1964 – The Place was a Warehouse which had been used as storage by the John Menzies Newspaper Chain. It consisted of a whole series of Rooms on a number of Floors. The Main Hall had a Stage and a low ceiling. It got very hot, with condensed sweat running down the walls when full. There were two further Large Rooms one of which had a Coffee Bar. Right at the bottom was a Discotheque with a Spiral Staircase as the only means of escape. Apart from the sweat the first thing that hit you at The Place was the smell of the ancient Cellars and probably the Toilets, accepted as being the worst in Town. Despite or maybe because all of this , it was really cool place. The Entrance was at the top of Victoria Street, owned and run by the Waldman Brothers and, like the Aabano, it had been a Jazz Venue. Lots of little very dark Cave like Rooms often with different Bands in each Room and one of the first “Discos” playing Soul and Motown Music on the bottom level. The smell was bad but the vibe was good. Very close proximity to the dancers was always good, we always enjoyed playing the venue. Normally the equipment had to be taken in and out by the one and only Fire Escape which led down the many Stairs to the Cowgate.

David has memories of taking a corner off his Hammond Organ to enable him to heave it up the Spiral Outside Stairs to start playing the second Gig of the day at 12 midnight, “happy days”.

Ref no – 55 – 1964 – Jim