Long live the Barrowland Ballroom

The Swoj boys were out for a gig last night and we were delighted to be back in the Glasgow Barrowlands. Over the last couple of years a new venue has opened in Glasgow holding a similar capacity and seems to have taken a lot of business from the Barrowlands. If you ask any Glaswegian what his/her favourite concert venue is, chances are he/she will answer the Barrowlands no matter what style of music they go to see (ok maybe opera excluded!). The Swoj team have been going to this place for years and love it to bits. Don't get me wrong, it's an absolute flea pit and stinks but it has an atmosphere, layout, accoustics and just all round general vibe that is second to none, that seems to be a feature of most best gig venues (I'm sure I've heard CBGB's was disgusting in the 70's).

So it was all there last night just as we remembered it: the neon signs on approach to the building, that first sweaty smell as you walk in the door, followed by the dodgy hot dog smell upstairs next to the merchandise stall, the disgusting toilets, the perfect floor & stage layout, the crazy crowd, the flying beer, the band feeding off the crowds energy, the night getting better and better, the soaking wet floor - to that final crush to get out the doors at the top of the stairs and take a gulp of fresh air...

We wouldn't change it for anything! Here's to more gigs at the Barrowlands and it's future on the concert map!
http://www.glasgow-barrowland.com/ballroom.htm