The Mardi on Bold Street was good in its day
Printable View
The Mardi on Bold Street was good in its day
I use to go to the Moonstone and the Sportsman to see 29th and Dearbourne, Supercharge, Rocking Horse, Rock School and all the others.
Remember the Mardi, Casa and the Gladray, Macs was a great club especialy Sunday nights.
Does anyone remember Scamps or Romeo and Juliets?
Now I was a member of Erics from the begining (I still have my free membership card to prove) seen then all the Clash, Costello, SLF, ****ed, Skids, XRay Spec, The Specials with Madness as support, the beginings of the Bunnymen, OMD, Big in Japan, Dead or Alive, AFOS.
Would go Fridays, Saturday two shows under 18s in the afternoon and then the evening shows and Sundays when you would see what Roger Eagle wanted Liverpool to experience such as major Reggae or Blues artists.
The Mardi Gras I went to from its' opening in 1958 was at the bottom of Mount Pleasant, previously it was a billiard hall, it was over Turners auction rooms. It was demolished to build a multi story car park and multi screen cinema, later to be the 051 club I think.
When did the Mardi Gras move to Bold St.?
The importance of Erics has
always been underplayed because there was a point in the 80's when the top 40 singles chart included something like 18 records by people who had attended
the gig by The Clash there,that's unbelievable isn't it.
I totally agree with you
Paul.
Matthew Street was a hive of activity off the beaten track, there was Erics, Probe Record, Action Replay Records, Armadillo Tea rooms, Grapes and
White Star pubs.
If you look at the Liverpool bands that had links with Erics.WAH, Ellery Bop, OMD, Big in Japan featuring Holly Johnson, Ian Brodie (The
Lighting Seeds) Bunnymen, Teardrops, Dad or Alive, the list could go on.
never started going to clubs till late 80's
First ever club with mates was the Moonstone in the precinct followed by Nightriders (freewheelers) in wood street. Used to watch bands in the Cumberland, Planet x (both Hannover street and the one off Dale street), the academy in Hannover street.
Because my mates where a mix of tastes we went to different places all the time. Partners, The Grafton, Chaucers, the Casa, The Conti on a Tuesday, Maxwell's plum, The Ebo, The Mardi, The Quad, The Underground, The state, Pickwicks (ashamedly), Images, Coconut grove, The She, Rio's, Hunters Lodge, Fallows, Paradox............
Always loved clubs and the atmosphere, especially just before they open
Pictures of revellers in The State here
http://www.arklo.com/TheState/State_front.htm
[QUOTE=shytalk;20792]The Mardi Gras I went to from its' opening in 1958 was at the bottom of Mount Pleasant, previously it was a billiard hall, it was over Turners auction rooms. It was demolished to build a multi story car park and multi screen cinema, later to be the 051 club I think.
When did the Mardi Gras move to Bold St.?[/QUOTE]
About 1973.
From 1908 to 1929 it was a cinema called the Mount Pleasant Hall.
Renamed the Century just before it closed when it showed foreign films.
This 1966 photo is from "Ainscough's Liverpool", one of my favourite books.
Thanks PhilipG,
I was one of the first members there in about 1958. It was a great club, we used to go in the Beehive pub opposite for a few then on to the Mardi. It was opened by Stan Roberts and Jim Ireland, they went on to open numerous clubs and manage a lot of bands. The manager was Harry Ormesher who I knew previously from his 'photo shop in Seaforth Rd. He later became a world renowned photographer. The doorman was Alan Tanner, aka Alan Adrian a Jamaican ex boxer. There was rarely any trouble there. In those days you could park your car outside as long as you didn't obstruct the bus stop.
The building must have had extensive modification to make it 2 story as it was when I went there.
Thanks for the pic it brought back a lot of memories.
S'ok just an ex hackney driver being picky :)
Bloody taxi driver :)
only joking mate, you were right about the street, good little boozer the white star
Yes, I owned and drove taxis for 16 years then emmigrated to the USA in 1981.
Now retired and living up in the Ozark mountains.
I remember the Iron Door, The Pyramid. The Twenty One Club,and some clubs around Upper Parliment st.
RE Erics...
Whilst browsing this thread and going on my own google tangent to look for pics I found this...
http://www.liverpoolthen.co.uk/
With pictures of this...
http://www.liverpoolthen.co.uk/erics04/011.jpg
and this
http://www.liverpoolthen.co.uk/erics04/014.jpg
Amd a tiny little forum here
I used to go to The Cave (Radio Jackie Norths the Cave! It had a DJ called Rik Dane who ran a pirate rock radio station of that name) which I think was really Brady's the successor to Erics after it had turned into a Rock club. The Nightriders/Freewheelers above the Bar Royale which was above the Wilsons pub and all owned by Sadie - Sloanes now the Krazyhouse. Always disliked Milos 'cos of its poodle RAWK :) I think it was named after John Mylett from local band Rage / Nutz and once drummer on childrens TV lunchtime show I think called Our Back Yard or something who'd died along with Alison his girlfriend in a car crash in Spain - hence the Alisons bar part at the top end of the pub and I spent many nights in the Planet at both locations as well.
Great picture Victoria I'll look forward to that site going live.:)
Fallows Too Ticket:
http://static.flickr.com/104/300999251_f40e478fc7.jpg
The Hippodrome, just about visible:
http://static.flickr.com/119/300999377_0b549c5a5f.jpg
lol I used to go to Fallows in Bootle or wherever it was on the rave nights they had there,I wasn't wrecked or nothing I just don't remember where it was honest.:rolleyes:
Prefferred the women in Milo's, Nightriders women intimidated me at that age! Did you ever go to Rockfords ? We used to go over sometimes when Milo's shut at 1 o'clock, for the last hour or so. What was the name of the club (began with an 'S') behind probe upstairs (where Coast is now). Remember it was full of the reminents of the Punk, Rockabilly, Psyhcobilly thing, used to enjoy them giving each other a hiding to King Kurt or Jailhouse rock or something. The Pink Parrot was another alternative if fancied a change and some Goths. Such a shame that these clubs don't exist any more. Like the casa, for all the good the dockers have done with it, still preferred the old place. Once had a very strange night in there with my mates and Wayne Sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi all
The Mardi Gras Club is very familiar to me although I don't believe I was ever in it. I just remember girls talking about "the Mardi." I was not a big club goer when I lived in Liverpool in the Sixties, though I did go to the Sink Club on Leece Street up from St. Luke's Church circa 1965, when Tony Jackson, ex of the Searchers played there, and I was later on quite a number of occasions in the Chequers Club on Seel Street.
Chris
The PARADOX at Ormskirk Rd. Aintree was a real Liverpool venue.
Can anyone tell me when this club closed?
Also, where was The She? I've heard a few mentions of this club but don't know where it was.
And of course there was the famous "Shakey" in town.
Swinging Apple was the predecessor of Nightriders / Wilsons bar on Wood Street - not sure too, young at the time Rainfords was the rock club at the back of button street for a while. Rockfords was off St. Johns Garden by where the Italian and Chinese restaurants are now. Too many beers tonight (and then) to remember accurately... :) Liverpool has always had a large non-conformist music population - not always as cool as punk stuff but there and vibrant anyway...
Lost most of my teeth outside Casablanca (as I still call it) to some scallys from Chauffers in the 80s - still prefer the old unilt Casa to modern version (30pence entrance if they bothered asking) but thats probably age - I especially remember the first room with just a jukebox for light and no way of telling what the girl you where chatting to looked like! Good job they couldn't either ;)
I think the She was on Dale Street.