Not all acts will sell out a 15000 arena. Remember wembley only has a capacity of about 10000 and that does not put off some big acts. If and when an arena appears next to the Gate it wont be trying to attract U2 or Take That. Example, I saw Dynamo in Cardiff who played to 4000. If we need to attract big acts we could put them inside the Gate 30000 plus.
But you’ve proved that you are willing to travel to Cardiff. At the moment Cardiff have, The Millennium, Cardiff City Stadium and Swalec ground get acts going there. They will have this new areana and will still have the Motorpoint. I’m hoping Bristol gets an areana, I just hope it’s viable and not losing money preventing other projects failing in the city, with the council saying “We’ve spent millions on the areana, and can’t see a return”. However if it’s part of the Bristol Sport set up then the city benefits and the council lose out.
As a huge music fan it really bugs me that we have to travel for most of these big acts. I really don't see why we should be settling for a smaller arena when we can easily support a larger one, rather than having to travel to Plymouth, Cardiff, Birmingham, etc. On the rare occasion that a bigger act does play Bristol it is kinda great because you're always seeing them in a relatively intimate setting, but I'd much rather have more regularity of musical acts here over that. Just like football, music is an area in which Bristol massively underachieves. You look at what Manchester and Liverpool have produced, and yet the only genuinely great artists we've had are Massive Attack and to some the likes of Tricky, etc. For such a quirky and cultural city our musical output is pretty damn poor.
used to see all the top acts at the COLSTON hall or the corn exchange or the place opposite BRIDEWELL mind a total blank, mate was on door never paid, and nearly always pulled!
TOP RANK yep.. used to go round the bier keller have 2 jars then in for a hot sweaty couple of hours... don't know why but in them days it was a suit and tie. probably the best show there was Show waddywaddy was there when some dick shouted out to dusty Springfield " is it true you are a lesbo!!! very out of order, don't think he enjoyed his exit bumping down the stairs as he did!
I went down them there stairs once for accidentally dropping a pint off of the balcony on to the floor below, first time I realised I could fly..
I think any bloke who went there regularly enough would eventually end up going down those stairs... I did twice!! For the life of me I cannot remember the reasons why, only the pain and embarrassment on the floor at the bottom.
Top Rank I think is what is now SWX, but used to be Syndicate when I was growing up, and Romeo and Juliets when my parents were growing up. I swear everyone's first night in town was there!
Amazing, I remember going as top rank, baileys and R&J's, "retracing steps!" started at Wingrove, went to Hopffbrauhaus? /Bierkellar, Top rank, if didn't pull! went round to Mauritania? bottom of park street. if we had parked close to TR... up to the downs "THE GLEN? now a bupa hospital? or a dance hall not very popular in a hotel up near the back of the triangle, of course usual other haunts, mandrake dug out Reeves, used to drink in the bar/restaurant and go up after, Locarno platform one were 2 visited infrequently. and mustn't forget the mile 3 or its other names, but that was a different night not Thursday which most of the rest were
....all you mentioned John plus ~Victoria Rooms, Corn Exchange, Dugout Club, Heartbeat Club and The Hawthornes.. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
corn exchange saw quite a few of the top pops there back then also guess we were in the same room when the searchers were on
I was there John, had to have our wrists stamped on the back so we could get out and have a pint in the cellar bars and be allowed back in later...
