Nineties nostalgia: The Boardroom Belconnen

Jebus, way to make me feel old, guys!

Boardie: had a birthday there – might have been my 21st actually, my band played while my family watched awkwardly from amongst the wierdos. We cleverly bought a big bottle of Galiano one night – my mate spent about 3 hours dry retching in the bushes outside. Good times…

Terrace bar: First ever gig my first band played was there. With Gup, anyone remember Gup Sound. Dude was as deaf as a post! I’m sure a few friends almost lost an arm to his dog if they strayed too close to his truck.

Asylum: THIS PLACE WAS THE BOMB! Man we had some awesome gigs there! We supported Cartoon there, anyone remember them? We kicked their butts actually. One vivid memory of unloading the cars in the alley out the back – a couple spilled out of the private bin and started having sex right on the stair case in front of us! One of my earliest gig-memories was getting snuck in to see my brothers band play at the Asylum. Appropriate name too – I’m sure the carpet was made of bubblegum and the walls were made of grime and hair glued together with sweat.

Gypsy bar: First thing that springs to mind was scoring pot for Skunkhour! Then there was that chick behind the bar that got hit on by every second dude in the place – man she was tough as they come and damn cute too boot! Me and a mate fed the juke box about $30 one night and put on three CD’s worth of utter shite like Brittany Spears and then left them to it. Must’ve been piss-funny at the time. Ah kids…

Finnigans/Rock ape: HA! My first bands LAST gig was there! That was a funny old place, especially in the early days of the Rock Ape where the bar staff would be sent out with cash from the till to buy a few cases of beer! Some nights all you could buy was VB! But in the early days some of the tradies and other regulars hung around when the bands started. I almost pissed myself laughing watching this old couple dancing to our band one night. And Tony was the best god damned sound man we ever had with the shittiest gear we ever saw! Bloody legend.

Terminus: Oh… Alchemist… oh… what a gig! What a wasted space, eh? That place had it going on, but the bloody new tenants upstairs put an end to it. Same with the Asylum. Such a shame.

Yeah… damn… Zorros.

Forgot all about Zorros and I played there quite a few times with Nevyn in the early days.

Loved it… size of a shoebox, punters literally right in your face, dodging pool players and people carrying jugs of booze to the tables while trying to sing.

Cheap beers and nice people running the joint.

Lots of fond memories of Zorros.

Seeing Three at the Asylum was probably my highlight for that place.

The old civic youth centre used to be great for all ages shows too. I was really sad to see that go. Back in the days before you had to do a breath test to play a show in a youthie.

gypsy bar – was a top venue in my peak late 90’s.. thursday, friday, saturday nights. without fail. if only to be young(er) again. Couldn’t even get to the bar without running into half a dozen people that you knew.

…and the Snakepit at Erindale. class!

well you can’t go past Zorros. Size of a shoe box. Bands in the corner on the way to the toilet amongst the punters and spilt jugs and debauchery. there was also R&Bs in phillip which was great for the same reasons.

the Asylum was the best though I reckon. Especially when the stage was up the back at the top. The front lower bar used to get so overpacked and crazy.

I was just thinking while we’re on the subject of old venues that used to be good but no longer exist.

What about some thoughts on the other old spots people used to frequent?

The ones that come to mind –

Terrace bar

Asylum

Gypsy bar

Finnigans/Rock ape

Terminus

I’d love to hear some people’s memories from these spots as well as the boardy. I guess if anyone else has some spots in mind that I’ve unintentionally missed or forgot it would be great to hear about them too.

Les,
Best and worst canberra bands post is here

i owe you a barcadi breezer for that one! Maelinar can have the champers.

just like the one between your legs thumper.

Something about the Labour club killing off smaller clubs near it, ala Northies etc etc etc.

I think the clubs name was the Benjamin Club.

I knew it started with a “B”. I was working in Benjamin offices, and I didn’t know it existed till some work mates took us there for a schnizel and schooner for lunch. Which was actually good value. But I am not surprised it went bust since they never had any advertising that I saw, and the Churches centre was pretty isolated for the time the new Immigration building was being built.

p1,

I think the clubs name was the Benjamin Club. I miss the Boardroom, one of the places that enabled me to start my distinguished career as serial court antendee/minstrel/jester.

yup that was it.

I used to love the boardroom. My old band used to play there heaps. It was good for all college bands to have a place like that.

I think the club that existed for a while was called the “Belconnen Club”.

The big Neon “Boardroom” Sign is still on the back of the Churches Centre. Would love to fire it up, see if it still goes…

yeah there is nothing where the boardy was now… there was another pub for a bit… (pokies/pub food etc) but certainly was no boardy!

u huh. Shows that I haven’t been there since these vids.

If you click on the “Entertainment & the Arts” category Les, you’ll see the post.

Actually the Boardroom hasn’t been torn down.

It was in the Churches centre which is still standing.

Although i go past it almost every day, I’ve never really bothered to look and see what it is now.

I’m sure at one stage it was part of a club, but I have a feeling that the club went bust and I think it’s just an empty space now like the Terminus Tavern in the city which has remained vacant since the Gypsy Bar moved.

Sad for both venues really.

Hey Bam Bam

Do you have a link to the “Best and Worst canberra bands” post?

That’d be an entertaining read.

Cheers,

LL