Description
Book SynopsisNightclub, theatre, creative hub, party place, and one of the most important venues in Scotland, Britain and Europe: for almost 25 years, The Arches was the beating heart of Glasgow. In 1991, former punk-turned-theatre director Andy Arnold walked into the disused red brick Victorian railway arches underneath Glasgow's Central Station and immediately saw the potential of the space. Not even he could have imagined its future, as simultaneously one of the biggest and most famous nightclubs in the world and a major player on the European theatre scene. Until its closure following a drug-related death in 2015, The Arches carved its own, indefinable path, playing a vital role in the lives of many Scottish artists along the way. Some of those stars of the future began their careers taking tickets, hanging coats and serving drinks there. For the first time, the people who made the venue get to tell their story. Piecing together accounts from directors, DJs, performers, clubbers, artists, bar tenders, actors, audiences and staff, Brickwork writes the biography of a space that was always more than its bricks and mortar.
Trade Review"A brilliant blow-by-blow account that really shows what made Glasgow's much-missed clubbing establishment click, tick and boom." Ralph Moore, Mixmag
'Everyone’s heard of The Arches in Glasgow, even a Londoner like me, but what I didn’t know was what an important venue it really was – not simply as a club, but as an artistic space, theatre, and cultural hub – and how much love, passion and integrity went into its success and longevity. This story, told by its impassioned staff, punters, and supporters is not just an absorbing read, but an inspiring tale of artistic, financial, and creative endeavour that comes from giving a space like this to the right people.' Chris Liberator
Table of ContentsAuthors' note Glasgow's Glasgow's Glasgow CHAPTER 1: 1990-1991 'Fuck it, let's just keep going.' CHAPTER 2: 1991-1993 'And then on Friday night we went through to The Arches...' CHAPTER 3: 1993-1999 'Here we fucking GO!' CHAPTER 4: 2000-2008 Drop the Pressure CHAPTER 5: 2008-2013 It's All Allowed CHAPTER 6: 2013-2015 'How can you have a day without a night?' Bits and Pieces: Some Favourite Memories from the people who made the Arches Dramatis Personae Appendix
