Down Memory Lane

Duke said :

I used to like The Metro in Woden bus interchange. At the time I was going to school at Phillip College and my maths teacher used to joke he should hold his classes at Metro because more kids would show up.

There was also a cool little video game place in Manuka, upstairs in the back alleyway.

The muso in the back alley was also Metro. Friday arvo’s circa early 90’s in that place were nuts. You could barely see a foot in front of you due to the ciggie smoke. I used to play a golf game since that’s about all I could get on. All the cool kids played Super Sprint. I’m still getting over the time my mum came up looking for me and promptly dragged me home by my ear.

V8-Prius: Haha, my mum and dad were concerned that I was taking drugs because I hung around The Basement with all the “shady characters”. I was actually given a bit of an intervention by them haha. I probably wasn’t one of the shadys who was there. I was more of the try-hard booner playing Wonderboy in the corner and scabbing Winny Blues. I’m sure the place was more of a front than a pinny parlour. That’s how it stayed open for so long.

Classic!

I used to like The Metro in Woden bus interchange. At the time I was going to school at Phillip College and my maths teacher used to joke he should hold his classes at Metro because more kids would show up.

There was also a cool little video game place in Manuka, upstairs in the back alleyway.

oooh, Rascals. Did anyone else call it “russells” because that’s what the crappy loopy sign looked like? And wasn’t it the lizard lounge as well, or am I thinking of somewhere else.

I think it was the Leopard Lounge??

I preferred to hang around in Belco on a Friday night – at Sails!!

Time-out was the best place in belco for new pinnies, Terminator 2, getaway – if that had the zz top version of La Grange on it, I loved that game…

The best in show was always The Basement at Southlands shopping centre in Mawson. It was a class place ran by some chick.

Haha the basement!!! I know a Wodenite when I see one Tyler. I believe its now occupied by the “Clowining Around” fancy dress joint. How that place stayed in business as long as it did I’ll never know. I remember pumping many a dollar through the “Getaway” pinnie. There was always the same 2 or 3 shady characters loitering around (maybe you were one of them?).

Around that era (late 80’s/early 90’s)in Southlands there a few different musos. “Paradise” occupied the spot where the Video 2000 is, while I remember another one called “Space Chase” which like to hop around from shopspace to shopspace before predicatbly disappearing altogether. I also remember when “Double Dragon” came out and was located outside the Criss-Cross grog shop (still there). There would invariably be 5-deep a line to play that thing. Surprisingly my mum wasn’t a fan of me hanging around there.

The Terrace Bar (at the Boulevarde centre) was great – bands in the summer on Saturday night was choice.

The Dicko… why did they pull that down I wonder? And the Wello, even the hotel they built on its spot is looking its age now. The Private Bin when it was a tiny little upstairs place, with gold bars around the tiny dance floor. It was nice then. Footnote at Manuka some years later, that was nice for a while. The Boot and Flogger of course, what a rough divey place that was. El Rancho for a really good underage drinking experience and cheap food. And Peppers for Friday Night drinkies, paid for a shout with a cheque there once!

Who remembers Knotholes?!

jools67 said :

I remember getting into “Copacobana” at Dickson, wooley street at 15, had big effie hair, black clothes and bright red lipstick on….. i suppose it helped that my brother was a bouncer there…LOL

Ahh Jools. I think I was right there with you. I was the 16 year old with white lace Madonna gloves and the tube skirt drinking something called Blue Heaven.

I also remember:

The Troubador
Tiperary
The Bin
Subway (tiny downstairs in Garema Place – not sandwiches)
The City Club
Captain Greggs (Captain Kiddies)
The Blind Beggars
De Depot

I’m not saying they were good – I just remember them !!

The place down the bottom of Curtin was a Tradesman’s club I think… very vague memories. Was replaced by units between the church and the service stations.

It had a dodgy chinese restaurant attached to it. Was a favourite drinking hole for my grandfather who subsequently had to walk a bit further up the hill to the Statesman when the small club closed.

Duke – It was called Capital Funland. always such a poor cousin of Happy Days. It’s still in Garema Place, but upstairs now. Never been there.

The best in show was always The Basement at Southlands shopping centre in Mawson. It was a class place ran by some chick.

Tyler – do you recall the video game parlour they used to have downstairs in Garema? It had an L shaped pool table, not sure the name.

There was another one upstairs in the Civic interchange for a while called Crystal Palace.

There was also Phillip Muso (amusement) center upstairs above Grattan/O’sheas, but I was quite young and used to get picked on by the big boys at the time. Ahhh so many memories!

Ponkygirl said :

Drinkers at the State-o don’t normally have internet access. Trust me. Until very recently one govt dept (looking at you FACS)would put up unsuspecting interstate visitors there “You’ll love it! So close to woden!”

oooh, Rascals. Did anyone else call it “russells” because that’s what the crappy loopy sign looked like? And wasn’t it the lizard lounge as well, or am I thinking of somewhere else.

hwahahahahaaaaa……

you reminded me!
FACS put a couple of people I know into the Kambah inn, since the statesman was full.

from all accounts, they had a great night, but not much sleep….

(they could have slept at my place on a blow up mattress, but they were too proud… not any more)

justbands said :

> you know, that makes a lot of sense. always thought you were a statesman type…

Haha…no actually, not at all. I haven’t been in there since I was about 16.

oh, like me and darcy’s den, then?

Happy Days that was upstairs in the Civic interchange was my staple for about 3 years. If I wasn’t there, I was at the Firehouse or Knights.

> you know, that makes a lot of sense. always thought you were a statesman type…

Haha…no actually, not at all. I haven’t been in there since I was about 16.

Ponkygirl said :

Drinkers at the State-o don’t normally have internet access. Trust me. Until very recently one govt dept (looking at you FACS)would put up unsuspecting interstate visitors there “You’ll love it! So close to woden!”

oooh, Rascals. Did anyone else call it “russells” because that’s what the crappy loopy sign looked like? And wasn’t it the lizard lounge as well, or am I thinking of somewhere else.

don’t know if it was, but some of the patrons were pretty slippery….

justbands said :

I spent a bit of time at the Statesman in Curtin…it was the club my junior rugby union (The mighty Hawks) used for a while. Before that, there was a small club near the Curtin petrol station….in a building that’s now gone I think. I can’t remember what it was called though.

you know, that makes a lot of sense. always thought you were a statesman type…

Dorettes in Garema place, now the Hippo. I must have played there two years straight. Good times.

Stakeout in the late 70s, r&r dive.

Captain Cook Hotel in the 70s, lots of promise but never really took off that well.

Deakin hotel(?) early 70s, German club mid 70s – huge, Wicked Lady mid-late 70s

There was a big urban country thing in Canberra early 80s which was fun – Texas Tavern, Country Cousins(?) in Jamison. You could see Frank Gambale doing his sweep picking country thang 🙂

The Jamo in the mid 70s was a good night.

The Blue Beat in Kingston in the 90s was good.

Drinkers at the State-o don’t normally have internet access. Trust me. Until very recently one govt dept (looking at you FACS)would put up unsuspecting interstate visitors there “You’ll love it! So close to woden!”

oooh, Rascals. Did anyone else call it “russells” because that’s what the crappy loopy sign looked like? And wasn’t it the lizard lounge as well, or am I thinking of somewhere else.

> The Phillip Muso had Panel Vans parked downstairs where you could pay to lose your virginity with underaged girls (we were all underaged too of course).

Wow! I went there for years…never knew this was going on. It’s now the Green Room of course. I can still picture how it used to be every time I go there.

Fisher shops had a great pinnie parlour back in the day.

The Phillip Muso had Panel Vans parked downstairs where you could pay to lose your virginity with underaged girls (we were all underaged too of course).

They cleaned it up eventually but it was always the place to get wicked pot too.

Where Ali Baba’s is in WESTON, there was a great Muso and prior to that it was up top of the Ice Cream Parlour (now a cafe) where Tony Curtis Accountants is now.

I spent a bit of time at the Statesman in Curtin…it was the club my junior rugby union (The mighty Hawks) used for a while. Before that, there was a small club near the Curtin petrol station….in a building that’s now gone I think. I can’t remember what it was called though.

Does anybody here drink at the Statesman in Curtin? Not sure how long it’s been there but it must be one of Canberra’s original dives.

A few years back there was a video game arcade in Belco called Back To The Future which had all the old 20c games. I used to drive out there every weekend just to play them. Not sure what happened to that guy – he used to do a lot of mod chip work on old playstations.

There were heaps of Amuso’s back in the day! Ever since playstation and nintendo they have died a quick death. I actually recently sold my original sit-down Galaga cocktail cabinet. Games in those days were class! Thank god for MAME!

I remember, as one of my mates bought an old pinnie, the KISS band pinnie, and did it up.

Roadrage77 said :

Can anyone describe what the amusement arcade scene was like in the late 70’s/early 80’s in Canberra? Were there many of them about? How much was it to play a pinnie?

20 cents 1 game, 40 cents, 3 games…

Can anyone describe what the amusement arcade scene was like in the late 70’s/early 80’s in Canberra? Were there many of them about? How much was it to play a pinnie?

what about furphy’s – it was both a bar and restaurant. Did anyone go there?

Overheard said :

Beserk Warrior said :

So am I to assume NO-ONE has heard of the Captain Cook Hotel?!

Thanks for nothing you miserable RA’s.

Sorry, BW. Heard of it. Seem to remember it was actually on Canberra Avenue rather than Jerra. A bit of a bloodhouse, if it’s the same place. The sort of place where you admire the nice touch of sawdust on the floor until someone points out that it’s yesterday’s furniture.

Don’t quote me on any of the above.

or its there to help mop up the blood….amongst other things.

BW. I remember when the Captain Cook opened (on Canberra Avenue)they had a competition, the winner of which received 2 (or 4 or 6) schooners per day ad infinitum. Unfortunately, the pub died before he did.

I can also recall Santa being ejected from the Scottish Bar at the Canberra Rex one Christmas Eve, and a friend of mine once fell and cracked skull open in the urinal of said bar. Sad to say, he was Todd Carneyed on.

Sweet memories!

Point taken Duke – I’ve seen a few people saying not much has changed, so perhaps I need to give the Soul Bar and the Phoenix another visit and chance.

Should have thrown the Leather Bottle into the Belconnen mix.

Yes, that came after the Wicked Lady. And it was also called Steve’s Bar & Bistro for a while too, I think.

I’d love to hear any memories of The Wicked Lady if anyone has any. It was only with us for a brief time in the mid-late 70s in between Blind Beggars and the Pot Belly.

I used to hang out at Capt’n Gregs, Beggars and The Horse too (very occasionally at Leather Bottle)! Labour Club used to be good Friday nights and I think Tuesdays? Upstairs at the Workers Club in Civic used to be good too (I think Sunday was “the” night).

Before I was of drinking age I used to hang out at the pinball parlours such as Pot Black and Hyperspace and later on “Pot Jap” (Page Amusement Centre). There was another pinnie place downstairs in Civic Bus Interchange I think where Pancake Parlour is now, was it called Pot Black too? There was Phillip Amusement Centre too.

Kramer said :

Darcey’s Den (Belconnen, where Basement is now).

Went to that dump for the first time on Saturday night, they allegedly had an AC/DC coverband playing. I bought a ticket earlier in the week and rocked up there at 8pm, as this was the time printed on the ticket that the band would start. I waited an hour and a half and “the band” seemed no closer to appearing so gave it up as a bad and expensive joke and went home.

Mick – she’s the one i’m thinking of, long black hair and her jeans were totally painted on Mmmmmmm.

Fnaah – Soul Bar has only one table downstairs and I don’t think it is suitable for competition.

It would be nice if it was open on weekends but there’s just not enough people. Friday nights gets a good crowd and musicians.

I remember the Captain Cook. The seniors at Eddies used to drink there with the teachers. The bottle-o didn’t sell you beer without id, and the whole place was closed down after someone was shot.
The Kingo drivethrough didn’t care who they sold beer to, so the Captain Cook lost out.

Beserk Warrior said :

So am I to assume NO-ONE has heard of the Captain Cook Hotel?!

Thanks for nothing you miserable RA’s.

Sorry, BW. Heard of it. Seem to remember it was actually on Canberra Avenue rather than Jerra. A bit of a bloodhouse, if it’s the same place. The sort of place where you admire the nice touch of sawdust on the floor until someone points out that it’s yesterday’s furniture.

Don’t quote me on any of the above.

The modern Soul Bar would also be good if it was open weekends…

So am I to assume NO-ONE has heard of the Captain Cook Hotel?!

Thanks for nothing you miserable RA’s.

Duke

The bloke you speak of had a partner – long black flowing hair and a real chick magnet.

Anyway, the good looking partner went overseas and left the other bloke miserable. Poor bugger!

I don’t mind the Soul Bar, but it ain’t the Contented Soul.

Do they have pool tables there? I need a new spot for my team.

Mick – 8 Ball Coolo was where we used to go to smoke cigarettes when we were 13-14. They had a rude, obese, unshaven gentleman running the place (who will remain nameless, who had a hot slutty nameless wife) and i just remember the constant scowl on his face the whole time. Never met a bloke since who hated his customers more than that guy.

tyler – I really enjoy the Soul Bar now simply because more people go there. It was like Moes Tavern before, bad in a cool kind of way but on the brink of shutting down because so few people drank there. Now they have some nice women and a good wine list in attendance.

Grattan hasn’t changed that much since changing the name in my opinion. If they want to make that place decent they have to start by banning the current clientele.

Am a bit confused as to why people are saying Phoenix has changed. The smoking has changed, the tatty lounges change, the rude staff change, but they have not/will not spend a dime on that dive – so what has changed?

Duke

I hung out at the 8 ball.

I recall one night a bunch of us went back to someone’s house and the police came in from every corner!

Turned out they were looking for a Yankee bloke who was an ex-Macca’s manager and robbed the safe at Weston, taking off with lots of cash and he has a handgun supposedly….

Manhatten! HA! I was asked to dance by a bloke there. I got upset and called him a poofta. The threw me down the steps.

That was the day I learned that gay does not equal weak or takes shit.

Valuable lesson.

I am no longer phobic.

Jools 67 – yeah that was the PITS (Pie In The Sky Theatre). That’s the question I was asking.

I remember seeing the Gadflys there one night. We got a bloke stoned for the first time and he kept saying “It hasn’t hit yet”. We kept feeding him and suddenly he ran to his car and got out a skateboard and skated around. We laughed of course.

H ethen went inside where the carpet “spun him out” and he went for a walk.

He was found still walking the next day…..at Lake George! 🙂

Duke: you reminded me of the Contented Soul – which unfortunately has gone the way of the Phoenix. Gotta please them more “sophisticated” mob.

I dunno anyone who’s been to the Grattan and not been punched at one time or another.

Yes – the Schweppes cola at the Firehouse, that’s right. Unlimited post mix worked out well with our hip flasks of spirits.

Duke – you’re close. It was Rock Ape.

I used to drink Shweppes Cola (all you could drink) at Firehouse many moons ago.

Poured my first beer at The Shanty in Woden (now a loading dock)

Got punched in the face at Henry Grattan in Phillip.

Miss the horrible church pew seats at Contented Soul in Woden.

Watched a friend get glassed at Jaggers in Civic.

Was an under-age smoker at 8 Ball Palace in Coolo.

Watched heavy metal bands at Gorilla Bar? (now a gym) upstairs in Dickson.

The Page tavern in on-par with Charny!

jools67 said :

Charnwood tavern is still there, as far as i know, full of pokies, not a bad feed, but attracts the lower socio economic pensioners in the area i believe.

ok…

so not much of a difference, then, from the old days….

Charnwood tavern is still there, as far as i know, full of pokies, not a bad feed, but attracts the lower socio economic pensioners in the area i believe.

jools67 said :

For sure thumper, i thought i forgot one. Gee the cops had a field day in Weeden close those days. Lots of crime history on file from fights, shootings, etc….

Shootings? What the? in Belconnen?

never.

what I could never work out is why they never thought about the fact that the cop shop was only 2 streets away…

what about the charnwood tavern? is it still there?

I remember getting into “Copacobana” at Dickson, wooley street at 15, had big effie hair, black clothes and bright red lipstick on….. i suppose it helped that my brother was a bouncer there…LOL

For sure thumper, i thought i forgot one. Gee the cops had a field day in Weeden close those days. Lots of crime history on file from fights, shootings, etc….

Actually just “overheards” blog, it must have been the Canberra Rex hotel….. arrhhh what an experience.

Manhattan was the 80’s gothic club, was never game enough to go in there….Although standing out the front was enough to hear the music. Does anyone remember that bar where the buses to come into town on Northbourne ave. ie: greyhound etc before jolimont centre was built. I had some wild afternoons there.

And the Phoenix remains a fun funky place

JB, you’re making it sound like the Phoenix has always been “fun” and “funky”. The Phoenix used to be a dark and smoky dive, packed full of non-pretentiousness and a great place to get loaded over many pints of what was Canberra’s best Guinness.

Sadly, now it’s a carbon copy of just about every other unimaginative crisp and clean hole in Canberra.

No need for me to explain why I don’t bother to go out in Civic unless it’s for a fine pint at the Wig & Pen (please never change W&P)!

Friday arvos at the Pavillion (now Rydges Capital) before Bobby McGees took off.

Me and maybe 20 other people watching the Gadflys play at Da Depot on East Row (before the Big Gig and they made a name mfor themselves).

Daramalan Rugby Club

3 that spring to mind

Pot Belly is still going strong!

Subway in Garema place, what a blast after the Private Bin. Always left Subway when the sun came up. Sleezy marfia men but great doof doof music.
And of course memory lane Captain Greggs, Blind Beggars, Hunrgry horse and Pot belly Inn. What a great stip of drinking holes in one street. shame belconnen, shame!!! need more places like this around those horseshoe cul-de-sacs. Left great memories of my teenage years learning how to drink and play space invaders.

Coota’s Place in Belco, Rumours Tavern in Phillip, The Cockpit in Fyshwick, The Chick Inn, The Flloyd in Phillip, The Boot and Flogger, Cafe Boom Boom, The Manhattan in Civic, Roxus in Civic, Pandora’s in Civic, The Downunder, Knights Disco (where the Downunder used to be in East Row), Cafe Asmara, The Governor Phillip in Colbee Court Phillip, The Winston Charles disco, AJ’s . . . Have I missed any?

V twin venom said :

How quickly we forget. How about the PITS at the Rex Hotel. Great place for Afgan imports and I don’t mean rugs and carpets.

Oh thats probably why I forgot. Damn THC

Did anyone go to see ‘The Pickled Herrings’ at the Rex Hotel bar, circa late 1980s? P!ss funny; just the best Friday night’s entertainment.

gingermick I remember the Civic when ladies were only allowed/served in the lounge bar(I think only 5’s but might of been 7’s) and their toilet was out the back in the rear car park gees some memories of that place.

How quickly we forget. How about the PITS at the Rex Hotel. Great place for Afgan imports and I don’t mean rugs and carpets.

Oh thats probably why I forgot. Damn THC

Great thread. I’m having graphic flashbacks and am wondering where those 20 years went.

I worked at Matildas while still at Stirling College and in later years at a few of the others named and shamed above. Have a look around the Hogs Breath outlets in the ACT and you might find your initials carved into one of the bench seats or recognise the pictures on the wall.

Other venues due a mention are the Ambo in Mawson or Ambo-a-gogo (Illusions at the old Raiders Club)

gingermick said :

Yes, Overhead, I remember the Ethos. It was the hole of last resort for those who had been banned from the Dicko.

That sounds about right, gingermick. Only went in there once from memory but it was effectively across the road from where I lived, so we got to watch the comings and goings. Sometimes we’d find some of their patrons crashed out in the parkland across the road.

johnboy said :

You couldn’t do anything like our annual bicycle bar crawls back in the so called “good old days”.

Au contraire. A bunch of reprobates that I hang around with hold their ‘Tour de Pisse’ every year in April-ish.

Can’t tell you much about the itinerary as it invariably clashes with a festival or some other musical obligation.

Yes – I mourn the Hotel Civic.

I hear it was team mate Dane Tiltse’s friend who Todd mistook for a toilet.

Yes, Overhead, I remember the Ethos. It was the hole of last resort for those who had been banned from the Dicko.

My dear children, do any of you remember the Hotel Civic and its romantic Jungle Bar? Many moons ago.

V8-Prius said :

There used to be this place called All Bar Nun in O’Connor. Back in the day you could go there and not get urinated on.

Reclaiming ABN is on our to do list.

There used to be this place called All Bar Nun in O’Connor. Back in the day you could go there and not get urinated on.

Agreed TM,

Academy is a pretty impressive joint by anyone’s standards, Mooseheads has in large part become The Bin MkII,

And the Phoenix remains a fun funky place.

Trinity has some good points.

Transit puts on some great local live shows.

The Front in Lyneham is an absolute stonking gem of a place that would ornament any city.

And the rise of the suburban bars through the inner north and south is a *good thing* TM.

You couldn’t do anything like our annual bicycle bar crawls back in the so called “good old days”.

>> What about the Troubadour and the Carrousello in Phillip.

I remember going out on Friday nights to those places as a 15yo. It was like a whole new world.

Darcey’s Den (Belconnen, where Basement is now). I never went in there (as I was only about 10 at the time), but it was pretty notorious for the topless waitresses & other shenanigans.

So when is Canberra actually going to get some decent nite-spots instead of just having to look into the past. Please name anything today that even resembles some of these former gems?

So did a pub at the Greyhound Bus Interchange on Northbourne

The Hitching Rail was its name.

I wanted to “acquire” the sign off the wall before they demolished it this year but I was too slow.

The Dickson Pub – I would rock up in Darra uniform there and score pot/drink beer at 15 years of age

haha, I did the same many a time.

Didn’t ever do the uniform thing at the Dicko, but I have memories of going from picking up end of term results to there in civvies to find half my year there.

And there was a funny-shaped little place on the corner of Antil and Northbourne, probably where the Telstra carpark is now. The Ethos Hotel? The clientele were pretty dire, from a very shady memory.

OK – fellas – who remembers seeing the Penthouse Pet shows then?

What about the Troubadour and the Carrousello in Phillip.
The City club before it became Knights. Tipperary’s before it became Mooseheads.
Tuggeraning Rugby club for the bands and then Tuggies Aussie Rules club till 4am on Frida nights…

the bin has a worthy mention as well – depending on your social status was whether you were upstairs or not.

Upstairs: good for scoping talent, but the music wasn’t that great. Yuppies frequented the place a bit. you could pick out some of their habits by the way they wiped their nostrils all the time. after a few, some pretty cute girls would come downstairs to “slum” it…

Downstairs: working class – best place in the bin, no pretentious people here! Jimmy barnes, ACDC, etc etc – really the best place to catch up with mates over a game of pool, or watching someone throwing someone else out the plate glass window. (strangely, it didn’t mean that the room dissolved into fighting, like on the movies, shame.) usually left when the sun was up, and would stagger home to watson.

Or in Civic it was from the Tradies’ club (for cheap drinks) to the Bin (ewww) or Pandora’s (ewww) then Gooseheads (sic).

tylersmayhem said :

The Phoenix used to be dark grungy and perfect before they made it all fancy – boo!

wasn’t that after the fires, they didn’t want another one?

Kingston Pub had live bands (eg Gadflys). So did a pub at the Greyhound Bus Interchange on Northbourne!

& another old one in Dickson….Images. Upstairs.

johnboy said :

Gypsy Mk II as the only canberra bar in the past worth mourning IMHO.

Sure you could walk into Downstairs Bin on a week night and wake up the next morning in a strange bed, suffering from alcohol poisoning, usually in an outer suburb.

But you’d only want to do that once or twice before the novelty wore off.

Labor club singles party night on friday night was the start place for the traditional crawl. (I can mention it here, the singles party night stopped, even if the club remains) once it closed at about midnight or 1am, you would (somehow) make it to blind beggars fairly quickly so as to not sober up, keep on drinking till it closed around 3-4 am, go to the hungry horse for
a) a roast pork roll – hungry work all this drinking….
b) more booze and wierd music like led zep etc.
and leave there as the sun was coming up.

(unless you got lucky, in which case either the beggars or the horse was bypassed, and you woke in someone’s bed, who didn’t quite look like the girl you remembered last night….sometimes better, or not.)

r&r until mid saturday when you would scope out who was alive, who was in need of bail, etc, etc.

Ha! The “Cococabana” was upstairs in Dickson. It was a full on disco.

The Dickson Pub – I would rock up in Darra uniform there and score pot/drink beer at 15 years of age.

Good thread.

What about the Texas Tavern in Phillip?

What was Bobby Mcgees before it was bobbies?

Can anyone remember a bar in Dickson – “Cococabana” or something? I also heard there was a roller-disco on the same street.

I think it was the IRONBAR in Phillip and it was over the road from the Bikey Pub (what was that named?).

peterh said :

justbands said :

> alright, my browser didn’t refresh quick enough….

I wasn’t hassling…I’m guessing we clicked “post” pretty closely together.

I think I only went to Skylight a couple of times from memory. Royals (also gone, now the Raiders owned “Weston Club”) had a nightclub in those days too…Players I think.

the old raiders club in mawson was pretty good too.

You are kidding. That place was the definition of a dive. Constantly in debt too. They had the “Illusions” nightclub for a while, then the club itself became SPURS – a place where John Wayne type barstool brawls were an hourly occurrence. Its steadily headed the same way as the Mawson club (if you’ve ever been on a Friday night you’d know what I’m talking about).

CAN ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THE CAPTAIN COOK HOTEL? I’m told it was on Jerrabomberra ave and was a renowned live music venue. Apparently Canberra was actually on the live music scene map back then. Before my time but I’d love to hear some stories.

Black Diamond Blues Bar, Cleos, Stakeout, Floyd.

Gypsy Mk II as the only canberra bar in the past worth mourning IMHO.

Sure you could walk into Downstairs Bin on a week night and wake up the next morning in a strange bed, suffering from alcohol poisoning, usually in an outer suburb.

But you’d only want to do that once or twice before the novelty wore off.

justbands said :

> alright, my browser didn’t refresh quick enough….

I wasn’t hassling…I’m guessing we clicked “post” pretty closely together.

I think I only went to Skylight a couple of times from memory. Royals (also gone, now the Raiders owned “Weston Club”) had a nightclub in those days too…Players I think.

the old raiders club in mawson was pretty good too.

I think a lot of you must just a year or two older then me, most of my memories this is stirring up only go back to the mid nineties.

Gypsy’s and Las Vegas bring up a few.

I do recall playing squash down stairs at Wests Jamison.

The Phoenix used to be dark grungy and perfect before they made it all fancy – boo!

Overheard said :

Reply

Reply

best place i mean.

justbands said :

In those days you could have an entire night out in Weston. Matildas, Roas & Crown, Skylight, Irish Club, Royals. Phillip was the same with Henry Gratton, Kimbos & a number of nightclubs that are long gone.

Yes, bliss ! Skylight had everyone underage, we used to have ‘Macs Partys’ named after the janitor at Stirling College .. had a few big ones at skylight, i dont think one of us was 18.

Cocktails ( or cocktail bar?) in phillip upstairs was also a goer, one dollar watered down drinks 😀

In Blue!

justbands said :

> alright, my browser didn’t refresh quick enough….

I wasn’t hassling…I’m guessing we clicked “post” pretty closely together.

I think I only went to Skylight a couple of times from memory. Royals (also gone, now the Raiders owned “Weston Club”) had a nightclub in those days too…Players I think.

royals was ok for me, but I was always going to places that I really shouldn’t have. there was a bar in phillip that (i think was in colbee court) I went to a couple of times, but it didn’t really gel, considering that it was only 100yds from work at the time.

The one Bar / grill I do miss is the Stockade in lonsdale street. best palce to cook your steaks yourself….

oh the dirty gratton now that place was horrid.. you still get a similar crowd sometimes at o’sheas but i think music has driven most of them away.

funked up and souled out was teh awse!!

And The Elbow Room in Phillip too. Only went there once or twice but it was pretty cool. (I’m leaving Honeys and Cocktails out of this company…)

In those days you could have an entire night out in Weston. Matildas, Roas & Crown, Skylight, Irish Club, Royals. Phillip was the same with Henry Gratton, Kimbos & a number of nightclubs that are long gone.

I remember Skylight being there – but at the time I was going to Lofty’s Kids Disco at Royals. 😉

For those interested, 8-ball Palace / Legends / Pendo’s is now “officially” called the Coolabar. (It’s a bar. Near Cooleman Court. Coolabar. Ahahahahaha.) All 8 pool tables have been refelted in the last month, and I think they have comps almost every night. (Don’t bother going on wednesday nights though unless you just want to watch and learn, all 8 tables are in use from 7-11ish for ACTEBA competition. It’ll be crowded and noisy too.)

The Firehouse man! Some of my fondest memories as a teenage going to the “prohibition” Saturday nights. Then it turned to Heaven ;(

Then there’s the doomed venue thats been Jaggers then Extreme then something else, then Gypsies (which was awesome – Funked Up and Souled out). It never seemed to have a future.

Ah, Matilda’s and the Rose and Crown. Memories. One night in October 1987 my friend and I went for drinks at Matilda’s then carried on to Rose and Crown, and one very extended drunken snog later she was my girlfriend (now happily-divorced ex-wife). The flannel-shirted patrons were very emphatic and brief yet descriptive on how we should spend the rest of the evening. So we left and duly obliged!

> alright, my browser didn’t refresh quick enough….

I wasn’t hassling…I’m guessing we clicked “post” pretty closely together.

I think I only went to Skylight a couple of times from memory. Royals (also gone, now the Raiders owned “Weston Club”) had a nightclub in those days too…Players I think.

justbands said :

*snap* peterh! 🙂

alright, my browser didn’t refresh quick enough….

skylight was great for me, I wrote over 60 pieces whilst it was open…

Danman said :

Boardroom in Belco – Giralang Tavern

lots of cougar bourbon and george thorogood on the jukebox. Took my wife there on our first (sort of ) date…

beers during work as a trolley pusher at belco mall – boss thought we were clearing grace bros car park…

*snap* peterh! 🙂

Mick1965 said :

Absent Diane

You must be a South Sider!

Matilda’s – many an underage drink there! And do you recall there was a night Club where now is the Video 2000 store and Kingsley’s? What was that place called again?

I don’t remember the name, but i think it was the skylight or something similar. I used to compose poetry whilst listening to jazz there.

(BTW, Video 2000 has now gone from there, too)

> Matilda’s – many an underage drink there! And do you recall there was a night Club where now is the Video 2000 store and Kingsley’s? What was that place called again?

Yep….I drank there many a night underaged.

That other place was Skylight. It’s emply at the moment (Video 2000 is gone).

& also remember Adelaide House Tavern…which then became the Woden Town Club.

Absent Diane

You must be a South Sider!

Matilda’s – many an underage drink there! And do you recall there was a night Club where now is the Video 2000 store and Kingsley’s? What was that place called again?

But who recalls the Adelaide House Tavern? 14 years old, drinking bourbon and playing….was it PACMAN?

Also – the Jam Factory. I saw the Tourists there (booed off stage) who were the basis of the Eurythmics!

Boardroom in Belco – Giralang Tavern

aah yes matilda’s i remember that, wasn’t there also the rose and crown (or something like that) in the creek as well? and 8 ball palace (didn’t serve grog but never stopped anyone drinking in there) before it was legends and then pendo’s

bartron said :

Rascalls in Civic – they had the neato computerised game called cue poker, pool comps every wednesday and the bar guy made Fruit Tingles that I’ve never been able to get anywhere else….and I miss the cow print seats.

private bin was a dive but comedy night was good…I won a couple of t-shirts.

also miss the gypsy bar but mostly for the live music.

Rascalls was the unofficial haunt for the IT people after the old AUSCOM events. I met and drank with a lot of the (then) heavyweights in the IT industry – it was a real eye opener.

Darcy’s Den – is it still there? used to be a great place for a jar after work pushing trolleys at Belco mall.

Red Door – in the old travelodge, where James Court Apartments are.

Knights for pool and thursday night exotic dancers. worth every dollar spent.

Toast. There, I said it.

Rascalls in Civic – they had the neato computerised game called cue poker, pool comps every wednesday and the bar guy made Fruit Tingles that I’ve never been able to get anywhere else….and I miss the cow print seats.

private bin was a dive but comedy night was good…I won a couple of t-shirts.

also miss the gypsy bar but mostly for the live music.

Not canberra, but I have recurring nightmares about playing behind chicken wire at a place called the James Cook Tavern in Townsville in the early nineties.

I thought the Contented Soul was still there? Although now called “The Soul Bar” or something. I haven’t been there for years. Speaking of Woden…how about The Shanty!

& in Weston Creek….Matildas. You can still see what’s left of the sign on the side of the building.

> R&Bs, yep, played many a gig there with Strange Brew back in, oh, last century 😉

Me too, with Space Is Dead. Great times.

Terrace and Gypsy.

Terminus – I remember the Thursday shots special – buy 10 shots (at $4 each), get four free. I don’t recall ever getting through 14 shots… it happened, apparently, but I don’t remember it.

Pandoras and Jaggers. (Jolly Jugs – $4 for a jug of beer, $7 for “spirits”. Burp!)

The Zone in Braddon – $10 entry, free drink refills until midnight (boy, that was a helluva way to celebrate after a chemistry exam!!)

The Rose and Crown at Weston Creek. Best Long Island Iced Tea ever.

The Contented Soul in Woden – they sold drinks in tankards. A tankard of Strongbow White is a *lot* of alcohol!

The Asylum and Heaven.

Oh…yes, that’s right. I thought they had both spots now though? I’m not sure…haven’t been past there for months.

Hasn’t Barbars moved into the Canberra Centre?

Finnigans Bar, Dickson. A quiet surbarban squash court bar that turned into Canberra’s No.1 live music venue. There’s a reunion being organised…

http://littlesmoke.com/newjb/?p=71

R&B’s (& before that Kimbos) in Phillip. The smallest pub known to exist!

The Terrace Bar – Now BaBas. Another great live music venue.

The Gypsy Bar – & another

The Terminus – & another. Not bad for the odd lunch either.

Aaaah Las Vegas, where everybody slurred your name and you came home with change in your pocket.

The Cock and Bull in Civic (just down from the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Alinga Street, roughly where AusAID is/was?). God knows how it would survive in today’s climate of liquor licensing. In 1983, I once walked in at lunch-time with a mate, both of us dressed in our school uniforms, and the bar-keep didn’t bat an eyelid; just served us our beers!