The Duchess of York

[Crazy Jane]

"Gawd i saw some rubbish there."Isabel's Shrine and La Costa Rasa were always the two support bands i dreaded, you never knew who was supporting until you got there and for goth acts they always seemed to put one of those on first to make them look better.Apart from the time Patricia Morrison played, total nonentity with zero stage prescence, but the support was, um, Isabels Shrine followed by La Costa Rasa I saw Incubus Sucubus (or however they spell it now) there a bunch of times, also Toyah Wilcox on a warm up gig in the early 90s, Jayne County a couple of times too.

[Chrism]

I wanna know what Zod Mindwarp was getting up to upstairs.

[jim]

Wonderful venue,spent many nights there in the 80s,weekend lunchtimes to.I remember a Jayne County performance too,highly entertaining even if pitch accuracy could be somewhat approximate.I also performed there myself,both before when it was still the Robin Hood and through til the end both in (local) headline and support bands.Knew many of the characters as well,sometimes more entertaining than the acts!

[Chrism]

Foz wrote: Does anyone know of any other well known (signed) bands that played at The Duchess (other than Nirvana)? Chumbawamba seemed to be there all the time, especially the Shelter gig all dayers.I heard that Metallica played there at some point as well (?) (possibly pre-Duchess days). Elastica did, The Almighty did I think, but I have also heard Oasis and Blur as well!? (Sorry if someone has already said this in a previous post?) :-)Zodiac Mindwarp! but I won't mention what he was up to upstairs!!!     The Proclaimers. I remember the queue for that night was right round to the Vine nearly.

[jim]

Just had a root through my collection of old flyers,and found these signed,but less well known acts:- Gallon Drunk Flaming Stars Royal Trux Jonathan Fireater R.L.BunsideAnd that's just acts that bands I played in supported!I also searched for a roll of old gig posters that I'd collected,but the weevils at the back of the research store caverns must have got them.For those (I know you're there!) trying to work out who I am, please,no band names no surnames,no mention of my present band (yes,I'm still gigging and I'm 69 next week!)and respect site anonymity.If you want to guess,mention the instrument and make appropriately insulting remarks about my appearance!

[Chrism]

I've heard of the first 3, they're pretty grungy if I'm not mistaken, and Robert Lee is/was a bluesman, but didn't he do some sort of punky stuff later on?

[outofthefire]

I used to go to the duchess in the late 80's some of the bands I can remember Zoot and the RootsDumpy's Rusty NutsBogus BrothersAnother engineer that used to do sound was mick fletcher

[jim]

Chrism,Yes indeed,he both performed and recorded with The John Spencer BluesExplosion,one of the many influences on my previous band!

[purplezulu]

O the duchess!! Much missed. One of the best bands I ever saw there was Last of the Teenage Idols.Mad bunch altogether, was a comedy show as well as a music gig. The singer - Buttz - was just so funny.I'll never forget the chant of 'Terry Waite, your're supposed to be kidnapped' - refering to their manager or something, who bore a striking resemblance to the unfortunate Mr Waite.I don't think I've ever seen such an entertaining band since - in the laughs department anyway, I wonder what happen to them?

[franco]

I remember "listening" to Wolfsbane in the late 80's at the Dutchess. I say listening because unfortunately my view was completely obscured by some denim clad freak who possessed the biggest head of industrial strength ginger hair i have ever witnessed. Like some malevolent folicle based Hiroshima cloud it rendered me sightless engulfing not only the stage and band but the entire first row.