Unusual venues you've seen gigs at

[Peacock Johnson]

Just nabbed a ticket to see forum favourites Public Service Broadcasting [I like them, unashamedly] in Durham Cathedral in July.

Last year I saw Richard Dawson down in Newcastle's Victorian Tunnels.

No doubt others have been to stranger gig venues, let's hear it...

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Last year I saw Richard Dawson down in Newcastle's Victorian Tunnels.

Saw about that and really wanted to go to it, what was it like?

[Memorex MP3]

Modest Mouse near their peak popularity in some wedding reception hall room in a hotel in the west of Ireland.

[Kankurette]

Space in the bombed out church in Liverpool, and the Shankly Hotel. It's much classier than the usual places they play. And Suede at the Deaf Institute, under a false name (Crushed Kid), and Mark Lanegan in a church in Leeds that was so cold I kept my hoodie on all through the gig.

[LurkMcGee]

I like the idea of Thekla in Bristol, but never been convinced on the sound in there. Feels like one of the vaults from Fallout when you're inside more than being inside of a boat.

Maybe less than your unusual but there's a space that holds gigs near me that is neither a bar or pub per se (despite er, having a bar there) is that it's a 'beer shop'. Tiny venue, not the greatest when it comes to sound but a good craic.

Has anyone been to that weird bar in Glasgow that is like an MC Escher painting when you walk inside it? They have a little bit where they have bands play that you walk under - that's quite unusual.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Saw Grouper inside a church in Bristol. The support was a techno thing which was amusing to watch sitting at a pew.

[jobotic]

Been to a couple of gigs on the lightship that was at Gillingham and is now in Gravesend. Sadly missed Damo Suzuki playing on it.

Saw Billy Childish play down Fort Amherst Napoleonic Tunnels.

Once went on a tour of Chislehurst caves and the bloke doing it said Jimi Hendrix played down there. Imagine that.

Of course Jimi had already played at a Tulip Bulb Auction Hall

https://www.heritagesouthholland.co.uk/article/jimi-hendrix-at-barbeque-67-in-spalding/

[Peacock Johnson]

Saw about that and really wanted to go to it, what was it like?

Venue wise it was simply some chairs in rows with no stage as such (so not great views from the back rows I wager) but acoustics great.

Show wise it was just a loose one-hour show, two new songs played so hopefully a new album in the pipeline

[sevendaughters]

I have played a French version of the Thekla (Le Sonic in Lyon) and it's a memorable experience - but I once saw Dan Deacon on a canal barge that was actually moving around the canals of Salford. This was the night Tony Wilson died (actually, not spiritually). Fun show!

AIDS Wolf once played my lounge. I saw a local act play in a cavern in someone's garden, which was cool.

[Deskbound Cunt]

On reflection, Spike Island was pretty unusual.

[Jockice]

The Lovely Eggs in a pub in the Lake District. It was a friend's birthday do and someone else who knew the duo set it up as a surprise for him.

[Russ L]

A whole bunch in churches and art galleries, but that isn't hugely unusual.  I've only ever been to one in someone's house but that happens too.

There used to be an annual free festival (called The Flyover Show, name not as unusual as location) under Hockley Flyover in Brum.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Australian Pink Floyd, Dudley Zoo.

[The Mollusk]

I saw Grizzly Bear play on the beach, just stood there doing an impromptu acoustic set during ATP Festival in 2007 with a bunch of people stood round them in a circle. My mate dragged me down there saying it was a once in a lifetime thing. I thought it was a load of boring shite.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Not gigs but I always used to like when they drained the pool in the Custard Factory and had the rave in there. Saw the Valve Soundsystem there and the bass was like an air column rushing past my head.

I've heard they filled original pool in and later replaced it with a shallow little fountain. Basically cultural vandalism.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Also when Kef/Lava/Glow 303 (changed names multiple times) in Aberdeen got shut Jungle Nation moved to the basement of Hotel Metro. It was great going out for a smoke and hearing a crap rendition of amarillo from the upstairs cabaret lounge, and you ended up with pill heads talking bollocks to middle aged drinkers outside.

[sardines]

Many gigs in many churches but I'll highlight one in a Krakow synagogue mainly because the men were handed caps when we walked in  (Google tells me these are called 'kippah'). Queue lots of awkward 40-somethings trying to work out how/whether we should wear them

Damo Suzuki in a Cologne subway station for the serendipity.

Keeping to the North East theme of the original post, I will add the amazing Version Festival which took place on a bloody big chunk of a German ship parked on the Quayside much to the confusion of weekend revellers.

And my happiest place-Morden Tower . Not a period in my life I'm nostalgic for but I will happily regale people with tales of seeing Jack Rose on a wet Wednesday evening play the most beautiful ragas by candlelight to about 10  people.

[The Mollusk]

Not gigs but I always used to like when they drained the pool in the Custard Factory and had the rave in there. Saw the Valve Soundsystem there and the bass was like an air column rushing past my head.

My late teens/early 20s coming if age was spent in that pool feeling the blood rattling in my veins to Valve! We were almost certainly at the same nights at least once.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I remember seeing D-Bridge in the Med Bar too, that was great. Not sure if it was the same night but deffo waw Mc Tali  as well!

Also saw UK Apache do a live PA in Radius, did you ever go there?

[Head Gardener]

A few I can think of, Gorkys in the Roadmender bar in Northampton as they couldn't fill the main hall, T.Rex cover band in a cave in Derbyshire and Hawkwind at Stonehenge (which was bloody amazing). Also when I saw Crowded House play a secret gig at The Borderline in London they came out into the street before the show and played a great acoustic set on the pavement.

[Pranet]

Acoustic Ladyland outside Bath Abbey.

[The Mollusk]

I remember seeing D-Bridge in the Med Bar too, that was great. Not sure if it was the same night but deffo waw Mc Tali  as well!

Also saw UK Apache do a live PA in Radius, did you ever go there?

I don't think I did, no!

[cosmic-hearse]

I've been to / played a disproportionate number of gigs in squats so played in numerous disused shops or industrial spaces, including a tyre factory and a bakery.

[Russ L]

Libraries, there's another one.  Been to a couple in lbraries.

I miss the Custard Factory drained-pond-with-a-canopy venue too.

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

Daft Punk is playing at my house.

[djtrees]

Played a gig on this boat... https://www.stubnitz.com/content/venue
and another barge type one. Also played in a gasworks in Derry. Also played gigs in 2 circus tents. Not at the same time.

[Brundle-Fly]

Duckworth Lewis Method at The Oval.

[Egyptian Feast]

North Sea Scrolls at St Pancras Old Church, a lovely little church rebuilt in Victorian times on a site that's been used as a place of worship since the Anglo-Saxon period. A great spot for Cathal Coughlan to sing a song about an IRA tribute act.

I once missed a guerilla gig at a disused Cold War era military site near Krakow, deserted again by the time we showed up.

[no_offenc]

mr marcaille playing furious hardcore punk cello sat on a chair in his undercrackers in my mate's back yard

also it was quite odd seeing divine comedy in liverpool's st george's hall given how lovely and ornate the main room is

also both magnetic fields and st vincent at manchester cathedral (separate occasions, thoroughly different setups)

[djtrees]

mr marcaille playing furious hardcore punk cello sat on a chair in his undercrackers in my mate's back yard

Oh yeah that was my back garden. Forgot about that furry belgian.