You'd have to define 'club' but one of the best venues was the old Skrappy's in Tucson. Rad green room completely open for doing stencils and graffitti backstage, they had a snack bar (all ages no alcohol kinda place, which was the only downside) smoking area, etc. 

The thing that made it cool though was that it was open as a youth center all day every day, and it was all volunteer, or rather user-run, so it had a really cool vibe. The people are what made it, tons of kids would show up to see ANY kind of band, and they'd get into it. One of those rare, open-to-new-stuff islands, know what I mean? The sound was great and the stage was great too. And it was right by the hotel Congress, so you could just walk across the street and have a drink at the bar of the hotel where Dillinger got caught.

For sheer atmosphere/decoration, AND with a bar, CIA in North Hollywood. You can search for pictures online but you don't get 1/100th of what it actually looks and feels like. It's the creepiest, weirdest, most rad little spot ever. It's like a circus sideshow on acid.

Ok I live in middle of nowhere. But so far is Loppen in Chistania in Cobenhagen in Denmark is the best live bar i have been in. And one BIG plus is you can smoke gringo inside and nobody gives a shit.

Some of my faves , in this life , include The Hot Klub in Dallas. Not the first , but the second Punk/NewWave WHATEVER venue in Dallas (ca. 80 - 83.), and the first real club I got to go to , tho' nowhere nearly as often as I wish I had , because I was still underage.

The Purple Onion in San Francisco. This venue has undergone MANY changes , in terms of location and theme , and Many LONG gaps between different versions of the club.

But , I went there , once , in 1999 (I think.) while visiting friends and family in The Bay area.

I saw The Loons , Dukes of Hamburg and Tee and The Crumpets , great show all around , and yes , the club at that time was very cool - looking , but , the bottom line was , people came there to have fun , I mean a LOT of fun. Women were coming up to me and asking me to dance. That used to happen all the time in  the early 80's , but , rarely today. I'm just as guilty , I generally don't ask ladies I don't know to dance anymore , tho' it's been known to happen.... The whole atmosphere was like being on the set of "Riot on Sunset Strip". The barmaid was go - go dancing up on the bar  . Russell Quan was eating a banana and an orange , leaving the peels on the floor , pissing himself laughing whenever someone stepped on the banana peel , meeting Dominic Priore , and my good friends , Mike and Anja Stax (It was the first time we'd met in person , tho' we'd been in touch for a while.).

Anja looked stunning , of course , but also stunningly familiar , I could'nt place it , where I would have seen her or her picture before. She told me she had played in a band in England a couple of years previously , but , I misunderstood her when she told me the band's name. I thought "What's a nice girl like this doing in a band called DOG BOLLOCKS ?!". Twenty minutes into my ride back to my friend's house , it hit me. She said DIABOLIKS !!! No wonder I thought I recognized her , I have their records.  But , even stronger and stranger deja vu occured when I saw this older guy , brooding , but enjoying the show. It was kind of dark , but , he looked very familiar , like someone I think I met in the early 80's. Well , he should have , that's when I met Jello Biafra.

Is this Sergio ? Even if not , hope you're well. I was just thinking about The Sick Rose's versions of "Come and Get It" (Blue Cheer) , and "My Own Time" (Golden Dawn) the other day.
 
The Sick Rose said:

In the USA:  definitely The Empty Bottle - Chicago

In London: The Dirty Water (but I think it's closed now…).

In Spain: Sala Beat - Tomelloso (you won't believe it's there in the middle of nowhere, and you won't believe how many garage rockers will show up!)

In Italy: Spazio211 - Torino (our home!)

Hey , Joe ! Sorry I missed you at that Fleshtones show...Long , boring story behind that. Being that I live in Chicago , sometimes my take on things , clubwise , does'nt always keep up with popular opinion....OK , frequently. I'm not as into The Hideout as a lot of people are .... It's a really cool LOOKING place , for anybody that has'nt been there. And , yes , I have seen some really good shows there (Not even that many , as Insurgent Country , and some of the other music they showcase , is'nt my scene.). The first few years they were open , I liked 'em better than I do , now , but , again , that's just me.

Similarly with The Bottle , loved 'em the first 5 or 6 years they were open , but , they were booking a lot more bands that I'm personally interested in. People I meet , now , talk about them like they just opened last month. That's actually GOOD , But , being as how they opened about (Exactly?) 20 years ago , it does'nt seem so new to me. I liked it , best , when Lounge Ax was still open and both clubs gave each other healthy competition , and both venues were coughing up the shows. I still like 'em just fine , but I really only go there maybe 3 times a year , only because that's how often there's a show I feel like making the trek out there to see. I do want to say , tho' , I've played there maybe 5 times , mostly Roctober - related reviews where I only did short sets , 10 minutes on average (But , I was very glad to do them.). You know , all of those things went fine , low pressure gigs , where my Editor , Jake Austen , handled most of the arrangements. But , the first BIG show I played on there was with The Gories , last October , and I do have to say , everything about the way everybody there treated me , and handled the situation as a whole , was 100 % top notch , from a performer's point of view. I was blown away by how professional everything was being run , so , of course , I'd love to play there again  , especially if I'm lucky enough to be in a situation like that.
 
Joe Bonomo said:

The old 9:30 Club in Washington DC, Empty Bottle and the Hideout in Chicago.

Ahh, such sweet glorious stuff. So, is anyone anyone sitting on some powerpop gem they wish to share. We had Paul Collins round our way not long back. An excellent show on all fronts.

The recent crop of Dirty Water Records stuff has been ace - The Routes, The Fuck Knights, Hollywood Sinners - and have had a lot of Los Chicos on lately. Aaaah, and The Ugly Beats. Glorious stuff!

Alright folks. The Pulsebeats here. We've loved the podcasts up here for an age and it's about time we jumped fully on board with you all.

Looking forward to it.

Nathan

The Beautiful Daze - City Jungle

Dynamite!  I did snag a copy of Back from the Grave Vol. 1 on vinyl from a friend a few months back, but further volumes have proven difficult to find.  I love Norton's stuff, but up until now I've mostly bought the rockabilly stuff, so I gotta branch out.  I look forward to exploring everyone's suggestions.  Thanks all!

Also, the "Ugly Things" comp. is highly recommend!

Norton Records (www.nortonrecords.com) has also put out a lot of great comps over the years. I'd highly recommend the Ft. Worth Teen Scene comps as a good starting point (not to mention their Sonics/Wailers reissues). They should also stock all of the Crypt Records comps mentioned above (Teenage Shutdown, Back From the Grave, Garage Punk Unknowns). Crypt doesn't have an online store for U.S. customers anymore, so your best bet in finding that stuff is through Norton, IMHO. The Pebbles comps can be found at www.bomp.com (they're on AIP, a subsidiary of Bomp Records). Sundazed also issued some killer '60s comps in their "Garage Beat '66" series. Here's Vol. 1: http://www.sundazed.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=679

Mike Stax's Ugly Things magazine is an excellent resource, too. His site also has a Garage Compilation Database that can come in handy when trying to track down which comps have certain songs.

http://www.ugly-things.com/

(Just click on "60's Come Database" in the menu on the right-hand side.)

Wow! You're about to have your life changed Joe. After you have absorbed all of the above mentioned obligatory collections, maybe you will have enough brain cells left to devour one of thee most extraordinary collections of music from the state in the union that seemed to be way ahead of everyone in the mid 60's - Texas!!! Yeah, go figure. Just Google these two words: Acid Visions.

Thank you, ScionA/V

http://www.scionav.com/collection/852

THE DONNAS:):):)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqou-oEBcUY

I'd recommend the Hex Dispensers, Lost Sounds, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall... stuff like that.

I feel like listening to something dark and gritty, almost spooky, but danceable... Does anyone out there have any suggestions? Like some combination of Le face and Joy division... 

It was bound to happen! Yes, I've created a new Facebook page for the Santa Fe Opry. Check it HERE

This is the place to share news and links about the music we like, to communicate during the show itself and to request songs on the show (remember, I bring almost all my own music to the station, so the earlier you request, the more likely it will be played. Tell your friends!)

The Santa Fe Opry airs Friday nights 10 p.m. to midnight on KSFR, 101.1 FM and streaming live on the web .

I also just a Facebook page for my Sunday night radio show,Terrell's Sound World.

And of course my Big Enchilada podcast has been on Facebook for some time now. It's HERE

It was bound to happen. Both my local radio shows, including Terrell's Sound World, now have their own Facebook pages. I think this Facebook thing might catch on.

These are the places to share news and links about the music we like, to communicate during the show itself and to request songs on the show (remember, I bring almost all my own music to the station, so the earlier you request, the more likely it will be played. Tell your friends!)

For the uninitiated Terrell's Sound World  is the home of Freeform Weirdo Radio. You're going to hear a lot of the stuff Hideout folks love -- wild old R&B, surf, psychedelic, garage, gutter blues, psychobilly and sweaty soul music. I play vicious punks, happy drunks ... and sometimes I drift into world music, gospel, jazz from various dimensions ... I play whatever I'm in the mood for. And I get in some weird moods sometimes.

Sound World airs Sunday nights 10 p.m. to midnight Mountain Time (!) on KSFR, 101.1 FM and streaming live on the web.

True fact: I play lots of bands from the Hideout on this sleazy show.

Denizens of Podunk Holler will love my Friday night show The Santa Fe Opry. It's Facebook page is HERE

And of course my Big Enchilada podcast has been on Facebook for some time now.

Don't just like them at home. Go to Facebook and LIKE them all!

Playlist for 12-2-11

Coolness.

Done sir!

Gringo Starr said:

@Wipeout: It would be cool if you connected The Jackets to your group. Let me know, Flo!

For me Last is just another promotional tool for my band. I do notice that if you are listed there you get quite a lot of mentions on other sites. So, having said that, please check out, add or 'scrobble' my band The Jackets - http://www.last.fm/music/The+Jackets

@Wipeout: It would be cool if you connected The Jackets to your group. Let me know, Flo!

I'll be on the air and the web Saturday December 3 from 1:00-3:00PM EST.  WITR-FM 89.7 in Rochester, NY or streaming live at http://witr.rit.edu