SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

It's incredible that, with the Leeds Music Scene as apparently rampant as it is, that the Duchess ever shut down, and that places such as the Vine which have attempted to elevate it also seems to have gone already.Is the Vine shut down now, or just being refurbushed, does anyone know?I would love to see some pics of gigs at the Duchess. Does anyone have any?Call me cynical, but I am not sure if the city is better off with a Hugo Boss instead of the Duchess of York.Thank God for the Brudenell Social Club!

As far as I can tell the Vine has reverted to brewery ownership. They seem to be doing it up, but I doubt that when it reopens live music will be on the agenda.I went to a gig there a few weeks before it shut down and I was appalled by the state of the place. There were no pumps left on the bars, no optics, there were just cans being sold out of the firdge behind the bar. Plaster was falling off the walls, the doors were hanging off the hinges...terrible to see. I can only conclude that live music wasn't bringing in the punters.

Hi,Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser. In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig.

The Duchess Of York was, and remains, my favourite music venue anywhere, and I spent a sizeable chunk of the 90s gigging up and down the country. I saw dozens, hundreds even, of great bands there and played some of the best gigs of my career. I was f*cking furious when the place got shut down to make way for a shop that sells overpriced suits. A pox on Hugo Boss.

LeeRatbag wrote: The Duchess Of York was, and remains, my favourite music venue anywhere, and I spent a sizeable chunk of the 90s gigging up and down the country. I saw dozens, hundreds even, of great bands there and played some of the best gigs of my career. I was f*cking furious when the place got shut down to make way for a shop that sells overpriced suits. A pox on Hugo Boss. What band(s) were you in, Lee?The Duchess was after my time as I left Leeds for London in 1976, and then to mainland Europe. I was DJ at the Marquee Club in London 1976 - 79. Did you ever play there?I've gigged a helluvalot, playing guitar and singing in various bands all over Europe and even in the USA. Mostly rock, tho my last tour was in Germany with a Dutch punk outfit, at the age of 48! I'm now married and have now retired from the "scene" and hardly even pick up my guitars anymore. I miss the gigging a lot, tho

Fantastic venue. Hugo Boss can go insert things into himself. Saw loads of bands there in late 80's early 90s.. Some stand out...Weddoes, Bad Manners, Inspirals, St Etienne.

Scandy Bramley wrote: What band(s) were you in, Lee? I was in Sticky Fingers in '91-93 and Assassination Bureau '93-98. Never made much of a career of it, but we got about a bit and had a bloody good laugh with it.

lee, i might have to take zebs home in a suitcase with me ;-)and a most excellent list of music influencesi quite like what used to be the mixing tin (cant remember what its called now), reminds me a little of the old days coming through to leeds to go to adam and eves, & being chased to the train station by irate skinheads!

Ian R P wrote: Hi,Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser. In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig. nirvana,as in kurt cobain....you sure??

wiggy wrote: Ian R P wrote: Hi,Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser. In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig. nirvana,as in kurt cobain....you sure?? Yes - incredible as it may seem Nirvana, with Kurt Cobain played at the Duchess - wish I'd been there.A bit of Google trawling reveals that it was on 27/10/1989 - and videos of it exist on youtube.