Strange Venues

Thread over on WIM has captured my imagination, reminiscing about the Roxy at Sheffield in 1987, the nightclub on top of a carpark.

Which other unusual venues have the band played ? Here's a few for starters:

Ukrainian National Home, NYC 1981 (not a gig venue) Tower Ballroom, Birmingham 1983, 1985, 1986 (fake plastic trees) Town Square, San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy 1986 (part of video) Darien Lakes Amusement Park, Buffalo 1987 Billy Barty's Roller Fantasy, Fullerton 1983

Anyone got any other unusual gig venues ?

Wasn't the Spectrum Arena a basketball hall. I know of no other gigs which took place there. I thought using the Olympia venue in 2001 was a strange decision as they could have played at the Empire or the Royal Court. The Olympia is used mainly for boxing and comedians.

Originally posted by Casey Ryback Wasn't the Spectrum Arena a basketball hall. The Olympia is used mainly for boxing and comedians.

Yes, the Speccy was a strange one. Wasn't it new around then ?

That's what they were banking on with the Olympia, the crowd fighting and four jokers on stage !

Originally posted by Detweiler 3.63 > Originally posted by Casey Ryback> Wasn't the Spectrum Arena a basketball hall. The Olympia is used mainly for boxing and comedians.

Yes, the Speccy was a strange one. Wasn't it new around then ?

That's what they were banking on with the Olympia, the crowd fighting and four jokers on stage !

Four jokers + 1.

obviously the above mentioned barry nobles roxy was extremely bizzare. I found leeds tiffs very strange..If i remember correctly it was a nightclub inside a shopping centre. I thought Malvern winter gardens was quite strange..it was like a big village hall. Derby blue note club was also a strange choice...think small living room and then shrink it. Nottingham palais was like an old fashioned dance hall with extremely high and tight balconies. Macclesfield leisure centre was exactly that...i think i stood in the serving box on the 1st badminton court

Anyone got any other unusual gig venues ?

Southern Star Amphitheater, Atlanta, GA 1989.

Proper stage attached out back of a famous amusement park. Tickets were $6 but you had to buy the $30 park admission to get into the show. Don't know if anyone here went, but personally by the time I got to the show, I was pretty wiped out after a day of rollercoasters on acid.

Lansdowne Road, a decrepit 1890's stadium on top of a train line. Just another example of MCD's retardedness - get a massive band (chilli peppers) and a big band (new order) who share virtually no fans, and put them on in a small stadium at the same time....

Originally posted by Detweiler 3.63 reminiscing about the Roxy at Sheffield in 1987, the nightclub on top of a carpark.

It's still there. Hasn't been open for years though. According to the sign it's now called "RO.Y"

Originally posted by Jeff and it may not be odd to most of you...but when I discovered Finsbury was indeed an actual park, that seemed just a wee bit strange to me...seeing as every other concert I can remember going to was either inside a building, amphitheater or racetrack!!!

Of course, the US doesn't have the same tradition of "festivals" as here. You have them, but here (UK/Ireland) they're in a big field full of mud, and it always rains. Always.

Originally posted by MYOB Lansdowne Road, a decrepit 1890's stadium on top of a train line. Just another example of MCD's retardedness - get a massive band (chilli peppers) and a big band (new order) who share virtually no fans, and put them on in a small stadium at the same time....

Yeah, I thought putting them together was a bloody stupid thing to do. It would've been better to have them do two separate gigs - say, a month apart. But that's just my opinion!

But Shelley, New Order wouldnt sell in Ireland. Because, 99.9% of the people, have no musical taste or knowledge. Sticking them with the RHCP, who will sell in ireland, simply because they are american (and i will point out that i really like the chilis) seemed like a good idea at the time, as it was a question of exposure. Shame it was a crap gig, but never mind...

Does anyone have the 87 Darien Lakes show on MP3? Cuz I don't have one single tape deck anymore

Originally posted by Aleph Does anyone have the 87 Darien Lakes show on MP3? Cuz I don't have one single tape deck anymore

All but the first half of Perfect Kiss. Taper didn't get there on time ! There's also an A/B split at the end of Face Up. One of the best gigs ever, certainly one of the funniest.

Originally posted by Detweiler 3.63 > Originally posted by Aleph> Does anyone have the 87 Darien Lakes show on MP3? Cuz I don't have one single tape deck anymore

All but the first half of Perfect Kiss. Taper didn't get there on time ! There's also an A/B split at the end of Face Up. One of the best gigs ever, certainly one of the funniest.

Funny? Why so???

Some classic banter.

Some geezer in the audience can be heard shouting "Plantation !", to which Barney replied "it's not called Plantation dickhead, it's called Temptation". The guy starts shouting "Temptation !", so Barney says "it's not called Temptation knobcheese, it's called Plantation......".

Hooky also had a few asides about the go-karts, and the pair of them were in a good mood. Also a strange occurrence, Barney joined the Bunnymen (who were headlining) on stage for their encore of Run Run Run, and used exactly the same words as he had used earlier in the night on New Order's encore of Do The Ostrich.....

Wembley Arean - an old ice rink and boy did the acoustics show it - horrible.

The Tower Ballroom, now sadly without the fake plastic trees = http://www.towerballroom.co.uk

Originally posted by Major Tarantino > Originally posted by Detweiler 3.63> reminiscing about the Roxy at Sheffield in 1987, the nightclub on top of a carpark.

It's still there. Hasn't been open for years though. According to the sign it's now called "RO.Y" and came a CROPPER!:D

Originally posted by Uncle Liam But Shelley, New Order wouldnt sell in Ireland. Because, 99.9% of the people, have no musical taste or knowledge. Sticking them with the RHCP, who will sell in ireland, simply because they are american (and i will point out that i really like the chilis) seemed like a good idea at the time, as it was a question of exposure. Shame it was a crap gig, but never mind...

New Order would sell a small venue in Ireland, just not The Point or Lansdowne. Olympia maybe, or Vicar Street

I know at least ten people from here (Maynooth, 6,000 population suburb) that would go to a New Order-only gig

I think you'll need a few more than ten people.

They filled SFX three or four times in the mid 80s.

I think playing a concert on a cricket pitch takes some beating

Old Trafford Cricket Ground 2002 !

Originally posted by Ronald Kirsch I think you'll need a few more than ten people.

har har...

Its an example - assuming that can be repeated in the rest of Dublin alone, there actually would be enough to fill Lansdowne

However, they'd definiately fill the Olypmia or the SFX (forgot about its existance, oops).

Originally posted by Al Jarvis > Originally posted by MYOB> > > > Originally posted by Ronald Kirsch> > Its an example - assuming that can be repeated in the rest of Dublin alone, there actually would be enough to fill Lansdowne.>

For New Order? You obviously weren't at Lansdowne for the gig two years ago then?!

Lemme rephrase it then:

"Assuming MCD weren't the promoters, and you didn't have a massive group of 12 year olds buying the tickets to see another act, you'd get enough to fill Lansdowne"

MCD are retards, simple as that. They put Orbital on at the smallest stage at Oxegen. Orbitals last gig in Ireland. At a festival where most of the acts could be called "dance".....

Unfortunately, MCD are pretty much the sole promoters in Ireland.