Barrowland Ballroom
Encyclopedia
The Barrowlands is a major dance hall
and concert
venue in Glasgow
, Scotland
.
), after which the area and the ballroom are named, continues until the present day. The Barrowland building includes large street-level halls used for the weekend markets, with a sizeable weatherproof hall above. The front of the building is decorated with a distinctive animated neon sign
.
The Ballroom was the leading dancehall in Scotland from its inception. The serial killer
Bible John
is believed to have met his victims at dances in the Barrowlands. The building was largely destroyed by fire in 1958, leading to a complete rebuild. The rebuilt ballroom opened on Christmas Eve 1960.
Latterly, with the decline of dancehall and the rise of rock
/pop
performance, the Ballroom has become a major concert venue. Known for its excellent acoustics
(a design imperative for the unamplified orchestras which formerly graced its stage), as well as its sprung dance floor, the Barrowlands has become a particular favourite of many noted rock/pop acts. Although its modest capacity (around 1,900 people) is small compared with several other Scottish venues (the SECC
, Ingliston
, and various stadia) the Barrowlands punches above its weight in attracting top-name performers, and was recently voted the best music venue in the UK in a poll of British bands, and in another survey amongst bands, was voted second best venue in the world. Simple Minds
filmed the video for their 1983 hit single, Waterfront
at Barrowlands http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20050504/ai_n14610095 and in doing so reintroduced the venue to the UK touring circuit. U2
, Big Country
and Marillion
were a number of the acts to play the hall within its first year.
, the 'Barras' also plays host to various Irish
rebel bands throughout the year. This often leads to confrontation, with a large police presence the norm following such concerts.
Ocean Colour Scene
played 5 consecutive sold out nights in 2001. They currently still hold the record.
Barrowlands has also been listed by many major artists as one of the best small gig venues in the world. Metallica said that the venue, because of its size and nature made it the best gig they had ever played after their performance there in 1996. In her song Barrowland Ballroom, Amy Macdonald
sings that “nothing beats the feeling of the high Barrowland ceiling when a band begins to play”. Of note; Alice in Chains' Live album was predominantly recorded at the Barrowland Ballroom.
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
and concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
venue in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
History of Barrowland Ballroom
The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre. The "Barras" street market (more properly Glasgow Barrowland marketGlasgow Barrowland market
The Barras is a major street and indoor weekend market in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. The term "barra" is Glaswegian dialect for "barrow", relating to the market's early years, where traders sold their wares from handcarts...
), after which the area and the ballroom are named, continues until the present day. The Barrowland building includes large street-level halls used for the weekend markets, with a sizeable weatherproof hall above. The front of the building is decorated with a distinctive animated neon sign
Neon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
.
The Ballroom was the leading dancehall in Scotland from its inception. The serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
Bible John
Bible John
Bible John is the nickname of a serial killer who is thought to have operated in Glasgow, Scotland, in the late 1960s. Three murders were attributed to him, but it is not clear if they were the work of the same person.-Murders:...
is believed to have met his victims at dances in the Barrowlands. The building was largely destroyed by fire in 1958, leading to a complete rebuild. The rebuilt ballroom opened on Christmas Eve 1960.
Latterly, with the decline of dancehall and the rise of rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
performance, the Ballroom has become a major concert venue. Known for its excellent acoustics
Architectural acoustics
Architectural acoustics is the science of noise control within buildings. The first application of architectural acoustics was in the design of opera houses and then concert halls. More widely, noise suppression is critical in the design of multi-unit dwellings and business premises that generate...
(a design imperative for the unamplified orchestras which formerly graced its stage), as well as its sprung dance floor, the Barrowlands has become a particular favourite of many noted rock/pop acts. Although its modest capacity (around 1,900 people) is small compared with several other Scottish venues (the SECC
Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre
The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre , located on the north bank of the River Clyde, in Glasgow, is Scotland's largest exhibition centre....
, Ingliston
Ingliston
Ingliston is an area in the west of Edinburgh, Scotland.It is south of Edinburgh Airport and home to the Royal Highland Showground.From 1965 to 1992 motor racing took place at Ingliston Motor Racing circuit, which was located within the Royal Highland Showground.From 1973 to 2005, Ingliston held a...
, and various stadia) the Barrowlands punches above its weight in attracting top-name performers, and was recently voted the best music venue in the UK in a poll of British bands, and in another survey amongst bands, was voted second best venue in the world. Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
filmed the video for their 1983 hit single, Waterfront
Waterfront (song)
"Waterfront" is a 1983 single from Simple Minds, the first release from the album Sparkle in the Rain.Featuring a new, rockier sound, "Waterfront" scaled the charts in various countries around the world, including hitting #1 for two weeks in New Zealand. It also reached #13 on the UK Singles Charts...
at Barrowlands http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20050504/ai_n14610095 and in doing so reintroduced the venue to the UK touring circuit. U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Big Country
Big Country
Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife in 1981. They were most popular in the early to mid-1980s, but they still release material for a cult following...
and Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
were a number of the acts to play the hall within its first year.
The Acts
The Barrowlands has also proven to be a popular venue with successful homegrown talent and in keeping with its location in the East End of GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, the 'Barras' also plays host to various Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
rebel bands throughout the year. This often leads to confrontation, with a large police presence the norm following such concerts.
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
played 5 consecutive sold out nights in 2001. They currently still hold the record.
Barrowlands has also been listed by many major artists as one of the best small gig venues in the world. Metallica said that the venue, because of its size and nature made it the best gig they had ever played after their performance there in 1996. In her song Barrowland Ballroom, Amy Macdonald
Amy Macdonald (singer)
Amy Macdonald is a Scottish recording artist. Macdonald rose to fame in 2007 with her debut album, This Is the Life and its fourth single, "This Is the Life". The single charted at number one in six different countries worldwide, and charted inside the top ten in another eleven countries worldwide...
sings that “nothing beats the feeling of the high Barrowland ceiling when a band begins to play”. Of note; Alice in Chains' Live album was predominantly recorded at the Barrowland Ballroom.
The Barrowlands 2
The Barrowlands 2 is a part of the Barrowlands ballroom and is a combination of a bar with a stage that, like the main floor, hosts gigs. It aims to give small bands local to Glasgow a shot at getting their music heard by people all over Scotland. They host an event showcasing unsigned local talent in the main ballroom every year, giving local upcoming bands a chance to play on the big stage.External links
- Official site
- Photographs of the Barras
- Charlie and the Bhoys Website - Videos of the Barrowlands
- DANCING AT BARROWLANDS (c.1961) (archive film from the National Library of Scotland: SCOTTISH SCREEN ARCHIVE)