What's happened to the Arches?

_Ren · 23-12-2004, 14:45

does anyone know what is happening with the Arches nightclub (Wicker)? last i heard they were trying to sort out their license..any news?

iffypop · 23-12-2004, 14:55

Yeah.. I dont really know. I remember someone else buying it (or at least taking the lease over) but since they've had it, there hasent been much action huh.

_Ren · 23-12-2004, 15:06

yeah i heard that there may be some construction work going on down walker street early next year and wondered whether the arches club was to be involved??

iffypop · 23-12-2004, 15:09

yikes. hope not. After the amount of times people said it had closed for good, it always made a comeback in some way or another, even if it was only for a week or two!

fingers crossed ay.

_Ren · 23-12-2004, 15:23

they could do so much with that venue it would be a shame to let it go to waste, very much like Bed.

bassman-x · 23-12-2004, 15:28

I'd love it if it reopened and headcharge started back up there again, I've had some of the best nights out ever in that place.

_Ren · 23-12-2004, 15:34

tell me about it...its all about the atmosphere of the place.pokey little clubs are not my thing really. and the people....i never once felt lost in such a big building.

bassman-x · 23-12-2004, 17:09

it was cool just going for a random wander, sitting down somewhere and chatting **** to random people sitting next to you, everyone was so friendly!

_Ren · 24-12-2004, 07:51

whilst we're on the subject of clubs, any sneaking suspicions on the riddimtion NYE 'secret venue'? i don't want to ruin it in any way for those going, only guessing.

_Ren · 24-12-2004, 07:52

its very sad to think of all these places closing down, but i'm so proud that i was around to go to these places whilst they were thriving.

killthedj · 24-12-2004, 09:45

I heard a rumour that the venue was flooded which totally knacked it all up??? and they'd left the soundsystem in there n all - oh dear - dunno if it's true like

Agent Gypo · 24-12-2004, 10:03

We were chatting to a couple of the dj's and people involved with setting up Headcharge at Jackhammer.

Apparently, Arches was leased from Railtrack, and the draining system below the tracks was over 100 years old and in complete disrepair. This led to all kinds of rubbish flowing into Arches and buggering up the electrics as well as making the place a health and safety nightmare. There was also no disabled access to the place, which is possible something they were stung on.

Andy Driver said that Headcharge was the only night pulling crowds in, so I guess leasing Arches just wasn't very profitable.

I'd also heard that some people weren't sorting things out properly, and it was getting more and more difficult to get things ready on schedule. It's such a headache getting people confirmed, printing tickets, distributing tickets, printing flyers, distributing flyers, arranging advertisements and listings, keeping up to date with the website and mailing lists etc etc etc. All this for just one night. Add to that many of the people were not just involved with Headcharge but had other projects and commitments and I think you get the idea that they had a lot of pressure to deliver.

Agent Gypo · 24-12-2004, 10:11

So, if anyone has a few thousand to spare, make every techno-bods' christmas by getting the Arches sorted!

_Ren · 24-12-2004, 10:21

wow thanks for the info. so its looks like there may be no future for the Arches??!! this is a crying shame. i was just thinking this morning (and maybe i'm completely naive when it comes to these things) but where are all the business-minded people in sheffield (the nice ones who have an interest in the community of course) who want to set up new history-making clubs in such an influential northern city.
i guess its the same old, same old......money

_Ren · 24-12-2004, 10:23

killthedj - did you mean the riddimtion venue or the arches? very sad for either.

Agent Gypo · 24-12-2004, 10:38

It sounds like the arches is well and truly finished unless someone is prepared to shell out a lot of cash on it. And lets be honest, who in their right mind would do that just for a techno night? If a lot of money was spent on it, I'm sure the new owner would something on a regular basis with more pulling power than Headcharge.

Such a shame as there seem to very few decent venues in Sheffield, and lots of very generic and run-of-the-mill nights.

jake · 24-12-2004, 15:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Agent Gypo
We were chatting to a couple of the dj's and people involved with setting up Headcharge at Jackhammer.

Apparently, Arches was leased from Railtrack, and the draining system below the tracks was over 100 years old and in complete disrepair. This led to all kinds of rubbish flowing into Arches and buggering up the electrics as well as making the place a health and safety nightmare. There was also no disabled access to the place, which is possible something they were stung on.

Andy Driver said that Headcharge was the only night pulling crowds in, so I guess leasing Arches just wasn't very profitable.

I'd also heard that some people weren't sorting things out properly, and it was getting more and more difficult to get things ready on schedule. It's such a headache getting people confirmed, printing tickets, distributing tickets, printing flyers, distributing flyers, arranging advertisements and listings, keeping up to date with the website and mailing lists etc etc etc. All this for just one night. Add to that many of the people were not just involved with Headcharge but had other projects and commitments and I think you get the idea that they had a lot of pressure to deliver.

Well Planet Zogg ran for three years there - which made it the longest running night at the Arches apart from Headcharge - in fact probably the only other night that managed to run for more than a year down there.

The promotion & booking & organisation of a night is down to the promoters not the venue - so think you may be getting some wires crossed re: the arches/headcharge... Alan & Jamie who ran Headcharge were separate to the management of the Arches. But the ongoing saga of the management down there didnt make life easy for any promoters trying to get some stability to book a run of nights.

But it is obviously true that you cannot keep a club on the basis if just one night - which was all there was down there once Zogg left (even when it was there - you cannot run a club on two monthly nights)

Its sad - i've been to a lot of clubs round the land - and the arches is one of my fave venues ... but things move on - personally I'd be very surpised if it ever re-opened - but if it did - i'd definately be down there!

Agent Gypo · 24-12-2004, 15:27

Quote:

Originally posted by jake
Well Planet Zogg ran for three years there - which made it the longest running night at the Arches apart from Headcharge - in fact probably the only other night that managed to run for more than a year down there.

What other nights ran there? We've been racking our breains but can only ever remember Headcharge, Planet Zogg, and I seem to remember a drum and bass night there (no idea what it was called).

It is really sad about the venue, but the people involved with the nights they had on there have been putting some great nights on since it closed. Jackhammer brings a tear to my eye... It's so beautiful.

_Ren · 24-12-2004, 15:32

hmm yeah i remember that d&b night

iffypop · 24-12-2004, 15:34

The Drum & Bass night was probably Feedback, which did some warm up parties in the summer and came to a lovely head with Twisted Individual, Easy D, Fychu downstairs, and Matt, Venja, Me and Leki playing breaks upstairs. Was a right laugh