I felt old in the Garage

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I felt old in the Garage

Postby lellerina » Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:26 pm

So.

My mates dragged me (hardly kicking and screaming when i found out the £1 a vodka offer) to the Garage on Sunday night.

What was once a place for debauchery and care free snogs is now an unbearable hell hole. Ive always hated the over zealousness of the bouncers but this time its prodded me so hard its provoked a rant on a blog.

OK- we dont want drugs (?) and knives etc in our qauint Glasgow night clubs but why on earth do they need to know where we've been, why we're out, what size of shoe we take. Maybe the last point was untrue but seriously next time they ask me Im going to say 'Theyve let me out for the nigth so could you move over you're wasting valuable drinking time'. Or summit.

So having successfully completed the spanish inquistion we proceeded to try and enjoy our night.

NUP. It wasnt to be. Everyone was 15 (or looked it) and I so don't remember the Music being as bad it was on sunday.

An all round reminder that im getting old and so need to stick to my pub after work, in bed by 1130 routine.

ps. Is there any alternative to the clubbing life, or am i doomed?
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Postby marginalwalker » Wed Jul 26, 2006 7:01 pm

The Garage has went right down..
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Postby gordon » Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:05 pm

Far as i can remember its never been up.

Can't go too far wrong with the Buff (Club, that is) for an enjoyable evening, although even that has gone downhill recently since it was bought over by CPL.
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Postby Craigyboy7 » Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:19 pm

Your right it has gone downhill and i'll tell you why its cos they no longer have that bald bouncer on the door who used to id everyone!! I've ben going there alot for the past couple of years and it appears to be the crowd is gewtting younger looking but then again i could just be getting old even tho im only 22 next week!!! :) :|
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Postby gap74 » Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:42 pm

I've been going to the Garage more or less since it opened in the early 90s, when I was a sprightly 18 year old. Back then, it was hellish to get in, I was one of a group of about ten once, and was the only one knocked back, despite quietly following on at the end of everyone with my arms folded!

But in later years, towards the end of the 90s and into the 00s, it was great - serious clubby types slagged me rotten, but I thought it provided honest, unpretentious daft dancing, it had no silly door policy regarding jeans and the like, and I ended up there several times a week after a long day working in the Odeon. The reciprocal free entry policy we had didn't do any harm either!

Sadly, at the ripe old age of 31, I have to wonder every time I go whether it's the last. Was last there about 2 months ago, and now manage an appearance about once every 6 months. The door policy had become draconian, with the slightest hint that, dear God no, you might have actually consumed alcohol on a night out being enough to have you sent packing.

I realise they had a duty of care, but it seemed to me that they were taking it just a bit too seriously - also saw folk who had gained entry getting huckled out later, not because they were falling down or sleeping, but just cos they looked a bit too drunk!

So although I have many happy memories of the place (and a few heart-wrenching, horrendous ones!), I think I'll call it a day now, and leave it to the folk 13 years younger than me! It's not exactly cheap these days either - although at least they've stopped selling Gold Beer (or was it Bier?), the budget bottled brand of Tennent's!.

Problem is, I can think of nowhere that is the equivalent for someone my age, an easy-going, no-frills place to get pished and have a daft dance.

It's a neglected part of social history, I think, the story of the city's nightclubs. Some come and go in the blink of an eye, but a place like the Garage actually has a long history, and links with the city's ballroom mania. Could make an interesting project one day....

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Postby McShad » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:26 am

Not tonight, regulars only

How do I become a regular?

Are you causing a problem?

No, I'm asking a genuine question

Move away from the door before we phone the police

The police? Tell you what, I'll log a complaint with the license board in the morning
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Postby cheesemonster » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:31 am

imo the garage has always been a hellhole, i've seen a few good gigs there but don't think i've ever enjoyed a night out

its also always been full of under 18's - though despite that i was once chatted up by a woman in there who looked old enough to be mum!

i also remember many an altercation with the bouncers - esp. that bald one...

gordon mentions the buff club, but i've tried 3 times to get in there and have been refused entry everytime, twice for no good reason("sorry lads not tonight") and once because we were "too drunk"

gap74 wrote:Problem is, I can think of nowhere that is the equivalent for someone my age, an easy-going, no-frills place to get pished and have a daft dance.

what about that place up Maryhill way, framptons? :P
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Postby cheesemonster » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:48 am

Mind you if the poster of the original message is a girl and is having trouble getting in/writing blogs about it then it must be worse than ever
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Postby gordon » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:10 pm

You're right Cheesemonster, the Buff can be a bit picky with regards to door policy. Fortunately a mate of mine used to work on the door there, so it wasn't a problem.

But thats a place that used to be a little secret, but since its been taken over (and combined with the Pig and Butterfly), theres something about it that just isn't the same. I certainly doubt you'll see the Miles Davis documentary (with German subtitles!) that always used to be projected onto one of the walls.

As far as perhaps more 'mainstream' clubs go, the ABC isn't actually too bad. Theres a better variety of music (although still fairly awful), and its massive - thankfully its not been open long enough to attract the wonderful aroma of disinfectant, B.O. and stale beer.

All these places are the same though, generally you're not going to somewhere like the Garage for its progressive selection of music, you really need to be in the right mood (typically aided by alcohol) to enjoy yourself.
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Postby Fat Cat » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:17 am

Being an old fart in my late 30s my clubbing days are far behind me (as it should be) and to be honest when you start complaining about bouncers, the heat, the noise, the music, not getting a seat or "it's too busy", it's time to move on. Clubbing should only be experienced through beer goggles, how the hell can you enjoy it sober?!
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Postby Pripyat » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:42 am

Only been in the garage to see the occasional gig, so could
speak from night club experiences. Mid 30's myself, prefer
to see a good concert than wait 20 mins or more to get
served in an oversized sauna.
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Postby Vladimir » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:53 am

Is the Garage not the goth place. I walked past once and all I saw was a line of goths (all goths I might add) stretching all the way down Sauchiehall Street! ::):
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Postby cheesemonster » Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:01 am

The place is used for gigs so maybe you walked past it when a "goth" band were playing?
The nightclub has never had any goth nights as far as i'm aware
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Postby gap74 » Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:14 am

Anyone know when the building that houses the Garage was first made into a leisure operation? I know it used to be the Mayfair Ballroom, but have no idea when that opened, and suspect the building that fronts it may pre-date that anyway.

Up until the major refurb they had a couple of years ago, the small balcony on the main dancefloor still had carved wooden balustrades and corbels, and the smaller bar downstairs as you come in still had a fireplace! I remember an earlier refurb uncovered a wall with a list of club nights on it from its Mayfair days - only one I remember was a reggae night!
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Postby Jupiter-Returns » Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:14 pm

I've never been to the place and will never go either.
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