Opium - Page 3 - aberdeen-music

Keilan 303 · 09-02-2006, 15:13

If it's anything like the old Opium of the 1800's this place should be great!

hamsterpants · 11-02-2006, 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flash@TMB

Sorry, just pished myself laughing when I read this thread.

I was just asking!

*sniff*

sweet, that place has been empty for long enough. Esko used to be fucking great, but I dont think Moshulu will suffer, recon it'll be a different clientel altogether. Im getting pretty bored of Moshulu anyway.

Jimsin · 11-02-2006, 20:46

Much as though I'd love to see a bit more variety in Aberdeen - I think that a club along the lines of Edinburgh's Opium opening would be the worst thing that could happen ... there just isn't enough interest in the rock/alternative 'scene' up here and you'd end up with two half empty clubs instead of one fairly full one.

Sounds like it's gonna be more like the clientelle from the old Escobar though .... who were pretty much posing hipsters.

hamsterpants · 11-02-2006, 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimsin

Much as though I'd love to see a bit more variety in Aberdeen - I think that a club along the lines of Edinburgh's Opium opening would be the worst thing that could happen ... there just isn't enough interest in the rock/alternative 'scene' up here and you'd end up with two half empty clubs instead of one fairly full one.

Sounds like it's gonna be more like the clientelle from the old Escobar though .... who were pretty much posing hipsters.

I wouldnt know, I was cunted everytime I was in there pretty much, I remember it was dark. And I remember the Absinthe, and taking a piss off the bridge at 4 in the morning.

Doesnt sound like its going to be the same, think itll be more mainstream orientated. Who cares, Im sick of hearing the same songs every fucking week in Moshulu, bring it on!

Flash@TMB · 12-02-2006, 15:02

Here's a list of all the historic alternative clubs / club nights that I can recall. Perhaps someone can help add to this, or fill in more detail. Jimsin - you probably remember a few of these:

Ritzy's / Bonkers / The Palace
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Monday - Mudd Club, this is a trad goth night, because back then there were only trad goths. Think this started about '88 and ran until about '96 on and off, drastically changing along the way.

Thurday - The Rock Night. Think this started about '88 and ran until June '96. I remember Smurf being one of the DJs.

Friday - Friday Mud Club. This was upstairs and ran during from 92-onwards Big Daz was the DJ for a spell in 97-98.

Caeser's Palace (Crown Street, above Tattlers)
------------------

Tuesday - some sort of rock night. From around 1989-1992.

Friday - Some sort of rock night. From around 1989-1992.

Saturday afternoons - Death/Thrash Metal, some sort of underage thing.

Saturday nights - live bands and some sort of disco playing rock.

The Drift Inn
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Not a club, but was certtainly an institution so worth including. Home of the Saturday afternoon jam session for many years up until the mid 90s.

The Venue (Underneath The Douglas Hotel)
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Live bands and alt discos most nights. This place was the best. Shutdown in 1989.

The New Venue
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Located at The Neptune Bar, tried to take over where the venue left off. Ran during 1991-1992.

TJ's (The bassment of Roslyn Sports, not sure what this is now, probably Bud Bar).
----

Briefly operated a Thursday rock night when Ritzy's stopped doing it.

Cousins (The Soda Fountain)
---------

There was also some sort of rock night here for a short spell circa 1988-1990.

The Sloe Club
----------------

The RGIT Students Union, ran a decent alt disco on a Friday for many years. DJ Paul. Circa '87-'97. This was where the RGU shop is now. But students only.

Glider
-------

Sort of alt disco in the Hotel Metro in a back room crica '96-'97.

The Blue Lamp Function Suite
----------------------------------

Ran an alt disco upstairs from the 70s through to the late 80s.

Buskers (Drakes building)
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Ran a Friday rock disco from 1995-1997. Gizmo was the DJ.

Zig Zags (above Cafe Ici)
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Ran something on a Tuesday for a few scant weeks in 1994.

The Cotton Club
-------------------

Ran something for a while after The Palace shut circa 2002.

***

That's all I can remember for now.

As you can see it was very patchy, with most people spending their time waiting for some mythical alternative club to open. With the exception of when The Venue was still operating, you have it better now than we ever had it back then. At least there is somewhere to go...

12-02-2006, 17:35

Glider... bless.

Dave · 12-02-2006, 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKII

Glider... bless.

One of the very first clubs I DJ'd at. I was on the door most of the time, though.

Jimsin · 19-02-2006, 03:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flash@TMB

Here's a list of all the historic alternative clubs / club nights that I can recall. Perhaps someone can help add to this, or fill in more detail. Jimsin - you probably remember a few of these:

Ritzy's / Bonkers / The Palace .............

That's a pretty conclusive list Flash.

I guess you could add the whole St Katherine's club / Summer Street Community Centre type scene in the early eighties - Valhallas before The Venue, Drakes wasn't exactly a club - but should get a mention anyway for outstanding contribution towards Aberdeen's music scene- then there's the likes of Elizium and Lashed which have moved around from venue to venue and still maintain a devoted following.

Forme, nothing will ever compare to The Venue - but it's funny because when The Venue closed everybody went on about how great it was and how terrible The Palace was. When The Palace closed everybody moaned about how great is was and how terrible Moshulu is. When Moshulu closes (everything closes in the end) everybody will go on about how great it was and moan about whatever replaces it. Everything gets boring if you do it week in week out, and I'm sure everybody can envisage some sort of dream club full of amazing people where the music is exactly to their taste - but right now as far as clubs are concerned I think that Moshulu are doing by far the best job.

Frosty Jack · 19-02-2006, 10:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flash@TMB

.
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Great list
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If my ravaged memory serves, there was the Bang Club downstairs in the Metro. Then someone left there (Probably Paz I think) and started an offshoot type club called the Pelican up in Dee Street area somewhere. Then the Bang Club closed and The Pelican moved in.
* as always there's a fair chance I'm talking bollocks...

Flash@TMB · 19-02-2006, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimsin

That's a pretty conclusive list Flash.

I guess you could add the whole St Katherine's club / Summer Street Community Centre type scene in the early eighties - Valhallas before The Venue, Drakes wasn't exactly a club - but should get a mention anyway for outstanding contribution towards Aberdeen's music scene- then there's the likes of Elizium and Lashed which have moved around from venue to venue and still maintain a devoted following.

Forme, nothing will ever compare to The Venue - but it's funny because when The Venue closed everybody went on about how great it was and how terrible The Palace was. When The Palace closed everybody moaned about how great is was and how terrible Moshulu is. When Moshulu closes (everything closes in the end) everybody will go on about how great it was and moan about whatever replaces it. Everything gets boring if you do it week in week out, and I'm sure everybody can envisage some sort of dream club full of amazing people where the music is exactly to their taste - but right now as far as clubs are concerned I think that Moshulu are doing by far the best job.

Of course Saint Kays - can't believe I forgot that! Just a little before my time.

Sorry I still think of Drakes as current, but already there will be people coming to this site for whom it is historic.

Agree 100% with your other point. Although I have fond memories of The Venue, they are as seen through rose tinted beer goggles. For instance I couldn't tell you if the beer was pish, or the sound substandard because I honestly can't remember. In fact all that remains is a vague recollection of it being very dark and filled with cool people.

It's funny about how people complain about places when they are open, always wishing for something better, then perceiving whatever comes along to be worse LMAO. Then looking back and remembering only the good points about the original haunt! The problem we have in Aberdeen is that few of the clubs, especially alternative clubs, bring in enough money to fund progress. Over in Glasgow The Cat House just got a rather stonking refit. Never the less many people will bemoan such a refit, but in reality it usually keeps the place ticking over for another 10 years. The only exception to this is when there is not enough money to fund a decent refit, and you end up with a half assed job that completely ruins it.

Laura would like me to add that The New Venue was also called Pegasus, which I believe may be a mythical horse related to Neptune. Someone will be along to check this on Google shortly...

If you want to go really far back, then there was the 62 club (2 incarnations of it), the second of which I think was located in the Summer Street Community Centre that you mentioned. The original dated back to 1962, so way way before my time.

A famous missing rocky type pub would be The Bowl, which I belive was located where the 10 pin bowling is now.