Just found this great site.. Ive lived away form Manchester for 15 yrs (in Brussels) but still dream about gigs I went to in the city in the 70s/80s. I a ttended Bowie at the HardRock in Dec 72 cant remember if it was 28 or 29 though. I do remember it was a great concert- the first of many many times i saw him - I remember Stealers Wheel (Gerry Rafferty) were support - one half of the venue was seated the other standing...I used to go to the Wed (?) night disco there too and remember the flourescent lights that made your teeth look fantastic - you could also seegirls white underwear. I also remember we sat around on toadstools (I joke not) and the DJ was situated overlooking the dance floor and you had stairs up to his booth.....I also remember the beer was shit and expensive !!”
“According to my research FUMBLE were support on one or both of the december gigs apparently handpicked by Bowie himself !
Not even FUMBLE themselves know if they played both the dec ones”
“What a venue the Hardrock was and now its a B&Q, I can confirm the stools resembled mushrooms,The rock disco had Charlie & Mike as djs,Granada used the venue for a tv show, do you remember the giant Jimi Hendrix at least 60ft tall adorning one wall”
“I remember the flourescent lights as you entered The Hardrock venue,just before the toilets.We would deliberatley wear white and grin to show off our white gnashers.The dance floor was round and silver and revolved,like a big cake stand.I remember seeing Judas Priest there on the thurs night and again at Reading festival on the Sat afternoon.Could of given us a lift,we hitched it down! It would of been 1975.Also saw them at UMIST.They were very freindly,apart from Rob,he didn't talk to the fans,bit shy.Kid Jenson recorded a pop TV show at the Hardrock on a Thurs afternoon and in the evening we always found bits and bobs of left overs lying around and wondered who'd been on.Marc Bolan was on one show,riding on his White Swan. The TV show was called Supersonic, I think,or someone else says 45.”
“Was'nt David Bowie the first act to appear at the Hardrock ? supposedly a book is in progress detailing the history of the venue,oh and those lights were hell if you had dandruff !!”
“This is a redirected comment that somehow ended up on my Morrissey ticket! I presume it was part of your conversation with 'bouncy' ( -is his last name CASTLE perchance?)
Perhaps you could do a write up for Waves, as nothing has been added yet?
"I remember Waves very well.It was a very small place.We used to go there Sat night after Steve Toons UMIST hard rock disco had finished. It was on Dantzig street down an alley opposite where Tiger Tiger is now. When you entered Waves you were given a meal voucher,and if you were hungry you could go upstairs and have sausages and beans,which was very welcome.I'm veggie now. Run by the DJ Graham Brookes,who moved on to The Electric Circus after that. He always had a friend/partner with him,but I can't rermember his name."”
“hi alistair,i used to dj with graham at waves,you may remember me,john mccluskey.my co dj was paul greaves or grebbler as he was better known.when graham went to the circus,he offered me a job there,but i decided to go back to my old job as a sprinkler draughtsman instead.big mistake!i had a great time working at waves,actually getting sacked 3 times by the manager,brian degg!i have got loads of stories,but no photos.let me know what you remember!!”
“Bowie was 1st concert I was there we were all waiting outside for opening tickets we used to obtain form paperchase St Anns Sq M/c.Top venue seen there Bowie Sabbath Roxy Music ELP Status Q
ELO loads of bands.Black nylon carpet star lights ceiling 1 hell of a venue.”
“I saw Focus, ELP , Yes , Dr Feelgood at the Hardrock. The TV Prog was called Lift Off with Ayesha. I remember the huge 10 foot speakers all around the dance floor.!!! When ELP were on, a giant Armadillo with guns came out on rails into the audience, firing stones, great stuff..!!!”
“Besides attending the above Bowie gig, I also recall an excellent Slade gig at the Hardrock (with Suzi Quatro in support, she was announced as being a local lass from Chorlton). I also remember the toad stool seats and a sticky carpet, I also saw a few other bands there but memory fails, it was a sad day when the place closed as a music venue.”
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Do you have any recollections of what these Hardrock gigs were like, or what the venue itself was like?”