SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The Queens Hall spawned memories of seeing bands in Leeds.The University was another fine venue......The Leeds Town Hall another.......I saw Mott the Hoople there and I think the 96 decibel freaks lyric was aimed at Leeds City Council who threatened to pull the plug on bands playing too loud.Support act was little known queen. Freddy announced a song late in the set as people shuffled about waiting for Mott.When he'd announced it someone shouted "Gerroff" and Freddy said not until we have finished!! Who'd have shouted that later.We all shouted "Wally" at gigs and Wally reformed this year.So come on - who have you seen, what funny tales do you have, which legends have you seen in their dotage or star bands when they were just starting??I used to see some gigs at the staging post including Be-bop Deluxe. The best show ever was put on by Art rockers Burlesque (anyone recall? My mate loved them and nicked my album) finally there was G.I.G.A.F.O.Anyone know what that name means??

The Parksider wrote: The Queens Hall spawned memories of seeing bands in Leeds.The University was another fine venue......The Leeds Town Hall another.......I saw Mott the Hoople there and I think the 96 decibel freaks lyric was aimed at Leeds City Council who threatened to pull the plug on bands playing too loud.Support act was little known queen. Freddy announced a song late in the set as people shuffled about waiting for Mott.When he'd announced it someone shouted "Gerroff" and Freddy said not until we have finished!! Who'd have shouted that later.We all shouted "Wally" at gigs and Wally reformed this year.So come on - who have you seen, what funny tales do you have, which legends have you seen in their dotage or star bands when they were just starting??I used to see some gigs at the staging post including Be-bop Deluxe. The best show ever was put on by Art rockers Burlesque (anyone recall? My mate loved them and nicked my album) finally there was G.I.G.A.F.O.Anyone know what that name means?? salt 'n pepper wrote: Wasn't the band name GYGAFO? Small point I know but that's why I understand the letters were meant to signify the days when they started off on the road to 'stardom' when their best efforts on stage usually resulted in the management stopping the gig and saying "Get your gear and......" Well, you can guess the rest.     

The Parksider wrote: The Queens Hall spawned memories of seeing bands in Leeds.The University was another fine venue......The Leeds Town Hall another.......I saw Mott the Hoople there and I think the 96 decibel freaks lyric was aimed at Leeds City Council who threatened to pull the plug on bands playing too loud.Support act was little known queen. Freddy announced a song late in the set as people shuffled about waiting for Mott.When he'd announced it someone shouted "Gerroff" and Freddy said not until we have finished!! Who'd have shouted that later.We all shouted "Wally" at gigs and Wally reformed this year.So come on - who have you seen, what funny tales do you have, which legends have you seen in their dotage or star bands when they were just starting??I used to see some gigs at the staging post including Be-bop Deluxe. The best show ever was put on by Art rockers Burlesque (anyone recall? My mate loved them and nicked my album) finally there was G.I.G.A.F.O.Anyone know what that name means?? Pass di'dutchie p'on di left hand side.so im led to believe

'N doan' Bogart di roach.    

Never saw a band at the Queens Hall, but plenty at the Uni., Poly and Town Hall. Skid Row, SAHB, Status Quo, Savoy Brown, Sparks and Silverhead ... and that's just those beginning with 'S' ...    

Strangely enough its the poor bands and dire performances that i perversely seem to remember the best.A lacklustre and visibly bored Gary Numan at Leeds Town Hall during his "Warriors" tour circa 1983. I'll never forget the pitiful sight of Gary    singing "Cars" sat squashed in a battered Sinclair C 5 while trundling around the neon lit post apocalyptic stage. A little something died in me that night.The support act were a futurist duo called Tick and Tock a depressing combination of electronica and mime who looked like a pair of transvestite clowns. I'll always remember one of them introducing another forgettable song with the line "This ones for all the girls we'll be sleeping with tonight" horrible. It was like being propositioned by Millican and Nesbitt in drag.

I saw Lindisfarne at the Queens Hall on the day of my 18th birthday and afterwards only just had time afterwards for my first legal drink [just the one] in the City Arms on the station before going home. Ah, the joy of half ten closing!    

franco wrote: Strangely enough its the poor bands and dire performances that i perversely seem to remember the best.A lacklustre and visibly bored Gary Numan at Leeds Town Hall during his "Warriors" tour circa 1983. I'll never forget the pitiful sight of Gary    singing "Cars" sat squashed in a battered Sinclair C 5 while trundling around the neon lit post apocalyptic stage. A little something died in me that night.The support act were a futurist duo called Tick and Tock a depressing combination of electronica and mime who looked like a pair of transvestite clowns. I'll always remember one of them introducing another forgettable song with the line "This ones for all the girls we'll be sleeping with tonight" horrible. It was like being propositioned by Millican and Nesbitt in drag. I was there - don't remember the the car though. I heard that due to various cock ups they were still sound checking when the doors were due to open, the sound was [edited for content], the acoustics appaling and he was very annoyed with the council jobsworths who delayed everything. he didn't come back to Leeds for years after that. Tick and Tock - sordid is the only word that will do.

liits wrote: I saw Lindisfarne at the Queens Hall on the day of my 18th birthday and afterwards only just had time afterwards for my first legal drink [just the one] in the City Arms on the station before going home. Ah, the joy of half ten closing!     They were my favourite band in my teens - I think I saw them at the Queen's Hall too in the late 70s when they'd got back together, and also lots of times at the university union - supported on one occasion by Chris Rea, who then went on to be much 'bigger' than they were!Others that spring to mind at the union around that time were Ian Dury and the Blockheads, and the second 'Stiff tour' including Wreckless Eric, Jona Lewie, Lene Lovich and loads of others - you got value for money from your ticket price in those days!

not quite my musical youth but...in the late 70's at Leeds University, The Jam, Boomtown Rats, Ian Dury and the Blockheads