6 of the UK’s most special gig venues, according to Amy Lamé

By Paul Stokes 24 January 2018

Every week is a week to celebrate venues, says Amy Lamé.

Having organised club nights and gigs, helped run venues and accepted a role as London's Night Czar – charged with helping to promote the capital’s night time culture – Amy loves visiting clubs, halls and dive bars of all different shapes and sizes.

Each week on her new 6 Music show (Sundays, from 4pm) Amy not only shares some of her own gigging experiences, but she’s keen for listeners to chip in with tales of their favourite shows and venues.

“I really want people to share their stories of their favourite live music venue,” she explains. “What they've seen and where, why it's so special and unique - its history, the famous and infamous gigs it has hosted and why other 6 Music listeners should check it out.”

To get the ball rolling, Amy has shared six of her favourite venues. Have your own treasured venue? Send Amy your suggestions during her Sunday show via 6 Music’s social media (below).

Amy Lamé: "It’s got history zinging out of its pores. What makes it so special is that everybody from jazz greats, through Billy Fury, through The Beatles to The Libertines have played there at some point – and everyone in between.

It’s a family run venue and it’s very much operated in that independent spirit.

It’s one of the few venues left in the centre of London and it’s fighting to stay."

Amy Lamé: "There are so many venues I could pick from Glasgow – actually I’ve picked two from the city! – but I had to have Sub Club. It’s a venue where you feel like the ceiling is going to crash in on you at any moment [laughs] but in a good way!

The floor is always vibrating from the sound system and the energy of the people in there, so it makes it feel like the roof is only a few inches above your head. I know that’s not the case, but I love when you’re overtaken by the music in the best venues because your perceptions of the place really shift and they take on these otherworldly qualities.

I used to go to Optimo when it was there, which was a really legendary club night that ran from the late 90s to about 2010, and what I loved is you never knew what you were going to hear.

I really remember them playing a Nina Simone track once and they did something with the sound so the whole place was shaking: ceiling, floor, the DJs, humans on the dancefloor! It was this incredible communal experience. The Sub Club is great for that."

Amy Lamé: "The boat! I ran a club night on there once and it was one of those nights where everybody came out. The fact it’s on a boat really contributes to it being a magical place you can't miss.

There’s such atmosphere in there – anything goes! That little walk you have to do to get on the boat makes it feel like, ‘Oh this is an adventure!’ and so the atmosphere is always great.

The sound in the Thekla is brilliant and it’s got loads of rooms and little cubby holes so it seems a lot bigger than it actually is. You can lose your bearings in there and it seems like there’s 20 different rooms when it’s not really that big."

Amy Lamé: "Talk about legendary venues! I saw Grace Jones there once and even walking up the stairs in Barrowlands was an experience!

You’re in Glasgow, and people there don’t care. They’ll tell you anything they want to tell you! So I heard some rather fruity things on the stairs [laughs] so you realise straight away there is nowhere else in the world like it to see a gig!

People are trying to carry seven pints, they’re shouting at their friends, little crowds are singing songs before the band comes... waiting in the toilet queue at Barrowlands is better than some gigs I’ve been to at other venues. It is crazy and I love that venue."

Amy Lamé: "I saw Morrissey there a couple of years ago. It was really sad, I went up on my own, stayed in a single room in a hotel opposite the train station, when to the gig on my own… it was such a Morrissey moment!

The venue is a beautiful old hall and it creates such an amazing intimacy for a gig. And while I went on my own I made friends there. I met some people, went for a drink afterwards, they gave me a lift back to the hotel, it was super friendly.

It is the kind of venue that because it’s big but intimate, you’re able to really connect with like-minded people."

Amy Lamé: "This place is not only steeped in musical history it’s also got the best jukebox in the world! In fact, I love going there just for the jukebox and a drink whether there’s a gig on or not, because even if a band isn’t playing it still feels like a gig!

Even if it’s a quiet Monday evening there will be cool records playing, you can have a chat with the lovely staff behind the bar and just soak up the atmosphere.

Last time I was there a guy in his 80s came in dressed in an Elvis Presley jumpsuit! He claimed to be an Elvis impersonator, though I found it quite hard to see it to be honest, because he looked and sounded nothing like Elvis – he was just dressed a bit like the King and that was good enough for him.

So it’s that kind of place, anything can happen... and it probably will!"

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