Burnley Cats Whiskers All-dayers 28 May 79

[Derek Pearson]

Being a Bradford lad we used to get the bus over from Keighley to the all-dayers.

Can't recall any of the DJ line-ups though I think Sam & Searling used to be on.

Note stylish entrance - dig those funky old cars grand dad - no prices for naming the cars. Phew the blue Escort reg plate ends in N which dates it at?

For all those young 'uns that never believed Mecca night clubs used to have plastic palm trees in them - be afraid be very afraid.

Chicken in a basket anyone?

Thats me in the middle looking so young I should've been doing a paper round! Linky from Halifax on the right, Vernon who used to win the dance comps at Wigan behind me.

cheers, derek

[Ritchieandrew]

Being a Bradford lad we used to get the bus over from Keighley to the all-dayers.

Can't recall any of the DJ line-ups though I think Sam & Searling used to be on.

Note stylish entrance - dig those funky old cars grand dad - no prices for naming the cars. Phew the blue Escort reg plate ends in N which dates it at?

For all those young 'uns that never believed Mecca night clubs used to have plastic palm trees in them - be afraid be very afraid.

Chicken in a basket anyone?

Thats me in the middle looking so young I should've been doing a paper round! Linky from Halifax on the right, Vernon who used to win the dance comps at Wigan behind me.

cheers, derek

The Blue "Escort" is actualy a Hillman Avenger............N reg being 1975. Some people refer to 75 as the Golden Year of Northern soul. Great pictures, have you any of the Blackpool Mecca ?

Regards Ritchie.

[Guest RosieposieBoffinofWhiteFurrows]

"Note stylish entrance - dig those funky old cars grand dad - no prices for naming the cars. Phew the blue Escort reg plate ends in N which dates it at?"

The blue ford escort is in fact a Hillman Avenger, and it is a two door one, so would have been the sportier one!!!!! 1600cc me thinks. Not that I am a gary boy and all that, but I used to own one! N reg 74/75 as I now own a 74 Beetle! on an N plate.

So if I owned a Hillman Avenger and now own a Beetle .... does that make me a grandma? pmsl

The cars are cool, and you can always use the head lights from a ford cortina as specs! pmsl.

How sad is this? I can name most of the cars in your pic, Vauxhall Viva - the green one, the small sporty one is an MG - but am not sure if it is an MGBGT, and a Princess where the engine is transverse in the bonnet, and then the Hilman Avenger.... How I hanker for those old days of motoring....o I dont have to, I have a Beetle, with no heating in the winter and I have to wipe off the windows with a cloth every five minutes.... lol

Edited May 15, 2006 by RosieposieBoffinofWhiteFurrows

[Guest ZTSC]

Brill photo of The Cats Whiskers. We used to get dropped off at Birch services after Wigan and hitch up to Burnley. Some right states in there on a Sunday afternoon !!!

All of the "Spencers" crowd used to get in there - little Karen , Tony Walker etc.

These were the "bad" old days Dereck eh

Kev J

[Mark B]

some good photos there

used to go here with siz, tonyjackson, john blackburn, ross & imelda, eugene, al birkhead and all the rest of the streford lads, if i remember rightly the bar shut at the usual 2.00pm and then they used to sell draught cider some poor excuse that it was legal to drink cider at 16 .think it was there but my mind is not what it used to be

the bouncers used to do a bag search on the way in and confiscated all beer and drinks.

great all dayers

i can remember searling was on didnt ginger dj there as well his home turf really. first place that i heard bessie banks dont you worry baby a searling play.

mark

[Dave Moore]

-->

QUOTE(mark.b @ May 15 2006, 11:05 PM)

link

some good photos there

used to go here with siz, tonyjackson, john blackburn, ross & imelda, eugene, al birkhead and all the rest of the streford lads, if i remember rightly the bar shut at the usual 2.00pm and then they used to sell draught cider some poor excuse that it was legal to drink cider at 16

.think it was there but my mind is not what it used to be

the bouncers used to do a bag search on the way in and confiscated all beer and drinks.

great all dayers

i can remember searling was on didnt ginger dj there as well his home turf really. first place that i heard bessie banks dont you worry baby a searling play.

mark

The Cats Whiskers was the Main Ballroom type affair but the real place was upstairs a few years earlier - The Rose Room. It was also reopened as a soul venue later when it was renamed Annabellas. Ginger and Eddie were the residents at the Rose Room whilst Ginger and his sidekick, a certain young Tim Brown were behind the decks at Annabellas. I think I'm right in that Jnr Walker & The Allstars appeared at The Cats Whiskers at one of Gingers all dayers. (79/?)

Just accross the road from this venue was a pub with a "function room" called The Concorde. This was the venue that first saw Richard Sturgeon, , Soul Spam and Pat Gravy on the same DJ Line up. MIDWEEK!! (Wednesday), The Concorde Soul Club ran every Sun/Wed/Fri for about 3 years! Happy Daze!

Strangely enough Ginger never DJ'd at the Concorde, think he was always at Cleethorpes and that end of the world around this time.

It was around this time that Levine and Searling got hold of The Angels night club in Burnley and had afantastic success with "modern" soul nights. Have to confess I only went twice to those....sort of did mi earholes in a bit!

Regards,

Dave

www.hitsvillesoulclub.com

[Guest Doris]

"The Cats Whiskers was the Main Ballroom type affair but the real place was upstairs a few years earlier - The Rose Room. It was also reopened as a soul venue later when it was renamed Annabellas. "

I can remember going here and seeing Ginger (a bit more hair in those days!!) really nice dancefloor and a change to othe venues around at the time.....................ahh to be young an naive again. Can also remember some do's at the Bolton Nevada anyone else go??? Doris

[Derek Pearson]

The Blue "Escort" is actualy a Hillman Avenger............N reg being 1975. Some people refer to 75 as the Golden Year of Northern soul. Great pictures, have you any of the Blackpool Mecca ? Regards Ritchie.

Ritchie - I should have said despite being a bloke my knowledge of cars is minimal. Well it looked like an escort to me (laughs). Sorry got no pics of Blackpool Mecca a few years before my time.

Brill photo of The Cats Whiskers. These were the "bad" old days Dereck eh! Kev J

(laughs) I don't know Kev I don't think I've ever been to Burnley have I?

Seem to think it was at the Cats W where I heard Soul Sam spinning McFadden & Whiteheads "Aint no stopping us now" before(?) it hit the charts. Quick check of the history books reveals said tune broke into charts May '79.

derek

[Soultown andy]

My biggest memory of the cats was gettin stranded at the train station pretty sure it was new years day 1980,and it was snowing cant remember how i finaly got home pat cluxton and his sis elaine from farnworth were there as well.

[Mark R]

My biggest memory of the cats was gettin stranded at the train station pretty sure it was new years day 1980,and it was snowing cant remember how i finaly got home pat cluxton and his sis elaine from farnworth were there as well.

Sharing with Pat and Elaine at Cleethorpes.................top people..............if you remember seeing two grown men in fancy dress pretending to fish with kiddies plastic fishing tackle in the swimming pool at Cleethorpes a few years ago, that was the the Clugstone brothers

Cheers,

Mark R

[Padiham Pete]

Cat`s wiskers and the rose room, went their with my mates in the seventies. Got the patch, cat`s wiskers alldayer which i lost in a house move years ago, i`m on the look out for one, anyone out their know where i can buy it ?. Saw one at the Bridlington weekend last week, the guy said he got it off the internet, but i can`t find it. So if anyone as it and want`s to flog it, please reply to this. Cheer and KTF Pete ( Padiham Pete )

Edited July 1, 2011 by Padiham Pete

[Monkey]

"Note stylish entrance - dig those funky old cars grand dad - no prices for naming the cars. Phew the blue Escort reg plate ends in N which dates it at?"

The blue ford escort is in fact a Hillman Avenger, and it is a two door one, so would have been the sportier one!!!!! 1600cc me thinks. Not that I am a gary boy and all that, but I used to own one! N reg 74/75 as I now own a 74 Beetle! on an N plate.

So if I owned a Hillman Avenger and now own a Beetle .... does that make me a grandma? pmsl

The cars are cool, and you can always use the head lights from a ford cortina as specs! pmsl.

How sad is this? I can name most of the cars in your pic, Vauxhall Viva - the green one, the small sporty one is an MG - but am not sure if it is an MGBGT, and a Princess where the engine is transverse in the bonnet, and then the Hilman Avenger.... How I hanker for those old days of motoring....o I dont have to, I have a Beetle, with no heating in the winter and I have to wipe off the windows with a cloth every five minutes.... lol

May be wrong but I believe the MG belonged to WC manager, Mike Walker.

Searling caused muted uproar that day by playing mcfadden and whitehead ain't no stopping us now, in the middle of his set! The only person enthused and not bemused I seem to remember was Sam.

[Algsoul]

burnley cats

sure i saw rose royce at cats ???

anyone remember the year

[Guest Keep the Boy Happy]

Excellent Pictures, from a wonderful time but seems so long ago!! Remember the Sunday all-dayers being very well attended with lots of people coming over to Burnley straight from Wigan and the El Greco and Atlantis coffee bars on the Bus station being packed whilst waiting for the Mecca to open.

Certainly took me back to my younger days, but sadly I am not very good at remembering dates/years

One thing I think I am correct on though is I definately remember seeing Chairman of the Board, and 100% Pure Poison as live acts there (although not on the same day) and I think it was before October1975, don't ever remember seeing Junior Walker there though Dave, I had to go to Blackpool Mecca so see thim.

Fantastic Memories!!

Can anybody add more ??????

Mrs KTBH x

[Gilly]

Remember myself and 2/3 others getting thrown out of a Cats all-dayer by the bouncers after spending the previous hour in the office whilst they decided our fate for being naughty.Two opptions i recall.1call the police in to sort it,2they kindley offered to kick the shit out of us.We did eventally leave with no problems but it was touch and go for a little while.Gilly

[Guest JIM BARRY]

"The Cats Whiskers was the Main Ballroom type affair but the real place was upstairs a few years earlier - The Rose Room. It was also reopened as a soul venue later when it was renamed Annabellas. "

I can remember going here and seeing Ginger (a bit more hair in those days!!) really nice dancefloor and a change to othe venues around at the time.....................ahh to be young an naive again. Can also remember some do's at the Bolton Nevada anyone else go??? Doris

remember going roller skating at nevada!!!.......angel's was the place to be for jazz funk

[Guest]

remember going roller skating at nevada!!!.......angel's was the place to be for jazz funk

When the all - dayers were on , on first port of call was for a curry at really good restaurant near the CW .

Malc

[Guest Keep the Boy Happy]

When the all - dayers were on , on first port of call was for a curry at really good restaurant near the CW .

Malc

Could this have been at the Al-Kadhin ? just around corner from the bus station???

Was a Chineese once of a day ' The Lin Hong' then it was taken over and opened up as one of the first indian restaurants in Burnley This place was my first time in and indian so bewildered was I by the menu I opted for Chicken Maryland!!

Edited July 3, 2011 by Keep the Boy Happy

[Guest dovesong]

Does anybody remember the guy who had a a dicky bow that used to light up and revolve?,he always carried a small box of records with him.He wasn't into the northern scene but lived locally

[hullsoul]

Remember myself and 2/3 others getting thrown out of a Cats all-dayer by the bouncers after spending the previous hour in the office whilst they decided our fate for being naughty.Two opptions i recall.1call the police in to sort it,2they kindley offered to kick the shit out of us.We did eventally leave with no problems but it was touch and go for a little while.Gilly

Gilly

Happy days............Used to be a coach load of us come over from Hull for the dayers.I got thrown out by the bouncers for scrapping with another lad(Ricky Layden).........from Hull

Remember Richard Searling playing Chandlers twice in his spot.

Cheers

Martyn

[Davetay]

Gilly

Happy days............Used to be a coach load of us come over from Hull for the dayers.I got thrown out by the bouncers for scrapping with another lad(Ricky Layden).........from Hull

Remember Richard Searling playing Chandlers twice in his spot.

Cheers

Martyn

Martyn, The Chandlers was a big record in East Lancs before Wigan etc had it, so He may have asked to play it again.

Dave.

[hullsoul]

Martyn, The Chandlers was a big record in East Lancs before Wigan etc had it, so He may have asked to play it again.

Dave.

Dave

I was one of them who asked for it,loved it when it was massive at Wigan............still do.

Cheers

Martyn

[Dave Moore]

Martyn, The Chandlers was a big record in East Lancs before Wigan etc had it, so He may have asked to play it again.

Dave.

Dave,

The late Andy Riding if memory serves me correctly.

Regards,

Dave

[Davetay]

Dave,

The late Andy Riding if memory serves me correctly.

Regards,

Dave

Yes Dave spot on, it was Andy Riding.

Dave.

[Greety]

Remember getting nicked for drink driving in cannock, on the way up. Was only bump starting the bloody thing. We were kept in tthe nick till about eleven at night then Alison H's dad drove up from Cheltenham to get us. He was'nt too pleased.

First heard Richard play Al Williams at Cats Whiskers. I'm sure it was covered up as The masqueraders. Can anyone confirm?

[Guest POTTERIESPECK]

BLACK ECHOES FEBUARY -1977

[Joe Tex]

That's us four from Clitheroe in the Chicken in a basket Picture I'm on the left stroking my roman nose , Fred Dinsdale, Dave Lord , and Derek Croft them were the days ! !

[Guest]

Isn't that Searlings Morris Minor van backed up to the pavement on the right?

[Guest Nick Harrison]

And Richard would play the same set from the previous night before, Soul Sam hated anything modern...............CW @ 1977.

Great picture's Mr P do seem to recall on the odd ocassion the main ball room closing at 7.00 pm and moving upstairs - was that the old Rose Room? As for the Chandlers seem to recall Pat Brady hammering it well before Richard, and being rightfully pointed out on another thread by Dave Taylor - that it had previous, just like Guy's and Richards John Bowie.

You look very young Mr Grainger on that photo Neil........................you any relation to Nicky Grainger. Use to stand on the Longside with Nicholas throughout the eighties. Great memories and some bad one's of the CW's during 1979 - recall Richard dropping Judy Street during his spot at it's height and hundreds of baggy wearing day trippers flooding onto the dance floor like fly's....................even a gang of scootering big trouser wearing pricks from Gargrave appeared - just to dance to "What". Called themselves Yorkshire Braves.

And years later good folks still think ill of Holly St James and Paula Parrfit.

Edited July 23, 2011 by Nick Harrison

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Remind me - who was M J C .................on the above DJ listing - Potteriespeck ?

[Davetay]

And Richard would play the same set from the previous night before, Soul Sam hated anything modern...............CW @ 1977.

Great picture's Mr P do seem to recall on the odd ocassion the main ball room closing at 7.00 pm and moving upstairs - was that the old Rose Room? As for the Chandlers seem to recall Pat Brady hammering it well before Richard, and being rightfully pointed out on another thread by Dave Taylor - that it had previous, just like Guy's and Richards John Bowie.

You look very young Mr Grainger on that photo Neil........................you any relation to Nicky Grainger. Use to stand on the Longside with Nicholas throughout the eighties. Great memories and some bad one's of the CW's during 1979 - recall Richard dropping Judy Street during his spot at it's height and hundreds of baggy wearing day trippers flooding onto the dance floor like fly's....................even a gang of scootering big trouser wearing pricks from Gargrave appeared - just to dance to "What". Called themselves Yorkshire Braves.

And years later good folks still think ill of Holly St James and Paula Parrfit.

Nick, you are right about Pat having The Chandlers before Richard, it was Andy Riding that sold it to Pat when I picked up a copy.

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Seem to think it was at the Cats W where I heard Soul Sam spinning McFadden & Whiteheads "Aint no stopping us now" before(?) it hit the charts. Quick check of the history books reveals said tune broke into charts May '79.

derek

Correct Derek as Sam also use to spin Lenny Williams "Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh" which was released on a 45 and a 12 on Uk ABC sometime earlier 1977 it was released. Reactivated by Sam circa @ 1979.

Edited July 23, 2011 by Nick Harrison

[Soultown andy]

Remind me - who was M J C .................on the above DJ listing - Potteriespeck ?

MJC was martin christy from the leigh area,used to run bell vue dayers and carousel niters in plymouth grove.Nice guy but a little on the dodgy side money wise.

[Linky]

Being a Bradford lad we used to get the bus over from Keighley to the all-dayers.

Can't recall any of the DJ line-ups though I think Sam & Searling used to be on.

Note stylish entrance - dig those funky old cars grand dad - no prices for naming the cars. Phew the blue Escort reg plate ends in N which dates it at?

For all those young 'uns that never believed Mecca night clubs used to have plastic palm trees in them - be afraid be very afraid.

Chicken in a basket anyone?

Thats me in the middle looking so young I should've been doing a paper round! Linky from Halifax on the right, Vernon who used to win the dance comps at Wigan behind me.

cheers, derek

And here I am - Mr Link. Hope you're OK Derek. I'll be making an appearance at your all-niter soon. Unfortunately my hair won't be with me. How young we all look

[Julie Moore]

Does anybody remember the guy who had a a dicky bow that used to light up and revolve?,he always carried a small box of records with him.He wasn't into the northern scene but lived locally

That could of been a local lad called Brian he was the glass picker-up he used to dance very peculiar if my memory serves me well

[Guest rovers]

Remember getting nicked for drink driving in cannock, on the way up. Was only bump starting the bloody thing. We were kept in tthe nick till about eleven at night then Alison H's dad drove up from Cheltenham to get us. He was'nt too pleased.

First heard Richard play Al Williams at Cats Whiskers. I'm sure it was covered up as The masqueraders. Can anyone confirm?

Yes Greety,Al Williams was covered up as The masqueraders.Still a great tune now.

[Guest]

The Cats Whiskers was the Main Ballroom type affair but the real place was upstairs a few years earlier - The Rose Room. It was also reopened as a soul venue later when it was renamed Annabellas. Ginger and Eddie were the residents at the Rose Room whilst Ginger and his sidekick, a certain young Tim Brown were behind the decks at Annabellas. I think I'm right in that Jnr Walker & The Allstars appeared at The Cats Whiskers at one of Gingers all dayers. (79/?) Just accross the road from this venue was a pub with a "function room" called The Concorde. This was the venue that first saw Richard Sturgeon, , Soul Spam and Pat Gravy on the same DJ Line up. MIDWEEK!! (Wednesday), The Concorde Soul Club ran every Sun/Wed/Fri for about 3 years! Happy Daze! Strangely enough Ginger never DJ'd at the Concorde, think he was always at Cleethorpes and that end of the world around this time. It was around this time that Levine and Searling got hold of The Angels night club in Burnley and had afantastic success with "modern" soul nights. Have to confess I only went twice to those....sort of did mi earholes in a bit! Regards, Dave

Indeed, the Rose Room was the place in the early 70's. I wasn't quite old enough to get in legally, but my cousin was the CW manager. Every week the RR bouncers used to say;you're not old enough to come in&; and I would say you can check with the manager- he's my cousin. They'd go to get him, and he'd go yeah she's OK; then take me aside and say ;any grief from your lot and I'm ringing your dad.

I saw Chairman of the Board at one of the CW all-dayers, but can't remember the year- thought it was late 70s? Saw Junior Walker too, but thought was at Wigan.

I thought Levine and Searling didn't take over Angels until late 70s/early 80s? In the mid 70s, they played more funk, with Paul Simon and Ian Richards, Jonny Owen, and Dave someone ( should remember his name, went out with him for a bit! Hope he's not on here!) I worked behind the bar at Angels for a time , prob about 76/78. I remember being there for Levine's first Guest Spot.

I remember Ginger and Eddie being resident DJs somewhere, but can't remember where. I don't think I ever went to the Concorde.

Moved away in 1980, to the soft south.

Fantastic memories.

Ang

Edited August 30, 2011 by sisgb

[Guest angelsdisco]

The Cats Whiskers was the Main Ballroom type affair but the real place was upstairs a few years earlier - The Rose Room. It was also reopened as a soul venue later when it was renamed Annabellas. Ginger and Eddie were the residents at the Rose Room whilst Ginger and his sidekick, a certain young Tim Brown were behind the decks at Annabellas. I think I'm right in that Jnr Walker & The Allstars appeared at The Cats Whiskers at one of Gingers all dayers. (79/?) Just accross the road from this venue was a pub with a "function room" called The Concorde. This was the venue that first saw Richard Sturgeon, , Soul Spam and Pat Gravy on the same DJ Line up. MIDWEEK!! (Wednesday), The Concorde Soul Club ran every Sun/Wed/Fri for about 3 years! Happy Daze! Strangely enough Ginger never DJ'd at the Concorde, think he was always at Cleethorpes and that end of the world around this time. It was around this time that Levine and Searling got hold of The Angels night club in Burnley and had afantastic success with "modern" soul nights. Have to confess I only went twice to those....sort of did mi earholes in a bit! Regards, Dave

Indeed, the Rose Room was the place in the early 70's. I wasn't quite old enough to get in legally, but my cousin was the CW manager. Every week the RR bouncers used to say;you're not old enough to come in&; and I would say you can check with the manager- he's my cousin. They'd go to get him, and he'd go yeah she's OK; then take me aside and say ;any grief from your lot and I'm ringing your dad.

I saw Chairman of the Board at one of the CW all-dayers, but can't remember the year- thought it was late 70s? Saw Junior Walker too, but thought was at Wigan.

I thought Levine and Searling didn't take over Angels until late 70s/early 80s? In the mid 70s, they played more funk, with Paul Simon and Ian Richards, Jonny Owen, and Dave someone ( should remember his name, went out with him for a bit! Hope he's not on here!) I worked behind the bar at Angels for a time , prob about 76/78. I remember being there for Levine's first Guest Spot.

I remember Ginger and Eddie being resident DJs somewhere, but can't remember where. I don't think I ever went to the Concorde.

Moved away in 1980, to the soft south.

Fantastic memories.

Ang

Hey Ang,,

Which bar did you work on at Angels, the long bar, the short one ????

I was always down at the Angels and knew most people

Peter

[Guest]

Hey Ang,,

Which bar did you work on at Angels, the long bar, the short one ????

I was always down at the Angels and knew most people

Peter

Hi Peter,

At first the long bar, then the little one, both on the ground floor, then got the regular stint running the little bar upstairs with Lyn Snell. I THINK I did Saturday nights and probably one other, but I'm an old person and forget things.......

[Rob Wigley]

I went to a couple of these as an innocent youth !!!

Rob

[Kegsy]

On 7/2/2011 at 18:21, Gilly said:

Remember myself and 2/3 others getting thrown out of a Cats all-dayer by the bouncers after spending the previous hour in the office whilst they decided our fate for being naughty.Two opptions i recall.1call the police in to sort it,2they kindley offered to kick the shit out of us.We did eventally leave with no problems but it was touch and go for a little while.Gilly

Hector from Bradford and Myself had a very very similar experience at Va Va's, they called the old bill, net result when the news got round, hardly anybody turned up for the next couple of nighters and I think it closed for nighters very soon after. I told the, pain in the arse, manager this would happen if he rang the old bill, but he just wouldn't have it. Bouncers busting people was just plain wrong IMHO.

[manus]

I remember one of the alldayers at CW but sure it was earlier than 1979 ( maybe 77 or 78) and it was just before xmas and one of the fellas in our company the late Terry Sprott was getting anxious about not having bought family xmas presents. So he decided to head off and do some shopping and came back a few hours later with a couple of bags filled with presents but he made the mistake of leaving them by the bar as he headed off for a dance and of course the bags were gone when he got back.  

[Simonbolton]

ANYOPNE KNOW LITTLE KAREN FROM BURNLEY??

 

[Guest Turismo Veloce]

Re the original post : For all those young 'uns that never believed Mecca night clubs used to have plastic palm trees in them - be afraid be very afraid. 

In the 60's, Blackburn Mecca was called "The Golden Palms and had a few imitation palm trees by the dance floor. Remember being kicked out by the bouncers when one of my mates tried to climb one. Don't ask why!

[Roburt]

On 5/9/2017 at 15:48, Kegsy said:

Hector from Bradford and Myself had a very very similar experience at Va Va's, they called the old bill, net result when the news got round, hardly anybody turned up for the next couple of nighters and I think it closed for nighters very soon after. I told the, pain in the arse, manager this would happen if he rang the old bill, but he just wouldn't have it. Bouncers busting people was just plain wrong IMHO.

In 67 I was still a young (& very innocent) lad of 17 who had only discovered niters a year or so earlier. But for a while, May to early Dec 67, I was a regular at the Nite Owl niters in Leicester (the niter sessions were banned due to drugs on 4th Dec). We got to know 2 girls that shared a flat in the city and used to go there & we also used to hang out at the White Cat. It was usual for me to ask for a pass-out at least a couple of times a session @ the Owl (too hot, music too loud, etc.) so the bouncers got to know me well. One night, I was coming back in about 6am & a bouncer took me aside (he must have thought I was a dealer on the side) to ask me if I wanted to buy a gun !!! . . . God, I nearly ran straight out of the place.