The Abercorn
The Abercorn situated at 46 Portobello Road, Piershill, was a
long standing and popular club and venue.
Thank you to Craig Herbertson for this rare poster dating to 1980.
Aquarius/Citrus Club
Aquarius was in Grindlay street, it then became known as Topo's,
complete with "phones" in each booth for you to contact people at
other tables!! The "phones" were of course nearly all broken and
didn't work. Now known as The Citrus Club. One of the first
Associates gigs took place here.
From the 1984 Edinburgh telephone directory.
1979 25th September Trax, & Switch
Buster Browns was a quintessentially eighties nightclub in Market
street, rumour has it this club played host to the aftershow partys
of both Blondie, and Duran Duran. Now Electric Circus.
1983 4th October The Fall
Thank you to Dave of www.gingoblins.com
The Vibrators at the Cas Rock February 1996. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
1991 27th April 999 & The Gin Goblins
The Cockburn Lounge at 73 Cockburn street, was a poplular
live venue for local bands. Now The Scotsman Lounge.
Corn Exchange
The Corn Exchange at Chesser, has seen many
bands through the nineties to the
present day, and continues to be a much
needed Edinburgh venue of this size.
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2003 18th August Ash
Brian Bell of Weezer at The Corn Exchange. Thank you to Dan Schmitz for the picture.
Jack White's set list from the Corn Exchange gig. Thank you to Dan Schmitz for this item.
2006
20th November Bullet For My Valentine
2007 25th February The Fratellis
1978 12th August Switch, Giltedge, Helikopter, & Fine Thanks
Dominion Cinema
Landmark Morningside
cinema was used for a handful of gigs in the late seventies.
1977 27th February Brody
Edinburgh Castle
The Castle's esplanade has been used seasonly as a
special venue with great success. Long may this continue.
from the great hall).
1991 28th August Van Morrison
The Eldorado Ballroom
The Eldorado Ballroom in Leith was situated in Mill Lane.
This popular ballroom was frequented by visiting sailors, and
the touring big bands. Now demolished.
Eric Browns Eric Browns was a pub opened by golfer Eric Brown in 1974.
1980 9th May Fun City ( Fun City featured Kenny MacDonald from Matt Vinyl & The Decorators, Ronnie MacKinnon from The Valves, and Gary McCormack 1980 13th & 14th September The Thompson Twins, support band Local The Exchange The Exchange at 55 Grove Street played host to the 2004 20th November Josh Rouse
Frisco's Club Frisco's Club was the scene of a handful of gigs in the
Rare picture of The Eldorado frontage, dating to 1970. Thank you to Alan for the scan.
1972 18th February Hawkwind
1972 12th May Dr John The Night Tripper
1972 9th June The Sweet
It was situated in Dalry road within the buliding that
is now Maplin.
Thank you to Alan for this rare photo.
from TV Art who later evolved into Josef K. After Fun City Gary joined The Exploited, He is now an actor who has appeared in such films as The Acid
House, and Gangs Of New York.
Heroes SW9 No Nukes Benefit Shows (This band featured Kevin
Armstrong, who would later play with Thomas Dolby, and Tin
Machine, amongst many others). .jpg)
Rare early picture of The Exploited at Eric Browns in
June 1980. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid. 
John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett at Eric Browns on the "Way & Bar" tour 1980. Thank you to Hugh for these rare pictures. © Hugh C.W. 1980.
likes of KT Tunstall, Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro, The Arctic
Monkeys, and
Nazareth. Sadly now demolished. .jpg)
2005 19th October The Arctic Monkeys 
late sixties and early seventies. Thank you to Dave Paton for
letting me know this venue was in the High Street, accessed through Chalmers Close.
I understand it is on the site that is now Jury's Hotel. 
From the 1970 Edinburgh telephone directory.
1969 28th November Van Der Graff Generator
The Gamp Club
Edinburgh, situated above Victoria Street on the walkway
known as Victoria Terrace.
Thank you very much to Frank Ferri for these ultra rare photos
of Johnny Kidd and The Pirates at the venue.
The Gateway Theatre Leith Walk
The Gateway Theatre near the top of Leith Walk
was originally a television studio owned by STV, it
played host to this Lindsay Kemp production featuring
a certain Mr Bowie. This production was later broadcast
on Scottish television, and is now available as an extra
on the David Bowie DVD Love You Till Tuesday.
1970 1st February The Looking Glass Murders (David Bowie plays the
part of a cloud in Lindsay Kemps production, STV
broadcast date 8th July 1970)
George Square Theatre
The George Square Theatre was used a handfull
of times for gigs at the end of the seventies. As
part of the university, it is usually used as a lecture
theatre with a capacity of just 466.
1979 8th December Scars, Another Pretty Face, Josef K, & The Visitors
1980 16th May The Human League, Scars, & Boots For Dancing
The Human League, George Square Theatre 1980. Thank you to Pete Tainsh for the two pictures.
© Pete Tainsh 1980.
Rab King of The Scars, George Square Theatre 1980. Thank you to Pete Tainsh for this picture.
© Pete Tainsh 1980.
Inside The George Square Theatre. Thank you toy Alan for the scan.
1985 17th August Peter Skellern
The Gonk Club
The Gonk Club in Riego Street, off East Fountainbridge
was a very popular sixties club.
Thank you to Frank Ferri singer in The jokers for this rare handbill dating to 1965
Harveys
Harveys was near the bottom of Lothian Road. Entrance now a betting shop.
who was writing a piece for Sounds).
The Hoochie Coochie Club
The Hoochie Coochie club was a very popular club in the mid
eighties, and played host to the occasional band too.
Situated above Coasters/Clouds at West Tollcross, this space
usually doubled up as the "dressing room" for the bands
that played the larger space downstairs.
Allan Campbell at The Hoochie Coochie Club. Picture by Simon Clegg.
Simon writes "Allan Campbell was an English teacher at I think Boroughmuir School and shared his flat in Cheyne Street with the late Johnny Waller. He founded Rational Records and was manager of Josef K. He also promoted gigs in a variety of venues across Edinburgh - mostly at 'Coaster's in Tollcross and Valentino's in East Fountainbridge."
1984 21st October The Gun Club
1985 20th February James King & The Lone Wolves
1985 25th April The Go Betweens
1985 19th May Jesse Rae
1985 20th October The Jazzateers & Bourgie Bourgie
1985 25th October The Weather Prophets, & Meat Whiplash
Meat Whiplash, & The Weather Prophets
1985 3rd November Jeffrey Lee Pierce (Ex Gun Club)
1985 8th November Hipsway
1985 10th November Eyeless In Gaza
1986 9th February Chakk
1986 25th July Love & Money
1986 1st August The Wedding Present
1986 8th August The Bad Hats
1986 11th August The Daintees
1986 15th August James
This park was the scene for a day of gigs in August 1979,
organised by the owner of The Cross Keys Inn, Dalkeith
The Freeze at Ironmills Park, other bands on the day included Switch and Avo-8 .
Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
The Jaffa Cake
The Jaffa Cake in King Stables Road was used during the Flux festival in the mid nineties. Now Stereo Night Club.
Livingston Forum
The Forum near Livingston was used briefely around the
late eighties and into the nineties. I understand this
structure is now a TK Max!!
1989 10th June The Stranglers
Lyceum The Lyceum in Grindlay Street was built in 1883, originally run 1964 31st August-5th September Marlene Dietrich, with Burt Bacharach and his orchestra The Manhattan Disco, Leith The Manhattan Disco on The
1985 25th September Sigue Sigue Sputnik 1985 16th October The Blood Uncles Meadowbank Meadowbank Stadium has been used occasionally 1988 Aswad, Aztec Camera, Deacon Blue, The Mighty Lemon Drops, 1993 29th July Prince & The New Power Generation
The Meadows The Meadows have been used seasonly for The Meadows
The Moon The Moon was situated just down from the 1980 17th October Exodus, The Bears & Avo8
1980 1st November The Mudsharks, DF Sense & Vertical Dreams 
by legendary theatre managers Howard and Wyndham.
The Lyceum is of course better known for theatrical
productions, but the events below are more than worth a mention on this site.
Shore, Leith, was rarely used for gigs apart from a
handful in the mid eighties.
From the 1984 Edinburgh telephone directory.
for concerts, and briefely in the mid nineties some
concerts were moved to the inside sports hall here
from The Usher Hall.
Voice Of The Beehive for CND
Joe Santiago's set list from The Pixies Meadowbank August 2005. Thank you to Dan Schmitz for this item.
Idlewild supporting The Pixies Meadowbank August 2005. Thank you to C. Alexander.
2006 24th August Muse
Festival.
Scars at the Meadows Festival 1979. This picture was taken with the bands
drummer, Callum Mackays own camera. Thank you to Alan for sending this scan.
The Cheetahs at the Meadows Festival June 1980. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
The Delmontes at the Meadows Festival June 1980. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
Mowgli & The Donuts at The Meadows Festival June 1979.
Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
Mowgli & The Donuts at The Meadows Festival June 1980.
Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
The Valves at The Meadows Festival June 1978.
Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
The Twinsets, The Meadows June 1982. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
A wee disagreement! The Meadows Festival June 1980. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
The Meadows Festival, June 1980. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
Texas at Make Poverty History, The Meadows 2nd July 2005. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
Astoria, Abbeymount, and had
previously been the Regent cinema. You were
allowed to bring your own refreshments, as the venue
did not have an alcohol license. Also used for band rehearsals.
1981 13th August (rescheduled from 25th July) Makossa, First Priority, Light Years, Elysian Fields, & The Horrible Sexy Vampires
The Netherbow
The Netherbow situated at 43-45 High Street, hosted some
concerts in the late seventies and into the early eighties.
Now the home of The Scottish Storytelling Centre.
1979 19th December DF Sense (ex Switch)
DF Sense at The Netherbow 19th December 1979. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
Nicky Tams
Nicky Tams was a very popular pub with musicians in the seventies, and was open right through till the late eighties. Situated at 4 Victoria street it is now Espionage.
1977 19th October The Valves
The Place
The Place, entered from either Victoria Street, or
The Cowgate, has been a popular club since the sixties, when
it would host beat clubs. Also known as The Onion
Cellar, the Mission and Shady Lady's in it's time. Now the bottom floor of Espionage.
1986 13th October Plague of Fools & Twisted Nerve
Portobello Promenade
The Promenade has been used now and again for various events, and the odd Radio One Roadshow!
The above two photographs are The Heart Industry as Portobello Promenade, August 1987. Photographs by Stuart Pennykid.
The Preservation Hall
The Preservation Hall in Victoria Street was a very popular and
busy pub, hosting various blues and folk gigs. Now Finnegans
Wake Irish Pub.
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This is a poster for a Blues 'N' Boogie Festival organised by Robbie The
Pict in 1988
1990 31st December Blues 'N' Trouble
The Ross Bandstand
The Ross Bandstand in Princess Street Gardens has been used on numerous occasions for live music.
The Southern Bar
The Southern Bar in South Clerk Street has it's place in
gig history as the location of the unique show listed below.
This charity show organised by The Joyriders in aid of the Edinburgh sick kids hospital was advertised on flyers handed out after the Nirvana gig at Calton Studios on the 29th November. The flyers stated "and very, very special (American) Guests". On the night, after the Joyriders set ended, it was announced that Teen Spirit would not be appearing due to illness, and the venue nearly emptied. After an hour Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl did appear, and played 5 songs acoustically, under the name "Teen Spirit" to about 20 people.
The story goes that Dave and Kurt slept on the floor of a friends flat in nearby Lord Russell Place, and Dave went to the Cooler below the Venue that night too.
St. Brides Centre
St Brides centre in situated at 10 Orwell Terrace.
1987 11th June Wes McGhee
Trades Council
The Trades Council at 14 Picardy Place was used for
concerts in the late seventies. Now Ego/Luna night club.
1978 29th November Freeze & Johnny Colon
1979 30th August Switch
Transport Halls
The Transport Halls at the bus depot in Annandale
street hosted several punk gigs in the late seventies.
1978 9th June The Valves, The Monos, & The Skids
1979 13th April The Scars, & The Freeze, The Prats, The Ettes, The Disintegrators, & The Thursdays
The Waterloo Bar The Waterloo bar hosted gigs in the mid eighties. It would later become the Ark, but the space has now become a restaurant.
The Wee Red Bar The Wee Red Bar is situated in the grounds of the Edinburgh College Of Art. The bar has been on the go for decades, and is still going strong. Please see the poster slide show below, including shows at the Wee Red by the likes of Glasvegas, and The Proclaimers.
Anne, Teen, & Trash from The Ettes. Transport Halls. Thank you to Trash for this photo. © Fran Morrison.
The West End Club up a flight of stairs in Princes Street
was an old sixties club originally called The
International, that by the late seventies had fallen on hard times.
The club then started to be used for the odd punk gig.
Later this venue would become Fire Island and play
host to various disco acts, including the late great John Waters
star Divine, thundering about the tiny stage in the bay
window, sweating, to possibly the loudest synthesized
backing track I have ever heard! So the next time you are having
your skinny latte in the cafe of Waterstones, remember you are
in good company.
1977 9th & 10th September The Valves
1978 17th December The Cheetahs
Thank you to Craig Herbertson for this rare newspaper cutting.
Thank you to Alan for both these rare scans.
From the 1984 Edinburgh telephone directory.
The Wester Hailes Festival
The Wester Hailes Festival took place on 24th May 1986 near Stevenson College. The picture below is of The Blood Uncles. Thank you to Jan for the photo.
The Wig & Pen
The Wig & Pen Pub at 19 Cockburn Street was popular with
Edinburgh's punk rock fraternity. It also played host to gigs
by the likes of Josef K. Now Ecco Vino wine bar.
Rare photo of Switch supporting The Cheetahs
(known as the The Suffer-Jets at this time) at The Wig & Pen In May 1978. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
The Yellow Carvel
The Yellow Carvel in Hunter Square was a well known folk
club, in the sixties and into the seventies. Some punk and
new wave acts started to appear towards the end of the decade.
Now The Tron.
Tam White at The Yellow Carvel in 1970. Thank you to Gordon for this rare picture.
The Valves at the Yellow Carvel, June 1978. Photograph by Stuart Pennykid.
The Androids at The Yellow Carvel circa 1976. Thank you to Craig Herbertson
