IT IS THE Glasgow venue which has played host to a galaxy of stars – but it is not where you think.
The Smiths, Nirvana, The Fall, Belle and Sebastian – even Billy Connolly has graced its stage.
It is not the Barrowland, nor the Apollo – it’s the QM.
The Queen Margaret Union at Glasgow University was originally established in 1890 as the “Women’s Union” and it has become a celebrated music venue attracting crowds from all over the city in the last five decades.
For its 50th anniversary in 2018, staff, student and bands who played the historic venue, shared their stories and memories for a special exhibition. At the time, then president of the union, Mata Durkin, said: “The QMU has an amazing musical legacy that has seen some of the biggest bands playing its stage over the past 50 years.”
The first major act to appear was The Move in April 1968. The band played to around 700 students who each paid 12 shillings (60 pence) entry with the venue allowing drinks to be served until 10pm.
Since then, every genre gets a look-in, from prog rock and psychedelia, to rock, folk, punk and heavy metal.
Motorhead, The Who, Thin Lizzy, Sir Cliff Richard, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queen, Garbage, Franz Ferdinand, Biffy Clyro, Coldplay, Wet Wet Wet and Orange Juice have all played at the 900 capacity venue.
Discos were introduced during the 1970s with DJs including Radio Clyde’s Tom Ferrie, former STV presenter Paul Coia and John Peel doing sessions at the venue.
In an article in the Glasgow Times to promote the anniversary exhibition, Duglas T Stewart of the BMX Bandits said: “I have many great memories of shows at the QMU. I think the first show I saw there was Marc and the Mambas in 1983, that was a side project for Marc Almond of Soft Cell.
“I was big Soft Cell fan. He is such an electrifying performer and I thought it was the best thing I’d ever seen.
“The next year I saw The Smiths there. It was the time of their first album and it was an exuberant and joyous affair.
“In the 1990s I have fond memories of going upstairs to say hi to Kurt after the Nirvana show. We talked a bit about music that we liked and I gave him a BMX Bandits T-shirt which he put on.”
Nirvana played the venue and tickets were £6
Garry John Kane bass player with The Proclaimers, said: “I have been lucky to watch bands and actually play on that great stage at the QMU. My stand out gigs were The Redskins (1986) the Strypes (2016) and the Fall last year (2017) which was emotional for all Fall fans. The Atmosphere at the QMU is up there with the best of them.”
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