David Bowie RIP

wanderlust wrote:Just released Blackstar a couple of days ago so in the true spirit of the great musician, songwriter, composer, innovator and icon that he was, he must have been dealing with the cancer whilst he was working on it.

He occasionally disappeared up his own ass but his vast works included some of the greatest pop songs of all time and he will be sorely missed by the fans and the thousands of artists he influenced. Personally, I'm gutted.

RIP.

I could not have said it better myself lusty. I agree 100% with everything you've written.

Sleep well David and thank you for some of the greatest music of my lifetime. 

I've still got this cover,in a frame. It's a classic.

Hardrock was near Old Trafford Cricket Ground. It's now B & Q!
I saw Santana, King Crimson, Genesis and Focus there after the opening night and the night after or before Genesis LZ were on.
The acoustics were pretty shite if I remember correctly but they certainly had some "heavyweights" on.
It was an interesting place insomuch as the hall was split half seats and half standing, but the cut was right down the middle of the stage if you know what I mean?
Apparently it was a night club on the nights the "hairies" didn't go!
Great music days those.

Norpig wrote:just googled it , it was in Stretford. Long walk home that SK 

It's now a B & Q on Greatstone Road.

boltonbonce wrote:I've still got this cover,in a frame. It's a classic.

So have I at the top of the stars in the hall Bonce.
I had a tshirt with the Ziggy album cover on the front and the tracks listing on the back with date of release but the wife fooked it in the washer one day!

Loved his music and he was great in Labyrinth.

RIP.

Peace be with you Bowie.

He'll be singing with John Winston tonight.......

He's up on the 11th floor now, watching the cruisers below.

RIP and farewell to an absolute genius. Absolutely gutted. So typical of him that the same week he passes away his latest album is released to typical critical acclaim. There'll never be another like the Thin White Duke.

Soul Kitchen wrote:Hardrock was near Old Trafford Cricket Ground. It's now B & Q!
I saw Santana, King Crimson, Genesis and Focus there after the opening night and the night after or before Genesis LZ were on.
The acoustics were pretty shite if I remember correctly but they certainly had some "heavyweights" on.
It was an interesting place insomuch as the hall was split half seats and half standing, but the cut was right down the middle of the stage if you know what I mean?
Apparently it was a night club on the nights the "hairies" didn't go!
Great music days those.

The venue was flexible seating wise as I remember. The King Crimson line up I saw there was when John Wetton had joined from Family to replace Greg Lake on vocals. Bill Bruford on percussion and he had tons of it from huge kettle drums to chimes as well as the usual stuff so he took up half the stage himself and the seating was formal. Bowie and Led Zep also had fairly formal/normal concert seating arrangements as I recall, but I remember dancing to Swamp Snake when Alex Harvey was on which would have been 73 or possibly 74 so the seating must have been moveable. And I vaguely remember other gigs there where there was no seating but it's a bit of a haze TBH. It was a big venue - ideal for a B & Q I suppose.

The opening night was all standing, I remember that night clearly and the others I mentioned were both stand and sit.
It was flexible because it doubled as a nightclub.
Happy days those.
John Wetton joined KC for larks tongues in aspic album and preceded Boz Burrell, later of Bad Co IRC.
Boz appeared on Islands and I think Burford was on board for that.
Apart from Court I can't remember what Greg Lake was on, perhaps Poseidon then ELP came along I think.

Was there nowhere in Bolton that you could see decent live acts?

That was my biggest complaint when I started going to gigs in the late 80's - you had to go to Manchester (or even Preston and bloody Blackburn).

In the 30's and 40's all the top stars played Bolton, so what changed?

Does anybody know?

i'd heard that Hendrix once played in Bolton, when i googled it he played at the Odeon cinema! Not heard of any other venues in Bolton that big bands or artists played at though.

On a smaller scale bands played at what is now the Bolton Uni students union, i saw Carter USM there many years ago.

The gig going is one of the main reasons i will never move back to Bolton, i can jump on the bus and be at most Manchester gig venues in around half an hour

This brought a tear to my eye.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35291320

Norpig wrote:i'd heard that Hendrix once played in Bolton, when i googled it he played at the Odeon cinema! Not heard of any other venues in Bolton that big bands or artists played at though.

On a smaller scale bands played at what is now the Bolton Uni students union, i saw Carter USM there many years ago.

The gig going is one of the main reasons i will never move back to Bolton, i can jump on the bus and be at most Manchester gig venues in around half an hour

I've only ever been to a couple of "proper" gigs in Bolton.

The Macc Lads at Silverwell St and The Waltones in the bar that used to be under Barclays where they showed the Roadrunner videos on a Monday night.

I saw loads of bands at the Crown and Flick (mostly variations on Spam's Lofthouse / Holdsworth / What are we called this week? theme) but they were all locals.

Do you remember Out of Town, Mr Pig?

They were from Halliwell and did Skids and Buzzcocks covers as well as their own stuff.

They were ace.

Don't forget Pink Floyd at Rivington Barn. Weds June 21 1967.

Breadman wrote:

Norpig wrote:i'd heard that Hendrix once played in Bolton, when i googled it he played at the Odeon cinema! Not heard of any other venues in Bolton that big bands or artists played at though.

On a smaller scale bands played at what is now the Bolton Uni students union, i saw Carter USM there many years ago.

The gig going is one of the main reasons i will never move back to Bolton, i can jump on the bus and be at most Manchester gig venues in around half an hour

I've only ever been to a couple of "proper" gigs in Bolton.

The Macc Lads at Silverwell St and The Waltones in the bar that used to be under Barclays where they showed the Roadrunner videos on a Monday night.

I saw loads of bands at the Crown and Flick (mostly variations on Spam's Lofthouse / Holdsworth / What are we called this week? theme) but they were all locals.

Do you remember Out of Town, Mr Pig?

They were from Halliwell and did Skids and Buzzcocks covers as well as their own stuff.

They were ace.

that Macc lads gig was legendary, i didn't go but i remember all the fuss about them playing. Didn't the council try and ban them?

Out of town sound familiar as well. my best mate worked with one of the band if its the one i'm thinking about. They did play lots of punk and new wave covers

As for Spams band they were Lofthouse when i knew them. I did a sound engineering course years ago and seeing as i knew the drummer and Spam i asked them if i could record a couple of their songs. I did go to a gig of theirs at the Crown and Flick knife but i was the only one who turned up 

Im sure my step dad went to the macc lads gig as well.

The two decent venues I've seen bands in Bolton are the BIT and the Albert Hall. 
It is true Hendrix played the Odeon and Dusty Springfield was on the same bill.
At BIT I've seen Hawkwind(complete with Lemmy), Curved Air, Arthur Brown and Vinegar Joe (Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer were in this band).
Fairport Convention appeared at the Albert Hall many years ago and a popular band at the time Camel.
I do know that Joy Division performed at BIT in their pomp.
One abortive trip to BTC on Manchester Rd involved a full house if I remember correctly around 72, and the band failed to turn up, Thin Lizzy.
Bolton has always lived in the shadow of Manchester musically however but the Odeon would have made a great venue as it was like it's former cinema sister inside, Manchester Apollo, however bingo took over after flicks finished.

boltonbonce wrote:This brought a tear to my eye.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35291320

Excellent.