Another closure, another chance to do something. Will we? |
IT was quite a line-up. The Gypsy Pistoleros, a group of “glam-punk, goth ‘n’ roll outlaws mixing swagger-drenched punk anthems, dark cabaret decadence and apocalyptic energy”, and A Murder of Crows, “horror punk rockers from the Kingdom of Fife”. Going to be honest: it doesn’t sound like my kind of thing, but that isn’t the point. The point is that a lot of people would have gone along and had a good night. But they didn’t because it was cancelled. It never happened.
What happened instead was that the gig was called off at the last minute and a few days later it was announced that the venue where it was due to happen, The Monarch Bar in Dunfermline, was closing. The promoter putting on the gigs said the closure was a massive loss for the area and you can say that again: it’s only a few months since the Monarch was named local live music venue of the year at the Scottish Hospitality Awards. And pubs are where the groundswell of music still happens. So many big names start in small pubs.
No doubt the precise reasons for the closure of the Monarch Bar will emerge in due course, but we all know the context here because the list of closures is long and ever growing. Recently, among others: Brig O’ Dee in Aberdeen (I’ve had many a good night in there). The Blue Lamp, also in Aberdeen (I’ve had many a good night in there). The Baby Grand in Glasgow (I’ve had many a good night etc). And there are also some pubs I haven’t been to: Moskito on Bath Street. The Torrisdale on Pollokshaws Road. The Thornwood on Dumbarton Road. All closed down. On and on it goes.
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Three streets........