Levellers squat gig at Camberwell Dickie Dirts, 1986

In the early 1980s the former Odeon cinema site in Camberwell, on the corner of Denmark Hill and Coldharbour Lane, became a branch of the discount jeans chain Dickie Dirts. By 1984 it had closed and been squatted, which I believe it was intermittently for the next couple of years. 

On 9 August 1986 there was a gig there featuring The Levellers and The Bambi Slam

Source of gig advert - The Wire, Southwark Squatters zine, 8 August 1986 (held at 56a Info Shop archive). The newsletter was produced by SNOW (Squatters Network of Walworth)

The old Dickie Dirts/Odeon building was demolished in 1993 and the Nandos currently stands on its site. Loughborough Junction has the full history of the site. 

[Update: its seems that the Levellers who played at this gig were probably not the Brighton-based band who had hits in the early 1990s. There was apparently another band of the same name in the South London squat scene at this time, living in the squatted Domville Grove off Albany Road SE17. Looks like the Brighton band didn't form until 1988, though understandable confusion as they played in a similar scene. I saw the Brighton Levellers play at a squatted warehouse in Effra Road, Brixton in the early 1990s and the band apparently held an end of tour party at the squatted Brockwell Park Lido in 1993, during a period when the pool was empty.]

Chumbawamba, Levellers and more: New Cross Venue 1991

I have posted previously about the Venue in New Cross Road, closed since Covid but in the early 1990s one of the top live music places in London, particularly for up and coming indie bands. This selection of references from Sounds music paper from January to March 1991 shows just how busy it was. There were gigs every Friday and Saturday and sometimes on other nights in the week. Bands finished by 11 pm but there was a club afterwards until 2 am (known on Saturday night as Awesome), with coaches back to Trafalgar Square afterwards, from where you could get a night bus to most parts of London. 

Sounds 5 January 1991:

The Levellers reviewed- 'It seems that the tribes of the rainbow have gathered here tonight. Every shape, style, colour and form of youthful life'. Just don't call them Crusty.

Chumbawamba, Thatcher on Acid

Subhumans, Long Tall Texans, The Hinnies, The Cropdusters, Chumba

Anarcho-punk band The Subhumans played two consecutive nights at the Venue - reunion gigs which Sounds in 1991 described as a 'nostalgia trip... might be your last chance to get down to timeless classics'. Not quite - I saw them twice at the New Cross Inn in 2024!

Sounds 19 January 1991:

Melvins, Steel Pole Bath Tub, Ocean Colour Scene, Fieldmice, Heavenly, The Orchids, Easy, Close Lobsters, Afgan Wigs.

Ocean Colour Scene

Sounds 26 January 1991:

Dr Phibes and the House of Wax Equations

The Fieldmice, Heavenly, The Orchids - I might have been at that one, definitely saw Heavenly there at least once

Sounds 2 February 1991

American bands The Melvins make their UK debut at the Venue in 1991, supported by Steel Pole Bath Tub

Chumba's gig on 12 Jan 1991  reviewed-  'The entire Venue is bathed in a sea of punks dancing'.  'Outside the roads are clogged with the prospective audience'. I think I went to this one, I remember the queue stretching down to New Cross station.

Easy, Close Lobsters

Sounds 9 February 1991:

Carter USM and Billy Bragg to play 'Stop the War in the Gulf' CND Benefit

Leatherface, Sleep, Working with Tomatoes

Sounds 16 February 1991:

Bleach, Basti, Suncarriage

Perfect Disaster, Bleach, The Darkside, Catherine Wheel, Chapter House

This issue Sounds featured a chart of the most requested records at the Venue - Carter USM, Nirvana, Cud, Throwing Muses, Orange Juice etc.

Sounds 23 March 1991:

Half Man Half Biscuit supported by 'Levellers 5' (not to be confused with The Levellers, a different band who had to change their name as the latter went massive)

East Village, Jesse Garron and the Desperados, Shack, Guana Batz, Long Tall Texans, Rattlers, Green on Red (great American 'paisley underground' band).

'Despite its out of the way location, the Venue in New Cross has proved itself a welcome addition to the London gig circuit and has become a comfortable, popular place to frequent - as proved by the full house for tonight's first birthday celebrations'. Headliners 'Lush are the brightest stars of the future'. Support bands  are Moose and another who tread 'their well worn 60s groove'. Whatever did become of Blur? The following year Lush were supported by Pulp at the Venue.

Sounds 30 March 1991

Front Line Assembly, Solar Enemy, Ganz Heit

See previous posts

New Cross Venue Flyers 1900-95

Spiritualized at the Venue 1991

More New Cross Venue Memories (including Lush)

Venue Flyers (including Sebadoh and Belly)

More Venue Flyers