Some of my favourite bars in the place that I used to live in before Sheffield, were all underground basement joints (e.g. Chinawhite, Che, Quaglinos etc). I used to like them because of the subterranean, away-from-it-all vibe. I've just noticed that there don't seem to be any smoky downstairs dives in Sheffield. Or maybe I just haven't found em yet?

Can anyone help me make some new discoveries..?

Zeddy

yeah like 'alley cats' in brighton!

theres always the casbah...

Have you been to the bar in the Printworks in Manchester? Name escapes me but its across from the cinema and it's like a subterranean city with bars and rooms that just gets deeper and deeper!

Also in Manchester is the Music box, a pretty good little basement club.

Come on Sheffield, lets get digging.

orchis is a basement club but it doesn't always have the right vibe - depends what night it is i guess.

I'm not sure if it counts as a bar, but Sumunye can be quite underground in it's own little way... Sheffield isn't such a basementy place, more a terraced-house-and-back-yard affair :)

Originally posted by tinajones
yeah like 'alley cats' in brighton!


Hey Tina,

That's crazy... you know Alley cats! I used to hang out in there quite a bit when I lived in B Right On! They used to show arty lo-fi films some nights as well... cool. Did u live in Brighton? When? It must be quite recently coz I was living there when Alley Cats opened.

Let me indulge in some further Brighton reminisences for a mo: my all-time favourite was/is The Jazz Rooms on Ship Street. This is what a basement bar should be like: fabulous DJs (Rob Luis, Russ Dewsbury etc), a basic matt black decor and forget about sofas, the seating in this place consisted of wooden benches, but then again people didn't go there to sit down, rather to dance !

Where's Orchis?

Zeddy
p.s. how's post-grad hell? you *know* that the perfect remedy is a night of chillin' @ trippets with the Z-Man

Originally posted by E-Man Groovin
Hey Tina,

That's crazy... you know Alley cats! I used to hang out in there quite a bit when I lived in B Right On! They used to show arty lo-fi films some nights as well... cool. Did u live in Brighton? When? It must be quite recently coz I was living there when Alley Cats opened...

Where's Orchis?

Zeddy
p.s. how's post-grad hell? you *know* that the perfect remedy is a night of chillin' @ trippets with the Z-Man

my cousin lives in hove so i've been down a few times for the weekend - last time was for the festival a couple of years ago now. went to see biosphere at the arts centre and down to the honey club for a drum n bass night. i love brighton but its a bit exxpensive for us northerners!!!

i was well impressed with alleycats and have spent many a hazy afternoon/early evening watching films there after going round the shops. i keep saying that somewhere in sheff should get a licence and do the same. i'd do it if i had any money!

orchis is on carver street (off divvy st) next to havanas internet cafe. there used to be some good hip-hop/jungle nights there a few years back. not sure whats on there these days - probablly whatever is comercially viable.

post grad exam hell is soooo OVER! i now can have a life again. i'm actually intending on coming down this weds for a bottle of wine with a couple of mates that i've not seen for ages - so get some tunes ready!!!

YAY!:cool:

Be sure to come over and say "hi!" won't you...

Z

Anyone remember the UNDERGROUND, the ultra hip basement bar circa 1983 to around 1986, short 3 year life it had, occupying the basement of what is now CHARLES STREET club, when the club upstairs was called FACES at the time I think.

the basement was done out like a London tube station, complete with giant picture of a tube tunnel on the wall, with fake Underground station signs with the red circle and a fake tube map with Sheffield streets on it, like THE MOOR, FARGATE, etc. It was great AND they were the first bar in Sheffield to have a VIDEO JUKEBOX!!!

It was part of the alternative pub circuit between 83 and 86, attracting rockers mainly, but a good section of "trendies" as well, one of the few bars where both could exist in the same bar without problems!! Such a short life, no one seemed to know why it closed down and later became a trendy and very expensive restaurant. Always seemed packed out at the weekend, only the stairs were very narrow and if 10 people were coming up and 10 people were trying to go down, usually 20 people would end up descending the stairs!!! Get the beer in!

Originally posted by tinajones
orchis is a basement club but it doesn't always have the right vibe - depends what night it is i guess.

Yes, I not been for many years but in the past I have found it to be hit and miss.

8) Nah Den Ace.......

Does anybody remember a boozer on Shude Hill, where the new hotel is. I think it was called "The Barrow Boy". You used to get loads of skin'eads in in the early 80s.

Not strictly a basement bar, as you could walk in from street level; but it was well dark and dingy!

Regards,

Spacehopper.

Was that under a railway or road bridge with a door in the wall?

8) Nah Den Ace........

Originally posted by goldenfleece
Was that under a railway or road bridge with a door in the wall?

Yeah, if you go from the Penny Black, past the Royal Mail, towards the markets......Commercial Street runs over your head and the Barrow Boys used to be on your left hand side.

Aren't all doors in the wall!?! I know what you mean though....yes it was! Check it out here (http://www.sheffieldpubs.fsnet.co.uk/Business/pubs/barrowboys.htm)

Regards,

Spacehopper.

Originally posted by E-Man Groovin
Some of my favourite bars in the place that I used to live in before Sheffield, were all underground basement joints (e.g. Chinawhite, Che, Quaglinos etc). I used to like them because of the subterranean, away-from-it-all vibe. I've just noticed that there don't seem to be any smoky downstairs dives in Sheffield. Or maybe I just haven't found em yet?

Can anyone help me make some new discoveries..?

Zeddy


chinawhites eh? int that a bit VIP, like the funky buddah is now? i don't think theres anywhere for special people - i mean i've blagged my way into VIP mingdom and republic/GC1 nuff times and i'm a nobody.

we could do with a bar rhumba type place in sheff tho. like a smaller urban-vibed casbah, open all week.

Originally posted by tinajones
chinawhites eh? int that a bit VIP, like the funky buddah is now? i don't think theres anywhere for special people - i mean i've blagged my way into VIP mingdom and republic/GC1 nuff times and i'm a nobody.

we could do with a bar rhumba type place in sheff tho. like a smaller urban-vibed casbah, open all week.

Tina,

Yeah Chinawhites was A-list, but I used to be fairly connected when I was in London (all my posh friends disowned me when I said I was moving to Sheffield...)

However Sheffield does need what you suggest. And may I propose that TJ and the Z-Man could actually make it happen. You know where the Private Message button is... let's discuss!

Zeddy

are you suggesting i re-mortgage my house and buy a nightclub wit ya?! good idea tho...