The memories live on, but it’s still a mystery why some of these couldn’t have endured
SINCE the announcement that there are plans to develop Cardiff’s popular 10 Feet Tall into a restaurant and commercial units there’s been much lamenting over the loss of live music venues in our towns and cities during recent years.
Staff at the venue hit the headlines by resigning en masse, claiming the first they knew about the proposals was when they read it on WalesOnline.
The company behind it insisted “it is business as usual” for now, but if 10 Feet Tall ends up biting the dust it will be following a depressing trend that has seen other much-loved gig venues head terminally south.
We take a look at some of the much-missed places in Cardiff, Swansea and beyond where we loved watching bands and musicians perform but which have now closed their doors.
Legendary doesn’t do it justice. The Newport club hosted hundreds of famous names, including Oasis, The Stone Roses, Iron Maiden, Primal Scream, and is the place where Kurt Cobain is said to have proposed to Courtney Love. Catatonia filmed their single Mulder and Scully there. Why was it allowed to close?
It wasn’t huge – just 150 capacity – but whether you were a fan of Canadian gay indie pop (The Hidden Cameras) or incredibly loud post hardcore (Hell Is For Heroes) it had something for everyone. It also put on bands who went on to bigger things – Kings of Leon, Scissor Sisters and the Black Keys all performed there.
The Cardiff club closed in 2010 after 10 years.
Adele, Stormzy and James Blake all played at Buffalo in Cardiff when they were rising stars.
But in a statement posted on social media earlier this month the management of the venue in Windsor Place said increases in rent and business rates meant there was no future for the club.
The Swansea club featured in the film Twin Town, and hosted the likes of Shirley Bassey, Bob Monkhouse
and Swansea band Liberty 37.
When it closed, a group of disappointed Scottish rugby fans who visited it every time they came to Swansea for rugby internationals held a wake outside.
Originally Cardiff’s centre for trading in coal, for many years it was a music venue, hosting the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Van Morrison, Biffy Clyro, as well as Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics.
As well as putting on some great bands, going to a gig at the Coal Exchange was almost certainly going to be a good night out on account of it having a massive bar. And the local pubs around the venue were always decent as well.
The Coal Exchange closed in 2013. It has since been redeveloped as a hotel.
If the Devil has the best tunes, then there’s a case for God having the best venues – The Point was a deconsecrated Grade II-listed church in Cardiff.
It looked imposing on the inside and its massive church-hall roof meant some sweet acoustics.
It ran into difficulties in 2009 despite a campaign to save the venue. Cerys Matthews, formerly of Catatonia and now of BBC 6 Music fame, said her 2006 gig at The Point was one of the most memorable she had ever played.
Popular among students for its indie nights, the Toucan also put on some great gigs too and was one of the venues for the massively successful Swn festival.
The club was based at a number of locations around Cardiff, including Womanby Street, St Mary Street and Newport Road, but finally called it a day in 2013
Steve Ignorant, Euros Childs, Cate Le Bon, Adwaith, Dodgy and Boy Azooga are a sample of artists to have performed at the independent venue in Carmarthen town centre.
Yet it closed two years ago, despite the best efforts of owner Matt Davies and his team.
TJ’S
THE BARFLY
BUFFALO
BARONS
THE COAL EXCHANGE
THE POINT
TOUCAN CLUB
THE PARROT
MONKEY
Nothing short of legendary. The Swansea nightclub hosted live music and comedy, had a restaurant, and was an art space too. A rite of passage for anyone who ever played in a band in Swansea.
Upstairs, where bands played, was tiny – which meant that you could feel it in your skull every time the drummer used the kick drum. It also put on some great hip hop and drum and bass nights too. It closed