The Duchess of York

Top tips for great nights out in Leeds
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wsmith
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue 06 Mar, 2007 4:08 am

Post by wsmith »

It's incredible that, with the Leeds Music Scene as apparently rampant as it is, that the Duchess ever shut down, and that places such as the Vine which have attempted to elevate it also seems to have gone already.Is the Vine shut down now, or just being refurbushed, does anyone know?I would love to see some pics of gigs at the Duchess. Does anyone have any?Call me cynical, but I am not sure if the city is better off with a Hugo Boss instead of the Duchess of York.Thank God for the Brudenell Social Club!

LeeRatbag
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon 16 Apr, 2007 6:41 pm

Post by LeeRatbag »

As far as I can tell the Vine has reverted to brewery ownership. They seem to be doing it up, but I doubt that when it reopens live music will be on the agenda.I went to a gig there a few weeks before it shut down and I was appalled by the state of the place. There were no pumps left on the bars, no optics, there were just cans being sold out of the firdge behind the bar. Plaster was falling off the walls, the doors were hanging off the hinges...terrible to see. I can only conclude that live music wasn't bringing in the punters.

Ian R P
Posts: 57
Joined: Sat 19 May, 2007 6:32 pm

Post by Ian R P »

Hi,Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser. In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig.

LeeRatbag
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon 16 Apr, 2007 6:41 pm

Post by LeeRatbag »

The Duchess Of York was, and remains, my favourite music venue anywhere, and I spent a sizeable chunk of the 90s gigging up and down the country. I saw dozens, hundreds even, of great bands there and played some of the best gigs of my career. I was f*cking furious when the place got shut down to make way for a shop that sells overpriced suits. A pox on Hugo Boss.

Scandy Bramley
Posts: 267
Joined: Sun 20 May, 2007 12:14 pm

Post by Scandy Bramley »

LeeRatbag wrote: The Duchess Of York was, and remains, my favourite music venue anywhere, and I spent a sizeable chunk of the 90s gigging up and down the country. I saw dozens, hundreds even, of great bands there and played some of the best gigs of my career. I was f*cking furious when the place got shut down to make way for a shop that sells overpriced suits. A pox on Hugo Boss. What band(s) were you in, Lee?The Duchess was after my time as I left Leeds for London in 1976, and then to mainland Europe. I was DJ at the Marquee Club in London 1976 - 79. Did you ever play there?I've gigged a helluvalot, playing guitar and singing in various bands all over Europe and even in the USA. Mostly rock, tho my last tour was in Germany with a Dutch punk outfit, at the age of 48! I'm now married and have now retired from the "scene" and hardly even pick up my guitars anymore. I miss the gigging a lot, tho
You can take the lad out of Leeds - but you can't take the Leeds out of the lad.

Reginal Perrin
Posts: 670
Joined: Fri 23 Feb, 2007 10:52 am

Post by Reginal Perrin »

Fantastic venue. Hugo Boss can go insert things into himself. Saw loads of bands there in late 80's early 90s.. Some stand out...Weddoes, Bad Manners, Inspirals, St Etienne.
Ravioli, ravioli followed by ravioli. I happen to like ravioli.

LeeRatbag
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon 16 Apr, 2007 6:41 pm

Post by LeeRatbag »

Scandy Bramley wrote: What band(s) were you in, Lee? I was in Sticky Fingers in '91-93 and Assassination Bureau '93-98. Never made much of a career of it, but we got about a bit and had a bloody good laugh with it.

sulkycat
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat 01 Sep, 2007 12:40 pm

Post by sulkycat »

lee, i might have to take zebs home in a suitcase with me ;-)and a most excellent list of music influencesi quite like what used to be the mixing tin (cant remember what its called now), reminds me a little of the old days coming through to leeds to go to adam and eves, & being chased to the train station by irate skinheads!

wiggy
Posts: 1088
Joined: Tue 26 Jun, 2007 9:39 am

Post by wiggy »

Ian R P wrote: Hi,Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser. In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig. nirvana,as in kurt cobain....you sure??
i do believe,induced by potent circumstances,that thou art' mine enemy?

drapesy
Posts: 2614
Joined: Sat 24 Feb, 2007 4:50 pm

Post by drapesy »

wiggy wrote: Ian R P wrote: Hi,Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser. In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig. nirvana,as in kurt cobain....you sure?? Yes - incredible as it may seem Nirvana, with Kurt Cobain played at the Duchess - wish I'd been there.A bit of Google trawling reveals that it was on 27/10/1989 - and videos of it exist on youtube.
there are 10 types of people in the world. Those that understand ternary, those that don't and those that think this a joke about the binary system.

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