SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

mhoulden wrote: Restaurant review that I quite liked, for Bibis Italianissimo which is on part of the site of the Queens Hall: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... NTCMP=SRCH He didn't like it much, did he?

Si wrote: mhoulden wrote: Restaurant review that I quite liked, for Bibis Italianissimo which is on part of the site of the Queens Hall: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... NTCMP=SRCH He didn't like it much, did he? Tee Hee.....he's probably done,with a few strokes of a pen,what the other 3,998 "punters" would be unable to do in a lifetime.

I went there a couple of years ago with the then girlfriend and we enjoyed our food. We enjoyed the strange Take That tribute going on too, because it was music from out youth, but I think if it was another act it would have been annoying during dinner. I can completely see where the guy is coming from though and enjoyed the review. Definitely somewhere you have to be in the mood for, I think, and I've heard the food is variable. I seem to recall something about having a good chef who left under a cloud and problems replacing him.

Feel like Aulde Mother Lang Syne.I went to the Queens Hall just after it had been convertedfrom being the bus/tram sheds. It was really basic then andthey put a stage right in the middle as though they couldntdecide what to do with it. Cant remember any chairs or manyanything.My first concert was on 28th June 1963 and I went tosee the new sensational group called The Beatles. Itcost me 6s /6d. It was standing only of course. I managedto get to the front of the stage and even though it wasabout 6foot tall, I grabbed Johns foot and he letme hang on to the front of his shoe most of the concert.It was hilarious for Paul and George who laughed mostof the concert. I went to a few All Nighters there and with some groups whoI cant even remember now. They did hold like a Ideal HomeExhibition and used to get one of the Coronation Stars to popin everynight it was on as they were the in thing in those days.All the other groups like Pink Flloyd, Black Sabbath, Yes, TenYears After, Free, Uriah Heap, Fleetwood Mac, Leonard Cohen,The Faces, Led Zep, Elton John, John Mayall and the BluesBreakers were all seen at the Uni on a Saturday night. One bottle of Newcastle Brown and the night was a blur laugh.My other experience of being near the stage was when I was on it with John Mayall. After the bottle of NB I went on stage, climbed onto the Piano and sat there all of the show. The Uni thought I was with the group and John Mayall thought I was with the Uni. Laugh.Wish I had a photo of that sight. I still go to Rock Concerts and it costs more than 6/6d and noisey I was deaf for over two days when I went to see Guns and Roses.Thats my life now so TTFN for now.             

Sounds like you had fun ArmleyLass47.I see you saw on 28th June 1963 a "new sensational group called The Beatles". They were probably soon forgotten and never heard of anymore!

I have found an old New Musical Express dated W/ E 8th June 1968 showing Bill Haley and His Comets playing at an all night concert on the previous Monday June 3rd . I wasn`t there and I never went to The Queens Hall and also I think that The Herd played there that night with Peter Frampton, the face of 1968. I will try to upload photo

Queens Hall

Judging by the likely lads coming down the road, that photo was probably taken on a Saturday early afternoon, with the lads on their way to catch the Elland Road Match Day Special bus from Sovereign Street.(Interesting to note that Bibi's publishes its address as Sovereign Street, which sounds a lot more up-market than Swinegate which is where it actually is).

This is now the site for the new Leeds office of Addleshaw Goddard LLP where I happen to be working this month.
They are currently the other side of Sovereign Street.
I attended two gigs by Thin Lizzy there. 1981 on the Renegade tour supported by Sweet Savage featuring Viv Campbell later of Dio and Def Leppard. 1983 on the Thunder & lightning tour supported by Mama's Boys. Also saw AC/DC on the For Those About to Rock tour supported by Y&T. I think they did use the cannons. They certainly used the Bell.
I also recall it as a rubbish pot hole and rubble filled car park which could bugger your axles one way or the other.[img][/img]

Welcome to the site Davidewards 62 what a shock your photograph gave me the last time i was around that way the old Queens Hall building was still standing.