You're 100% correct on the location - many fond memories. High school reunion was there. First time we ever got turned away from a gig was at Bryants because it was full (the night Cold Chisel was recording Live). The point you missed about the demise of live music venues on the Northern Beaches were the big car parks because they were a property developers dream - same with the Royal Antler at Narrabeen (now town houses and appartments - with a small pub), and the Dee Why Hotel (Glider Room/Jet Club/The Venue) now high rise offices and appartment complex, with a small pub. Unfortunatley Bryants/Manly Vale didn't retain a pub. This is how the Real Estate boom destroyed Australian culture - we lost the abundance of live music venues. Our iconic rock bands penned the songs, played them to us at home, and then played all over the world - people like INXS, AD/DC, Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel, Angels, Richard Clapton, James Rayne, etc exporting anthems to the Australian way of life. To give an anecdote - in 2018 I was in Prague at a speedway event. When the crowd stared arriving the organisers played music over the PA before the official event began. First song was by AC/DC - quite a welcome reminder of home when homesick and on the other side of the world. Next was an INXS song, (then Pearl Jam), then Midnight Oil, then Jet, even a Kylie Monogue tune - by the time the event began, seven of the ten songs played over the PA were Australian (I noted it all down as a reminder of what it is to be Australian). Australian culture has been spread around the world by the rock bands of the 70s and 80s - and that is an indicator of Australian culture - irreverent of pomp and status - everyone at the pub watching a band. That era will never be repeated because the iconic pubs where everyone gathered after a day of surfing, fishing, any sport imaginable, to party and watch a band play their hearts out have all been bulldozed and apartments built on their once enormous car parks. To revive Australian culture we must first revive the live music scene by providing cheap venues for bands to play and people from every strata to access.
I loved reading this You have articulated it so well. The other reason is the demography 70% of people living in those suburbs where rock ruled are not interested in boogie rock. I do love multiculturalism yet their musical tastes are questionable
Man it’s all changed!!!!! Think I saw just about every Sydney band at Bryant’s in the 70’s/80’s plus overseas acts. Such an awesome venue👍. Thanks for the vid❤️
I just found your channel and really appreciate your videos. Brings back memories of growing up in Sydney and all the bands we saw back then. I just returned to Sydney after 30 years overseas and am gutted to see all the places gone and no live music to speak of - what a loss! I went to manly Vale Hotel almost every weekend in 79/80. Main memories of the few that remain are of the Angels and Doc Neeson climbing along the top of the speaker boxes. Great days.
Yep, was my favourite band venue on the Northern Beaches. The Venue (previously The Glider Room) and Narrabeen Sands were all great but I never hear or read about the old Manly Hotel directly across from Manly Wharf, I broke my ankle there dancing drunk at a Troggs gig.
Thanks for the video. Octoberpus was a legendary annual gig that I went to every year there. Massappeal usually headlined and they were awesome. Mergatroid, Wild men from Borneo, Tumbleweed and other local acts filled the bill. It was always a huge day. Great memories!
My first pub gig was seeing The Reels supporting Mental as Anything at the Manly Vale. My next gig there (probably the next weekend) was The Divinyls supporting The Angels. I saw many other bands there and then I ended up working with many of the bands that played there in the early 90s when they refurbished it all, firstly playing in the front room then moving to the larger room at the back. I've got a few of those gigs on video. As you said, it sadly didn't last very long after that.
So many brilliant times at Millers Manly Vale/Bryants. When Thorpie would blow out the sound systems, it wasn't silence, but Billy swearing and yelling at the top of his lungs and everyone in the crowd joining in and cheering. I also remember being there for TWO electrocutions, with the band members being zapped. I forget the name of the bands, but I think one was a Western Australian outfit and there was a bit of a flash and the lead singer/guitarist dropped to the floor and didn't move. The crowd sort of knew there was something really wrong but the rest of the band played on for a short time before realizing all was not well. The dude was knocked around, but made it through. I also remember talking to Jeff Duff from Kush up the near the food window a long way from the stage in between sets. He was painted silver all over and dressed up like a Martian in tights, but he was just groovin' and drinking a schooner of beer and being sociable. The only bad vibes I can recall from there was one particular oaf of a bouncer who shall remain nameless. He was a large tyrant and used to push his weight around a lot, but couldn't start to bring down the vibe of a sensational venue. Thanks Gio; next you've got to say something about 'The Flicks' in Manly, another superb place for Northern Beaches Kids to form their lives correctly.
Late 70’s early 80’s good times Remember the big staircase at the front and the old Hartees hamburger joint Thanks Gio brings back a simpler time in life 👍👍
I grew up in Manly Vale, and my parents and grandfather cleaned there late at night at certain stages. I remember watching the bands rehearse as a kid and running around inside late at night after hours.
Good to see the photo of it - at some time. Manly in the 1960s had few venues for live music and its pubs were more of the “drink up” variety. So, if you were unable or unprepared to go to the city for entertainment, then Millers Manly Vale was the place. It was also the time of very different licensing hours for NSW hotels, when the six o’clock closing had only been abolished in February 1954. In its place was closing at 10pm, with the proviso that the hotel could remain open until midnight if it served food. I doubt that many stayed on after 10pm at the Millers Manly Vale for the food. The dancing and the live music were always the drawcards for such late night adventures. I went in the 1960s (which don't seem to have been covered in the comments) and stayed late several times. I was more than slightly amazed at what was provided for the patrons to “eat” after 10pm. Plates of Jatz crackers, warm (and small) cubes of cheese and lettuce may well have satisfied the licensing definition of “food”, but did not satisfy my stomach. Tellingly, many of those plates seemed subsequently to have been left untouched, when the place closed down shortly before midnight. Perhaps everyone knew they had to eat before going for a drink and dance at the Millers Manly Vale in the 1960s.
Great memories . This was my go to pub in the late 60's and 70's. All in brawls at Billy Thorpe Shows, lining up the Schooners on the verandah wall before closing. Even the Platters played the International Room. I used to drink there in my School uniform late 60's. So many great bands and great times here, a bloody shame that it has been lost to house more old fart whiners. Best ever pub of its time. Thank you for sharing this vid.
Great video. Grew up about 200 metres from there, got heaps of hangovers from there and saw so many great bands - Mick Taylor from the Stones being one of the standout, and The Party Boys with Richard Clapton being another. Sure brings back great memories!
Saw Canned heat, The radiators, midnight oil, the reels, Dead kennedys, New Race ( Radio birdman with ex stooges and MC5 members) etc. etc. midnight oil blew the power out with there opening song and we sweated for an hour in the dark before the power came back on Greg Smith
Walking up those steps you knew it was going to be a good night. Chisel, birdman,oils, romantics and dozens of other bands. And you're right it's now a block of flats. I still live just down the road.
I think Deniz Tek was about the only gig I saw there. By 1990/91 when I started being able to go, there weren't many bands playing there, and most of them seemed to be covers bands.
OMG, I saw INXS there so many times in the early 80s (80-83??), as they built up their following. INXS played a Christmas eve show there 81? Remember getting home in early hours of Christmas day. And so many other bands, mental as anything,
Devastated when it was knocked down to make way for apartments, it was probably the largest venue on the northern beaches, I saw INXS before they became a huge overseas, I think possibly Public Image Ltd played and Sandii and the Sunsetz from Japan, I saw Powderfinger who were supporting another band before they became famous, they were amazing and we walked out satisfied congratulating them saying they were going to become huge and that they did become
I saw INXS at narrabeen sands, afterwards I was taken where the band was across the room I seen Micheal Hutchinson standing alone. So I started to check him out I looked at his shoes they were worn out and horrible blue jeans. I slowly looking up till I got to his face he was looking start at me. I was like omg busted perving his eyes looked at me too say well do you like what you see, I looked back at him to say sorry but NO and turned around and left look he was cute looking guy but he didn't do it for me like all the other females true story 😊
The Angels....$1 jugs of cider...mid winter...what a night. Weekends were combinations of drive-ins at either Fenchs Forest or Warriewood, surfing, bands at the Manly Vale or the Venue. Sleeping in the car. Good times! Other venues...Patricks at the Penno pub, Tracks at the Epping pub, the Vicar out at Dural plus the inner city pubs...what a time to be alive. Great music, good times, good friends. 'Not in those shoes mate!'
Saw so many great bands there - INXS, The Models, The Reels, Simple Minds, Echo & The Bunnymen, the list goes on. Was a great venue eventually killed by NIMBYism.
Bands I recall seeing at Manly Vale Hotel: Dragon 1977; Radiators aka "big swifty"; Ol 55 1977; Jon English 1978; Cold Chisel 1981; INXS 'surprise appearance' 1985 & many others as well as the downstairs disco 1976-? Many a good time had.
As a PS. I've just discovered the licence came in 1965 from the de-commissioned Shipwrights Arms in Balmain (I've tried posting with the link to the extract below, but it disappeared "Former Shipwrights Arms Hotel: Established in 1844 as the Dolphin Inn, in 1846 the name was changed to the Shipwrights Arms Hotel. The building is situated at the Balmain Ferry Wharf. The hotel was closed in 1965 and the licence was transferred to establish a Millers Hotel at Manly Vale, a suburb of Sydney."
I came from the West but went to the Manly Vale plenty of times. It was a big venue, saw the Angels there several times. Pretty certain a lot of their Never So Live EP was recorded there. One of the better venues in Sydney late 70's early 80's.
This is a great series of mini-docos on Sydney's halcyon era of live music which will go down in history as an unsurpassed time in our lives. I actually played the Manly Vale main room a few times in the early 90s which I will always cherish although it was probably well past its 1980s prime and certainly a tragedy to track the hotel's inevitable demise and destruction as you did so well during this video. A venue that came up over a night out last week was the San Miguel at Cammeray which was a bit before my time but my buddy 10 years older than me remembers it well. Maybe a future video on this?
@Gioia67 Keep up the great work on these vids! Hotel Mosman was another venue in that same part of Sydney that came to me whilst watching the other day. Look forward to your San Miguel episode!!
The Chisels in June 1980. The whole band just walked up the front steps right past me 60 minutes or so before it started. No back entrances in those days.
Went to MANY gigs there. Played there, too. A great loss. The Dead Kennedys played there because they sold the most records in Sydney's Northern Beaches than anywhere else, bar their home town of San Fransico. Those units are a tragedy.
Saw Big Pig here. Bye the way, do you remmber a nightclub in Avalon called Bips, owned by Paul Christie from the Party Boys and Mondo Rock. Ps: Dont forget DeeDee's at Brookvale.
Anyone remember the cocktail bar within the venue. A much quieter sophisticated classy room to get away from the madding crowd! Lol. Rossco’s. Anyone know where he is lately? I reckon I saw Chuck Berry and / or Bo Diddley there in late sixties or seventies.Friend’s family lived across the road( from coles) and Rossco dated one of our friends.
Omg in 1981 I went there to see radiator the band was only 14, seen dead Kennedys there oh oh went in 80s to see uk band the damn at mona vale hotel the crowd tried to beat up the lead singer gig canclled
haha I saw the Radiators at the Family Inn Rydalmere when I was 16 with my older brother lol ...Oh no I didnt know that about the lead singer and gig cancelling Thats a crappy thing to do
Saw many, many bands at the Manly Vale. One you forgot was Iggy Pop - with his infamous stage dives into that full on packed, sweating crowd. Fondly remember friend GNS going in numerous tandem dives with Iggy. The regulators shutting it down was all part of a combined Sydney wide effort. Basically the coppers had zero control and this had been going on for many years. So they primarily used fire regulations to progressively shut down that sub-culture venue after venue. Very, very disappointing ending to what was the most amazing era of free expression.
There was another venue in Belgrade st Manly, can't remember the name, it was an old theatre, the promoter was Larry Danielson aka the Woolworth's Bomber. The Knak played there and I did a gig there once with Jeff St John who got totally smashed and rolled off stage. Anyone remember the name of the venue?
@@Gioia67 Yes you can, ah Flicks, I was working for Jeff doing front of house. Jeff had the most amazingly powerful voice. He was also a master of poker and pinball. As for Larry...he seems to be keeping a low profile since he got out.
Where did you get the picture of the carpark/bottlo line to get in? It was for Cold Chisel. I think thats my picture. I took a lot of pictures of all the bands some were published in music and surfing mags! I worked at the Manly Vale and looked after the Green Room back stage so had access to all areas. The licensing Police were a bunch of drunk corrupt bullies in Manly and The Rocks! I was there when they were "inspecting" at Manly Vale and also at a venue in The Rocks! Very disappointing, pay bags of cash and free drinks or get closed down! The down stairs bar was called the Red Piano Room that was where INXS were signed up by the agent. They played to 21 people that night who all stood around the bar or back of the room acting non chalant whilst I sat in the front row of seats with a whole bunch of glasses I'd collected!😂
Wow! Love this story. Except for the corruption but gee Australia was SO corrupt in every industry in the 80s especially. Pretty sad. Still goes on today . I'm pretty sure I got the pic from 1 of 2 places. .the FB group or maybe the Archive websites like Trove...State Library or the old Council pics? If it's yours sorry I didn't ask permission. I'm happy so many people are enjoying the trip down memory lane. Didn't wantvto add too many Chisel clips as they are selling their album and I guess people can look up themselves if they want the music clips. Thanks for the feedback. Hope I was factually correct with everything considering I never went to this iconic venue 😁
@@Gioia67 I drove past their last week and said exactly what you said walking on footpath! That was where driveway was! And we used to climb through hole in paling fence to back street to where friends lived. All my mates worked there at some stage from late 70s to 90s. I was amazed to hear that bloke at the end call the downstairs bar, The Basement? As that was the name of a very well known venue in the city? Jazz I think? Anyhow it all ends up a memory. There was a lot going on front of house and at the back! INXS came back a couple of times as did Midnight Oil, who were locals but some nights the biggest bands of our era played under dodgy names! And only those in the know would click!
@@Gioia67 Graham was my Dad, John Finley and Cliff Wallace managed the pub, Harry Della booked the bands, I managed the bottle drive in. I have a ton of stories
@@deanfrancis8127 I should do Part 2. If you like I'm happy to add another with some more info/stories. My email is gioia_50@hotmail.com ps I'm doing one on He Royal Antler Narraben soon. Any stories?
You're 100% correct on the location - many fond memories. High school reunion was there. First time we ever got turned away from a gig was at Bryants because it was full (the night Cold Chisel was recording Live). The point you missed about the demise of live music venues on the Northern Beaches were the big car parks because they were a property developers dream - same with the Royal Antler at Narrabeen (now town houses and appartments - with a small pub), and the Dee Why Hotel (Glider Room/Jet Club/The Venue) now high rise offices and appartment complex, with a small pub. Unfortunatley Bryants/Manly Vale didn't retain a pub. This is how the Real Estate boom destroyed Australian culture - we lost the abundance of live music venues. Our iconic rock bands penned the songs, played them to us at home, and then played all over the world - people like INXS, AD/DC, Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel, Angels, Richard Clapton, James Rayne, etc exporting anthems to the Australian way of life. To give an anecdote - in 2018 I was in Prague at a speedway event. When the crowd stared arriving the organisers played music over the PA before the official event began. First song was by AC/DC - quite a welcome reminder of home when homesick and on the other side of the world. Next was an INXS song, (then Pearl Jam), then Midnight Oil, then Jet, even a Kylie Monogue tune - by the time the event began, seven of the ten songs played over the PA were Australian (I noted it all down as a reminder of what it is to be Australian). Australian culture has been spread around the world by the rock bands of the 70s and 80s - and that is an indicator of Australian culture - irreverent of pomp and status - everyone at the pub watching a band. That era will never be repeated because the iconic pubs where everyone gathered after a day of surfing, fishing, any sport imaginable, to party and watch a band play their hearts out have all been bulldozed and apartments built on their once enormous car parks. To revive Australian culture we must first revive the live music scene by providing cheap venues for bands to play and people from every strata to access.
I loved reading this You have articulated it so well. The other reason is the demography 70% of people living in those suburbs where rock
ruled are not interested in boogie rock. I do love multiculturalism yet their musical tastes are questionable
Man it’s all changed!!!!! Think I saw just about every Sydney band at Bryant’s in the 70’s/80’s plus overseas acts. Such an awesome venue👍. Thanks for the vid❤️
Tracks Epping Electric ballroom Ermington all these clubs bring back priceless memories .Big thanks for the vidoes long live aussie pubs.
I just found your channel and really appreciate your videos. Brings back memories of growing up in Sydney and all the bands we saw back then. I just returned to Sydney after 30 years overseas and am gutted to see all the places gone and no live music to speak of - what a loss! I went to manly Vale Hotel almost every weekend in 79/80. Main memories of the few that remain are of the Angels and Doc Neeson climbing along the top of the speaker boxes. Great days.
Yep, was my favourite band venue on the Northern Beaches. The Venue (previously The Glider Room) and Narrabeen Sands were all great but I never hear or read about the old Manly Hotel directly across from Manly Wharf, I broke my ankle there dancing drunk at a Troggs gig.
Thanks for the video. Octoberpus was a legendary annual gig that I went to every year there. Massappeal usually headlined and they were awesome. Mergatroid, Wild men from Borneo, Tumbleweed and other local acts filled the bill. It was always a huge day. Great memories!
My first pub gig was seeing The Reels supporting Mental as Anything at the Manly Vale. My next gig there (probably the next weekend) was The Divinyls supporting The Angels. I saw many other bands there and then I ended up working with many of the bands that played there in the early 90s when they refurbished it all, firstly playing in the front room then moving to the larger room at the back. I've got a few of those gigs on video. As you said, it sadly didn't last very long after that.
So many brilliant times at Millers Manly Vale/Bryants. When Thorpie would blow out the sound systems, it wasn't silence, but Billy swearing and yelling at the top of his lungs and everyone in the crowd joining in and cheering. I also remember being there for TWO electrocutions, with the band members being zapped. I forget the name of the bands, but I think one was a Western Australian outfit and there was a bit of a flash and the lead singer/guitarist dropped to the floor and didn't move. The crowd sort of knew there was something really wrong but the rest of the band played on for a short time before realizing all was not well. The dude was knocked around, but made it through. I also remember talking to Jeff Duff from Kush up the near the food window a long way from the stage in between sets. He was painted silver all over and dressed up like a Martian in tights, but he was just groovin' and drinking a schooner of beer and being sociable. The only bad vibes I can recall from there was one particular oaf of a bouncer who shall remain nameless. He was a large tyrant and used to push his weight around a lot, but couldn't start to bring down the vibe of a sensational venue. Thanks Gio; next you've got to say something about 'The Flicks' in Manly, another superb place for Northern Beaches Kids to form their lives correctly.
Thanks for the feedback. Royal Antler next but yes will see what else I can do round the Northern Beaches. I remember Didis
Late 70’s early 80’s good times Remember the big staircase at the front and the old Hartees hamburger joint Thanks Gio brings back a simpler time in life 👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it 😄😄 special times indeed
Thanks so much for your videos and information. Great work Gioia.
Cheers Appreciate it ✌️✌️✌️
I grew up in Manly Vale, and my parents and grandfather cleaned there late at night at certain stages.
I remember watching the bands rehearse as a kid and running around inside late at night after hours.
Never played Manly Vale, but I was at that Chisel concert you featured at the start. Typical gig with wall to wall sweaty people. Such a great vibe !
Good to see the photo of it - at some time.
Manly in the 1960s had few venues for live music and its pubs were more of the “drink up” variety. So, if you were unable or unprepared to go to the city for entertainment, then Millers Manly Vale was the place. It was also the time of very different licensing hours for NSW hotels, when the six o’clock closing had only been abolished in February 1954. In its place was closing at 10pm, with the proviso that the hotel could remain open until midnight if it served food.
I doubt that many stayed on after 10pm at the Millers Manly Vale for the food. The dancing and the live music were always the drawcards for such late night adventures. I went in the 1960s (which don't seem to have been covered in the comments) and stayed late several times. I was more than slightly amazed at what was provided for the patrons to “eat” after 10pm.
Plates of Jatz crackers, warm (and small) cubes of cheese and lettuce may well have satisfied the licensing definition of “food”, but did not satisfy my stomach. Tellingly, many of those plates seemed subsequently to have been left untouched, when the place closed down shortly before midnight.
Perhaps everyone knew they had to eat before going for a drink and dance at the Millers Manly Vale in the 1960s.
Great memories . This was my go to pub in the late 60's and 70's. All in brawls at Billy Thorpe Shows, lining up the Schooners on the verandah wall before closing. Even the Platters played the International Room. I used to drink there in my School uniform late 60's. So many great bands and great times here, a bloody shame that it has been lost to house more old fart whiners. Best ever pub of its time. Thank you for sharing this vid.
Great video. Grew up about 200 metres from there, got heaps of hangovers from there and saw so many great bands - Mick Taylor from the Stones being one of the standout, and The Party Boys with Richard Clapton being another. Sure brings back great memories!
Wow How awesome!! Thanks for the feedback 😎😍
My first ever gig there was the Allniters at 17, the surfing rudies! Great night...
Saw Canned heat, The radiators, midnight oil, the reels, Dead kennedys, New Race ( Radio birdman with ex stooges and MC5 members) etc. etc. midnight oil blew the power out with there opening song and we sweated for an hour in the dark before the power came back on
Greg Smith
Annie Lennox , echo and the bunny men, graham Parker, Faith no more, I saw just about every big show
Greg I was at Dead Kenndys gig too, we could of been standing near one another for sure
That New race concert was dynamite.
Walking up those steps you knew it was going to be a good night. Chisel, birdman,oils, romantics and dozens of other bands. And you're right it's now a block of flats. I still live just down the road.
I think Deniz Tek was about the only gig I saw there. By 1990/91 when I started being able to go, there weren't many bands playing there, and most of them seemed to be covers bands.
I was at that Cure and Dead Kennedys gigs, saw nearly all of Aussie bands you mentioned there in the 70/80's....
OMG, I saw INXS there so many times in the early 80s (80-83??), as they built up their following. INXS played a Christmas eve show there 81? Remember getting home in early hours of Christmas day. And so many other bands, mental as anything,
June 1980 - Cold Chisel. My best birthday ever.
Devastated when it was knocked down to make way for apartments, it was probably the largest venue on the northern beaches, I saw INXS before they became a huge overseas, I think possibly Public Image Ltd played and Sandii and the Sunsetz from Japan, I saw Powderfinger who were supporting another band before they became famous, they were amazing and we walked out satisfied congratulating them saying they were going to become huge and that they did become
I saw INXS at narrabeen sands, afterwards I was taken where the band was across the room I seen Micheal Hutchinson standing alone. So I started to check him out I looked at his shoes they were worn out and horrible blue jeans. I slowly looking up till I got to his face he was looking start at me. I was like omg busted perving his eyes looked at me too say well do you like what you see, I looked back at him to say sorry but NO and turned around and left look he was cute looking guy but he didn't do it for me like all the other females true story
😊
I used to see many bands there and booked bands there as well and now I live there in a one-bedroom unit........😎
🤣😁😁😁✌️
Sh*t yeah! I remember scouring the 'What's on' gig guide in the SMH Fridays to see who was playing that weekend...
Me too!!
The Angels....$1 jugs of cider...mid winter...what a night. Weekends were combinations of drive-ins at either Fenchs Forest or Warriewood, surfing, bands at the Manly Vale or the Venue. Sleeping in the car. Good times!
Other venues...Patricks at the Penno pub, Tracks at the Epping pub, the Vicar out at Dural plus the inner city pubs...what a time to be alive. Great music, good times, good friends.
'Not in those shoes mate!'
Great times indeed !🎶🎶🎶💃💃💃
Saw so many great bands there - INXS, The Models, The Reels, Simple Minds, Echo & The Bunnymen, the list goes on. Was a great venue eventually killed by NIMBYism.
Bands I recall seeing at Manly Vale Hotel: Dragon 1977; Radiators aka "big swifty"; Ol 55 1977; Jon English 1978; Cold Chisel 1981; INXS 'surprise appearance' 1985 & many others as well as the downstairs disco 1976-? Many a good time had.
New Order played there in December 1982
As a PS. I've just discovered the licence came in 1965 from the de-commissioned Shipwrights Arms in Balmain (I've tried posting with the link to the extract below, but it disappeared
"Former Shipwrights Arms Hotel: Established in 1844 as the Dolphin Inn, in 1846 the name was changed to the Shipwrights Arms Hotel. The building is situated at the Balmain Ferry Wharf. The hotel was closed in 1965 and the licence was transferred to establish a Millers Hotel at Manly Vale, a suburb of Sydney."
Excellent! Thank you✌️
I came from the West but went to the Manly Vale plenty of times. It was a big venue, saw the Angels there several times. Pretty certain a lot of their Never So Live EP was recorded there. One of the better venues in Sydney late 70's early 80's.
Got a great live recording of Spy v Spy live at the Manly Vale 1982
This is a great series of mini-docos on Sydney's halcyon era of live music which will go down in history as an unsurpassed time in our lives. I actually played the Manly Vale main room a few times in the early 90s which I will always cherish although it was probably well past its 1980s prime and certainly a tragedy to track the hotel's inevitable demise and destruction as you did so well during this video. A venue that came up over a night out last week was the San Miguel at Cammeray which was a bit before my time but my buddy 10 years older than me remembers it well. Maybe a future video on this?
Yes doing this one very soon Thank you for your kind words 😍
@Gioia67 Keep up the great work on these vids! Hotel Mosman was another venue in that same part of Sydney that came to me whilst watching the other day. Look forward to your San Miguel episode!!
The San Miguel morphed into a Mitre 10 hardware store before being redeveloped by Stockland into Cammeray Square shops & apartments
I’m going to head down there this weekend to film the old site 😀
@@Gioia67 Fine powerpop band the Reasons Why at the San Miguel: ruclips.net/video/wxioBTiDGaM/видео.html
Brilliant hotel my ex was a bouncer ther. So sad when it went. Great venue and parking
Yes it was
The Chisels in June 1980. The whole band just walked up the front steps right past me 60 minutes or so before it started. No back entrances in those days.
Awesome
the hotel was behind the unit block, where coles is and the car park
Very wet soggy carpets. Beer spilt everywhere when bands played. I lived in Balgowlah … ten minute walk.
Went to MANY gigs there. Played there, too. A great loss. The Dead Kennedys played there because they sold the most records in Sydney's Northern Beaches than anywhere else, bar their home town of San Fransico. Those units are a tragedy.
Peter Tosh played therel, George Thorogood as well.
Nearly 20yrs as a roadie, Manly Vale hotel, it was just around the corner.
Seen INXS there was packed. They were pretty much unknown back then
The Angels recorded parts of their live album "LiveLine" at the manly vale hotel
@aidanjasmins1294 and Bankstown RSL👌
Johnny Dole & The Scabs + Karl Taylor & Huntress - Saturday 27th August 1977
Stallions /General Bourke/KCS cannonball/Collectors Tavern/Vauxal Inn/Tivoli/Reevsby Roundhouse/Tiffanys Blactown/St James Tavern
@lambrosm770 did Collector amd Stallions/Cobra club Gen Bourke ...but yeh quite a lot more to do Thanks 💥🎶✌️
Saw Big Pig here. Bye the way, do you remmber a nightclub in Avalon called Bips, owned by Paul Christie from the Party Boys and Mondo Rock. Ps: Dont forget DeeDee's at Brookvale.
No don’t know that place but I do remember Dee Dee’s . I grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney 👌😀
Didi's, brookvale hotel
Omg got drunk so many times in Dee dees
Front End Loader @ The Vale …. Great night guaranteed
Gary Morris aka 'Cosmo' was the first manager of Midnight Oil.
R U still making videos of clubs?
@lambrosm770 yes. Playroom next Coming up very soon 🎶👍✌️
Anyone remember the cocktail bar within the venue. A much quieter sophisticated classy room to get away from the madding crowd! Lol. Rossco’s. Anyone know where he is lately?
I reckon I saw Chuck Berry and / or Bo Diddley there in late sixties or seventies.Friend’s family lived across the road( from coles) and Rossco dated one of our friends.
Bo Diddley def as he did quite a few gigs in NSW . Chuck Berry played the Syd Stadium Old tin Shed but maybe he did play there too .
Omg in 1981 I went there to see radiator the band was only 14, seen dead Kennedys there oh oh went in 80s to see uk band the damn at mona vale hotel the crowd tried to beat up the lead singer gig canclled
haha I saw the Radiators at the Family Inn Rydalmere when I was 16 with my older brother lol ...Oh no I didnt know that about the lead singer and gig cancelling Thats a crappy thing to do
Saw many, many bands at the Manly Vale. One you forgot was Iggy Pop - with his infamous stage dives into that full on packed, sweating crowd. Fondly remember friend GNS going in numerous tandem dives with Iggy. The regulators shutting it down was all part of a combined Sydney wide effort. Basically the coppers had zero control and this had been going on for many years. So they primarily used fire regulations to progressively shut down that sub-culture venue after venue. Very, very disappointing ending to what was the most amazing era of free expression.
Agree If u watch Midnught Oil pub gig videos people allowed on stage etc So much more freedom in general
The Cure, 8/8/1980..
They have all gone, so don't worry about it about luv, Sydney has the honours of the most FUCKED night-life on the planet.
haha.. so true... things have changed in deed since then
There was another venue in Belgrade st Manly, can't remember the name, it was an old theatre, the promoter was Larry Danielson aka the Woolworth's Bomber. The Knak played there and I did a gig there once with Jeff St John who got totally smashed and rolled off stage. Anyone remember the name of the venue?
Flicks. I'm researching now and will be my nect vlog. Can I use thus story?
What s your band called?
@@Gioia67 Yes you can, ah Flicks, I was working for Jeff doing front of house. Jeff had the most amazingly powerful voice. He was also a master of poker and pinball. As for Larry...he seems to be keeping a low profile since he got out.
Didn't realise he was out. Mmm maybe best i don't even mention that criminal act.
@@Gioia67 He got 20 and that was in the early 80s so I guess he's out. Have you done the Bondi Lifesaver yet? I looked but couldn't find it.
What suburb from the Western Suburbs are you from???
Grew up in Smithfield
@@Gioia67 I grew up in Parramatta.
You forgot the Ramones
Oh wow. Thought they played at The Capitol during that period?
Where did you get the picture of the carpark/bottlo line to get in? It was for Cold Chisel. I think thats my picture. I took a lot of pictures of all the bands some were published in music and surfing mags! I worked at the Manly Vale and looked after the Green Room back stage so had access to all areas. The licensing Police were a bunch of drunk corrupt bullies in Manly and The Rocks! I was there when they were "inspecting" at Manly Vale and also at a venue in The Rocks! Very disappointing, pay bags of cash and free drinks or get closed down!
The down stairs bar was called the Red Piano Room that was where INXS were signed up by the agent. They played to 21 people that night who all stood around the bar or back of the room acting non chalant whilst I sat in the front row of seats with a whole bunch of glasses I'd collected!😂
Wow! Love this story. Except for the corruption but gee Australia was SO corrupt in every industry in the 80s especially. Pretty sad. Still goes on today . I'm pretty sure I got the pic from 1 of 2 places. .the FB group or maybe the Archive websites like Trove...State Library or the old Council pics? If it's yours sorry I didn't ask permission. I'm happy so many people are enjoying the trip down memory lane. Didn't wantvto add too many Chisel clips as they are selling their album and I guess people can look up themselves if they want the music clips. Thanks for the feedback. Hope I was factually correct with everything considering I never went to this iconic venue 😁
@@Gioia67 I drove past their last week and said exactly what you said walking on footpath! That was where driveway was! And we used to climb through hole in paling fence to back street to where friends lived. All my mates worked there at some stage from late 70s to 90s.
I was amazed to hear that bloke at the end call the downstairs bar, The Basement? As that was the name of a very well known venue in the city? Jazz I think?
Anyhow it all ends up a memory.
There was a lot going on front of house and at the back!
INXS came back a couple of times as did Midnight Oil, who were locals but some nights the biggest bands of our era played under dodgy names! And only those in the know would click!
@@Gioia67 Defo there. Maybe 2 different tours, both downstairs.
If u need help I could help u with some clubs in the western suburbs.
@lambrosm770 planning on Sefton hotel, Fairfield, Sundowner Punchbowl, Hurstville .. others in different areas 👍
Most of it is accurate but there's some that is not
How do I know? I'm Dean Francis
I forgot to mention Harry Della . There's very limited information out there in public unfortunately. Tried my best 👌
I assume u were part of the club mgt..would have loved more footage of live bands performing there
@@Gioia67 Graham was my Dad, John Finley and Cliff Wallace managed the pub, Harry Della booked the bands, I managed the bottle drive in. I have a ton of stories
@@deanfrancis8127 I should do Part 2. If you like I'm happy to add another with some more info/stories. My email is gioia_50@hotmail.com ps I'm doing one on He Royal Antler Narraben soon. Any stories?