Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom

F*kin ‘ell, that’s the Barras gone to the dogs wi’ a seafood restaurant round the corner – what’s wrong wi’ a pie an a pint in the Sarrie Heid (Saracen’s Head)? Or has that turned into a gastro-pub?

If we’re talking about Tiffany’s, saw a double-header of Simple Minds supported by U2 about 1981

The most memorable one was a Hole gig where Courntey Love stopped playing because she spotted a guy down the front with a Pearl Jam tshirt on. She demanded that he take it off, he refused. She promised him her underwear if he gave her the shirt….the tshirt was rather quickly thrown on stage. She starts playing again, the crowd starts booing, she stops removes knickers and throws them into the mosh pit and starts playing again while there is bedlam fighting over her pants.

thanks for the list boardinbob. Some gigs i had forgotten about, many I wished I had gone to and some I wished I hadn’t (very few mind you). I’ve not been to the Barras for a while- I kinda went off going to gigs once the prices started to skyrocket together with everyone watching it through 3.5″ screens rather than enjoying the experience.

Roses as well stevemuzzy. Place was jumpin with just the dj support act. Best gig ever.

I’ve been quite a few times ,brilliant venue, I’d say my second fave after Kentish Town forum. The first time & proud to say ,Big Country ,was the best , late 80’s ,bus trip from west Cumbria , I must have been about 16 . Getting off the bus (,bumpkins) we were all terrified.ha.The atmosphere was immense and the floor!!!! Holy moly.
rip Stuart Adamson indeed.

Despite living in Glasgow for about 6 years I think I only went to one gig at the Barrowlands; FLC about 2002 and Grandmaster Flash was playing in the QMU the same night. I’ve lost track of who I have and haven’t seen, I kept all my ticket stubs and some of them I can’t remember a damn thing.

2002, Weezer’s support band Remy Zero had to cancel due to illness, on the day- so they threw out an emergency request for a local support. Biffy Clyro had tickets for the gig so when their manager called they said, “Sorry, we’re busy tonight”. Ended up walking on stage for their biggest gig ever with about 3 hours notice, and absolutely destroyed it- I’d seen them before and really didn’t dig it, but by halfway through their set I had a new favourite band.

(Weezer were good too)

And Dave Grohl explaining how a sprung dancefloor works, and how some day they’d come back and do a benefit show to buy the barras some air conditioning. (though Trail of Dead were better that night tbh)

And every cover version Machine Head ever did, but especially ****ing Hostile. And Carter USM’s crowd drinking the place dry in 2007

(a mate of mine, who’ll remain nameless, is the world’s greatest Carter USM fanboi… But he came to them late and never saw them live first time round. So the reform comes around in 2007 and after a decade’s wait, he’s finally going to see THE GREATEST KICK ARSE ROCK AND ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD!!!

So he got incredibly pissed, and got kicked out during the support band- and that’s some achievement, because everyone at the show was incredibly pissed. We watched him get carried down the stairs crying and screaming “BUT I’VE NEVER SEEN THEM LIIIIIIIVE, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!”. He ended up listening to the show through a window.

Soundgarden touring at the time of Black Hole Sun. They were BRILLIANT! Supported by none other than Moby when he was touring Animal Rights. Weird but good!

Nickelback’s first gig there was epic!

I went to see Primal Scream only to see the support, Alabama 3. The latter were great, the former utter sh#te! Truly awful. Bobby Gillespie was wasted…….for a change. Living proof that drugs tend to kill off only the talented ones!

The Cardigans were surprisingly good while a Christmas Bjorn Again gig was a hoot.

Sad to see so many groups bypass Barrowland in favour of the atmosphere vacuum that is the SECC and Hydro. Every gig I have been to at the SECC has been a major disappointment – chronic acoustics and zero atmosphere. 😐

So jealous of so many of these gigs.

Only been twice… Once to see 2 many DJs, they were great but bus crashed on the way and I’d taken 2 many sweeties.

Once to take the wife to see Ed Sheerin years back, but he still had support at that point. She loves him, and still does. It was a good show tbh. The beer helped. The beer helps with everything come to think about it… The wife (gf at the time) loved it, we spoke to a nice couple then went out with them afterwards. It was fun, but I got far too drunk. I always get far too drunk.

Need to think about that.

But great venue, rumours were the floor was sprung… Maybe I just was…

In all honesty… Tonight was the first time I realised that
I am an addict

Did you ever try standing in the middle of the Barrowlands during a gig and not jumping?

The floor objected and tried to make up bounce up and down.

Fantastic place. Didn’t really matter who you saw there the atmosphere of the venue was always spectacular.

Bizarre one for you. Bjorn Again Hogmanay gig. The line from Supertrooper “called you last night from Glasgow “, the crowd went absolutely silent for the first bit then screamed out Glasgow. The band corpsed. Only just managed to keep playing they were laughing so hard.
Great night that. I started out in Glasgow and ended up in Edinburgh via a chain of gigs and parties.

I think I was at the same FLC gig as secession others have talked about already. The one were they played their Maui Homicide 2000 home video before coming on stage. One of my friends went crowd surfing at that gig so may have been dragged out of the crowd by Hannah.

I’ve been to several good or great gigs at the Barrowlands, Wilco may stand out as a highlight, but MGMT were really the worst. Three good enough songs and an awful lot of padding, topped off with an astonishingly dull encore.

Seen many great bands play there. I also met my wife there. Coheed and cambria. 2006. For that, I thank the men responsible for its construction.

ChrisL – Member

MGMT were really the worst

That was a good one. Me: “**** this, I’m off to get chips”. Everyone else: “Oooh, chips, good idea!”. We ended up inspiring about 30 people around us to walk out I think!

Story rather than gig really… Went to see Enter Shikari, purely because Hundred Reasons were supporting (they did a really good barras headline once, too). Had a great time for 100R, was fair enjoying Enter Shikari too but Hell Is For Heroes were playing King Tuts that night so I decided to duck out early and nash over to see HIFH.

So, left after about half of the main set, nipped to the chippie for a can of juice, discovered half of Hundred Reasons in there. “Good gig lads!” “Cheers! Why aren’t you still in there?” “Off to see HIFH” “Us too!” So we all jumped in a cab, I got vip’d in, and spent the rest of the night rocking the **** out to one of my favourite bands, with one of my favourite bands.

(HIFH reformed to play Hundred Reasons’ last ever gig in London, now that was the best gig I will ever see.)

Looked over the list and I’m pretty sure I saw the wonderstuff there…

And maybe the Farm?.

That got me thinking, what was that venue upstairs on Sauchiehall st kind of opposite nice n sleazy? I think I saw Flowered up there, a load of us got dancing on the stage then it collapsed…

The Garage?

I saw A there, pretty sure I saw someone else there as well but buggered if I can remember. Keep thinking Frenzal Rhomb but I know that was the Catty.

Is it me or is the music scene not as good in Glasgow now? Or am I just out of touch?

Is it me or is the music scene not as good in Glasgow now? Or am I just out of touch

It’s phenomenal

Is it me or is the music scene not as good in Glasgow now? Or am I just out of touch old

FTFY

Went to my first gig at the Barras to see Bush, bit of a beamer…

A few cheesy metal bands when younger but with a good few pearls thrown in, Only been about 2 or 3 times in the last 6 years I reckon sadly.
One of which for an ICW show…

After a good bit of thinking I’ve been to this lot at the Barras:

Bush
Slipknot
Incubus
System of a Down
The Wildhearts
Reef
Machine Head
Fugazi
Offspring
Slayer
Seasick Steve
Pantera
Mogwai
Chvrches
Cypress Hill
Green Day

Probably missed a few.
Bit gutted i never saw Body Count or Faith no more there.

Barrowlands documentary just broadcast on 6 Music:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08jq4jx

Ooh, Slipknot the first time they played there, that was phenomenal. I’ve been in fights that have done me less damage. Very short like, but awesome. Car got broken into and they stole my mate’s uni notes and 2 cans of pepsi max, oh Glasgow…

I saw a free gig there in Sept 93 where Blur and Radiohead played. Stood at the bar watching and realised I was stood next to Annie Nightingale. Had a great chat and drink with her.

Two weeks later I was back there to see Verve support the Smashing Pumpkins. Another amazing gig.

Fell asleep at a Ride gig in about 94 after far too much booze