The SFX nostalgia thread

[Kurt Cocaine]

Where was the SFX? I think one of the venues was in Dún Laoghaire maybe the Top Hat?

I was too young to have ever been in either I may be wrong but I don't think venues like this exist in Ireland anymore where in 10 - 15 years time people will be talking about the good old days in such and such a venue where they saw this band or that band.

Even for me my venue was probably the Voodoo Lounge during the golden years of 2005 - 2010 when they had the pizza slices and to a lesser extent TBMC before it was changed. It felt like I was going to a gig there nearly every month and I saw some great bands. It still doesn't feel to me they way you hear some people describing SFX or McGonagle's either on here or the old forum. What I would give to have been around in those days.

It was more the buzz of the bands than the venues. It was most bands first time on these shores around then and Metal/Thrash/Death was the biggest thing too.
The Top Hat and SFX were bingo halls & rollerskate rinks. McGonagle's had a license to sell wine only. It was a proper venue in that sense I suppose.
My favourite venue in Dublin was The Tivoli on Francis Street. Class spot and sorely missed.

[Kurt Cocaine]

Anthrax at The Top Hat was my first ever gig in Dublin (Dun Laoghaire). Was July 1989 on the State of Euphoria tour.
Buzzed I was but unfortunately a dickhead decided to spit on the band, a punk if I remember correctly? Anyway, about 5 songs in the band stopped and warned the audience that any more gobbing and the show's over...

Here's a Wav recording of the incident...

http://homepage.eircom.net/~seanmckeon/gigs/anthrax_sounds.htm

Predator from Dublin were the support band that night. They played longer than Anthrax, lol...
Anthrax also played Omagh GAA club and Bangor Castle Leisure Centre (ticket cost £8.50) in the two nights leading up to the Dun Laoghaire gig. Those were the days!

[Juggz]

It was more than one person gobbing, it was very common at every gig up to that one. Scott Ian had gone on his hole after slipping on the amount of gob on the stage and that's when they stopped the first time. A roadie came on with a towel to try to dry the stage. That's how much gobbing was going on. Vile cunts and definitely not just the punks. Both Megadeth in the Olympic Ballroom in 88 and WASP in the Top Hat a couple of months before Anthrax had brought up the spitting during their gigs. It definitely died down a lot after Anthrax walked off. It's just a shame it took their action to put some manners on some of the filthy bastards.

Think about how much phlegm must be on a stage for you to slip and lose your footing on it. Cunts.

[Wiseblood]

I think the only 2 I went to there were that Slayer/Fu Manchu one and Megadeth on The World Needs A Hero tour. A decent Megadeth gig but yet another woeful support act in Defenestration.

A lad with a full pint politely asked me to move and thinking he didn't want to spill his pint I obliged only to then see him fuck the full pint at the singer in Defenestration. He really must have hated them to buy a pint to fuck at them 

That Slayer gig was class though although I agree that Fu Manchu were a poorly matched support.

[mickO)))]

Where was the SFX?

Had to google it, Sherrard Street Upper by all accounts. I work in Dublin now so fairly familiar with the area but I hadn't a clue where it was back then. Just remember walking up O'Connell Street on the way with a bag of cans. Also, thought the name SFX was really class at the time but was then informed that it was just short for Saint Francis Xavier community hall or something like that! Not quite as cool.

Thanks I coudn't find an address on google and yes I saw that Francis thing when I looked it up this morning.

It was more the buzz of the bands than the venues. It was most bands first time on these shores around then and Metal/Thrash/Death was the biggest thing too.
The Top Hat and SFX were bingo halls & rollerskate rinks. McGonagle's had a license to sell wine only. It was a proper venue in that sense I suppose.
My favourite venue in Dublin was The Tivoli on Francis Street. Class spot and sorely missed.
[/quote]

Yeah that's sort of what I mean like in the Voodoo I remember seeing Rotting Christ, Incantation, Dawn of Azazel, Immolation, Krisiun, Vital Remains with Suzuki, Skinless, Gorgoroth, 1349, Carpathian Forest, Decapitated with Covan (who seemed to play nearly once a year) etc. A lot of bands I was big into at the time and for some of those bands it was the first time they had played in Ireland. A few years ago before I left Ireland it seemed like gigs were always on in different venues and most of the time it was venues I have never heard of. The Voodoo does seem to be back up and running now but no pizza. 

[Paul keohane]

If i had to pick one,Temple bar musuc centre was probably my favourite  venue in Dublin.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Never went, since I didn't start going to gigs regularly until I was 18/19 (1999/2000). In that sense, the only one I really "missed" was the Megadeth one. I do remember meeting a friend of a friend upstairs on the 45 back to Bray who'd just been at the Tool gig. He was an absolute plank, and since his mention of them was the first time I'd even heard of the band, I think it went a long way towards me not checking them out for years.

[DeletedUsermNqGIiIuGy]

My first metal gig was in the SFX  for Fear Factory / Will Haven and the mighty CUBANTE 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/fear-factory/1999/sfx-hall-dublin-ireland-5bd313a8.html  that encore  :O) <3

Always remember some big topless fat cunt barging through the crowd just as Wil Haven started yelling 'OUT OF THE WAY, THE MOSH PIT WARRIOR COMING THROUGH' or something equally fucking moronic. The guys started shoving and punching people because he was big fat cunt.. bully shit etc.
I'll never forget some guys I knew as well as many others got fed up of him and people proceeded to start running into the pit throwing flying kicks and everything at him until he eventually fucked off .. a sight to behold 

When shock kicked in, it  was something I'll never forget .. just VOOOMP

[Mower Liberation Front]

First time I was there was that Priest /Annihilator show. I remember seeing the Almighty play there to about 50 people.

[Kurt Cocaine]

It was more than one person gobbing, it was very common at every gig up to that one. Scott Ian had gone on his hole after slipping on the amount of gob on the stage and that's when they stopped the first time. A roadie came on with a towel to try to dry the stage. That's how much gobbing was going on. Vile cunts and definitely not just the punks. Both Megadeth in the Olympic Ballroom in 88 and WASP in the Top Hat a couple of months before Anthrax had brought up the spitting during their gigs. It definitely died down a lot after Anthrax walked off. It's just a shame it took their action to put some manners on some of the filthy bastards.

Think about how much phlegm must be on a stage for you to slip and lose your footing on it. Cunts.

Actually yeah, and Scott Ian stood there after the band warned everyone about gobbing and told everyone to get the gobbing out of their system.
Loads of durtburds launched phlegm on him as he stood there and took it.
He wiped down and said that's it, any more spitting and we're off! As soon as the next song kicked in, gobs landed again. Bye bye Anthrax, I was devastated. Cunts (punters)..!

[Doctor Crippen]

Wow, loads of gigs and venues mentioned,

The top hat was a great little venue, went to many gigs there and even stood outside it waiting for Napalm Death to play and then someone came out and told us it was cancelled. I was so young and excited I genuinely nearly cried. I was at that Anthrax gig, total shitshow. The crowd were mental and as everyone mentioned their was a fair amount of spitting but even before the gig you could sense it was going to be fairly chaotic, the crowd were mangled.

Saw a lot of bands in Mcgonagles such as death, other great venues were the Fox and Pheasant  Barnstormers, The Grattan, Boars head, The old China man, Charlies, they were great venues and I saw some amazing bands in all those places.

I loved the SFX though, saw bands like slayer, Pantera, Machine Head, Megadeth, Sepultura, The wedding present. I loved the SFX, bit of a lawless venue. Bouncers let anyone in and you could get hammered before, during and after the gig.

[Trev]

When did it close down? I started going to gigs around 2000ish and they were mostly all in the Music Centre or Ambassador

[mickO)))]

The ambassador that was another great venue.

[Eoin McLove]

Closed in 01-ish.

[Makeshiftatomsmasher]

It's most definitely nostalgia,  but I do miss the place. saw my first ever gig there  ,Pantera/Grunttruck and then it was pretty much there and one or two gig s in Tivoli during my teen and early twenty's.