Legendary Music Venues in New Haven

[upstater]

OK, I used to go to Ron's Place, Rudy's, the Grotto, Toad's Place, I've been to Tune Inn and the Moon. There's the Coliseum, of course.

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.

Now, my real reason for starting this thread: friends and I are having a little disagreement about a club in the 80s located on Center Street. It used to be an arcade, followed by a club that I believe was named "The Cave" and then it eventually became "The Urban Jungle" around 1990. It closed and became the Tune Inn later that decade.

Does anyone know the name of the place before it was "The Urban Jungle"?

OK, so to make this a little more fun, best music experience in New Haven:

1. We saw Tin Machine in front of a light crowd at Toad's; Bowie was right there, 10 feet away (or less) from anyone who wanted to get near, which was easy to do in a sparse crowd. A few months later he played a sold out HCC.

Worst experience:

1. A friend in the music industry told me the Rolling Stones were going to play Toad's in a few hours. I didn't believe him but I did head down there with a friend, we walked into Toad's at about 6 pm, had a few drinks, didn't look like anything was happening. So we left... We were idiots because we even saw someone dismantling a pay phone and thought nothing of it... Yes, the Rolling Stones played Toad's that night.

 

[Waquoit]

Yes, the Rolling Stones played Toad's that night.

That's rough.

 

[QuickDraw]

New Haven Coliseum & the Yale Bowl were both excellent

 

[Viet Vet]

OK youngsters, what was Toad's called in the 1960s? Hint, it was a restaurant. I was a New Haven highschooler then. No Googling!

 

[SoCalCanine]

I saw a lot of great shows at Woolsey Hall at Yale. The Mahavishnu Orchestra comes to mind.

 

[Huskybass]

I saw a lot of great shows at Woolsey Hall at Yale. The Mahavishnu Orchestra comes to mind.

I saw U2 at Woolsey Hall in May of 83, right before they became big. Great venue.

 

[Waquoit]

I was at the opening of the Agora Ballroom way back when. I think it's College Street now. It was the B-52's, they barely played 45 minutes. Most memorable is that they sold beer in bottles. By the end of the night, if you slipped and fell on the floor in the GA section you would have bled out. Next show featured cans.

 

[Mots010]

Saw Dropkick Murphy's at the Tune Inn around 1998. A huge brawl broke out at the end of the show, but otherwise was great. That little venue had some great punk shows over the years it was open.

 

[UConnDad]

Was a place called the Agora Ballroom that had these computerized drink machines for the bartenders. Former theater that sloped down to the stage. John Valby would play there.

 

[huskyjawz]

I was at the opening of the Agora Ballroom way back when. I think it's College Street now. It was the B-52's, they barely played 45 minutes. Most memorable is that they sold beer in bottles. By the end of the night, if you slipped and fell on the floor in the GA section you would have bled out. Next show featured cans.

The Agora was in Hartford.

 

[huskyjawz]

Saw Dropkick Murphy's at the Tune Inn around 1998. A huge brawl broke out at the end of the show, but otherwise was great. That little venue had some great punk shows over the years it was open.

Yes I remember Tune Inn, but not what it was before that. The Grotto was cool. The Moon.

 

[UConnDad]

The Agora was in Hartford.

There was one in New Haven.

 

[huskyjawz]

There was one in New Haven.

Sorry, didn't know there were two.

 

[huskymedic]

OK youngsters, what was Toad's called in the 1960s? Hint, it was a restaurant. I was a New Haven highschooler then. No Googling!

Hungry Charlie’s… then Caleb’s Tavern. Right next to the venerable Mory’s.

 

[huskyjawz]

Sorry, didn't know there were two.

I guess it became the Metro. I saw the Dead Kennedys, Lost Generation and Vatican Commandos there in 85.

 

[Waquoit]

I guess it became the Metro. I saw the Dead Kennedys, Lost Generation and Vatican Commandos there in 85.

Yeah, it wasn't Agora for very long.

 

[WaterDawg]

Used to go see Spring Heeled Jack and the CT ska band scene rock out at the Tune Inn in the early 90s in high school. Good times back then.

 

[Skiblets]

Used to go see Spring Heeled Jack and the CT ska band scene rock out at the Tune Inn in the early 90s in high school. Good times back then.

Not much of a ska scene in CT but I was probably at many of the same shows. Nigel 6 out of WeHa wasn’t bad. Let’s Go crime their most notable song

 

[Deepster]

Agora in West Hartford used to push grocery carts of beer bottles on a couple bags of ice around and you’d buy them that way.

Saw NRBQ there and was front row for Sam Kinison right before he blew up big. My buddy heckled him and Sam told him he had to shave his mothers back before he slept with her the night before (his phrasing and delivery were much better than that).

 

[Waquoit]

Agora in West Hartford used to push grocery carts of beer bottles on a couple bags of ice around and you’d buy them that way.

And they'd sell you a six-pack on the rings for about 5x the going price outside.

 

[huskyjawz]

Used to go see Spring Heeled Jack and the CT ska band scene rock out at the Tune Inn in the early 90s in high school. Good times back then.

Yes, me too!

 

[huskyjawz]

And they'd sell you a six-pack on the rings for about 5x the going price outside.

Hahaha, don't remember that!

 

[August_West]

OK, I used to go to Ron's Place, Rudy's, the Grotto, Toad's Place, I've been to Tune Inn and the Moon. There's the Coliseum, of course.

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.

Now, my real reason for starting this thread: friends and I are having a little disagreement about a club in the 80s located on Center Street. It used to be an arcade, followed by a club that I believe was named "The Cave" and then it eventually became "The Urban Jungle" around 1990. It closed and became the Tune Inn later that decade.

Does anyone know the name of the place before it was "The Urban Jungle"?

OK, so to make this a little more fun, best music experience in New Haven:

1. We saw Tin Machine in front of a light crowd at Toad's; Bowie was right there, 10 feet away (or less) from anyone who wanted to get near, which was easy to do in a sparse crowd. A few months later he played a sold out HCC.

Worst experience:

1. A friend in the music industry told me the Rolling Stones were going to play Toad's in a few hours. I didn't believe him but I did head down there with a friend, we walked into Toad's at about 6 pm, had a few drinks, didn't look like anything was happening. So we left... We were idiots because we even saw someone dismantling a pay phone and thought nothing of it... Yes, the Rolling Stones played Toad's that night.

I was at the stones show ( and Dylan too at toads 6 months later)

Yeah, it wasn't Agora for very long.

Nope. But I remember it. Also the Keg House.

 

[August_West]

The Agora was in Hartford.

Actually it was West Hartford. Elmwood section to be more specific. 161 Dexter Ave to be exact. Yeah I was only there onstage and off about a thousand times.

 

[Khal Drogo]

Agora in West Hartford used to push grocery carts of beer bottles on a couple bags of ice around and you’d buy them that way.

Saw NRBQ there and was front row for Sam Kinison right before he blew up big. My buddy heckled him and Sam told him he had to shave his mothers back before he slept with her the night before (his phrasing and delivery were much better than that).

Remember last summer when we had the chance