Catch a Falling Star at the Barrowland Ballroom – Part 1

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Catch a Falling Star at the Barrowland Ballroom – Part 1

There can’t be a music fan in Scotland who has not had a few swallies in town before rambling up Argyle Street and nodding a cap to Glasgow Cross, entering the Gallowgate and then experienced that magical rush when turning that wee bend in the street that allows you to see the neon Barrowland sign sparkling its welcome, often or not reflected double in a pool of Glasgow rain, as people queue past Baird’s Bar.

Tom Joyes who has been manager at The Barrowland Ballroom and adjacent Barras street market will modestly confess, “I know nothing much about music”, so seldom entranced with sound-checks he broke his own rule of leaving the bands, crew and promoters to get on with it and on 22 Jul 1997 he stood to watch a certain David Bowie get ready for his show. Towards the end of his sound-check, a porcelain star fell from the famous venue ceiling and narrowly missing Bowie. An unperturbed and suave David Bowie bent down, picked up the star, casually slipped it into his pocket and the incident passed with no mention to management or promoter.

I jokingly asked Tom a few years later, if he asked for the star back and he replied, “No fecking way, I was just glad not to get sued”. For me the story sums up The Barrowland in fewer words than I will use here, a colossal megastar who could have been playing a much larger venue, taking a souvenir of a place filled with gallus history, a hint of East End tack, a broken streetlight shade of violence and acres of allure.

Shy and prone to understatement, Tom Joyes may profess to not knowing new music but what he does know is the blood line of arguably the best venue in the world, as votes by numerous polls of bands, musicians and fans will testify. Built in 1934 by Maggie McIvor, “the Queen of the Barras”, the venue has remained in the McIvor family since opening in 1934, though it was rebuilt in 1958 after a major fire.
…
Manager Tom is fiercely protective of the venue’s independence and heritage so when he talks about the venue his passion, love and understanding is evident, “Glasgow audiences always provide a great atmosphere”. The stand-up hall is better than seating for rock concerts, with fans having access to the bar within the hall throughout the concert. Even with a capacity crowd of 1950, he claims that “from the back of the hall you can see the whites of the performers’ eyes”. Press Tom further and he will sum the venue up in two words, “atmosphere and character”.
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The Barrowland is the best example of, “if the wheel ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, Tom says, “it’s also down to the fact that we’ve not changed the design of the place since the 1960s and have no plans to. We want to keep it the way it is.”

So the venue is intrinsically the same place as it was when Billy McGregor and the Gaybirds or The Alex Harvey Soul Band played standards to local Barras traders, families and friends, offering talent competitions and punters the chance to open a mystery box, where they could win anything from £500 to a rotten egg.

Many folk met their future spouses on the dance floor and talking in the Daily Record local resident Agnes McLean confirmed that, “To break into the big-time social scene in Glasgow in the Thirties, one had to be a ‘rerr’ dancer”.

If you have ever been to a Proclaimers show at the Barrowland and bounced to 500 Miles with the best of ‘em, you may not be aware that you’re being assisted by an imported Canadian wood floor, rumored to be sprung on thousands of tennis balls cut in half to cushion those dancing shoes. The current ceiling was designed in 1958 by the resident big band leader and barring a lick of paint, it remains unchanged to this day so the acoustics are second to none.

Legendary sound man Johnny Ramsey of EFX Audio who is not a man to mix his mince with his tatties once told me, “if you sound rotten here, it’ is because you’re rotten or your soundman is deaf and you need to fire him,”  and in her song Barrowland Ballroom, Amy Macdonald sings that “nothing beats the feeling of the high Barrowland ceiling when a band begins to play”, (see video below).

Alec

Next week Alec recounts some of the legendary shows that have made the venue such a part of Glasgow lore.

Photo credit: Flickr

…

The Best of Simple Minds on Youtube here

Alec continues his love letter to the Barrowlands with Part 2 of this article here.

Read Part 3 of this article where Alec lists his top 50 Barrowland memories here.

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40 Responses to “Catch a Falling Star at the Barrowland Ballroom – Part 1”

  1. Brilliant story. Takes me right back.

    by Ally G
    on 26 Aug, 2009 10:03am

  2. (that magical rush when turning that wee bend)….the relief that you havnt been jumped….

    by Anonymous
    on 26 Aug, 2009 10:40am

  3. Joe Strummer in 88 at Barras was the best night of my life.

    by Anonymous
    on 26 Aug, 2009 10:50am

  4. Steve Earle, 1990

    Greatest concert I ever saw. Twice he had to stop mid-song because the crowd were singing ‘Here We Go’. Earle still mentions it as the ‘best venue in the world’.

    by Anonymous
    on 26 Aug, 2009 11:48am

  5. Been to many at the barrowlands and it is the best in the world.

    by Anonymous
    on 28 Aug, 2009 7:15am

  6. All 5 of my favourite gigs of all time have been at the Barras!

    by FraserG
    on 28 Aug, 2009 7:16am

  7. No Where in Glasgow, Scotland, UK or even Europe has the same feeling and enery and sound as the Barras – you just can’t beat it!

    by Catt
    on 28 Aug, 2009 8:06am

  8. I went to the Tin Machine Shows ! awesome , seen many ,many bands there . Sadly looks a bit weathered now .

    by Tony
    on 28 Aug, 2009 9:13am

  9. Well written Alec, really sums it up for me personally and the many thousands of Barrowland fans. Aspiring musicians and bands may well dream of playing Wembley or Madison Square Garden…..mine is to headline the Barras – best venue in Glasgow, best in the UK!

    by Jonny
    on 28 Aug, 2009 6:41pm

  10. Simply the best music venue, anywhere.

    by Anonymous
    on 28 Aug, 2009 9:58pm

  11. The day I left barrowland to start my own buisness I didn’t know what an impact it would
    make. Being part of that buisness I saw hundreds of concerts and witnessd many moments that I will treasure for the rest of my life.
    Thanks alec you have made me remember those times.

    by Martin Mciver
    on 30 Aug, 2009 4:25am

  12. born in Glasgow spent my teen years at ballroom dancing in the fiftys, met my then husband there got married, went to Canada, but have never forgot the rush we used to get when tthe big bands would start to play, unforgetable thats what Glasgow, and the BARRAS MENT TO ME. ANNE.

    by Anonymous
    on 13 Jan, 2010 10:33am

  13. 59 i left : the barras was our magnet i roamed a bit Germany Ireland england south africa mozambique Natal zimbabwe namibia durban and the cape angola durban p/elizabeth e/London england and belguim running from antwerp to spain italy portugal the benelux group between trips from antwerp even the seychelles for a bit; never has there ever been anything to compare with the barras the atmosphere zest and power of the barras is a memory that cant be equalled anywhere in the world.

    by george higgins
    on 09 Apr, 2010 7:36am

  14. what in the World came over me to leave My Glasgow Home to wander in dark places looking for ‘what! or just to roam’ the pain that gurgles through you as you look at the Southern Cross On the last days for many Years you walk on foreign sods Fondest Memories that i left behind will never be forgot Tears and Pain and memories of all ex-pat Scots who wander over this old world “take time sometime, for thought” My child-hood friends the River Kelvin too Barrowland and dancin memories those Treasures we all knew. what in the world came over me when
    my life was young and new. Glasgow, Glasgow i love you.

    by Anonymous
    on 09 Apr, 2010 10:56am

  15. The best venue in the world!

    by Tam
    on 12 Apr, 2010 1:39pm

  16. Sitting with mates sinking a few well lots of swally and thinking back to ALL the great gigs at the barras and how what changes in the auld place,We all agreed how great it has been and all the fantastic gigs we went to and how many times we tried to get backstage after and failed, Amongst other things we agreed on was whatever happened to the Supervisor at the front door who was always at the windup no matter how FAMOUS punters thought they were, If you felt you were hard done by you went to him and he made you feel that your complaint was dealt with fairly, But if you were a dafty you were papped oot, The present door staff while good at their job don’t give the same Barras welcome as before, So before we get more blooterd is he making a comeback or is his time gone BUT not forgotten, I don’t think we are the only punters who miss his banter and windups, But time waits for no body EH

    by Anonymous
    on 12 Sep, 2010 8:59pm

  17. Cheers EH. I’ll see what we can find out for you.

    by The Dear
    on 12 Sep, 2010 10:37pm

  18. Regards the front door staff everyone must have a favourite story who helped who hindered, C’mon there must be some gems out there so share,One of my own has to be the foot and mouth wind up where everyone had to wipe their feet before entry and i’m sure it was the big supervisor who carried it through he had all the punters wiping heels and soles before entry, he had people from outside glasgow thanking him for making the effort, His reply was because the band MSPreachers came from wales and had crossed the border into scotland it was the law and we could not take a chance and how he kept his face straight was priceless, So come on fellow gig punters lets hear your tales and who was your Favourite wind up bouncer or as the Supervisor would be heard to say steward not bouncer

    by Anonymous
    on 15 Sep, 2010 4:34pm

  19. The Barras staff have one of the hardest jobs in the world dealing with drunk excited kids/adults who are desperate to see their idols. Sadly old school doormen are a dying breed and the laws which protect the public and standards imposed makes them fearful to interact in many cases. The Barrowland has always made an effort to train and retain the best door people and the odd rotten apple has been let go and the odd good guy girl pushed to the limit.

    My fav quote was, “I have spoke to Mr Bowie and he has cordially invited you to fxxx off”!

    by Alec
    on 16 Sep, 2010 2:03am

  20. Fair comment, But is that not the case at any venue with drunks so your saying that it’s just the barras that have drunk punters that’s not very fair on other door staff who are very good at their job, Regard old school as you call them I personally would rather have one of them who could give you a feeling of welcome/Safety than some youngster who was still learning the job, And would you not agree it’s only a hard job if you make it hard IE if give punters a hard time you get a hard time back, Regard the laws they have always been there even before the SIA came in which i agree has helped get rid as you say the odd rotten apple and seen the good staff pushed to the limit but then with the old school there to pass on years of wisdom ? would/could blend into a first class door team AND learn from each other because you should never be too old/young to learn adapt to new rules or practise for everyones safety, Shall we agree to disagree on some things and agree that all door staff old/young can work and learn from each other for the good/safety of the most important person the PUNTER agreed

    by Anonymous
    on 16 Sep, 2010 6:28pm

  21. Can’t really see where we are disagreeing and no that problem is not particular to the Barrowland, just that this article is focused on the venue and people have good and bad memories of Barrowland door staff, (hopefully more good).

    I think you can take your point to life in general so many old school tradesmen and workers have been discarded or left trades due to changes and the pressures of modern society so there is a skills and common sense gap in society with the answers in many cases sitting drinking tea at home.

    I also agree with your point about dealing with punters but you can have as many security courses as you want, the art of being a good door man or tradesmen is learnt on the job and often from your experienced colleagues, which sadly are no longer there as it is cheaper to employ “youngsters”.

    I would still be interested to hear more stories x

    by Alec
    on 17 Sep, 2010 1:52am

  22. My story is from a good few yrs back,We were there early to get to the see the band arrive maybe get to hear the sound check, We were all at the front door waiting so we could be at the front when a crowd came up and dumped a very drunk girl at the door and went to leave her there when the supervisor stopped them and asked them where they were going and got some abuse from them,So he got 1st aid down and after a while got some details and a phone No and phoned her parents to inform them about her state,We could hear him say to 1st aid that she came from irvine area and would get there as soon as,While waiting for an ambulance to arrive this girl came and said she was her sister who stayed near the venue and worked at the Royal Hosp,She went away with her to the royal and we went into the gig,After the gig my dad came to collect me and my cousin we told him what had went on he went over to ask how the girl was and spoke to the girls sister who had came to get her bag off the staff and was told she was as ok feeling very sorry for herselfe, He also found out the supervisors name which was Willie and my dad thanked him for taken care of all of us and he said that was what he was there for good times bad times,So from myselfe my cousin AND all the punters Old and young a very BIG Thank you for making the Barras a very safe happy place for the punters to go too Thank you

    by Anonymous
    on 04 Oct, 2010 8:08am

  23. Going back a good few years when FPC were the security and Supergrass was the Main band my daughter and her mates were there and lost her bag with wallet money and it had not been handed in,When she went to report it to the toilet staff she would/could not help them so they went down to the front door and spoke to the supervisor whose name was willie and told him about their problem,He took the details and gave them cash to call home and he spoke to myselfe , I had told my daughter to get a taxi and i’d pay it when she got home but no taxis would take the chance so when the Supervisor heard this he gave them cash to get the last bus home which they just caught by seconds on london Rd, Two nights later at the next show me and my daughter went into pay him back and we had to struggle to get him take it,He said he was glad to help and told us her bag had been found but no purse with it but all her other stuff was there,He sent staff to get it and all he would take was a can of coke, As a single parent at the time i was very grateful he took the time out to help my daughter and her pals get home without being sure he would get his cash back, So can i take the time to thank him for all the kindness he showed that night and whatever he’s doing now God bless you Willie, A Very grateful Mum x

    by Anonymous
    on 04 Oct, 2010 8:22pm

  24. Great stories.

    by The Dear
    on 05 Oct, 2010 9:32pm

  25. Great stories for sure i’m also thinking these are what all the great barras memories are made of for all ages all types of music Etc,What about a quiz for example best/worst gig plus best/worst bouncer NO PRIZE involved just the stories should be enough to bring out the glesga banter by the way,So come on you punters young and old wheres your stories to be told some are fact some are rumour but tell them all wi the glesga humour,Remember NO PRIZE involved just bring out your memories also your tales of the LEGEND that was Josies
    burghers AND the invisible ladies cleaner[she never could be found] Ha Ha L o L

    by A Barras Punter
    on 06 Oct, 2010 7:22pm

  26. I was reading with great intrest all the tales of back in the day and i’m surprised that there’s been little response Esp from THE DEAR on 12th Sep who said they would find out about past Staff and so far nothing,Over the yrs i’ve bored my grandkids with my slightly TALL tales regard the Gigs or as i said the concerts,So can we please have some new tales please and soon, I wait to hear from any one,Esp the dear whoever you are

    by A Grateful[very] Gran LoL
    on 08 Oct, 2010 8:20pm

  27. Hi,

    I have sent an email to the manager asking what happened to Willie and Fred.

    x

    by Alec
    on 09 Oct, 2010 1:02am

  28. Dear “Gran”
    Thanks for visiting. Alec wrote these articles and so if anyone can help you out, he can.

    by The Dear
    on 09 Oct, 2010 1:46am

  29. Thanks for all your efforts to alex and the dear but who/what are your credentials to give insights to gigs and other matters Regard the Barras I.E. Are you a staff member past/present with great insider Info.It’s just to see how you can give Info and we can be sure it’s the real deal.But meantime lets have your tales small/TALL with all the famous Glesga banter/patter we’re famous for

    by Grateful Gran
    on 09 Oct, 2010 8:52pm

  30. Does no one read these requests regard memories or can nobody be arsed too reply c’mon you all say what a great venue but you have no tales too share i would hate to have been at some of them gigs,Where’s Alec or the Dear they on a date Ha Ha or do they just check in when their TV’s down, Lets get behind these pages and show the world just how proud of the world famous Barras Ballroom you say you are,Your story’s might stir up memories no matter how little or large they may seem,Give it a go see what response you get

    by An Ex patron Abroad
    on 15 Oct, 2010 8:01pm

  31. Not quite sure how me and Alec ended up getting abuse on here but there you go! Also I’m in America and Alec’s in Turkey so it’s unlikely we’ll be going on fun dates soon.

    Anyway, I appreciate your enthusiasm and I’m all for this page becoming a host for assorted Barras memories, but maybe the requests are falling on deef ears because this is quite an old article.

    I’ll re-tweet it and re-post it on Facebook tomorrow and see if that makes a difference.

    Ok and here’s my wee contribution. The first time I ever went to the Barras was to see the Spin Doctors in the early 90s. Remember them? And it was actually the second time I’d seen them having been at their King Tuts gig a year earlier.

    At the end of the gig I used the legendary springy floorboards to leap above a few unimpressed punters and catch a drumstick which I still have somewhere. On the way back to Central Station me and The Wee Man got completely lost but I remember thinking that if we got jumped then at least I had a drumstick with which to defend myself.

    Hopefully we can at least agree that my taste in music has improved significantly since then.

    by The Dear
    on 15 Oct, 2010 8:59pm

  32. I’M SO SORRY WASN’T MEANT AS ABUSE NEVER EVER, just they go on about how great a venue it is but given the chance too BRAG to the wide world it seems it fell on very DEEF ears, Regards your music taste that’s one of the many many reasons that’s why the magic there and keeps drawing punters young/old back to hear the music as it should be heard,Regards the fun dates please take it was meant as GLESGA banter and not a personal attack as i know you and Alec only have the best wishes for the Barras, Can i once again say SORRY, So come all you DEEF folk send in your storys some body might spark a memory some where Sad or glad it is all memories,

    by ex patron
    on 16 Oct, 2010 7:04am

  33. No offence taken. Honestly. By the way, Alec lists his 50 best Barrowland memories in part 3 of this article here.

    by The Dear
    on 16 Oct, 2010 2:09pm

  34. I bounced to 500 miles and god does that dance floor bounce. Have many good memories of being at Barrowlands with friends.

    by Anonymous
    on 16 Oct, 2010 3:16pm

  35. Went through the gig list and saw big country and drifted down memory lane,I had the great pleasure to talk with Stuart Adamson a few times and when he passed i was very sad he was so young but we didn’t know what’s going on with his thoughts Eh,But we have his music which will live on forever and we can take our own memorys from gigs at the Barras and other venues myself good/great bouncy ones where pissed out my face thinkin i was a better chanter than the band but everybody did Eh,So i for one thank every group that was allowed to grace the Barras and go then on too Bigger venues BUT have always came back because the magic/memorys draws them home too the greatest venue bar none,Agree/ disagree this’s the pages to have your say so on you come you know you want to, A punter with very great/fond memories of Many great gigs at the Barras

    by A happy wanderer
    on 17 Oct, 2010 5:33am

  36. My top five Barras’ gigs:
    5) PJ Harvey supported by the then little known Tricky. The young Bristolian, on stage with the stunning Martina Topley-Bird, played an amazing set (not always the case in my experience of a Tricky gig), then went and got a pint at the bar and stood in the crowd to watch Polly Jean. This was PJ’s Gothic Diva period, promoting the underrated ‘To Bring You My Love’ album, and she took the stage in red satin gown, Bette Davis makeup, and white Stratocaster. I immediately fell in love.
    4) Grace Jones. This is for the sheer incongruity of Grace at the Barras, the high camp factor (including two guys dressed a la Richard Gere in ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’), and also the amazing tunes. This was a set list that included ‘Nightclubbing’, ‘Pull up to the Bumper’, ‘Private Life’, ‘Warm Leatherette’, and an almost unspeakably brilliant ‘La Vie en Rose’. In a reversal of the expected roles, I’ve never been part of a crowd so willing to please an act. We sought her approval and she appeared impressed. For one night the Barrowland Ballroom was once again the best dancehall in Glasgow.
    3) Primal Scream on the ‘Give Out But Don’t Give Up’ tour. The band I’ve seen live more than any other, who rarely let you down, but this was something special. Again, this was about band and crowd working together, and both were up for it. I would imagine that substances were taken on both sides and it showed. A stunning show that was the perfect mix of the Andy Weatherall driven bliss of ‘Screamadelica’ and the ‘Exile’ era Stones tribute that was ‘Give Out But Don’t Give Up’, a record that made much more sense live. This was the night that Bobby’s disparate gang proved that they meant it.
    2) Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. This was unapologetic nostalgia, it being the 20th Anniversary of the release of the magnificent ‘Rattlesnakes’, the best record released in 1984 (yes, even better than ‘The Smiths’ by The Smiths). Such nights can fall awfully flat, but this was a belter. The recurring theme of all of these reminiscences is the importance of the crowd. This one willed Lloyd and the Commotions to success. Every single word was sung by a full house.
    1) But top of these particular pops was Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings. It was a wet Tuesday night when I got the phone call to say that there was a spare ticket if I wanted. I was aware of Welch, but had not really engaged apart from a couple of songs, so I went with few expectations. The Barras was perhaps ¾ full, but still buzzing. Barras’ audiences are not known for their restraint or good behaviour, but from the first hello Gillian had us in the palm of her hand. Every song was heard in absolute silence followed by roof raising applause. The music was spellbinding and I went out the next day and bought everything I could get my hand on. They encored with support band Old Crow Medicine Show and did a cover of The Band’s ‘The Weight’. Every soul in the place sang along. It was electric and unforgettable and the second time I fell in love at the Barras.

    by Alistair
    on 19 Oct, 2010 6:24pm

  37. hi alec, just too see if any joy regard the old staff/guard and what became of them, And any more tales TALL small,They might spark a response good/bad whatever bring them on get the barras world famous Barras banter/patter flowing,

    by A far far away weegie
    on 25 Oct, 2010 4:08pm

  38. my grandad was one of the doormen in the 60s

    by Anonymous
    on 11 Nov, 2010 5:19pm

  39. Went to the barras on Sat for From the jam what great gig well done what memorys.AND it had the perfect ending as we saw the barras LEG END that is Willie.We had a great natter about back in the day and how life had been to us.We had a laugh about past gigs and his banter was the usual p–h but it was good to see him still alive but not kicking LoL, Last word to the cloakroom staff try and give a smile now and again and make folk welcome Esp that young lad. ALL THE VERY BEST TO ONE AND ALL FOR 2011

    by From a Jammer
    on 13 Dec, 2010 7:07am

  40. Jammer – Thanks so much for resolving the Willie / Wont he issue so affirmatively. All the best for 2011 to you too

    by The Dear
    on 13 Dec, 2010 10:34am

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