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[Cloud]

According to the EE, the council want a new purpose-built venue to replace the Lemon Tree.

Thoughts?

[Sam L4]

Hmm many good memories of the Lemon Tree. I probably wouldnt want it to change, i never usually do like change though.

[Mark Nicol]

I think its a case of the council wasting money. The Lemon Tree WAS refurbished by the council around 15 years ago to provide the city with a purpose built music venue. I think they should be investing the money in decent management FOR the Lemon Tree.

[Mark Nicol]

Invest in decent management, with the exception of Andy shearer of course. : )

[Graeme]

Originally Posted by Mark Nicol

Invest in decent management, with the exception of Andy shearer of course. : )

Andy, someone likes you! The Lemon Tree was never properly designed as a live music/multi purpose Arts Venue. Shona Powell's (the first LT director) avowed intent was to raise the building to the ground and start again. It's long overdue and can only be positive.

[medichi]

Its a pretty good venue as its stands, no? Good floor space, two tiers for view, well postioned bar, reasonable sound - can't see what they'd do to improve it - more likely to fuck it up IMHO.....

[Swingin' Ryan]

I think the Lemon Tree is a great venue. Serves it's purpose brilliantly.

If Aberdeen's lacking anything it's something along the lines of the Edinburgh Corn Exchange or The Barrowlands. We have the AECC for huge bands, places like Moshulu for smaller international touring acts and then smaller venues like The Tunnels etc, but there's a whole segment of bands that your only going to see in venue's in Glasgow. Which is crazy as Aberdeen has a good scene, good promoters and heaps of music fans, yet the closest thing we've got is the Music Hall and good bands there are far too infrequent.

I don't even know if it's plausible to have such a venue in Aberdeen, but we have a heap of small venues, but nowhere for larger touring international bands to play.

[medichi]

Originally Posted by Swingin' Ryan

I don't even know if it's plausible to have such a venue in Aberdeen, but we have a heap of small venues, but nowhere for larger touring international bands to play.

Doesn't Moshulu fill that gap (kinda) - I know its smaller than the venues you mentioned, but per population its comparable to the Barras......

[Swingin' Ryan]

Originally Posted by medichi

Doesn't Moshulu fill that gap (kinda) - I know its smaller than the venues you mentioned, but per population its comparable to the Barras......

Yeh to an extent, and it's really come into its own recently getting really good bands in. They still only cover a certain market of bands however.

For example take a band like Placebo (I'm just using them as an example as they're playing the Glasgow Academy, the kind of venue I'm talking about). Now they're a big band, but not a huge band. Where are they going to play in Aberdeen? Moshulu's too small and the AECC is far too big, so they're just left with the Music Hall who rarely seem to host contemporary rock gigs.

[Metarie]

There's no need to demolish the building, it's a lovely art deco type thing and surely it can be used for something else if they really wanted to move the LT somewhere else.
Personally I think it's a waste of money, the company will still be in debt so having a new venue won't help them get bigger bands, they won't play if they aren't getting paid.
The only thing they need to do to The Tree is get out of debt so they can afford better bands and put the bar prices down and make the pillars smaller, there are only a few spots you can stand/sit and get a good view of the stage.