Remembering Cardiff's old clubs: Montys, Smileys, Moon, Revolution, Top Rank...

[ddraig]

anyone remember the squat parties we threw? Bout ten years back now.... Cardiff didnt know what had hit it ... fat multiriggers

my only experience of clubs there was them turning up at the free parties trying to swing weight lol

yes, possibly not the same ones but that's around the time of the last decent ones i remember
Penarth rd opposite the sorting office and it snowed

 

[Ralph Llama]

Oh yer... 9 bar ToothDust ItsyBitsy n trigger... i think . I remember the atmosphere being fantastic !
Do you remember the milk floats at the dairy partry ?

 

[nogojones]

Oh yer... 9 bar ToothDust ItsyBitsy n trigger... i think . I remember the atmosphere being fantastic !
Do you remember the milk floats at the dairy partry ?

Top party. I was most impressed that some of the floats still had a bit of charge in 'em for the lights

 

[nogojones]

yes, possibly not the same ones but that's around the time of the last decent ones i remember
Penarth rd opposite the sorting office and it snowed

Yea, that one was round Xmas time if I remember right

 

[ddraig]

Oh yer... 9 bar ToothDust ItsyBitsy n trigger... i think . I remember the atmosphere being fantastic !
Do you remember the milk floats at the dairy partry ?

yes, very much so!
a kiddie had to be stopped driving one into the walls

 

[ddraig]

i was on the door when plod turned up and they just wanted us to get a car moved that was blocking the lane
after asking how many in the building
then they left us alone!

 

[ddraig]

Seamus??

 

[ddraig]

Yea, that one was round Xmas time if I remember right

i was actually allowed to play a short set at that!! despite the techno snobs grumbling
no such luck at the dairy party tho

 

[nogojones]

i was actually allowed to play a short set at that!! despite the techno snobs grumbling
no such luck at the dairy party tho

I remember a rig out the back playing jungle in the dairy

 

[ddraig]

I remember a rig out the back playing jungle in the dairy

yeah, that had a variation but all the rigs had their dj's sorted

 

[Ralph Llama]

I was just gutted we got evicted before we got all the milk float batteries... was having it.... and we had the best door crews ever TBF so nice one!
Is that you Seamus ... WOW ! How are yer ?

 

[ddraig]

I was just gutted we got evicted before we got all the milk float batteries... was having it.... and we had the best door crews ever TBF so nice one!
Is that you Seamus ... WOW ! How are yer ?

was asking if you were Seamus! no I am not

 

[Ralph Llama]

No. Ahhh . Wonder where he went. He was always so calm , had some crazy ideas, but didnt we all

 

[ddraig]

init! I wonder sometimes where he went too

 

[Ralph Llama]

hopfully he`s made it to India where he is now being worshipped like a god for his spiritual prowess... which he did have i think

 

[ddraig]

 

[phoenixlily]

nogojones I was at that party! Memories are sketchy but someone definitely drove me around in a milk float for a bit ...

Top party. I was most impressed that some of the floats still had a bit of charge in 'em for the lights

View attachment 124640 View attachment 124641

 

[Ianto]

Great memories, anybody remember a club called Buzz where the women behind the bar served in Swimsuits, can't remember where it was but I remember the attire strangely Must have been 1988-89?

 

[Gromit]

Great memories, anybody remember a club called Buzz where the women behind the bar served in Swimsuits, can't remember where it was but I remember the attire strangely Must have been 1988-89?

Church Street.
Not just the women wore swimsuits.

I knew a guy who worked there as a flair cocktail maker. He was from a well off family but he was none too bright.

The guys didn’t have to get up on the bar and dance in their suitsuits though.

I also knew two of the women that worked there. One hated it and one liked it.

It was a real meat market of a place.

 

[nogojones]

Church Street.
.......

It was a real meat market of a place.

I wouldn't have thought it was like that from the above description.

And frankly Gromit I'm quite shocked and suprised that you of all people even knew of such a place

 

[Supine]

I knew of it. I didn't go because... well swimsuits... Tacky

 

[Gromit]

I wouldn't have thought it was like that from the above description.

And frankly Gromit I'm quite shocked and suprised that you of all people even knew of such a place

If it was a bar in Cardiff in the 80’s then I knew it and most of the clubs.

If you think what you heard above is bad it got worse. When it started the entertainment was music and dancing swimsuited women. When that got old they got some drag acts in (this is the period I used to go as they were really good). When that got old it was Club 18-30 type sex games (no I never went then). Then the council found out and put a stop to that. Then they applied for a topless licence. The council said no. Then the place pretty much died.

It’s one redeeming feature was that the club contained a K6 telephone kiosk to the standard design of Sir Giles Gilbert Scot with a Tudor Crown.

 

[1927]

Church Street.
Not just the women wore swimsuits.

I knew a guy who worked there as a flair cocktail maker. He was from a well off family but he was none too bright.

The guys didn’t have to get up on the bar and dance in their suitsuits though.

I also knew two of the women that worked there. One hated it and one liked it.

It was a real meat market of a place.

Was Buzz the one opposite the Old A, in the old Criterion Berni Inn premises?

 

[Gromit]

Was Buzz the one opposite the Old A, in the old Criterion Berni Inn premises?

The other side of the road from the Old A and down some stairs (basement bar). No idea what was there before.

 

[1927]

The other side of the road from the Old A and down some stairs (basement bar). No idea what was there before.

Thats the place, was a Berni Inn.

 

[nogojones]

The other side of the road from the Old A and down some stairs (basement bar). No idea what was there before.

Oh, I have been there

Ended up there on acid one boxing day in the early 90's as there was nothing else open. Playing shit RnB and getting daggers off the regulars. We only stayed for one. Can't remember anyone in swimsuits though

 

[ianmb]

Anyone visit these long gone clubs back in the day?

I went to the Revolution (before it became Smileys), and then there was the Top Rank for bands, the Full Moon and that pub in the docks for reggae and spliff....

I was in Montys a few times late 70s, and recall seeing Dr Feelgood and Squeeze in The Top Rank, also saw the Clash I think in Sophia Gardens if I recall correctly.
Also saw Slade in the Students union on Sengenedd Ave, this I may have seen Adam Ant there too, but I may be been imagining it lol

I recall also a favourite haunt after a nite on the beer was a mixed grill at a greasy spoon called El Grecks, or something like that.

 

[editor]

I was in Montys a few times late 70s, and recall seeing Dr Feelgood and Squeeze in The Top Rank, also saw the Clash I think in Sophia Gardens if I recall correctly.
Also saw Slade in the Students union on Sengenedd Ave, this I may have seen Adam Ant there too, but I may be been imagining it lol

I recall also a favourite haunt after a nite on the beer was a mixed grill at a greasy spoon called El Grecks, or something like that.

The El Greco steak house in Caroline Street?

 

[ianmb]

The El Greco steak house in Caroline Street?

Yep that's the one, you don't see places like that these days !

 

[1927]

After Drakeford’s announcement today this is likely to be a very busy thread over the next 6 months!