The Barrowland Ballroom: A Gig Venue Like No Other
Why a dancehall attached to a market in Glasgow’s East End is one of the best places to experience live music in the world.
I can never understand why a band who put Glasgow on their tour schedule wouldn’t then add the words ‘Barrowland Ballroom.’ Now, I’m not going to make grandiose claims like it’s the best venue in the world. I’m far from being best placed to make such claims. But plenty of people who are qualified have said just that.
“I think it’s the wildest audience in the world, one of ’em, it’s very close.”
“You know what? It might be true, the people here go off much harder than a lot of other places.”
Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, The Radio One Rock Show, November 1999.
It has an atmosphere all of its own. Walking to a gig there, even from 500 feet away you get a sense of anticipation that’s not apparent at other venues. The steady stream of people heading up the Gallowgate drifting into and falling out of the pubs that dot the way. The giant neon sign flashes the name of the place. The queue forming in the street. The excited chatter. Then as you get to the open doors and look up to the staircase before heading for the ballroom itself.
