Amazing, was too young to go, now I know what it looked like!

Apologies if posted before.

 

It does look like a dungeon setting... this might have been a conversation in the toilets...

 

Nail em Up!!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EI7p2p1QJI

Must find the original picture used for my profile (its a cropped version).  This was taken at the last catacombs allnighter and shows the church bench type seats and wall colours.  Think I have a couple of photos of that night somewhere.

Edited January 31, 201510 yr by Baldsoulie

Alot smaller than I'd imagined.. I bet some right dodgy deals went down there;)

Jim.

Must find the original picture used for my profile (its a cropped version).  This was taken at the last catacombs allnighter and shows the church bench type seats and wall colours.  Think I have a couple of photos of that night somewhere.

 

Hope you can find them, trip down memory lane.

              Mick Perrins.

Interesting, who put that together?

Always remember chatting with an older lad at work once when I was about 18 and I mentioned going to Wigan. He then told me how he and his mates used to go to the Catacoombs have a Riker delight and nick a car to get home all very casual like. By the time I knew him he had no interest whatsever which was a bit strange as I was full of enthusiasm and he wasn't interested. Think it was more of just a good night out than a real love of the music.

Actually thats reminds me of another story of being on a works night out and him and me not being let ino a club. He then decided that wasn't on so libererated a piece of scaffolding pole from a nearby building site and went back to the club and smashed it through the door! Next hour spent running and dodging police cars!

Back on topic: Do you think we may have a future where there are virtual reality mock ups of all the big clubs and then we can strap on our head sets in our front rooms and visit any club we want from the comfort of our own home, couple of hours inthe Torch, then off to the Mecca and then onto Casino then upstairs to bed or back to my sheltered accomadation probably by then.

Edited January 31, 201510 yr by El Corol

Interesting, who put that together?

Always remember chatting with an older lad at work once when I was about 18 and I mentioned going to Wigan. He then told me how he and his mates used to go to the Catacoombs have a Riker delight and nick a car to get home all very casual like. By the time I knew him he had no interest whatsever which was a bit strange as I was full of enthusiasm and he wasn't interested. Think it was more of just a good night out than a real love of the music.

Actually thats reminds me of another story of being on a works night out and him and me not being let ino a club. He then decided that wasn't on so libererated a piece of scaffolding pole from a nearby building site and went back to the club and smashed it through the door! Next hour spent running and dodging police cars!

Back on topic: Do you think we may have a future where there are virtual reality mock ups of all the big clubs and then we can strap on our head sets in our front rooms and visit any club we want from the comfort of our own home, couple of hours inthe Torch, then off to the Mecca and then onto Casino then upstairs to bed or back to my sheltered accomadation probably by then.

Virtual mock ups ? have no fear Ian Dewhirst's already working on it !!      

Dave

 

Back on topic: Do you think we may have a future where there are virtual reality mock ups of all the big clubs and then we can strap on our head sets in our front rooms and visit any club we want from the comfort of our own home, couple of hours inthe Torch, then off to the Mecca and then onto Casino then upstairs to bed or back to my sheltered accomadation probably by then.

 

Theres no doubt that will be technically possible at some point in the future, whether it'll happen before we all go up to the great all nighter in the sky is another story...

Fingers crossed, I'd love to be on a packed Casino dance floor again, with a crowd who know how to clap properly…..

A lot smaller than I'd imagined.

 

Excellent graphic but maybe makes it feel slightly smaller than it actually was. Anyway max capacity 600 I believe - maybe double on the last night.

 

I know not unique to the Cats but condensation randomly dripping from the ceiling would add a certain something.

 

I have never in my life been to a venue with a better atmosphere - but then again never went to the original Wheel, Torch etc.

 

Anyone who did, which would you say was THE BEST?

 

I might ask same question on the Catacombs Facebook page.

Edited January 31, 201510 yr by MBarrett

Which bit was the Modern room ?

Great little graphic that. Lorenzo Manley really evokes the club mood too doesn't he?

As far as I know Catacombs used be the real deal breaking the sounds & Mecca Stole its thunder as far relaying those great sounds on to bigger a bigger audience.

Would have loved to have gone to Cats in its heyday, bet its was really atmospheric.

I was way too young unfortunately.

Edited January 31, 201510 yr by MrsWoodsrules

Alot smaller than I'd imagined.. I bet some right dodgy deals went down there;)

Jim.

It actually looks a lot smaller than it was but the wallpaper is petty spot on ....someone must have pushed the hoover round a bit looking at that.

Excellent graphic but maybe makes it feel slightly smaller than it actually was. Anyway max capacity 600 I believe - maybe double on the last night.

 

I know not unique to the Cats but condensation randomly dripping from the ceiling would add a certain something.

 

I have never in my life been to a venue with a better atmosphere - but then again never went to the original Wheel, Torch etc.

 

Anyone who did, which would you say was THE BEST?

 

I might ask same question on the Catacombs Facebook page.

Torch definitely!....and also the scariest at times.

Torch definitely!....and also the scariest at times.

 

Steve I know almost nothing about the Torch. What very roughly was the layout, capacity etc? Was it a regular nightclub with different stuff on different nights of the week? Maybe someone has written an article somewhere?

 

Any snippets would be of interest.

Edited January 31, 201510 yr by MBarrett

Virtual mock ups ? have no fear Ian Dewhirst's already working on it !!      

Dave

 

Mmm. Now there's an idea.......

 

Ian D 

This photo was posted on Gethro's facebook page, taken on the last night at the Catacombs.

 

I did a bit of photoshop improvement on the original photo at the time it was posted....

 

Edited January 31, 201510 yr by chalky

This photo was posted on Gethro's facebook page, taken on the last night at the Catacombs.

 

I did a bit of photoshop improvement on the original photo at the time it was posted....

 

1531835_10151991530944541_561858437_o.jpg

 

Absolutely rammed.

 

People piling out of the fire escapes I read somewhere.

 

Must have been a great night.

People piling out of the fire escapes I read somewhere.

 

People were always on the fire escape - right behind the dancefloor - it got so hot in there on a Saturday night!

Steve I know almost nothing about the Torch. What very roughly was the layout, capacity etc? Was it a regular nightclub with different stuff on different nights of the week? Maybe someone has written an article somewhere?

 

Any snippets would be of interest.

Really sketchy....best chap to ask is ChrisL on here, he was one of the top nighter DJs there when I was but a lad of around 16, 17. 

I did find these photos a few years ago, although it does look like they were taken probably late 60s....looks too posh for the nighter crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 31, 201510 yr by Guest

Apologies Pete for going off topic, I got carried away....if you want i`ll remove the pictures and start a Torch thread.

Apologies Pete for going off topic, I got carried away....if you want i`ll remove the pictures and start a Torch thread.

 

No mate I'm not that pernickity, if thats how you spell it 

I knew that but had to check  

A Wheel regular  and the Cats a few times  happy times. The good old days 

Really sketchy....best chap to ask is ChrisL on here, he was one of the top nighter DJs there when I was but a lad of around 16, 17. 

I did find these photos a few years ago, although it does look like they were taken probably late 60s....looks too posh for the nighter crowd.

 

torch mods.jpg torch bar area.jpg

 

torch3.jpg torch2.jpg

 

torch tea dance.jpg torch (2).jpg

 

Thanks Steve

 

I am sure I never saw a photo of the inside of the Wheel before. And if I did def. not as good as these.

 

My fault for the off topic but hopefully brings in some items of interest to people.

 

On the Catacombs Facebook page I think it said there are only 7 known photos of the interior (something like that anyway). "Gethro" photo above would be one of them.

I went to the cats only a couple of times so sketchy again to say the least. Red or purple walls I seem to think but there again, I get some of the old venues blended together in places. 

Those dodgy arches that connect one room to another. You'd have to have had your gonads well placed to have ventured into one of them, I'll bet. 

I only managed to go to the Cats once, which was that last night. I do remember it was packed, very hot and having to go out to cool down!

 

Bad memories also, as I went down to the car with one of my mates and as he was just getting into the car, another car came belting past and hit the open door, bending the door big style!

The car was my dads.... He wasn't pleased when I broke the news to him the next day.

It spoiled the rest of the night for me! 

It's possible to do that now.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift, I met with a company on Friday who is experimenting with this already, 

Interesting, who put that together?

Always remember chatting with an older lad at work once when I was about 18 and I mentioned going to Wigan. He then told me how he and his mates used to go to the Catacoombs have a Riker delight and nick a car to get home all very casual like. By the time I knew him he had no interest whatsever which was a bit strange as I was full of enthusiasm and he wasn't interested. Think it was more of just a good night out than a real love of the music.

Actually thats reminds me of another story of being on a works night out and him and me not being let ino a club. He then decided that wasn't on so libererated a piece of scaffolding pole from a nearby building site and went back to the club and smashed it through the door! Next hour spent running and dodging police cars!

Back on topic: Do you think we may have a future where there are virtual reality mock ups of all the big clubs and then we can strap on our head sets in our front rooms and visit any club we want from the comfort of our own home, couple of hours inthe Torch, then off to the Mecca and then onto Casino then upstairs to bed or back to my sheltered accomadation probably by then.

Those dodgy arches that connect one room to another. You'd have to have had your gonads well placed to have ventured into one of them, I'll bet. 

 

Macca,

 

Around 1970 thru 1972 I used to feel a lot more nervous about crossing the centre of Wolverhampton than I ever did inside the Catacombs. Perhaps I was lucky but never had any bother inside.

 

Wolves used to have a Hells Angels chapter with a serious national reputation. Generally you knew how to avoid them but the threat was always at the back of your mind. I think Pete S said once that they have still got a Chapter House in Wolves to this day!!

 

And the skinhead/football hooligan thing was pretty rife in Wolverhampton - so there was usually guys around the town looking for any excuse for trouble. I managed to get a broken nose out of the latter on one occasion. Twelve on to one seemed a little excessive at the time but at least I lived to tell the tale.

This photo was posted on Gethro's facebook page, taken on the last night at the Catacombs.

 

I did a bit of photoshop improvement on the original photo at the time it was posted....

 

1531835_10151991530944541_561858437_o.jpg

 

I notice a distinct lack of bald men in the audience….are you sure this is a Northern do ?

ADVERTS IN BLUES & SOUL...........

"CATACOMBS....WHERE THE SOUNDS BEGIN"

HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING A FEW TIMES, GREAT TIMES

DIDN'T ALAN DAY & CO DJ THERE BEFORE GOIN' ON TO THE TORCH AROUND 4am.

IF MEMORY SERVES????

The Cats   Dark, Confusing layout, hot, drippy ceilings, loads of gear, great sounds.

Actually the epitome of a top nighter venue.

Not to mention the Wolverhampton drug squad who were always a

pain in the arse.

I notice a distinct lack of bald men in the audience….are you sure this is a Northern do ?

 

Now if it had been taken where we were last week.....  

"CATACOMBS....WHERE THE SOUNDS BEGIN"

 

 

 

Nice blow up of one of ads here.

 

 

(Punctuation pedants on here will recognise that the apostrophe in Catacombs shouldn't be there. I do some proof reading. It's a curse. You see spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors everywhere you go. )

Some of the photos that remain will be in this video, a tape recording of the last night.  Quality not great but you get an idea of what is/was played.

 

Could anyone put a tracklisting to this please.Some of the records are hard to make out.What was just before Exciters , instrumental I think?

Could anyone put a tracklisting to this please.Some of the records are hard to make out.What was just before Exciters , instrumental I think?

 

how far in?

Was lucky to go to the Cats a few times,we used to go to a place in Worcester right after which burned down never can remember what it was called ?? happy days

Dirty Duck! Superb.

Was lucky to go to the Cats a few times,we used to go to a place in Worcester right after which burned down never can remember what it was called ?? happy days

Chateau Impney ?

off t'internet....

 

 

Could anyone put a tracklisting to this please.Some of the records are hard to make out.What was just before Exciters , instrumental I think?

It was that famous old instrumental "Quick Change Artist" Alan.   

I notice a distinct lack of bald men in the audience….are you sure this is a Northern do ?

And bearded ladies..........

Yep I went to the last all nighter at the Cats and remember it being a great night and so so hot Inside , small dancefloor and the late DJ Blue Max which I remember selling a few 45s to when he later did a spot in Kidderminser at the Glades with Steve Russell and Mr tee ( Francis ) , yeah great memories from Temple Street k,t,f, Gilly

Edited February 1, 201510 yr by soulgrooves

Sure I read somewhere that it wasn't actually an allniter, that people went there and then moved on to the Torch afterwards, something clearly disproved by the recollections of those on here and memorabilia posted. So what did you do in 1972 then? Could you do 8 to 2 in Temple Street and 2-8 in Hose Street? Lucky buggers!

Sure I read somewhere that it wasn't actually an allniter, that people went there and then moved on to the Torch afterwards, something clearly disproved by the recollections of those on here and memorabilia posted. So what did you do in 1972 then? Could you do 8 to 2 in Temple Street and 2-8 in Hose Street? Lucky buggers!

 

Macca, Allnighters only came later at the Cats. Earlier 8-2 and I am sure prior to that 8-12

 

There is a Catacombs Facebook Group. I'll post up a link to this thread.

The Cats use to shut around 2am and a lot of the crowd use to turn up at The Wheel around 3am.

After The Wheel closed they then went to The Torch instead.

The only allniter was the last night as far as I can remember.

Alan S and Bob Crocker were the main DJ's 69-71 until Bob died and Froggy joined the line up followed by Blue Max and Graham Warr.

I think Pep and Neil Rushton also DJ'd in the last year.

I think there's one or two Catacomb historians who about who could give you an exact timeline etc.

What was just before Exciters , instrumental I think?

 

It's the Soul Twins - Quick Change Artist.

Sorry it, s after the Exciter, s at about 6.40 min, s.

Sorry it, s after the Exciter, s at about 6.40 min, s.

 

I think it's The Jaybirds - Somebody Help Me

Chateau Impney ?

No,i'm sure it was something "House" ??