Seventies music venue in Bray?

Brendan Jabbers

Does anyone remember a rock venue in Bray (next to the railway station) that hosted a few concerts around 1973? It was called the Fillmore (East or West, I can't remember) after the venues of the same name in the US. It was going to be the future of live music in Ireland, and they had an amazing looking roster of bands that were going to play there. In the end, only a few materialised - I saw Curved Air there, also my favourite band, Family, who failed to turn up on the Sunday (I think) due to ferry problems, so their support band, Cromwell, played in their place (anyone remember them? I have a feeling Paul Brady was in it, but there's no reference to it anywhere) Family showed up on the Monday. I moved to Manchester in '76, and when I went back years later it was a cash and carry (and nothing like as big as I remembered it!) then last year I found it totally abandoned, looking very desolate and windswept.

I can only find a couple of references to it online (in lists of the above bands' gigs, who actually refer to it as Dublin!) but nothing else, no photos, no memories, nothing. I'd love to find out more about it - does anyone know what I'm talking about?

Annasopra

Brendan Jabbers wrote: »

Does anyone remember a rock venue in Bray (next to the railway station) that hosted a few concerts around 1973? It was called the Fillmore (East or West, I can't remember) after the venues of the same name in the US. It was going to be the future of live music in Ireland, and they had an amazing looking roster of bands that were going to play there. In the end, only a few materialised - I saw Curved Air there, also my favourite band, Family, who failed to turn up on the Sunday (I think) due to ferry problems, so their support band, Cromwell, played in their place (anyone remember them? I have a feeling Paul Brady was in it, but there's no reference to it anywhere) Family showed up on the Monday. I moved to Manchester in '76, and when I went back years later it was a cash and carry (and nothing like as big as I remembered it!) then last year I found it totally abandoned, looking very desolate and windswept.

I can only find a couple of references to it online (in lists of the above bands' gigs, who actually refer to it as Dublin!) but nothing else, no photos, no memories, nothing. I'd love to find out more about it - does anyone know what I'm talking about?

It was known as the Arcadia Ballroom and closed sometime in the mid 1970s

I have seen a few photos around

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/405204_321457654551267_234210346609332_1025738_820935847_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/431253_347612968602402_234210346609332_1098444_590497437_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/408940_316672635029769_234210346609332_1008392_1793302277_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/404602_316020995094933_234210346609332_1005910_73925582_n.jpg

JohnDigital

There is some info here http://www.facebook.com/braydidyouknow there is a photo two in the photos section under "Photos of Yesterday" and some info about Status Quo playing in Fillmore West Club in "Blast from the Past"

Brendan Jabbers

Thanks, Mango and John, that's absolutely amazing. I wasn't aware of its history as a dancehall, and I didn't know those bands had played there in the early Seventies (when it was the Fillmore). I would have wanted to see The Who and Van Morrison, but in those pre-internet, even pre-teletext days I was relying on my da buying the Herald or Press for the occasional bit of music news! It's great to know there ARE still memories and records of it floating around. As is often the case with memories of our youth, I imagined it as a huge, cavernous place like the Point Depot, but when I revisited it and then saw these photos, it's obvious it was much smaller than I visualised it.

Thanks again.

tonyon

Anyone know who the group are that are featured in the Photo on stage playing the Arcadia.? Some familiar looking faces there. Very interesting piece of local history. Would like to see more Photo's if they are out there. Thanks.

JohnDigital

This one?



According to Bray Did You Know it's The Beavers at the Arcadia in 1964. (Mick Rafferty, Andy Reid, Tommy Kinsella, Joe Chadwick and Joe Waters).

tonyon

Great, thanks for that info. I think the drummer may have been Mick Waters?. Happy Days!.