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the first time i ever went to Drakes i was DJ-ing and an all-girl band called DOOB were playing. they're drummer turned out to be Dee and she now drums for the 'Discount. that was pretty cool.

we also played our first gig there too.

seeing The Dangerfields many a time was also awesome.

[Alan Cynic]

I'd been in the old Drakes a few times, but always felt too old to be there (weird, considering I was so much younger then!). First memories of newer Drakes were making my tentative first steps at playing live at open-mike nights. It didn't take long to realise that all the bar staff/management were 100% good folk, and the open-mike crowds were very welcoming, especially the hosts, Ziggy and Steve. I should explain I'd been recording for decades, but was only playing live because I'd got drunk with the Iditarod in Boston, and promised them I'd support them at Drakes. I also used to enjoy Delicate AWOL's Friday nights....some great improvising!!! Eventually the big day came, and I supported the Iditarod, Sharron Kraus, Alasdair Roberts and Delicate AWOL, and amazingly no-one threw anything or booed, despite me making a heap of mistakes.

I've enjoyed playing a few times since, and was thrilled to be part of a Fudge Night recently. Through Drakes I met lots of great friends, some of whom I ended up playing alongside! Drakes also introduced me to the lovely Interesting Music gang, and most of the best nights I've had at Drakes were Interesting Music promotions. So many nights were brilliant it's wrong to pick any out, but my all-time faves were the Thomas Truax/Sgt Buzfuz/ChrisTT night, and the Vermont/Schwervon one....great vibes at both, and being part of a conga line dancing behind the bar and through the DJ booth was ace.

I also enjoyed the last 2 Hogmanays there (although I arrived later at the 2003/2004 one!).

More recently I've had such good nights there that I've needed to check with other people present exactly what I've been up to (step forward Shawn the Ox).

I love Sharon, Leanne, Jim, Brian, Shawn & Andy and will miss the place terribly, but fully expect them to be a major part of whatever's going on in the future!!!!!

[Lester Burnham]

Ooooh the memories....

*My 18th birthday party.... I was trashed... oh it was good... purchasing 3 crates of beer directly from the bar. Loverly.

*The night where I had to give a police statement over that "glassing incident" that was interesting... I missed my bus back to Ellon, ended up being veey late home and mummy was mad.

*Playing my first gig... oh it was scary.

*That open mic night where I ended up staying until 4:30am in the moring because it was Kev's last night.... I "played" ziggy's guitar for hours... back in nam.

*GoNorth 2004. Bloody great gig, I loved playing that... it was heaving... I had a big quiff and the I danced my robo feet off at the aftershow parties, nagging Vic Galloway to play Devo.... the second one I didnt leave until like 6am... striking.

*Seeing countless great bands.... I'm not even going to attempt a list.

*The Motormark gig.... filled to capacity... it was great, the atmosphere on the last open mic night was great too.

....

*wipes a tear from eyes*

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

[Inkster]

When Murray from the x-certs was doin an acoustic set and he started playing year 3000 by busted and the whole place was singing even though to start with no one individual would sing themselves for fear of embaressment.

The only memory I have of being in Drakes was when I thrashed Joss 3-0 at chess. He was all cocky beforehand and thought he'd challenge me to a game of chess in public so he could make a fool out of me, but he was the one that was made a fool out of. He ended up leaving with a face that looked like it'd been left in a sauna for a few good hours. He regrets that now, and I'll never play him at chess again.

[huntedbyafreak]

Originally Posted by neil ex

The only memory I have of being in Drakes was when I thrashed Joss 3-0 at chess.

Bastard.

I still believe that you are a "chess shark." There could never be a turnaround that big without some sort of deviance.

But memories... I've seen too many good bands there to mention really. Putting on a couple of gigs with Maxi was great fun too... Usually ending up massively drunk and speaking complete gibberish. Djing was also great fun all the time... Ah the look on peoples faces when Pelican songs really kicked in. I always seemed to get Maxi rather drunk when we were djing as well. Ah, Jagermeister... how we fear you.

I've met many many good people in there as well. Some I would now consider firm friends. That's probably the best part about the whole place. And I know this sounds strange but I think it will ring true for many people... it always felt as if Drakes was our very own. It was our place to go and thats why so many people are upset about the closing.

[daveofficer]

my best memories are assossiated with running sonic deth monkey and valhella. valhella turning out to be some of the greatest nights i've ever had and it started out as just an excuse to hear some kyuss on a night out and turned into the heaviest night aberdeen had ever seen! watching a whole bar being captivated by the isis live experience on dvd was always good fun. being called the greatest club night in the world by stand up guy was awesome. and having some of the best nights of my life with some truly amazing people who i can call friends.

sonic deth monkey was started because myself and adam cresser wanted to hear some good tunes and watch some good bands now and again so we thought we'd have a bash at doing it ourselves. best memories of that were probably the awesome microphones gig put on with turganev, sidca's numerous and wonderful sets, the improv special, macrocosmica and fighting red adair.

playing my first gig ever at drakes.

watching scrotal tunic.

cresser's last gig with eric euan.

sam's hot car lot, fighting red adair, senator and masamune. craziest damn gig i ever did saw.

drakes being the best damn bar in the whole damn world.

ca$ino, jim, sharon, leanne, brian, shawn, ziggy, kev and dave dixon. those are the best memories. going there and knowing that you'll be greeted by someone with a smile.

[kirkt]

so...so many!
My first time at Drakes (when I was still living in Hull) but was in Aberdeen for weekend and heard Consumed were playing so popped along, not knowing anyone. Consumed pulled out but I still saw Quik and PMX.

The first gig I put on here where Slaphappy broke down, along with their guitar amp and Tearjerk got stuck in the car park.

King Liar & The Brutes debut gig with the wheel of justice.

The Dead Pets amazing set. One of the amazing bands to grace Drakes...I got loadsa freebies cos im from 'ull (even though their from Leeds). An old man that looked like Uncle Albert but was German happily danced!

New year 03/04: Free punch!

The Real McKenzies getting everyone dancing and The No Pints playing our first gig and screwin up.

Dancing with EatyerGreens to FartooClose where Roddy nearly pulled the lighting down

Jimbobs wonderful set and having Chris T-T tell me I was the best DJ of the tour.

Brehvnez! Amazing! The devil and Bin Laden both came to the doctors for this one.

King Liar & The Brutes dedicating gays to me when they supported Monkey Boy. Playing a song called "Kirk" at my fanzine launch and me singing Louie, Louie on stage with them.

Hitting myself in the face with a mic. Then later in the night doing a steptoe dance with Dave and the Cougars to Gilman Street.

Meeting Luke "waterintobeerfanzine" who was on tour with the truly amazing "Hero Dishonest"

Pulling my lead out of the amp, not once but twice as I jumped around like a twat for the no pints final gig.

The free carrots and humus as one guy played "the lion sleeps tonight" on acoustic guitar and another guy was rapping in french. crazy night.

Having my hat repeatedly stolen by Ash from Karloff while hes on stage.

Thomas Truax and his amazing hornicator, with sister spinster.

Rubbing an ice cube on my third nipple as I watched the wonderful Mountain Men

And last but not least...the many good nights provided by The Dangerfields!

I'm sure theres more that I have forgot. I wanted to get as many as I could listed...

[Teabags]

heres some main ones, but not all of them.

-meeting jeeves, alby, dave rowlands, ben, Thoth and Rimmon there at various gigs.
-playing first gigs with e106, vomitus, filthpact and voice of aggression in drakes.
-seeing fighting shit's singer get whacked in the eye with a bass head, and still playing after our set.
-falling asleep at various gigs including psydoll and dangerfields, and having people do silly things to me.
-being a drunken twat.
-isis, neurosis and aphex twin live videos at valhella.
-the corner of enlightenment at valhella.
-the final dance to black sabbath at valhella, and almost breaking the overhead projector.
-various nights with the dangerfields/fighting cougars/eatyergreens.
-Bones from Social Insecurity falling on top of Ross from ...to keep it safe.
-Jim letting me and my little brother in after saying "you're not gonna tell anyone are you" the first time I ever went to Drakes for a Bodies gig.
-again, the first Vomitus gig. the "Crucified(Live in the Snow)" mp3 says it all. Was amazing.
-Andy Geraghty's last night out before he went off to Germany.

im gonna stop before I go on forever.

[psydoll]

Originally Posted by kirkt

Rubbing an ice cube on my third nipple as I watched the wonderful Mountain Men

Eeeeeeeeew!