Thanks Bonesaw Bazz, please come along to our relaunch once the buiilders have finished. I'll buy you a free 'woosh' for the plug
Cheers!
Heather I notice from your Bio that you are listening to Ben Harper. Several years ago I accidentally ate some mushrooms that turned out to be hallucinogenic (wonder how that happened). Anyhow Ben Harper was on the Jools Holland show that night on TV, and played 'Please Bleed' live. It was fantastic. I went straight out the next day and bought the album. Might put it in the Jukebox soon.
One thing I'd like to point out is that The Moorings is a bar and not a club, so it's not fair to compare us.
I don't get to Moshulu much because I'm old and too tired to go, but now the bar is closed for a few weeks I intend to spend some time there. In my opinion Moshulu is much better than the Palace (or the Ritzy as I knew it). I feel this way because I had to suffer through the latter half of the 90s - the dark ages when the Palace routinely kicked us out then begged us back when they needed the money. Even during the early 90s they only ran alternative nights on Mondays and Thursdays, catering to neds the rest of the time. On Fridays I went to the Sloe Club at RGIT Union, and Saturdays and Tuesdays Caesers Palace.
The difference here is that unlike the Palace, Moshulu actually means it! My understanding is that the people that ran the alternative nights at the Palace also have they same involvement in Moshulu (please correct me if I'm wrong), so all that was good about the Palace is present in Moshulu. Aberdeen has been crying out for an alternative venue the size of Moshulu for a long time. Especially one that admits us at weekends.
Right now we're all spoiled for choice. I manage to get to Drakes from time to time (easy since it's only 15yards away) and love it there. Drakes has worked wonders is helping to create a thriving music scene in Aberdeen as opposed to the covers bands that we've had to endure for the last 15 years... and they done that because they believe in it. Needless to say I'll also be spending a fair bit of time in Drakes over the coming weeks.
From the Moorings perspective, the creation of Drakes then Moshulu have been a massive boost for us. One alternative venue does not constitute a scene! The Moorings actually suffered after The Satelite Bar shut... strange because on paper that was it's main competitor. People like choice, choice is attractive and helps build the sort of movement we have now. There really is no place I'd rather be right now than Aberdeen. It's only a matter of time before something explodes several of our young bands into the big time. Other places aren't so fortunate.
See you all in Drakes/Moshulu over the course of the next few weeks
Flash