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Created 19th March 2015 by Abigail

Exhibition

The Roadhouse closes its doors

This is an online exhibition dedicated to the Roadhouse, Manchester. You can contribute by adding your own scans, photos and memories to the main MDMArchive website. I will then add them to this exhibition.

(Article below taken from Manchester Evening News 19th March 2015)

The Northern Quarter venue, on Newton Street, has been hosting live music for 22 years, but has announced it will hold its final show on May 31st.

The basement club on Newton Street, Manchester, which was opened 22 years ago by John McBeath as a blues club, has hosted gigs by Coldplay, Fleet Foxes, The Kills, and The White Stripes.

It was the first place that Manchester band Elbow played live after they graduated from Roadhouse bar men to rock stars. The group have regularly returned to the venue, most recently for a charity show in aid of War Child.

Kate Mountain, who bought the club 16 years ago with business partner Steve Lloyd and is also co-owner of Aumbry restaurant with Mary-Ellen McTague, said she is pleased The Roadhouse was able to remain a place where people got their start on the circuit throughout its history.

She said: “The Roadhouse has championed thousands of local musicians who dreamed of rock and roll stardom.

“It was a commitment we have always taken seriously, offering a stage and an opportunity to local bands from the first week we opened the doors and will do so until the very last.”

he venue will host its final show on May 31 before closing for good.

Kate confirmed that the team are now working on programming some “memorable send off gigs and club nights throughout May”. Details will be announced on the venue’s website at theroadhouselive.co.uk.

The Roadhouse has been a landmark venue for bands and gig goers alike, and has also been a cornerstone of Manchester's clubbing circuit.
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1
The Roadhouse
Other, 1994
Original uploader writes:

My staff pass for The Roadhouse signed by the late, great John MacBeath.
Gondwana, One Tree Island DJs
The Roadhouse
Press, 1994
Original uploader writes:

City Life 251, April '94.

Went to a few of those One Tree Island events over the years, which were great.
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1994
Original uploader writes:

Great gig by Sub Pop artists Velocity Girl. Kind of an American C86 indie band. I remember the guitarist decided to wear a Man United top. He seemed surprised at the negative reaction.
Doodlebug DJs
The Roadhouse
Original Artwork, 1995
Original uploader writes:

The original, ubiquitous Doodlebug logo in sticker format.

Design: M A Barnes-Wynters
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1995
Roadhouse flyer, April 1995.
1
Distractions
The Roadhouse
Photograph, 1995
Original uploader writes:

In 1995 Mike Finney and Steve Perrin briefly joined forces once again under The Distractions' banner. Mike takes up the story: "In 1995, Steve and me got together with Nick Garside (Manc producer), on bass, Bernard Van Den Berg (The Distractions after Alec Sidebottom left, then Secret Seven) on drums, Kevin Durkin (ex-Direct Hits, who we knew from TJM records at the beginning, and Escape Committee) on guitar (bass on Good Girls Don't Get To Paris) and played half a dozen gigs in and around Manchester and Liverpool."

"All the songs from the 1995 demos (www.thedistractions.co.uk...) were in the set, with many other new songs, but only Still It Doesn't Ring and It Doesn't Bother Me from the old stuff. We were tempted to do Looking For A Ghost for an encore, but settled for Valerie and a few Lou Reed songs, which is in keeping with what we would have done originally. Good Girls Don't Get To Paris was written in 1979, but unrecorded until 1995 at Chiswick Reach (Joe Meek's Studio where Telstar and My Generation were recorded). The other four tunes were recorded at Manchester’s Out of the Blue Studio in 1995" (the original 'Madchester' studio, owned by Nick Garside).

Photo by Mark David Cooper.
Stockhausen And Walkman
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1995
Original uploader writes:

This was another great 'Disobey' gig of varied experimental music - this one happened at the Roadhouse.

Otomo Yoshihide & Yamatsuka Eye provided an interesting noise set and removed some ceiling tiles and climbed up into the roof space during their set.
Stockhausen And Walkman
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1995
Original uploader writes:

This is a flyer for the Mute records Disobey night at the Roadhouse venue.

The evening featured:
Otomo Yoshihide & Yamatsuka Eye.
Cylob
Nick Blincoe
Stock, Hausen & Walkman.
+ DJ Beekeeper (Bruce Gilbert from Wire)

Otomo Yoshihide began his musical life improvising in Tokyo (Jazu Kissa), performing on guitar and also using tapes and synthesizer devices, like Roland drum machines. He is considered the father and the pioneer of house music in Asia. Yamatsuka Eye is a member of the bands Hanatarash and Boredoms. Together they performed an outstanding gig at Disobey with Eye breaking the ceiling tiles of the venue and crawling inside at one point!
3
Die Kunst, Goldblade
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1995
Original uploader writes:

This was a great gig. I think it was 1995, but I could be wrong. It was very hot, and Man or Astroman? came on in silver space-suits with foil boxes on their heads. I remember expecting them to pass out from the heat.
11
Die Kunst, Goldblade
The Roadhouse
Ticket, 1995
Original uploader writes:

MAN OR ASTROMAN? - The gig where they were dressed up as spacemen, the gig where one of them ran round the venue. The Roadhouse still had booth seating; my mate nicked a spaceman's spark gun.
Matt Triggs, Unabombers, Chubby Grooves
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1995
Original uploader writes:

Flyer for the second ever Electric Chair.

I loved this night when it started, especially at the Roadhouse. iI was never the same when it moved to the Music Box.

This flyer comes in a bag with two small electronic components.
Doodlebug DJs
The Roadhouse
Poster, 1995
Original uploader writes:

Official Doodlebug debut event presenting hip hop poets the Vibe Khameleons and also introducing Charlie Dark (Attica Blues) to Manchester.
Green
The Roadhouse
Press, 1995
Original uploader writes:

I think this gig was with Scottish popsters The Supernaturals.
Alfie
The Roadhouse
Poster, 1996
Original uploader writes:

In the early days when Alfie were still under the title of 'The Magi Lounge' I saw them play an intimate gig at the Roadhouse and the whole night was chilled and relaxed with a great vibe, which continued through to all of Alfie's larger gigs.

Excellent band, greatly missed.
Doodlebug DJs
The Roadhouse
Press, 1996
Original uploader writes:

City Life '96
3
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Found this in a pile of old college folders at my Mum's the other day - Live, cheap, dark & friendly!
2
Goldblade, Unabombers, Doodlebug DJs
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Detail of the flyer posted by Ashton Archer.

Note an early Electric Chair excursion, before it moved to the Music Box. I loved Electric Chair when it was at the Roadhouse, with the outdoor bit at the back.

Thanks to Ashton Archer.
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Flyer from January 1996.
6
The Creators
The Roadhouse
Press, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Metro News article about Stuart Harrison, sometime guitarist with the Zans.

I don't think it all turned out to be as rosy as it says here. Stuart left the Gordon Smith guitar pictured here leaning against a radiator in the storeroom of the Manchester Arms for weeks causing its neck to look like Robin Hood's bow. The Creators had Simon White (Ex- Johnnies Airforce guitarist) playing bass for a while in the early days. I think they finally fizzled out a couple of years ago.
Uglifruit
The Roadhouse
Photograph, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Uglifruit live at The Roadhouse.

Photo by Phil Vaughn.
Fireproof
The Roadhouse
Photograph, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Fireproof soundcheck at The Roadhouse 1996 - photograph by Phil Vaughn.
Hoop La Baby
The Roadhouse
Poster, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Hoop La Baby supporting The Dharmas at the Roadhouse.
Hoop La Baby
The Roadhouse
Flyer, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Flyer for an early Roadhouse gig.
Hoop La Baby
The Roadhouse
Poster, 1996
Original uploader writes:

Poster for Hoop La Baby's first ever gig at the Roadhouse.
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