Yet another old, lost club of Oxford Street, previously known as Henry's. The Banshee was a typically grubby basement club beneath what is now the Circus building.
Banshee, Oxford Street. (c) The Banshee Facebook [1].
It survived through the '80s well into the mid-'90s (when I ended up here a few times when puddled) but was mainly a goth-rock club so had a limited clientèle.
Banshee, Oxford Street. (c) Banshee facebook group [1].
It did attract normal punters, as shown below (although, yes, that gent is wearing dungarees in the background). Monday nights played the likes of the The Doors, MC5, Stone Roses, Primal Scream etc.
Banshee, Oxford Street. (c) The Banshee Facebook [1].
It survived through the '80s well into the mid-'90s (when I ended up here a few times when puddled) but was mainly a goth-rock club so had a limited clientèle.
Banshee, Oxford Street. (c) Banshee facebook group [1].
It did attract normal punters, as shown below (although, yes, that gent is wearing dungarees in the background). Monday nights played the likes of the The Doors, MC5, Stone Roses, Primal Scream etc.
The whole block of buildings containing the Banshee was pulled down in the '90s and replaced with the Circus which also houses a casino and hotel as well as the dreadful Varsity and not-bad Paramount.
Banshee, Oxford Street. (c) The Banshee Facebook [1].
The Banshee apparently lived on for a while at a new home in Piccadilly, possibly at what is now the Manchester & County Wetherspoons.
Banshee, Oxford Street. (c) The Banshee Facebook [1].
The Banshee apparently lived on for a while at a new home in Piccadilly, possibly at what is now the Manchester & County Wetherspoons.
Circus, Oxford Street. (c) pit-yacker at flickr.
1. www.facebook.com/groups/banshee.manchester/photos.
1. www.facebook.com/groups/banshee.manchester/photos.
When the Banshee was in Piccadilly, it was beneath Halfords, which is now Boots/Somerfields.
ReplyDeleteIt then moved on to the Retro Bar and finally Jillys.
Thanks Adam. Don't remember a Halfords being there - or was it "Halfords", a club?
ReplyDeleteIt was the centre of my world for years where you could here Sisters of Mercy downstairs and Hanoi Rocks upstairs... awesome!
ReplyDeleteI was chatting to a Salford woman the other day who liked the Fugees.She was on about the Manchester nightclubs like Legends and Rotters.I mentioned the Banshee and unsurprisingly she never heard of it.
ReplyDeleteWas it called Henrys? In the 70s?
ReplyDeleteThen did it change to The Universal, then The Banshee and, after that, Jillys Rock World?
First went in there when I was 17 loved all the different types of music they played from: Bowie, Roxy, Punk
Sparks, "This Town Aint Big Enough For The Both Of Us", was playing when I went there in May 79. I used to go there with my friends from the Wimpy Bar on Piccadilly
Then, in the 80s, used to go there with my goth friends
Good times and good memories too
upstairs at the Banshee in the late early 90's till it closed was mainly American Glam Motley Crue, WASP, Poison, Guns n' roses, Hanoi Rocks... long big black/blonde hair/spandex & make up & eyeliner & that was the males. The Females rock chicks all looked sexy as hell. downstairs was Gothic & everyone looked fantastic.
ReplyDeleteClose family friend at the time Diane berry owned and run banshees
ReplyDeleteHi there, Diane was a friend of mine too, I used to DJ at the Banshee from about 88/89 until they closed the place in the nineties. Do you know what happened to Diane and Dave? Cheers!
DeleteI used to love Henry’s. Late 70’s early 80’s
ReplyDeleteI was the original doorman at the banshee,, before the banshee it was Barristers, Diane Berry was a part owner with Danny Ford and someone called Malcolm, Diane's daughter also worked there
ReplyDeleteUsed to go there in early 90s , Friday 8pm to 8am, mix factory were the Djs, it could be quite Dodgy, Gangs coming in trying rob youths who were pilled up having a good time, shame because the music was banging, used to travel from Hebden Bridge
ReplyDelete