On The Record

  • Whelan’s at 20

    April 7, 2009 @ 8:07 am | by Jim Carroll

    It’s 20 years since Whelan’s opened for business on Dublin’s Wexford Street. It sure was a different world back in 1989. The venue will be marking 20 years in business with a rake of one-off gigs in the coming months. They are also planning a special publication on the venue and want people who have any posters, tickets or memorabilia to get in touch.

    We’re in the mood for some nostalgia today and want to hear your memories of the venue. Me, I’ve seen some great shows at the venue down through the years, but my most abiding memory is watching Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy dancing away happily at the venue’s indie disco after one of his shows there in 1999.

    Now, over to you: what are the gigs you remember best from 20 years of gigging at Whelan’s?

    • 86 Comments »

    1.
    April 7, 2009
    8:12 am

    Townes Van Zandt on a weekday night back in 94 or 95. He made me and my mate miss our last bus home and we had to walk and we didn’t mind one bit. He was amazing

    Comment by Q
    2.
    April 7, 2009
    8:24 am

    Q - I really should have called this “the gigs that made you happy you missed your last bus home”

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    3.
    April 7, 2009
    8:25 am

    Firstly I recently found an intact Whelans website from 1999 ….

    http://homepage.eircom.net/~lhanlon/

    Seen some excellent gigs in Whelans over the years. My most poignant moment was watching Katell Keineg from the balcony dedicating her new single ‘One Hell of a Life’ to her friend Jeff Buckley who died a few weeks before. The crowd sang the song so beautifully. Perfect moment.

    Anyone else miss pre-renovation Whelans?

    Comment by Peter N
    4.
    April 7, 2009
    8:29 am

    I remember seeing Brando there about….10 years ago..was pretty fecking sweet and Reemo single launch for Russian man a few years back..both were great gigs that happy memories are made off…

    i also happen to remember my WORST gig there, twas Be Your Own Pet who played around this time last year when their 2nd album came out…it was so dreadful..i invited a friend who didn’t know the band, and spent the night apologizing because they were so awful…still love the first album though..its a guilty pleasure

    Comment by caroline
    5.
    April 7, 2009
    8:34 am

    I can’t believe Whelans is only 20 years old! There has been so many wonderful acts that I’ve seen there over the years - Wilco on the Being There tour (ah their roadie singing Black Sabbath!), Mark Olson & Gary Louris last year, a summery saturday afternoon watching a matinee show by Sparklehorse, Donovan playing a cosmic solo set, Mary Lou Lord playing like her twee depended on it, Evan Dando (with Ben Lee & Ben Kweller) playing a really great greatest hits set, and that’s just what pops into my head right now.

    I do however still lament the one that got away. When a college buddy of mine invited me to a show by the son of some old folk singer, I passed. I still wonder what that pre-Grace solo show by Jeff Buckley was like…

    Comment by James D
    6.
    April 7, 2009
    8:34 am

    If it’s about “missing the last bus home” there can only be one winner and that is Animal Collective!

    Comment by Chalkie
    7.
    April 7, 2009
    8:36 am

    On an unrelated matter, Ticketmaster have added a 3rd date for Laughing Len on the Wednesday. Tickets for the Sunday are gone.

    Comment by P&M
    8.
    April 7, 2009
    8:40 am

    Laughing Len is playing Whelan’s? Jaysus, Leagues is playing a blinder at the aul’ booking these days.

    Let’s keep it on topic, folks! Lenny over here - http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/ontherecord/2009/04/07/third-night-at-the-02-for-leonard-cohen/

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    9.
    April 7, 2009
    8:44 am

    While it’s obviously horrifically uncool to claim liking him these days, the irish debut (in Whelans of course!) by David Gray was sublime.

    On the back of Donal Dineen’s patronage on No Disco circa Shine, I only decided to go about an hour before showtime. He didn’t disappoint.

    Just him on acoustic with some other guy and the place was hanging on every note. He was def not prepared for the enormous reception he received. Shortly afterwards he disappeared into obscurity…

    Comment by James D
    10.
    April 7, 2009
    8:45 am

    Some great ones over the years. Sebadoh, The National, The Shins, Built to Spill, The Dirtbombs.

    Had some bad experiences but thorugh no fault of Whelans. I went to see Exene Cervenka from X but it was actually an awful spoken word concert with Lydia Lunch or Qui (with David Yow from The Jesus Lizard) about eighteen months ago

    For me the best has a personal edge to it. I took my girlfriend (now wife) to Whelans on one of our first dates. I had heard one Uncle Tupelo song and had been told that Wilco were “less country”. Big Risk. It was the best concert I had ever been too. Jeff Tweedy ended up on one of the other band members shoulders. I think they sang Ace of Spades or Smoke on the Water as an encore. Like Will Oldham, they stuck around afterwards for the disco and I can remember Jay Bennett slowdancing to Under The Bridge…..on his own

    Comment by overfriendly concierge
    11.
    April 7, 2009
    8:47 am

    I assume other readers were at the Cat Power “performance” there?

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    12.
    April 7, 2009
    9:09 am

    Placebo blew Whelans apart in 1997 (i think). One of those gigs that always stuck with me, they were fantastic. They were promoting their first album and were ferocious live. I remember thinking that they’d be huge, then the drummer left and they became crap instead!

    Also that Evan Dando solo gig was great fun.

    Great venue…

    Comment by eoiny
    13.
    April 7, 2009
    9:17 am

    The National in November 05 was tops for me.

    Comment by RH
    14.
    April 7, 2009
    9:19 am

    The National in November 05 was tops for me.

    I still remember that show with a shiver down my spine

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    15.
    April 7, 2009
    9:23 am

    @13 & 14

    im crying in my cornflakes….so jealous it hurts…

    Comment by caroline
    16.
    April 7, 2009
    9:25 am

    Sorry Jim, I’ve made you look like a poor speller there. I think I may still have my ticket from that gig.

    Comment by RH
    17.
    April 7, 2009
    9:26 am

    RH - just clocked that now, have corrected the mis-spelling in both instances

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    18.
    April 7, 2009
    9:30 am

    Hey overfriendly concierge, that was the same Wilco gig that I was at too. And I brought my girlfriend (now wife) to it too! We must be living parallel lives or something…

    They brought their roadie up to sing the final two encores which were Paranoid and Ace Of Spades from what I recall. If you google ‘wilco being there setlist blogspot’, there is a great recording from that time floating around.

    I used to converse with Jay Bennett a fair bit at the time - he’s gas. He was massively into Bee Gees albums from the pre-Saturday Night Fever period when they were recording all those records.

    Whelans has been there for a lot of the milestones in life. I went to the Evan Dando/Ben Kweller/Ben Lee gig all shell-shocked with my missus after finding out earlier that day that we were due our first kid (now 7 - gulp!). After gabbing with Ben Kweller after his support set, I ended up selling his CDs and t-shirts during Ben Lee’s set. Bonkers night…

    Comment by James D
    19.
    April 7, 2009
    9:47 am

    I had the ‘joy’ of witnessing the Cat Power experience. Entertaining for the wrong reasons.

    My favourites have to be Battles first Irish performance..unbelievable gig.
    Others include The Shins, Bright Eyes & The Good Life, Buck 65 and Bloc Party.

    Comment by Dani
    20.
    April 7, 2009
    9:47 am

    I’ll third that The National in ‘05 gig - that really was something special.
    But my, ahem, abiding and somewhat hazy memory of Whelans was a journey from Galway to Dublin on the train many years ago to head to a J Mascis solo show.
    Suffice it to say that I was well and truly inebriated (thanks Amstel) and fell asleep upstairs in my chair at what was probably the loudest acoustic gig ever to grace the hallowed Whelans turf.
    Apparently, an old couple tried to awaken me from my boozy, Kraken-esque slumber to retrieve their jackets, which were under my arse, and I told them, in expletive-laden terms, where to go.
    Subsequently it turned out, or so my friends tell me, that it was Kevin Shields’ parents.
    So here i make my apology.
    Mr and Mrs My Bloody Valentine - I am sorry :)
    That said, J Mascis is my best mate’s hero and he got so hammered he asked J to sign a cigarette for him. J declined.

    Comment by adam
    21.
    April 7, 2009
    9:48 am

    Cooper Temple Clause in 2003 holds a special place in my gig memory.

    I met my better half in Whelans which adds to my fondest of the place!

    It’s also the best place in town for a mid week after work pint.

    One that got away? Bloc party supporting Franz Ferdinand a few years back. Would have nice.

    Comment by Sean D
    22.
    April 7, 2009
    10:03 am

    A few of my favourites:
    Candi Staton
    Wild Billy Childish
    Fleet Foxes
    Richie Havens
    Tony Joe White

    Ones I wished I was at:
    Wilco (sounds great!)
    Robyn Hitchcock
    Arctic Monkeys
    Beck
    Fiery Furnaces

    Terrific venue, I love it.

    Comment by Peter81
    23.
    April 7, 2009
    10:10 am

    So SO many to choose from! I’ve probably forgotten heaps.

    Vic Chesnutt, October ‘94
    Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, month, ‘97
    Mogwai, January ‘98
    Jad Fair & Teenage Fanclub, April (?) ‘02
    The National, November ‘05
    Grizzly Bear, May ‘07
    Okkervil River, December ‘07
    Daniel Johnston and Friends, July ‘08

    Comment by Fiona
    24.
    April 7, 2009
    10:13 am

    That Dando solo was sweet alright.

    The Charlatans as part of the Green Energy when it used to be big bands in small venues.

    I remember an all day charity gig circa 2001 curated by Steve Flanagan, Dudley Corp & Redneck Manifesto played.

    Tom McRae over the years has had some fine gigs in Whelans.

    The Frames organised an outdoor gig but was cancelled due to inclement weather at the last minute. Bellx1 had the venue booked for a Sat night gig, but kindly handed it over & played support to The Frames that night who played a 3hr set. Would be some peoples idea of hell, but at the time, it was perfect.

    Comment by Mully
    25.
    April 7, 2009
    10:17 am

    Argh, I knew I’d forget at least one! The Smog/Bonnie Prince Billy double header Leagues treated us to in 1996. Can’t remember the month - think it was around April?

    Comment by Fiona
    26.
    April 7, 2009
    10:26 am

    Easily the worst gig I ever had the misfortune to experience in Whelans was the Raveonettes. Even the dazzling beauty of the young filly on bass couldn’t distract from the gawd awfulness that was assaulting my ears. I truly wanted to harm myself that night for putting me thru that.

    Another memorable night but for the right reasons was The A.M. aka Jeff Buckley’s old backing band. They were really on form and it felt like they were having a ‘gig to remember’ night. I will always remember how they walked through the audience from the far side of the stage to exit. The audience reacted like it was Bill Clinton or even George Clinton amongst them. Pure revery.

    Did anyone ever make it to the Daniel Johnston & friends show? I understand that was a ‘bit memorable’….

    Comment by James D (obviously quite busy this morning)
    27.
    April 7, 2009
    10:32 am

    Did anyone ever make it to the Daniel Johnston & friends show? I understand that was a ‘bit memorable’…

    Yeah…..never seen the place so rammed….one of their more “uncomfortable” nights.

    Comment by Sean D
    28.
    April 7, 2009
    10:35 am

    Loads of memorable gigs in Whelans but two spring to mind…

    16 Horsepower on the Secret South tour

    and the German night featuring Stereo Total, Jeans Team and Cobra Killer.

    Also any night when the people at the bar who got in for nothing aren’t causing a racket is a good Whelans gig for me really.

    Comment by Paul
    29.
    April 7, 2009
    10:36 am

    As per Mully, the charlies in july 04 was great, burgess high fiving the front row all the way thru, haha!
    Arctic Monkeys in August 05 was fairly special as well, stood beside & chattin to jamie cook’s parents all the way thru, the giant roadie who looked like he ate napolean dynamite was gas as well! As were their mates who came over for the gig who got kicked out for stage diving during dancin’ shoes, haha!!!

    Comment by andy
    30.
    April 7, 2009
    10:42 am

    I remember seeing JJ72 there way back on my 18th birthday. What struck me that night was the fact that the support band blew them away. Yes, it was so long ago, it was when SnowPatrol still rocked hard live…(and the other thing that struck me was how pretenious JJ72 were - white towels, and big burly security men to keep them from the crowd after they finished…)

    Comment by ciaran
    31.
    April 7, 2009
    11:07 am

    Arctic Monkeys in 2005, the first time Final Fantasy played (late 2006?), Lloyd Cole solo, Wolf Parade… all great gigs. I also saw two brilliant Tom Vek gigs there around 2005 or 2006. What happened to him? I still listen to that album occasionally.

    Comment by Lauren
    32.
    April 7, 2009
    11:19 am

    Placebo playing an incredible show in 1997 in support of their debut album. And a pre famous Thrills on the undercard for Lowgold was something to behold.

    Comment by hugger
    33.
    April 7, 2009
    11:19 am

    Freakiest gig ever: Wolf Eyes a couple of years ago. I fully expected Blade to have to rescue me.

    Comment by adam
    34.
    April 7, 2009
    11:48 am

    Definitely The Hidden Cameras, who I’d never heard of before, supporting the Sleepy Jackson in front of about 5 people but playing as if it was 500.
    I stood there blown away, grinning like a lunatic and shaking my head in wonder at the gloriousness of it all.

    Comment by Bobby
    35.
    April 7, 2009
    12:02 pm

    Robyn Hitchcock with Peter Buck on guitar and the ex-Ministry drummer, amazing night.
    The Redneck Manifesto supported by Dirty Projectors.
    Greg Proops did a two hour comedy set about 12 years ago which was incredible.

    Comment by Conor
    36.
    April 7, 2009
    12:03 pm

    ringing in the new year with the Chalets, Ham Sandwich & Boss Volenti

    Halloween with the Warlords of Pez was bizarre to say th least

    British Sea Power last year will always stick in my memory too

    I’m sure i’m leaving something out, but they pale in comparison to some of the gigs above.

    Comment by theDecline
    37.
    April 7, 2009
    12:08 pm

    this makes me feel really young, but the Fight Like Apes EP launch in 2007 was the first gig I went to in Whelans and still probably one of the best.

    Comment by gabbagabbahey
    38.
    April 7, 2009
    12:13 pm

    The first time Dan Deacon played there and the whole crowd was hyped after the crawdaddy show a few months before pure drunken chaos and silly fun. A few enjoyable magic numbers and final fantasy concerts too.

    Comment by Spacey
    39.
    April 7, 2009
    12:14 pm

    I was fortunate enough to have played there a few times myself in the early nineties, and it was always one of the best venues to performed in.

    Saw hundreds of shows there, too, but my favourite Whelan’s gig was the one someone else here mentioned, Katell Keineg just after Jeff Buckley’s death. She sang like it was her last night on earth.

    Comment by Paul C
    40.
    April 7, 2009
    12:16 pm

    I was also at that Evan Dando solo show: he was great. I think everyone there was completely knocked out by it. I recall he sang Whitney Houston’s hit ‘How Will I Know’ and it sounded like a perfect pop song. Then at the end, for some reason, he light-heartedly said “f**k you!” in our general direction, and a girl thought it was meant for me and started ranting at me for having somehow upset him. (Perhaps he was just jealous at my boyish good looks.)

    And one Saturday afternoon in early 2000, an all-ages show with Glen Hansard, David Kitt and Joe Pernice. No Frames-extremists glaring or going “SHHHH!”, so everyone enjoyed themselves immensely.

    Oh, the nostalgia: “Memories/Like the corners of my mind/Misty-water-coloured memories/Of the way we were.”
    [Barbra Streisand’s secret Whelan’s gig was great too, of course.]

    Comment by aidan
    41.
    April 7, 2009
    12:38 pm

    I’m a relative latecomer to Whelans - first gig there was Cathal Coughlan in 2002. What a gig…he had a string quartet with him and did all his golden greats from his Microdisney/Mansions years….loads of great gigs since but special moments that spring to mind are… being moved to tears by Mark Kozelek, talking to the great Mark Eitzel of American Music Club at the bar, being treated to a slice of flawless alt-country from Kathleen Edwards (American singer-songwriters and alt-country/Americana acts seem to really suit the venue for some reason), This Will Destroy You, Sparklehorse, Telefon Tel Aviv and so on ….highlight probably Daniel Johnston and Friends last summer..his friends being Scout Niblett, Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub, Jad Fair, Mark Linkous from Sparklehorse and Yo La Tengo’s James McNew who all played a short set of their before Daniel came out, ridiculously overcrowded that night but a great night all the same…..great venue, love it.

    Comment by Quint
    42.
    April 7, 2009
    1:06 pm

    As well as showing the diversity of the venue’s booking policy over the years, I think this thread shows the real depth of On The Record’s readership - all the way from Townes Van Zandt and Palace back in the day right up to Fight Like Apes

    Me, it was the Frames doing a Valentines Night show there a few years ago. A huge band in a small room - magic

    Comment by Sophie
    43.
    April 7, 2009
    1:10 pm

    Anyone have any idea what was the first show at the venue?

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    44.
    April 7, 2009
    1:34 pm

    Hmm so, so many to choose from. Grizzly Bear ‘07, Animal Collective ferryweathergate pavillion, and Built to Spill playing perfect from now on were all recent successes.

    Comment by darragh
    45.
    April 7, 2009
    2:05 pm

    I concur with everyone about The Charlatans in Whelans, was brilliant to see them in such a small venue in 2004. Also some great gigs have been Editors in 2005 I think it was, they were doing their own merchandise! Also fantastic was The 22-20’s on a sunday evening - great gig from a sorely missed band..

    Comment by Chris McWilliams
    46.
    April 7, 2009
    2:17 pm

    Poets of Rhythm June 2007???

    afro funk at its finest…indy kids screaming for more

    Comment by Jonesey
    47.
    April 7, 2009
    2:23 pm

    I remember 3 great nights in January ‘05 where I saw The 22-20 and Nine Black Alps on the Sunday, Bloc Party on the Monday and The Dears with Ambulance Ltd on the Wednesday. The place had about 15 awesome gigs a month back then!

    I once took my mother to see Gemma Hayes as a Mothers Day present. She wasn’t so keen on the support - not her cup of tea - Future Kings of Spain.

    What else? The D4 were awesome in 2004 or so. Glen Hansard’s solo shows there were fun back then too.

    I must route out my old ticket stub box to see what else I got to there.

    Comment by Kieran
    48.
    April 7, 2009
    2:25 pm

    Hitting Whelans religously on a Thursday night. The club there used to be the greatest in Dublin.

    Also crowdsurfing at !Forward Russia! a few years back. I stayed up for half the gig :D

    Comment by Gary D
    49.
    April 7, 2009
    2:33 pm

    James D.

    Glad it was Wilco we chose and not The Ravonettes by the sounds of things.

    I remember raising this before and I am not sure whether anyone knew; did Neutral Milk Hotel play support to Sparklehorse?

    Comment by overfriendly concierge
    50.
    April 7, 2009
    2:45 pm

    Dave Couse’s comeback gig in 2002 supported by David Kitt was amazing. Seated at a table, no smoking ban, ah the memories. Tom McRae (thought he’d be massive).

    Comment by peter the great
    51.
    April 7, 2009
    2:50 pm

    My Whelan’s memories are many, varied, and mostly fuzzy. I don’t really remember any older than gigs in the last five years really, so highlights are:

    -Youngblood Brass Band - 07?

    - Michael Tighe (supporting Glen Hansard I think) a fair few years ago.

    - Fight Like Apes album launch gig 08

    - that time I did the lighting in Whelan’s for the first (and last) time for a Harvest Ministers gig and instead of learning how to do it before the gig, went for a kebab instead and then fucked most of it up, especially when the lead singer lost one of his contacts on stage and I couldn’t figure out how to turn the lights back up.

    - Kathleen Edwards (05?)

    - Delorentos 2 nights in a row in September 07

    - The Immediate (few gigs in 06)

    - Bardo Pond (05?)

    ummmm… trying to think of more but my memory is kind of screwed.

    Comment by unarocks
    52.
    April 7, 2009
    2:54 pm

    Let me jump on the bandwagon for The National gig too. Remarkable experience, “could someone go upstairs and get our singer please?”, so said one of the Dessners when they rolled back out 10 or so minutes after the gig had actually ended to pack up to a massive cheer and had to play another tune.

    Also already mentioned, that Shins gig when they were touring their second album before they went to shit.

    The debut Irish Final Fantasy gig when he took requests at the end and played “peach plum pear” when I called out for it knowing that he had it in his repertoire after seeing him open for Arcade Fire in London a few months before. I think Pallett shocked everyone in the room that night who’d never seen him before.

    Dan Deacon’s gig there was epic too.

    Okkervil River sometime in ‘07 was utterly revelatory, they went from being this nice little indie folk band whose one album that I had was pretty good to one of my favourite current bands through the course of that set.

    But my best memory of Whelan’s was February ‘07 when for one song I got to be the 5th member of my favourite band, The Wrens. Great gig otherwise too.

    On a similar note to the BPB dancing thing. After horrifically loud Detroit noise band Wolf Eyes played there they hung around after for the indie disco and some of my friends was talking to one of them after when “This Charming Man” came on he said “Oh I love this song, please don’t tel anyone I said that.”

    Comment by Ian
    53.
    April 7, 2009
    3:00 pm

    Have seen some great shows. Waterson Carthy and Fairport Convention were both great, the Trashcan Sinatras were wonderful, Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham (sobbing over balcony to “I’m Your Puppet”), Gruff Rhys’ “Candylion” solo show with Jape supporting (first time I heard “Floating” in front of an audience and knew I was right to declare it A Modern Irish Classic) and my most recent classic show was Scritti Politti - became hysterical 13 year old girl jumping up and down in the corner to “The Word Girl”. Have the t-shirt too! I’m sure there are plenty more shows in the back of my brain…

    When “In The City” came to Dublin back in, ooh, 1995 or 1997, Whelans hosted the spoken word shows - saw Carolyn (wife of Neal) Cassidy, Nic Cohn (writer of Saturday Night Fever), Melvyn Van Peebles and heard Roddy Doyle read in public from “The Commitments” for the first time - “But me name’s Outspan! Even me bleedin’ oul’ wan calls be Outspan!”

    Comment by Colette
    54.
    April 7, 2009
    3:16 pm

    God, too many to bands to mention, but one of my favourite nights ever in Whelan’s was a gig AND a comedy show.

    It was around 1998 (I think?) and it was Kinky Friedman. He belted out songs like “They ain’t making Jews Like Jesus anymore” and had the crowd in stitches with stories from his life, including his drug days.

    “I was so high, I needed a stepladder to scratch my own ass.”

    It was absolutely packed and he signed books afterwards in that little curtained cubbyhole that bands used to hang around in while waiting to see if the crowd thought them worthy of an encore.

    Comment by Sinéad
    55.
    April 7, 2009
    3:33 pm

    @ 53 - just remembered that the other guest at the spoken word show was Mr. Nice himself, Howard Marks - again, reading in public for the first time from his book.

    And have just remembered Looper and Salako who I absolutely adored. Looper played support and most people rolled in late to see them, thinking that they were the headliners. Salako’s “The Moonlight Radiates a Purple Glow in His World” is still one of my favourites…

    Comment by Colette
    56.
    April 7, 2009
    3:41 pm

    It’s funny, I guess this exercise has revealed the readership demographics of this blog…

    Comment by Chalkie
    57.
    April 7, 2009
    3:56 pm

    @43 - I believe the first show was The Subterraneans playing a Kevin Street Student Union gig sometime in 1989. It ended in tears. The place was stuffed - way over capacity because they let people in through both doors. Every chair and table in the room was smashed by the end of the night.

    Other memorable gigs - Jeff Buckley solo in 1994 (I think) and with his full band in early 1995.

    Wilco - April 12th 1997

    Martin Hayes & Denis Cahill with Cooney & Begley - 1996

    Comment by Wendy
    58.
    April 7, 2009
    4:24 pm

    National Prayer Breakfast, (very enthuasiastic!),
    Dot Creek (melodic),
    the Bonnie himself in 2001 (excellent - my friends thought he was tone-deaf, but i knew better … i think),
    BellX1 (where they did a cute version of the Cadbury’s Flake theme for a fledging station called phantom something or other !)
    Frames, (a three nighter they did a way back. amazing stuff - worked the three nights and loved every minute of it)
    Handsome Family in 2001 - (dark and wonderful)

    and recently Fleet Foxes, and Laura Veirs were pretty ace.

    Low Points:

    (1) Working in Whelans and having to clean the toilets, never realised what scummy shits indie kids are.

    (2) Having Mundy ALWAYS hangin around the bar after the shortlived fame “Romeo and Juliet”soundtrack afforded him

    Ah, what wonderful times!

    Comment by garethh
    59.
    April 7, 2009
    4:27 pm

    @53, ah yes, Looper, they were brilliant at the time, that track mondo 77 was something. played it constantly on my minidisc back when it was played on phantom the whole time (yes, minidiscs did used to be cool, honest !)

    Comment by garethh
    60.
    April 7, 2009
    4:31 pm

    whipping boy, march 97 was my highlight

    my first time there was actually for the indie club in 94 or somethin, dj played hear the drummer get wicked, wonder who that was

    Comment by OC
    61.
    April 7, 2009
    5:28 pm

    Wolf Parade’s first Irish gig was the first proper club gig I’d ever been to, so that was pretty special at the time.

    Fond memories also of The Immediate, Grizzly Bear, Apples In Stereo (featuring a support from Fight Like Apes, the first time I ever saw them) and of course the late Animal Collective show.

    Comment by Karl
    62.
    April 7, 2009
    5:50 pm

    So, so many good nights there in the 90’s and up until last year when the money ran out, but the pick of the bunch was a gig by Sophia, the ‘collective’ led by ex-God Machine main man Robin Proper-Shepard in or around 1999/2000. Never before had my heart been lifted so high, punctured and then mended again by the time he got round to the encore.

    Comment by Hot Lunch
    63.
    April 7, 2009
    5:54 pm

    scoring a load of young ones in there over the years…

    oh there was probably some gigs too..and playing there was fun as well, really makes a difference playing in a nice room, with a proper stage and a good PA…

    oh and the girls… did i mention the girls?

    Comment by cash
    64.
    April 7, 2009
    6:40 pm

    silver jews last year were tops.
    preston school of industry playing to one man and a dog. (around 2001?)

    first time i went was in 97 i think and got stopped at the door for not being 18 (and it was on a school night) so i went around to the bar and got in there. had the audacity at the time to approach the band and tell them what happened so they kindly got me on the guest list.

    twas pretty exciting stuff back in those days and the band even gave me a shout out from the stage, swoon.

    think they disappeared up their own holes after that - urusei yatsura

    Comment by Stuart
    65.
    April 7, 2009
    6:53 pm

    Black Eyed Snakes, March 2004. Alan Sparhawk’s side project and a gig that really stands out for me. So much so that I was even moved to write a review here: http://www.cluas.com/music/gigs/black_eyed.htm. Good God… By the way still raging I missed that National ‘05 gig. Particularly considering I was next door in the bar THAT FRICKIN’ NIGHT - ARGH!

    Comment by barryb
    66.
    April 7, 2009
    7:15 pm

    Tbone Wolk stealing the show from Shawn Colvin in ‘93, Peter Buck doing the same to Robin Hitchcock in ‘07, the mutiple appearances (&moods)by Mark Eitzel, Richard Hawley filling the place with an almost Spectorish wall of sound, Ron Sexsmith wonderful debut in on a miserable cold night in ‘97, and on it goes. Many wonderful moments. And with William Elliot Whitmore & The Phantom Band gigs on the horizon, it’s not over yet by a long shot.

    Comment by Martin Foyle
    67.
    April 7, 2009
    8:54 pm

    I may be contradicted on this but I was certain that the second Jeff Buckley show (with full band) was at the Tivoli and not at Whelans (as someone mentioned).

    This was the one where the power went out half way thru and he ended playing a few songs the old fashioned way…

    Another great, great, great show was The Apples In Stereo about 2 years ago. It was really obvious that the audience were willing this to be the greatest gig ever and they came pretty close. Stage invasion at the end for Ruby was concrete proof of this…!

    Comment by James D
    68.
    April 8, 2009
    6:34 am

    ah… think I was at that palace brothers gig in 99…. did they do an encore of AC/ DC’s We’ve got the biggest balls of them all?

    That was a classic!

    Comment by Teddy
    69.
    April 8, 2009
    6:42 am

    The Moldy Peaches guesting during a Kittser gig just before The Big Romance came out.

    The Redneck Manifesto playing a Sunday dayshow charity gig(’Sabbath’) that Steve Fanagan put on.

    Sinead O’ Connor guesting at a Damien Dempsey gig New Years Eve.

    The National after Alligator came out. Taking the night off and drunkenly singing along to every word after pestering anyone who’d listen for six months to put them on.

    Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine before the full Planxty reunion.

    Daniel Johnston & friends recently enough.

    Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy various times.

    Gruff Rhys w/Jape and Pinky supporting for obvious enough personal reasons(I manage Pinky and think I was still living with Richie at the time).

    Cat Power, first time around especially.

    Sparklehorse numerous times.

    Bright Eyes.

    Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham.

    The Frames circa For The Birds.

    Low.

    The list goes on and on. She’s a fine ship!

    Comment by John Hennessy
    70.
    April 8, 2009
    9:37 am

    Re Jeff Buckley and Whelan’s - he played twice at the venue in 1994: a solo show (14 March 1994) and a band show (23 August 1994). There was also a Tivoli show the following year (14 January 1995).

    All dates thanks to http://www.alwaysontherun.net/Jeff/Jeff.htm.

    It seems also that he played at the Trinity Ball in 1992 - anyone know anything about that?

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    71.
    April 8, 2009
    10:04 am

    Re Jim @ 70….so what you’re saying is that Jeff Buckley played here tons of times and I managed to miss them all! Thanks for opening that wound again…he he!

    It’ll tell you how much things have really not changed that much…I didn’t go to the Tivoli show because I felt the ticket price was a bit costly at the time - I think they were asking £24 or something! I was probably holding out for him to play Feile or something!

    Thanks for clarifying that point!

    Whelans really has accomodated some great acts over the years. Should we expect an article or feature to be had out of it this week Mr C?

    Someone wrote about an early Snow Patrol appearance and it made me think of one aspect of Whelans. The venue has played host to a wack of established acts when they were nobodys, in their infancy, at ‘battle of the bands’ shindigs and the like. Any examples folks would like to share?

    My own fave was a very early appearance by Duke Special who I think was under some other guise at the time - he seemed to have the image and sound down from day one. Couldn’t really understand it at the time but two years later he was all over the place…

    Comment by James D
    72.
    April 8, 2009
    10:04 am

    Three shows inside 12 months. He was the Bon Iver of the 90s

    Comment by Peter81
    73.
    April 8, 2009
    10:11 am

    James D - does seeing Babylon Zoo playing on a Sunday night to 6 people count?

    Peter81 - my thoughts exactly! And all on the back of one EP and one album too.

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    74.
    April 8, 2009
    10:19 am

    The only gig I ever had to move to the back for was Rollerskate Skinny at Whelan’s in the mid-nineties. It was so loud I’m sure my false tooth was looser in the morning.

    Comment by hugger
    75.
    April 8, 2009
    10:38 am

    I don’t think you could count Babylon Zoo as he was never an established act (apart from in the main guy’s head where they are probably still the top selling act in the ‘Milky Way’ for the last 15 years).

    It does touch on another aspect that has mortified me over the years in Whelans. The amount of times I’ve seen great acts there with poor attendance…

    The Lilys playing to about 30 people on the same night as some big football match. Mary Lou Lord playing to a spellbound few who didn’t even fill the seats laid out. Watching Mark Olson on a monday night where most of the audience were either members of American Music Club or Ryan Adams’ band.

    Comment by James D
    76.
    April 8, 2009
    11:59 am

    My favourite gig there was seeing Do Make Say Think blow the roof off the place to an unsuspecting audience on a quiet Sunday night. I think it was the first gig I was ever at where nobody in the audience knew any of the band’s music and song by song they won over the crowd, leaving a few dozen still-devoted fans. I have very fond memories of David Kitt’s first gig there with only a guitar and minidisc player, twas very lovely.

    Comment by Chris
    77.
    April 8, 2009
    12:41 pm

    Being from Belfast I’ve only been at a few Whelan’s gigs, but British Sea Power in January last year and Chrome Hoof supported by BATS will live long in the memory.

    Comment by Chris
    78.
    April 8, 2009
    1:00 pm

    2001 I think it was, there was a charidee gig for the rape crisis center called ‘the sabbath’ (I believe it was on a sunday) from 2pm with bands like settler, dudley corp, rednecks, jimmy cake, c4o, national prayer breakfast… it was amazing. most of the bands did a different black sabbath cover for the laugh. Large mound did fairies wear boots and it was awesome.

    A year (or two?) ago pinback supported by the dudley’s was really great too

    So many others I can’t think of now

    Comment by chad
    79.
    April 8, 2009
    5:30 pm

    Think the Immediate’s gig in there supporting Director was pretty great. David Hedderman’s mic wouldn’t stick to the mic stand and he had to get his girlfriend to hold it in place while he sang.

    Then Pete Toomey jumped off stage mid-set, had a boogie on floor and knocked over someone’s pint - hilarious.

    Flight of the Conchords was great too.

    Comment by Fearghal
    80.
    April 8, 2009
    8:34 pm

    As pints and Mark Eitzel have been mentioned, I distinctly remember the first solo Eitzel show in Whelans. He did “Johnny Mathais’ Feet” as part of the encore, leaping onto one of the tables that were laid out on the floor for the show that night for the big finish and sent some guy’s pint flying through the air. Hero that he is, he took out his wallet, handed over a tenner (!) and got the pint replaced.

    And yes, the age profiles are DEFINTELY being seen in these emails…

    Comment by Colette
    81.
    April 8, 2009
    9:36 pm

    “Anyone else miss pre-renovation Whelans?”

    Yes, terribly.

    Best gigs: Caribou, Grizzly Bear, and (best of all) two consecutive nights of Sparklehorse…on the Saturday night the whole crowd sang along with every word of ‘Homecoming Queen’ while Linkous just whispered along, giving that little shy smile of his…the hairs are up at the back of my neck just thinking about it still…

    Comment by Neill
    82.
    April 8, 2009
    11:27 pm

    This …

    scoring a load of young ones in there over the years…

    oh there was probably some gigs too..and playing there was fun as well, really makes a difference playing in a nice room, with a proper stage and a good PA…

    oh and the girls… did i mention the girls?

    … kind of talk makes me doubt that you’ve ever kissed a girl.

    Comment by Ian
    83.
    April 9, 2009
    1:21 am

    How could I forget ‘Mad for the Racket’ in late 2000 … featuring Wayne Kramer (MC5), Clem Burke (Blondie), Brian James (The Damned) & Mani (Primal Scream, standing in for Duff McKagan).

    Great to hear “Kick Out the Jams” proper.

    Comment by Mully
    84.
    April 9, 2009
    2:44 am

    All three Liars gigs in whelans were spellbounding.

    Fly Pan Am back in 04? was also unique, and super rockous.

    Comment by cletus_buckley
    85.
    April 9, 2009
    8:33 am

    Thanks everyone for your comments and trips down memory lane - much appreciated.

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    86.
    April 14, 2009
    11:45 am

    Jeff Buckley and special guests The MaryJanes played The Tivoli on Sat 14th Jan 1995 , tickets were €7.50 inc booking fee , I am looking at a ticket for it right now. I was lucky enough to see both Jeff’s shows in Whelans , the solo one and the one with the band and both were definitley some of the highlights of many years going to Whelans

    Comment by Marlon

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