first stopping off point was Christmas Steps, a small pub named after the steep steps which in the 60’s hosted yet more boutiques and record stores a plenty.

The Steps does a good selection of beers and some interesting ciders but be warned. The ciders in the boxes are great when they’re fresh but if they’ve been there a while, they can be like vinegar. I chose a draught Strongbow cloudy which was fine.

We sat outside in the small outdoor space at the back. Not really a garden more a terrace shielded by a few tubs of plants. However, this was soon in the shade so we drank up and moved on.

We drifted toward the Docks and all the bars this now offers.

Like most city centres the docks has seen some major changes recently.

In the dark distant past the ships came right into the centre of Bristol. We have a history of importing slaves which is still reflected in the names of the streets and roads. Blackboy Hill, White-ladies Rd etc.

Even when I was a boy it was a thriving port with ship’s loading and unloading Cargo.

My uncle was a docker and he used to walk down to the docks every day in the hope of getting picked to unload a boat. If he didn’t ( they called it ‘Bumping’) he would walk home again and loose a days money.

We used to play Pirates with his Dockers Hook.

Cocktails at Los Iguanas

We ended up at Millennium Square and found a table in the sunshine at Los Iguanas where we indulged in a few 2 for 1 cocktails of undistinguished character and watched the world go by till the sun finally went behind one of the new blocks of apartments.

I suggest we head for Spitfire BBQ which Jaki and I had discovered last time we were strolling around the docks. It looked like a nice venue and the menu was laced with BBQ sauces.

When we got there it was full to the brim and the smell of smoked meat drifted across the harbour side defying anyone to walk past.

Even the Toilets were Funky

We found a table outside which for the time being was still in the sun and as it cooled down the waiters lit (or attempted to light, they were pretty rubbish at it) a fire pit to keep us warm.

Outside space

The Menu didn’t disappoint. It had all the classic BBQ favourites and a range of smokey or spicy sauces. However, some of the steaks were very expensive and looking at the food served to other customers, HUGE so be warned.

Campfire Cow and Fries

Our server was attentive and friendly (though he got somewhat distracted by the fire lighting ceremony) and the Bottles of House wine he recommended were declared excellent even by my mate Steve whose a bit of a Wine Anorak.

Steve and Jaki went for the Camp Fire Cow .

The menu on their web site says this is a ’14 oz Rib eye at £29.95 but I can’t imagine the steak they had was anywhere near this size and it certainly wasn’t that price. Maybe they had some specials or maybe they have changed the sizes but which ever, it was a good size steak and they both declared it excellent.

I went for the Whole Spitfire Chicken With Louisiana hot sauce (£19.95 ) and dirty fires (fries with pulled pork piled on top of them) at £3.50. A great Choice.

Whole Chicken and Dirty Fries

Kathy went for one of the Burgers but I’m at a loss to remember which one.

This is a Great Restaurant if you like meat and if you like your meat Smoked, BBQ’d or covered in Spicy sauce. If not, don’t bother, there are plenty of other places that don’t serve a whole Wildebeest on toast.

So after stuffing ourselves, we made our way back to the Bus station, stopping on route in the White Lion (another old Mod pub) for one last drink, or maybe two.

The White Lion is famous for its stairs leading down to the loo’s so I chose to hold on and to wait till I got to the bus station which was a mistake as they had locked the toilets.

Locked the toilets at 1030 -11pm when everyone leaving the Pubs wants to have a pee.

Are they MAD?

So we went across the road to Subway, ordered some tea and coffee and asked to use the toilets.

“Sorry, they’re out of order”. Said our server with a satisfied smirk. Did he know something?

The only option was to hold it till we got home. Another 40 minutes, that won’t be so bad, right?

What I didn’t count on was the Bus breaking down in Stapleton and having to wait for a mechanic to come out and fix it!

I have never been so pleased to get home.

Or as my Brother used to say. “I glad I home.”