Avid gig attender from 1985 onwards. Less so these days. Loved music. Worked in an independenet record shop for 7 years. Then got fazed by the industry. Put off music for a while, went to University, now working in education at a college in Birmingham. the love for music came back – now playing in a band and very occasionally playing live (We Hear Owls). Find the music on YouTube if you can…
Music, Gig Reviews & stuff
Mini-seals of approval 
Mainly this blog is to share my gig history. I’ve kept notes from an old school book that lists; band, venue, support, price, etc. I’m writing the detail from memory and adding where relevant videos, etc. Hope you enjoy reading it. It’s kind of turning out to be a (hopefully) worthy history of alt gigs in (mainly) Birmingham, England. Feel free to comment.
Thanks.
Charlie.
Did you ever buy a T-shirt at a Mermaid gig printed by me? I’m trying to get photos up on a FaceBook Groups page – it’s been ages I’ve been screen printing and I’d like to see some of the stuff I did! Still have a lot of the screens, but not photos of people wearing them. I used to come down from Leicster. Thanks, Jen
I’ve not got any t-shirt photos although I do remember them being sold at The Mermaid. Great days, great music. There is a facebook Mermaid thing with a lot of contributers (although I do rarely myself). Maybe a reader can help, would be cool if that happened. Thanks. Charlie.
Fabulous stuff here – do keep going.
Many thanks for this – I’ve been trying to complete a list of gigs I’ve seen over the years and found a few that I’d been to in here. I was beginning to wonder whether I’d imagined seeing Bongwater at Edwards cos I could find no other mention of it on the web anywhere…
I’ve was at most of the gigs you’ve mentioned, my memory is a bit lacking on some of them probably due Snakebites and Thunderbird, but i agree the Hard Ons at the Fulham Greyhound was one of the best shows i ever saw, even better than Slayer at the Odeon during the Reign in Blood tour. Btw I was the tall guitarist out the Fix, it was great reading about all these gigs and how much music was in Brum at the time…..Great Stuff!
Hi. Great to get a comment from someone from one of these bands. Cool band too and I remember who you are (from seeing the band several times. The Fulham Greyhound Gig is the stuff of legend – don’t think it’ll be topped in my lifetime – great days. Thanks for the comment, i’ll crack on with the blog soon.
Cheers Charlie.
brilliant… i wish i’d kept notes because the cans of breaker and red stripe play havoc with my memory
the Suicidal Tendencies gig at the Irish Bar in ’89 was my first every real gig at the tender age of 17 (sheltered life)
but i made up for it after that… great to see Gregg from the ‘fix posting above, i was really good friends with Tony W’s then girlfriend ‘Sid’…and got a mention on the bastards album ‘thanks’ list which is still one of my most prized possessions!!
nice work fella!!
Nice blog mate, I’ve just created a blog of all the gigs i’ve been to in the past 10 years, would be good if you have a visit and let me know what you think.
Cheers!!
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what a great site, just stumbled across after searching for memories of slayer at the odeon (still top 5 gig of mine). due to age missed out on alot of the mermaid / kaleidoscope gigs (though have flyers for alot of them somewhere!) … was really into the scene late 80’s early 90’s until moved to london area …
Hi. Have you published the full list of “20 Films” or are you building it slowly over time? When I go to the category I see less than 20 film recommendations….