h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

you`ve got the basic idea of the place right, but upon first read of this article i am given the idea that the barrowlands is a hostile place. having been there many a time i can say this is not true. people look out for one another for the most part. of course there are a few nutters but you get that everywhere you go. personally i love it. there is no greater feeling than when you walk out of there, dripping of sweat, ears ringing, bones aching and heart pumping after seeing your heros perform with hundreds of other people who feel the same.
oh, sorry, i seem to be getting carried away. guess you had to be there.

Have to say I agree whole-heartedly`with your description of a night in the Barras!
Bloody brilliant!

thank you kindly. i take it you`ve been a few times yourself then?

Yup, I've been to a few gigs at the barras.
It's a great venue. The people I've met there have all been a good laugh.
I've never actually been to Glasgow for any other reason apart from going to the barras!

you`re right. the people are always up for a good laugh. even the winos outside! so who`ve you seen there then?

You're right about the winos outside! What a giggle!
The most recent gigs I've been to there are The Sisters of Mercy and Soft Cell.
Been to a couple of other naff ones!
I can usually be found right up the front screaming at whatever bands on, reeking of cider & blackcurrant or bacardi breezers!!
If I'm not there, I'm sat on the wee ledge at the side trying to sing & sway in time to the music! (and probably not making a very good job of it!)

i was at the sisters of mercy gig too. last band i saw there was stone temple pilots. i`ve also seen metallica, megadeth, soundgarden, the almighty, therapy, terrorvision and loads more there too. the best by far was the foo fighters. i can usually be found in the mosh pit too. it`s the only place to be. (besides the bar!).

I've been to several gigs there icl the Seahorses, third eye Blind and 2 Barenaked Ladies gigs.

I've never heard of it refered to as the 'Barras' The actual venue is The Barrowlands or Barrowlands Ballroom...the Barras is the market underneith it....

Remember if you go to a gig there to pop back two weeks later and find Thomas who'll no doubt be at his stand selling a bootleg of the gig you were at just 10days before hand...and with a nice cover and good quality sound.

I have a bootleg of all the gigs I've been to there...all from him, all for good quality.

So if you`ve never heard it referred to as the Barras you`re obviously not local. It is also the name of the weekend market below which makes sense. I`ve got a few of those bootlegs myself. It`s always good to listen to the ones you`ve been to. Very nostalgic.

of course I'm local...i've just never heard the actual venue referred to like that...I've always heard it refered to as The Barrowlands...and there isn't really a mosh pitt of sorts...

Also you [or the author] failed to mention the fact that no matter what type of music your there for you cannot fail to leave soaking wet and covered in beer

You`re right. The author and i did forget to mention about the beer thing. I did mention leaving the venue rather moist though in my first reply to this entry. As for mosh pit, well there`s certainly been one in most of the gigs i`ve been to in the Barras. Not when i saw Del amitri and stuff like that though. Guess everyone`s perception is different and we each take something different away from these things

Yeah but the Barrowlands [at least, last time I was there] is just a flat big ballroom dance floor...everyone stands, everyone dances so the whole places, at times, turns into one big dance floor.

When I saw the Seahorses there everyone was jumping around and some bloke elbowed me in the stomach and i threw up on his girlfriend and scarpered quickly....

I've seen the Barenaked Ladies three times in there and been right down the front....during the dancy numbers like One Week the whole place is jumping up and down...it gets pretty hairy down the front...always managed to get right to the front for those gigs.

The BNL are pretty tame...I'd hate to see that place if a Metal band was on...christ...the castualties would be enormous!

Anyone going to see Iggy Pop at the barras on 16th July? I am! Can't wait!!

nope, I'm in the states then...I'd love to see Bowie in the Barrowlands....that would be brilliant!

Oooh! David Bowie! The man is a GOD!!!!
Where you going in the States? Anywhere nice?

Nope, not going to that one either. I`ve just realised that i haven`t been to gig this year yet. Must do something to rectify that.

When i saw Slayer at the Barras it got pretty hairy then. I stayed well away from the front of that one. I usually manage to get to the front for the bands i want to see too.

Some people just don`t know how to behave at these things. I remember once, my friend i were at a KMO gig in the Barras. We were about the third row from the front. The band was on and everyone was tightly packed in. I turned to my friend who had a very odd look on her face, kinda scared. Turned out the guy who was standing behind her had put his arms round her waist and was trying to undo her trousers!! We were out of the crowd when she told me what had happened so i didn`t even get a chance to smack the guy.

That same thing happened to me once at the barras and once at the liquid room in Edinburgh. Both times there was a bloke behind me trying to get a grope. Both of them got a sharp elbow in the stomach which stopped them! What is it with blokes and their wandering hands? Do they think we like being mauled by a complete stranger without even the curtesy of being bought a drink first?! (joke!)

What is the liquid rooms like as a venue? Any good?

The liquid room is a great venue. It's smaller than the barras but the same sort of atmosphere. The stage is at one side, the bar's opposite that. Few tables round the edges. An upstairs bar & seating area for those not wanting to be crushed! And the doormen are all pretty decent blokes. I've seen a few bands there (including The Damned, The Mission, Non Jovi) and I'll be going again on 10th May to see Mansun. It's a great wee place, you should try it out sometime.

I was planning on seeing the Foo Fighters there last year before Taylor went a bit ca-ca and they pulled out. Still fancy trying it though. Especially after such a good review.