On this page you will find various older venues grouped together.

 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.

 

  Thank you to Alan for the photo 

 

 

Another view of aquarius on the left.  Thank you to Alan for the scan. 

 

The Cockburn Lounge

The Cockburn Lounge at 73 Cockburn street, was a poplular live venue for local bands.  Now The Scotsman Lounge.

 

 

Edinburgh Castle

The Castle's esplanade has been used seasonly as a special venue with great success.  Long may this continue.

1989  31st December Duran Duran (Broadcast by BBC New years Live from the great hall).                                                                                                                              2004  18th July Cliff Richard   

                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                 2007  13th July Blondie, support band Echo & The Bunnymen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric Browns

Eric Browns was a pub opened by golfer Eric Brown in 1974.  It was situated in Dalry road within the buliding that is now Maplin.

  Can you put a name to this band playing at Eric Browns?  Thank you to Alan for this rare photo

 1980  9th May Fun City ( Fun City featured Dave Christy otherwise known as Matt Vinyl, Ronnie MacKinnon from The Valves, and Gary McCormack 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.  I understand Harvey's was in Lothian Road, but not sure about that.

 
1980  13th & 14th September The Thompson Twins, support band Local Heroes SW9 No Nukes Benefit Shows (This band featured Kevin Armstrong, who would later play with Thomas Dolby, and Tin Machine, amongst many others).

 

                  
Thank you to Stu for this rare early picture of The Exploited at Eric Browns in June 1980.  

 

 

 

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 beginning of the eighties.  As part of the university,  it is usually used as a lecture theatre with a capacity of just 466.

1979   2nd August Simple Minds                                                                                 1980   20th June The Cure

 

 

 

Inside The George Square Theatre.  Thank you toy Alan for the scan. 

 

 The Hoochie Coochie Club

The Hoochie Coochie club was a very popular club from the early eighties on, and played host to the occasional band too.  Situated above Coasters/Clouds at West Tollcross, this space also doubled up as the "dressing room" for all the bands that played the larger space downstairs.

1984  26th August The Go Betweens                                                                         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  3rd November Jeffrey Lee Pierce (Ex Gun Club                                                    1986  9th February Chakk                                                                                                  1987  24th April The Go Between

 

 

 

 

Ironmills Park, Dalkeith

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 . Thank you to Stu for the picture.

 

Livingston Forum

The Forum near Livingston was used briefely around the late eighties and into the nineties.

1989  10th June The Stranglers    

                           

                                                                                                                                                 1989  3rd July Tin Machine                                                                                                   1996  5th October The Manic Street Preachers

 

             

 

 

 

Meadowbank

Meadowbank Stadium has been used occasionally for concerts, and briefely in the mid nineties some concerts were moved to the inside sports hall here, from The Usher Hall.

1988  Aswad, Aztec Camera, Deacon Blue, The Mighty Lemon Drops, Voice Of The Beehive for CND

 

1993   29th July Prince & The New Power Generation

 

 

2007  26th August Razorlight, support band The Editors

 

The Meadows

The Meadows have been used seasonly for The Meadows Festival.

The Scars at the Meadows Festival 1979.  This picture was taken with the bands own drummer Callum Mackays camera.

The Cheetahs at the Meadows Festival June 1980. Thank you to Stu for the photo.

The Delmontes at the Meadows Festival June 1980.  Thank you to Stu for the photo.

Mowgli & The Donuts at The Meadows Festival June 1979.  Thank you to Stu for the photo.

Mowgli & The Donuts at The Meadows Festival June 1980.  Thank you to Stu for the photo.

The Valves at The Meadows Festival June 1978.  Thank you to Stu for the photo.

The Mission

The Mission, or the bottom room in The Place, had been a popular club since the sixties, when it would hold beat clubs. Also known as The Onion Cellar.

1980 13th October Plague of Fools & Twisted Nerve

 

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.  Thank you to Stu for the photo.

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.

    This is a poster for a Blues 'N' Boogie Festival organised by Robbie The Pict in 1988

1990  31st December Blues 'N' Trouble

                                                                            

 

1991  3rd November Dr Feelgood

1991  31st December Blues 'N' Trouble

                                                                           

 

1992  23rd September Dr Feelgood

 

 

 

Transport Halls

The social club at the bus depot in Annandale street hosted several punk gigs in the late seventies.

1978  11th May The Skids                                                                                                1979  13th April The Scars, support band The Freeze                                                                                                                  

 

 

The West End Club

The West End Club up a flight of stairs in Princess Street was an old sixties club, 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.

  

Thank you to Alan for both these rare scans.

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.

Thank you to Alan for this scan dating to 1978

 

Thank you to Stu for this rare photo of Switch supporting The Cheetahs (Known as the The Suffer-Jets at this time) at The Wig & Pen In May 1978

 

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 in June 1978.  Thank you to Stu for this rare picture.