Wowwww what can I say.... Greg Churchill is a bloody Aotearoa Dj legend, I remember (92 to 94) going to the Worcester Bar on a Friday and it was off the hook, hip hop mixed into house blew my mind, I also remember going to a rap competition up there and listening to Dark Tower, the winners that night went to two twin brothers from Rotorua/Taupo Rodwell and Philip.... but honestly Worcester Bar was meannnnnnn. Chancery and Palladium weren't my cuppa tea because they played corny house and top 40 sounds... sorry my bro Dj Bladrick lol, so I would head to Daniels Nightclub which is where Soul Master Cee (Classic R&B, Swing Beat, 90s Rap, Raggae, 90s R&B, Slow Jams) Djayed. What DJ Raw was to Wellys, Chris or Soul Master Cee was to us in Christchurch. Daniels had one of the best hip hop and R&B nights and sounds in Aotearoa and it would start packing in at 8pm (that's because from 8pm to 10pm it was $1 drinks). After Daniels, we would go to Limbos because Daniels closed at 3 a.m. and Limbos would play a mixture of house, hip hop, top 40s and yes it was all beat mixed and Limbos closed at 6 a.m. Sometimes we would go to the Firehouse but that wasn't often.... to this day I would say that this was one of the best times of my life when it came to clubbing, then I moved to Wellys which was good and then to Auckland but nothing quite reached were Christchurch was for me during the mid-90s.... at this time a small collective of hip hop purists with the help from Pacific Underground and Oscar Kightley called Beats & Pieces was formed and young MC from Beats & Pieces would rear his head and turn rap upside down in our country, his name was Scribe. Thanks for the walk down memory lane Shae, love your work my bro and huge big ups to the legend Greg Churchill..... Nga Mihi Whanau.
Glad you mentioned Limbos, my first club experience in 1989. So many great venues in chch. Heaven, Base, Liquor Lounge, Concrete Club, Jet Set Lounge, not to mention all those warehouse raves. Good times.
RIP chch niteclub scene...so many clubs playing amazing music with incredible atmosphere and inclusive vibe..so many memories from these adventures thru the city..felt like we ruled it!! fond memories leaving clubs after the most amazing nite, birds chirping as the tunes still rattle in your ears!!! thanks for the stroll down memory lane
The Worcester nar is where it started for me. Went to the edge heaps ...even saw Ben Harper there. I remember one time at the ministry at a drum n bass gig; I was tripping balls and Phantom was playing a beautifully dark set. The bass was so low and rolling....one of the smaller speakers went up in flames. It was epic!!! Saw Fatboy slim, kemistry and storm, groove rider, Roni size, Goldie all played ministry. And then the licker lounge. That place was home. LOVED it!!!
The Ministry was arguably the best niteclub venue in New Zealand, it went through some funny phases though but as a venue it was stunning, the sound, the lighting, the layout, the size....
Great memories... Thanks Greg and Shae!! I went to all the places mentioned many many times. And even tried to restart Tuesday Hip Hop night at Cats, long after Greg left it behind. I used to love dancing, didn't drink booze - just loved the dancing. When I left home and moved into a flat directly opposite The Firehouse. I went out almost every night of the week - from Tuesday [Greg's Hip Hop night] until Sunday. Every bar/club had a special night - Limbo's was Thursday night. I was a spotty 17 year old, and always got into the clubs - even when I was wearing weird clothes and pyjama shirts. Greg, Greg, Chris and Martin J added so much to the musical soundscape of the city, and to the dancefloor energy. I loved dancing so much I later became a DJ myself and now run a weekly sober dance event in Christchurch. If anyone reading this can't find a good place to dance in Chch, and wants to come to a sober dance... check out: Ecstatic Dance Christchurch.
This is so great! Greg, the original GC and Christchurch were my teenage stomping ground! At 15, I used to dance to Dewight at the Chancery ( fuck knows how I even got in the door?) then would go to the Palladium… get ladium, we used to call it😂 Then Rominofs where I used to bust out my Bel Biv Dovoe dance moves to Greg! I would bus in from Aranui and get the last bus home, If I got there before 9pm, there was no bouncer on the door haha… smooth as until the cops came and found us underage’s hiding in the toilets 😅. Later on THE WOSTER BAR!!! That place was everything… Big Tim always let me in at 18/19 years old … wink wink…. Anyone remember the Madchester night there in 93? Then came the whare house raves, where I heard DJ Riddle play Jungle for the first time… my mind was blown! Between Greg, Su J and Riddle all roads lead to me becoming a baby DJ by 96… and Koru, the mighty DJ KABOOM who I gave free beersies to when I used to work at the Wunder Bar in 96. Then I followed Su and Greg up to Auckland. This history is so important. I’m grateful you are telling the story Shae ! ❤ Greg, you are looking great my bro, I still have one of your turntables with your name etched into the side haha Xx ❤❤❤
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The Strip will never be the same. Coyotes got a very brief shout out by Greg. Was definitely the go to spot for hip hop. Recall DJ Sir-Vere guest dj’ing a few times there. Great memories thanks for the vid 🙌🏻
I'm so glad this includes Zanzibar. When I started going out to places, during my first job days as a baby hairdresser, this place opened. Before that you could only go to gay clubs with male friends (Angles) - and we weren't very welcome - or places like the Big Apple, that had cover bands and sticky beer carpet and seemed full of old skeevy guys (you know, like 25 year olds or whatever lol) hitting on you. Zanzibar was such a revelation. We could dress like weirdos and the music was so varied and just magical. Dancing was the main reason to be there. Everyone felt like friends. Even though it was only open till 12.30 (I think) it felt more like a night club than the ones we actually had. It felt young and new and dare I say happening. PLUS you got umbrellas in your drinks. It was so special.
Thanks for this! Damn.. 92/93, i was 15/16 and clubbing at Daniels/Danz, Biffs, limbos, and eventually Ministry. Chatting up the Hot Dog sellers for free entry passes to clubs. Great memories! Being in limbos when police would come in looking for underagers - dj playing Fuck the Police and pumping dry ice onto the dance floor. Using my sister's birth certificate as I.D and the bouncer telling her i was inside because he'd already seen her I.D come through the door😂 Great times and kinda wholesome in hindsight! Everyone looked out for each other. And I'd still go to school, leaving limbos at dawn and getting changed into my school uniform in an alleyway before bussing to Burnside. 😊
Worcester bar & espresso 124 was a beautiful time. Skate/rap/alternative music culture & fashion all combined. Greg was my neighbour and was a icon in the early Chch scene alongside Soul master cee (Chris Muagatatia).. nothing but respect to Tim, Fish, Greg, Glen, RDU, and venues including romanovs, quadrophenia that helped launched a lot of talent
Thanks for the memories Greg! Cats/Romanovs, Menage/Limbos, Daniels and of course the Worcester Bar with you, Martin, Tim and Late Night Mike. So many names I haven’t thought about in forever - RDU and the UBS records. Chch had such a cool little scene.
Nice work Shae & Greg and what a fantastic tribute. I was invited to Christchurch back in 1992 (from Welly) to work in a couple of the venues celebrated. Great to hear a few friends, peers and mentors praised during the walkthrough.
Good lord! This video is a long time coming, and so great to hear Greg mention some truly wonderful names, Tony Peak of course being paramount. Tony's name is synonymous with the Ōtautahi chch club scene, and we all loved him dearly, and miss him greatly. Besides DJ’s at The Edge, incredible live events were arranged by Tony, one such night was Asian Sound System, Doug Wimbish and Skip McDonald all playing live and mixed by non-other than the mighty Adiran Sherwood - that’s what Tony could pull together with the right venue - the loudest gig I’ve been to that also sounded great! Tuck was there Skip McDonald just leaning over him from the stage and starring at him dead in the eye for ages, while his guitar put out the most ominous noise. One of my most memorable nights is coming up, but firstly let me share I had followed Greg from club to club throughout chch, starting around 1989, Tuesday nights at Romanovs, where you could dance your head off, go for a swim at Centennial Pool, get dressed and go back to the club for another 3 or 4 hours. I met him and Sue there and became friends ever since. Worcester Bar was the legendary place that cultured a solid scene and built friendships that remain in place, wherever everyone has trailed off to and started careers, families, both, or whatever. Run by Fish, managed by Pos Muagututi'a, and vibed by DJ's and loved by everyone. The reason the place worked so well, I think, was because Fish understood to let the community in and do their thing - it was their bar - he provided the platform for us to discover for ourselves what we were about. That is how culture works, provide a space and let it all happen, that and the fact that there were enough music specialists about to provide the Hussle nights, Madchester nights, as well as Greg’s on specialty, House. I have to mention James Gregs industrial nights, Sue’s own specialty sets and of course Tucker XL who has an uncanny ability to toast to tracks freestyle, a phenomenon might seem unnatural for a Ginger, anywhere else in the world, except Christchurch, except of course, Yellowman. Incredible talents and wonderful energy. Fish asked me to do Keith Harring style murals for the bar, I think Tucker hooked that up (?), these worked well along with DLT’s graphics along the windows. Fish and Pos also bought The Pacific Underground with them, Oscar Knightly, Tania and Mishelle Muagututi'a, among others, the list of talent is insane. By the early 90’s PU had taken over the old Cinerama Theatre on Worchester St. This was a time of raves, big parties that Worcester Bar could not manage. I can remember one NY party, where everyone met and just had fun and connected, I feel so fortunate to have been part of all that.
COOLCAT cameron here 😺!- such a classic viid of the amazing next next level club scene that was one of the best nightlife's in Nz !! As mentioned I was known at the time as Coolcat Cameron... ( and still to this day ) and if were out in anytime in the club scene from 2000s to Now then no doubt ,I may have meet you at some stage I'm sure !( shout out to all who were in that amazing scene!) - had such epic nights ( and mornings ) and such amazing clubs like" Base , The Ministry, Heaven , The Mansion , Sole square , Azure, Hybrid " and so so many more( plus used to love those dance flyers!) , the most epic event ever year was 'The Unity 'parties held ever Easter where all the clubs and venues would unite for a epic night like no other to 5am and beyond !! Having just been an entertainer overseas in Miami and Canada during the height of the Rave party scene I came back and became involved in the Chch scene in almost every way , always dressed with massive rave pants and styles + mostly known for unique visual lightshow would give to ClubberS young and old ..and knew almost all the Djs, the door staff , the promoters , the lighting guys and 1000s and 1000s of amazing special people who I would meet over the next 10+ yrs before the quakes came in 2010.. ---it was not only the amazing sounds and tunes of these iconic clubs that made this scene so good ... but most of Important of All was ... The People 🙋♂️👌... who would all come out at night and be themselves and I created life long friends to this day ...even if some I only knew from 11pm Friday til 5am Sunday mornin 😂.. it is sad that none of these places are not around but I am so grateful to have lived and had some of the best times in my life during this scene and thank everyone who I ever meet or bumped into during this special period.--😺🙋♂️🎧... shout out to all the people I know from this time and hope we meet again soon- Coolcat Cameron 😺..- ps.. I currently own the only known Base sign that would hang in the club and is a prized possession of a time never to be repeated !! 😺😺
Born in 93 and sadly only had a year or two in town pre-earthquake - remember Sol Square, the Bedford and the Ministry so fondly! Epic to hear this history and the roots of Chch’s scene! This is special - Thank you!
As the original resident DJ of Menage (both of them - the first was above Kings/The Beat) I can tell you that Blue Monday got played...a lot! In fact, we had 2 copies so I could muck around with them lol! Maybe when you asked for it, it had recently been played? The nachos were indeed amazing and you can thank Nicola for those. While Menage never had lasers, it was the first Christchurch club to have moving lighting, courtesy of Bruce Williamson's import license from Coemar. I can still remember the first night we got them working and would flash them a bit, then move them a bit, then move them flat out. The punters were in awe! Good times and thanks for the memories! Larry Appley ☺
My Teenage years! Menage - where me and my mates pretended to be gay to get in and listen to the best music in town - definitely heard Blue Monday lots of times haha - and didn't have to request it The Worcester Bar - opened just before I left in 1991 - so many good nights - remember winning a Madchester oversize t-shirt which lasted years on my travels The Palladium - getting in at 16 with my town mates (cos I was from goon) and one of them hooking up with Rick Hucknall from Simply Red!! Then visiting again when it was Calendar Girls 20 years later in the late 00s! The Firestation - super bogan - a sort of last resort to be honest So much live music, such a great time - thanks for the trippy time warp Strangely I was at Rock Pool last week and the DJ was playing an amazing house music set - great for playing pool to 😀
My best experience in Chch was playing at Heaven. It felt like the city's version of Calibre for a period of time. Had a few massive nights there with Aragorn and others from the scene.
Funny. You guys bought back so many memories for me. I too was Djing in Chch from June 1990 - Aug 1996. Never got to go to many bars as I was Djing up to 5 nights a week back then. Limbos. Yes. Was the only place that was open that I could go to after work . Andrew was very good at his tune picking and blending. Loved what he played. Never got to meet Greg until I moved to Auckland in 1999 to end up being a res Dj with Andrew from Limbos at G.A.Y Auckland in High street. Looking and sounding good Greg, been a while. Arohanui.
Loved the closing story about his dj inspiration, Tony Peake, and that great tale of standing outside Zanzibar and hearing I Feel for you and running inside and asking Tony to rewind it, and he did. How cool is that. Thanks, Greg and Shae.
Nice work Shae thanks Greg Churchill for sharing the Chch scene from back in the day very interesting was a great era to grow up in cheers for the vid bro keep up the good work 😊👍🏽
So many to list. I came back to Chch after 30 odd years, all the venues in the city I had res at were gone, of course. Had some good times in the 90's. Oh wait, just remembered, I was flown in and did a gig in 2004 at the Mansion, that easter that you were playing at also. Oldness.
Thank you Greg. (re: DJ Global Influence) Glenn McKinley. I knew Glenn before he were global superstar; he was nothing before he meet me. Mind you I was even less. I was repeating Form Six (for the sixth time) and Glenn caught up with me, he was in my form class at Lincoln High. His family lived in a little township south of Christchurch called Tempelton - back when it was affordable - now you need 3/4 million for two bedroom and no parking. Glenn was a mathematics prodigy, probably a savant, (I was Grover from Sesame St.). But Glenn was very patient with me. We were members of the Canterbury Astronomical Society. Glenn performed experiments; collecting micro-meteorite particles from the upper atmosphere on sheets of paper during rain events. On one occasion he used an antiquated oven on low heat - upon shutting the oven door, rust was dislodged from interior of the oven on to the sheet - rendering the experiment void. Regrettably, he fell under the influence of Chris Knox (late of Tall Dwarfs) and some horrible US pop band (The 'Residents'). At Canterbury University he fell-in with a bad crowd at RDU (late of Botulism Swab) and, sorry to say, one of the finest intellects and personalities of the 1980s was lost to New Zealand (late of Bovine Spongiform Encyohjbfhjbfbphy) forever. -Andrew Mackenna, Christchurch, New Zealand (8/24)
This was a very nostalgic watch and although l was at home mothering when most of these flourished, l did get to a few of them. Christchurch's music scene really was fantastic and l'd be lying if l didn't say l missed it. Hats off to Greg Churchill, his knowledge is almost encyclopaedic and his memory is outstanding! Slightly disappointed that Moby Dick’s Nite Spot didn't get an honorary mention, although l realise, it was probably outside the scope of this video. It was three floors of joy that opened in 1970, in what was formerly the Majestic Theatre in Manchester Street. One floor was dedicated to video games, one to dancing and l think the top floor was the bar and seating area. I still have the VERY much coveted photo ID, that l lied through my teeth to get. No idea how l pulled it off cos l think l was 15 at the time l got mine. It was one of the first of the 'modern' style discos and for that deserves a mention, even if it's just from me. 😊 Not entirely sure if it, or Adam's Apple in Lichfield Street was first though.
Wow. So sad that all of these are gone now. I’m 23 years old and the clubs we have now don’t seem to come close to any of these. Really seems like this was the golden era of Christchurch night clubbing… wish I could have experienced it.
as a 19 year old in early 1974 we spent a lot of time enjoying the great Christchurch night life. Those days are now a bit hazy and a distant memory but the night clubs and pubs were buzzing with plenty of drugs, great music and hot women.
Ministry ruled, you could party there all night and everyone would wind down their night back at caffiends with a coffee and nachos Loved the chch scene back then.
Brilliant video, thanks for such a great history trip. Im proud to have experienced those places, brings so many good memories. Goldie at Ministry was insane.... I had earplugs and it was still brain damaging. Expresso 124 & playing on the pool table outside on the pavement... then heading down to Liquor lounge to hear Josh Wink being played. In those days we all got pretty frickin sideways. Looking back the club standard was pretty high... respect to all those DJs on the scene then.
I was a bit too young for some of those venues but had great memories of Espresso 124 and Ministry - the site of ‘The Six Million Dollar Rave’. Awesome vibes away from ‘the strip’ with cheap drinks at Danz before heading to Lick’er Lounge, Quadrophenia, Kickin’ Jazz, Bardellis. Listening to P3, Mission Control and the Rhythm Zone on RDU. Good times.
My most memorable night out was at Base Bar on Colombo upstairs for their Wednesday night Hip-hop days and a very young Scribe stood on a chair grabbed a mic off one of the MC and just made ever one stare and shut the fark up. Also Ministry seeing Ed Rush and Optical was amazing. The Urinals would turn into bass speakers as well and spray urine everywhere
Stuart Page (of the Axemen) started some interesting graffiti inspired by his trip to the USA in the 80s. I think he got funding to do a book of his photos taken over there. For many years in the 80s a couple of his pieces stayed unmolested - San Pedro Nectar of the Gods which had cactuses, and in Welles St a big weird head promoting the Axemen - "they love you yes they do".
Thank you for remembering the Palladium, Dwight and the Chancery. My name is DJ Shane Darren and I opened the Palladium in 1986 and was resident DJ for the first 3 years. It was world class
This is fantastic. What wonderful journey through my seedy 20's. So much fun. Great beats, outstanding humans, tu meke. Gee Papa Winston, seems like yesterday.
Sounds like you disappeared during the peak of Christchurch nightlife in the early 2000's! The amount of people in town the amount of clubs and venues were at peak. You even had legal high shops dotted around. Obviously it's a generational thing around the music played, but Holly hecka it was insane. Been to a lot of places around the world, and how good we had it was incredible!
One of my favourite night in Chc was when boogie nights just opened up on Manchester street next to shooter. Such a shame the earthquake happened as it took away so many amazing venues
These were the years I went clubbing in Christchurch too. So cool to revisit my wayward youth! Oh yeah, now I remember Elvis (Dave) the karaoke DJ too (mid to late 90's). Ah, the 'Get-ladium' was a great club!
I remember Worster bar (OB1) he was Slip Matt then and that random dude who used to wear coloured baby suckers around his neck, this was 92. I was at the Broadcasting school we did the first Dance Station Pulse 96.1 while there, Wayne Clark had Ministry in Chch, I knew Wayne from when he had Maxines in Nelson I dunno if he still has Family Bar in Auckland now or not, Our spots where Americanos, Dux Delux, Catching Birdman at Paladium (Getlaidium) and even Columbos up the top where they had the male and female Strippers. Some great gigs where at Warners, Saw Pumkinhead on their prime then, was awesome - Then saw them support FNM at the hall on Kilmore street.
Loving the series, still waiting to hear about the awesome era that Code in Auckland was, I was a regular there on the floor, Greg was my fav DJ, many great nights down there until the sun came up!
I was at that Chemistry and Storm Ministry gig in ‘97. I had the time of my life there between “94- 2000. It’s a total bummer what’s happened to our venues in Chch. The 90s were cranking
I was resident DJ at Espresso 123 (mid 98/early 99) nights a week) till I was fired lol The next day I began a residency at The Boulevard (4 bars away) from 99-04 thurs/fri/sat nights. The Boulevard had the absolute best staff, from bar staff to door staff. The guys had no egos and the girls that worked there were gorgeous. I stayed 5 years because it was the working environment was so positive. I left Boulevard in late 04 to begin a residency at Work Bar, also on Oxford terrace. The hours at Work Bar were long, I remember one night I did a 14hr set non stop The bar staff were feeding me up on Red Bulls, it ended when I fell asleep on the mixing desk about 10am on a Sunday morning. Also did a few nights at Viaduct. Chch has never been the same since the earthquakes
The memory flash backs...hours on the dance floor at expresso 123 (some rather vague due to my own boozed and legless demise) my 21st birthday in 98... Huge night mainly spent in expresso but also rolling in and out of surrounding clubs. Have to say I remember you as a DJ there and at Boulevard! ™Club Hopping down The Strip" ChCh had such an amazing night life round this time!!
@@melissawooldridge1105 Expresso 124 was always a battle to start up atmosphere. It was basically a giant fish tank. All windows, and always too much light, you’d turn the bar lights off, but the place was still lit up by the street lights. I do remember the D.J. booth was up high and you had to basically crawl through cubbyholes to finally reach it.
So awesome you mentioned Soul Masta C, Chris Roosda Muagututi'a and his influence of the hip hop DJ scene in chch in the early 90's, such a rich history in chch night scene.
Most of these venues were about 5 years before my time (around this era, me and my mates would hang out around Cashel St - Echo records, Java, Galaxy, Cheapskates). Venues of my misspent youth - Base, The Civic, Jet Set Lounge, Coyotes, McKenzies Hotel, Nancies, The Foundry, Rockpool, Corner Pocket, but none bigger than The Dux.
I was in a band called "Manjamin" with my bro "H" and we were playing @Cats when Greg & Glen, 2 skinny white kids, got their start. Know everybody well pre '93... when I headed to Aus. PS: Soul Master C just turned 60...haha.
This was really interesting, all well before my time (I was 11 in 1996) but some of the places you mentioned were still around when I first started going out. And one inaccuracy, you said at the end that none were still around, but The Rockpool still is, albeit maybe in a slightly different form
It's nice to reminisce but you can't go home again. Yes I recall some of those places but we lost so much after the quakes that dwelling on it can only take you to a dark place. Unlike the guys in this clip, I stayed in ChCh and decided to keep moving forward and not look back. Go anywhere in chch and you'll see an empty space where something used to be. I can't think about that or it would drive me to tears. The scene is alive and vibrant in chch. House and DnB are strong. It's interesting to hear these OG takes on the past but like I said, you can't go home again and they appear to have moved on and left chch behind anyway. Was an interesting clip though guys. Thank-you for your memories. Fun fact, just before the quakes the old Palladium nightclub was turned into a Calendar Girls Strip club. I went there once and it was freakn weird. The strippers took guys up the stairs to the couches on the mezzanine floor to give them lap dances. Kind of a sad end to an awesome venue. The quakes took out the palladium and even chancery lane itself. Its all gone.
nice, recently, I heard Greg at Silent Studio in Patrick Street Onehunga. I biked there. All the bands that passed thru, Hunters and Collectors, The Saints, Paul Kelly. Even U2 played at Lancaster park. So yeah, thanks for this, Calibre, it was like aphrodite, DJ hype, all at the Ministry. Got outa there.
I love how greg remember all these all nightclubs. I remember going to limbos in the days.❤ I was ones underage 15 or 16 😂 great times love the music❤.
thanks so much for this so many fond memories, for me staring on tuesday nights at romanov's, onto so many good nights a the Worcester bar and through my mod to goth to raver... stages
Tony Harris came from Christchurch to Auckland and opened the Picasso Coffee Bar just across from the Auckland Town Hall. Just about the first late night venue with live music and home to many of Aucklands more colourful Characters. That would have been in 1960. Worked there for quite a while with Marie Heyward and was known as Ron Dish. Wild days they were.
The palladium and chancery were the last resort when I started clubbing in 1990 at 16 years old. But man do I miss those places now. Daniels was the club to be in my day! 😊
Before the Chancery got a DJ it was supposed to be the "swanky" bar and it had bartenders who would whip out a lighter to light your cigarette and the female staff all had to wear silky blah dresses with unnecessary splits. I was once kicked out of it for wearing a pyjama top as a shirt.
I have live footage of the Ministry Raves. On my old VHS tapes. We made an L @ P High Energy video there. Pre Energy drinks, I will dig it out Shea. Wish I had followed up that idea. Pre Red Bull. haha😂
Greg brought up his biggest influence in Soul Master C, but didn’t mention where he applied his trade the for most hip hop bar in Christchurch Daniel’s
I was there at that 1995/1996 new years party in the car park. It was pretty good but I was sad that I wasn't at the rave at Golden Downs (1 year before the first Gathering)
First met Greg, must have been 1995, in Joe bolideos. Him and Martin playing. Playing pool on the round pool table. 124 was great times, I was there your last night. When you were out side where the ministry was. We lived in the building thats to the left.
I was clubbing in Chch in the early 2000s. People either went to The Strip (Ferment/Coyotes and Mad Cow) or the Manchester corner (Shooters/Grumpy Mole) and usually finish up near Cathedral Square (Holy Grail).
One time early 2000s at ministy the guy that work at galaxy records stopped Goldies record gave him the finger and said something about Bjork leaveing him stuff of legends.and the shakeing steel steps in there you could hear shakeing from outside and wot a rigg.
That was mighty, thanks to all involved Greg seems familiar to me, maybe thru The Star and Garter and Gladstone days , im not sure. Just a special watch reliving a lot of those bars and that era of House/ D&B, Jungle kicking in, it wasnt my scene but I get it . Great memories of The Ministry seeing Rockers Hi fi and Pitch Black there one night and African Head Charge another time . Man Greg really has an Encyclopedic knowledge of the Christchurch scene , a real walking historian of music that should be recorded and preserved, i think, as he said at the end he could talk forever, which isnt a bad thing cos the stories and insights are so sharp and popping The backdrops throughout the walk were sublime, it really shows off a stylie and crisp new city
Wowwww what can I say.... Greg Churchill is a bloody Aotearoa Dj legend, I remember (92 to 94) going to the Worcester Bar on a Friday and it was off the hook, hip hop mixed into house blew my mind, I also remember going to a rap competition up there and listening to Dark Tower, the winners that night went to two twin brothers from Rotorua/Taupo Rodwell and Philip.... but honestly Worcester Bar was meannnnnnn. Chancery and Palladium weren't my cuppa tea because they played corny house and top 40 sounds... sorry my bro Dj Bladrick lol, so I would head to Daniels Nightclub which is where Soul Master Cee (Classic R&B, Swing Beat, 90s Rap, Raggae, 90s R&B, Slow Jams) Djayed. What DJ Raw was to Wellys, Chris or Soul Master Cee was to us in Christchurch. Daniels had one of the best hip hop and R&B nights and sounds in Aotearoa and it would start packing in at 8pm (that's because from 8pm to 10pm it was $1 drinks). After Daniels, we would go to Limbos because Daniels closed at 3 a.m. and Limbos would play a mixture of house, hip hop, top 40s and yes it was all beat mixed and Limbos closed at 6 a.m. Sometimes we would go to the Firehouse but that wasn't often.... to this day I would say that this was one of the best times of my life when it came to clubbing, then I moved to Wellys which was good and then to Auckland but nothing quite reached were Christchurch was for me during the mid-90s.... at this time a small collective of hip hop purists with the help from Pacific Underground and Oscar Kightley called Beats & Pieces was formed and young MC from Beats & Pieces would rear his head and turn rap upside down in our country, his name was Scribe. Thanks for the walk down memory lane Shae, love your work my bro and huge big ups to the legend Greg Churchill..... Nga Mihi Whanau.
Thank you for you comments Nard! Good to hear that Christchurch was your fav place to go clubbing :)
Hey Nard congrats!!! You won the RODE headphones bruv!!!!!! Email me your details please shaesterling@gmail.com
immmm so stoked, ive never won anything in my life, feeling quite humbled at the moment.... thank you sooooooo much@@shae_sterling
Glad you mentioned Limbos, my first club experience in 1989. So many great venues in chch. Heaven, Base, Liquor Lounge, Concrete Club, Jet Set Lounge, not to mention all those warehouse raves. Good times.
RIP chch niteclub scene...so many clubs playing amazing music with incredible atmosphere and inclusive vibe..so many memories from these adventures thru the city..felt like we ruled it!! fond memories leaving clubs after the most amazing nite, birds chirping as the tunes still rattle in your ears!!! thanks for the stroll down memory lane
The Worcester nar is where it started for me. Went to the edge heaps ...even saw Ben Harper there. I remember one time at the ministry at a drum n bass gig; I was tripping balls and Phantom was playing a beautifully dark set. The bass was so low and rolling....one of the smaller speakers went up in flames. It was epic!!! Saw Fatboy slim, kemistry and storm, groove rider, Roni size, Goldie all played ministry. And then the licker lounge. That place was home. LOVED it!!!
The Ministry was arguably the best niteclub venue in New Zealand, it went through some funny phases though but as a venue it was stunning, the sound, the lighting, the layout, the size....
Chch post quake is a different place, it's not home anymore, it's gone...
Thanks for the great memories guys!
Great memories... Thanks Greg and Shae!! I went to all the places mentioned many many times. And even tried to restart Tuesday Hip Hop night at Cats, long after Greg left it behind. I used to love dancing, didn't drink booze - just loved the dancing. When I left home and moved into a flat directly opposite The Firehouse. I went out almost every night of the week - from Tuesday [Greg's Hip Hop night] until Sunday. Every bar/club had a special night - Limbo's was Thursday night. I was a spotty 17 year old, and always got into the clubs - even when I was wearing weird clothes and pyjama shirts. Greg, Greg, Chris and Martin J added so much to the musical soundscape of the city, and to the dancefloor energy. I loved dancing so much I later became a DJ myself and now run a weekly sober dance event in Christchurch. If anyone reading this can't find a good place to dance in Chch, and wants to come to a sober dance... check out: Ecstatic Dance Christchurch.
This is so great! Greg, the original GC and Christchurch were my teenage stomping ground! At 15, I used to dance to Dewight at the Chancery ( fuck knows how I even got in the door?) then would go to the Palladium… get ladium, we used to call it😂 Then Rominofs where I used to bust out my Bel Biv Dovoe dance moves to Greg! I would bus in from Aranui and get the last bus home, If I got there before 9pm, there was no bouncer on the door haha… smooth as until the cops came and found us underage’s hiding in the toilets 😅. Later on THE WOSTER BAR!!! That place was everything… Big Tim always let me in at 18/19 years old … wink wink…. Anyone remember the Madchester night there in 93? Then came the whare house raves, where I heard DJ Riddle play Jungle for the first time… my mind was blown! Between Greg, Su J and Riddle all roads lead to me becoming a baby DJ by 96… and Koru, the mighty DJ KABOOM who I gave free beersies to when I used to work at the Wunder Bar in 96. Then I followed Su and Greg up to Auckland. This history is so important. I’m grateful you are telling the story Shae ! ❤ Greg, you are looking great my bro, I still have one of your turntables with your name etched into the side haha Xx ❤❤❤
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Who doesn’t want them ear muffs?! But mostly, thank you so much for this series Shae! This history is so interesting and important xo
Oh GC. Still my favourite DJ. The guy who taught me how to DJ. Changed my life. Thanks for the tales and memories. Cheers Brother. Respect MJay.
The Strip will never be the same. Coyotes got a very brief shout out by Greg. Was definitely the go to spot for hip hop. Recall DJ Sir-Vere guest dj’ing a few times there. Great memories thanks for the vid 🙌🏻
I'm so glad this includes Zanzibar. When I started going out to places, during my first job days as a baby hairdresser, this place opened. Before that you could only go to gay clubs with male friends (Angles) - and we weren't very welcome - or places like the Big Apple, that had cover bands and sticky beer carpet and seemed full of old skeevy guys (you know, like 25 year olds or whatever lol) hitting on you. Zanzibar was such a revelation. We could dress like weirdos and the music was so varied and just magical. Dancing was the main reason to be there. Everyone felt like friends. Even though it was only open till 12.30 (I think) it felt more like a night club than the ones we actually had. It felt young and new and dare I say happening. PLUS you got umbrellas in your drinks. It was so special.
Greg is the GOAT. So much respect
Thanks for this! Damn.. 92/93, i was 15/16 and clubbing at Daniels/Danz, Biffs, limbos, and eventually Ministry. Chatting up the Hot Dog sellers for free entry passes to clubs. Great memories!
Being in limbos when police would come in looking for underagers - dj playing Fuck the Police and pumping dry ice onto the dance floor. Using my sister's birth certificate as I.D and the bouncer telling her i was inside because he'd already seen her I.D come through the door😂
Great times and kinda wholesome in hindsight! Everyone looked out for each other. And I'd still go to school, leaving limbos at dawn and getting changed into my school uniform in an alleyway before bussing to Burnside. 😊
Thanks for the Shout outs Greg that was fun to watch
peace
Worcester bar & espresso 124 was a beautiful time. Skate/rap/alternative music culture & fashion all combined. Greg was my neighbour and was a icon in the early Chch scene alongside Soul master cee (Chris Muagatatia).. nothing but respect to Tim, Fish, Greg, Glen, RDU, and venues including romanovs, quadrophenia that helped launched a lot of talent
Thanks for the memories Greg! Cats/Romanovs, Menage/Limbos, Daniels and of course the Worcester Bar with you, Martin, Tim and Late Night Mike. So many names I haven’t thought about in forever - RDU and the UBS records. Chch had such a cool little scene.
Nice work Shae & Greg and what a fantastic tribute. I was invited to Christchurch back in 1992 (from Welly) to work in a couple of the venues celebrated. Great to hear a few friends, peers and mentors praised during the walkthrough.
Good lord! This video is a long time coming, and so great to hear Greg mention some truly wonderful names, Tony Peak of course being paramount. Tony's name is synonymous with the Ōtautahi chch club scene, and we all loved him dearly, and miss him greatly. Besides DJ’s at The Edge, incredible live events were arranged by Tony, one such night was Asian Sound System, Doug Wimbish and Skip McDonald all playing live and mixed by non-other than the mighty Adiran Sherwood - that’s what Tony could pull together with the right venue - the loudest gig I’ve been to that also sounded great! Tuck was there Skip McDonald just leaning over him from the stage and starring at him dead in the eye for ages, while his guitar put out the most ominous noise.
One of my most memorable nights is coming up, but firstly let me share I had followed Greg from club to club throughout chch, starting around 1989, Tuesday nights at Romanovs, where you could dance your head off, go for a swim at Centennial Pool, get dressed and go back to the club for another 3 or 4 hours. I met him and Sue there and became friends ever since. Worcester Bar was the legendary place that cultured a solid scene and built friendships that remain in place, wherever everyone has trailed off to and started careers, families, both, or whatever. Run by Fish, managed by Pos Muagututi'a, and vibed by DJ's and loved by everyone.
The reason the place worked so well, I think, was because Fish understood to let the community in and do their thing - it was their bar - he provided the platform for us to discover for ourselves what we were about. That is how culture works, provide a space and let it all happen, that and the fact that there were enough music specialists about to provide the Hussle nights, Madchester nights, as well as Greg’s on specialty, House. I have to mention James Gregs industrial nights, Sue’s own specialty sets and of course Tucker XL who has an uncanny ability to toast to tracks freestyle, a phenomenon might seem unnatural for a Ginger, anywhere else in the world, except Christchurch, except of course, Yellowman. Incredible talents and wonderful energy. Fish asked me to do Keith Harring style murals for the bar, I think Tucker hooked that up (?), these worked well along with DLT’s graphics along the windows.
Fish and Pos also bought The Pacific Underground with them, Oscar Knightly, Tania and Mishelle Muagututi'a, among others, the list of talent is insane. By the early 90’s PU had taken over the old Cinerama Theatre on Worchester St. This was a time of raves, big parties that Worcester Bar could not manage. I can remember one NY party, where everyone met and just had fun and connected, I feel so fortunate to have been part of all that.
oh, then there was The Box, years later with Timmy on the door and Geg had Derick May playing on a weeknight! Incredible!!!
yup tucker was the mantis
COOLCAT cameron here 😺!- such a classic viid of the amazing next next level club scene that was one of the best nightlife's in Nz !! As mentioned I was known at the time as Coolcat Cameron... ( and still to this day ) and if were out in anytime in the club scene from 2000s to Now then no doubt ,I may have meet you at some stage I'm sure !( shout out to all who were in that amazing scene!) - had such epic nights ( and mornings ) and such amazing clubs like" Base , The Ministry, Heaven , The Mansion , Sole square , Azure, Hybrid " and so so many more( plus used to love those dance flyers!) , the most epic event ever year was 'The Unity 'parties held ever Easter where all the clubs and venues would unite for a epic night like no other to 5am and beyond !! Having just been an entertainer overseas in Miami and Canada during the height of the Rave party scene I came back and became involved in the Chch scene in almost every way , always dressed with massive rave pants and styles + mostly known for unique visual lightshow would give to ClubberS young and old ..and knew almost all the Djs, the door staff , the promoters , the lighting guys and 1000s and 1000s of amazing special people who I would meet over the next 10+ yrs before the quakes came in 2010.. ---it was not only the amazing sounds and tunes of these iconic clubs that made this scene so good ... but most of Important of
All was ... The People 🙋♂️👌... who would all come out at night and be themselves and I created life long friends to this day ...even if some I only knew from 11pm Friday til 5am Sunday mornin 😂.. it is sad that none of these places are not around but I am so grateful to have lived and had some of the best times in my life during this scene and thank everyone who I ever meet or bumped into during this special period.--😺🙋♂️🎧... shout out to all the people I know from this time and hope we meet again soon- Coolcat Cameron 😺..- ps.. I currently own the only known Base sign that would hang in the club and is a prized possession of a time never to be repeated !! 😺😺
I remember you!
Born in 93 and sadly only had a year or two in town pre-earthquake - remember Sol Square, the Bedford and the Ministry so fondly! Epic to hear this history and the roots of Chch’s scene! This is special - Thank you!
As the original resident DJ of Menage (both of them - the first was above Kings/The Beat) I can tell you that Blue Monday got played...a lot! In fact, we had 2 copies so I could muck around with them lol! Maybe when you asked for it, it had recently been played? The nachos were indeed amazing and you can thank Nicola for those.
While Menage never had lasers, it was the first Christchurch club to have moving lighting, courtesy of Bruce Williamson's import license from Coemar. I can still remember the first night we got them working and would flash them a bit, then move them a bit, then move them flat out. The punters were in awe! Good times and thanks for the memories!
Larry Appley ☺
My Teenage years!
Menage - where me and my mates pretended to be gay to get in and listen to the best music in town - definitely heard Blue Monday lots of times haha - and didn't have to request it
The Worcester Bar - opened just before I left in 1991 - so many good nights - remember winning a Madchester oversize t-shirt which lasted years on my travels
The Palladium - getting in at 16 with my town mates (cos I was from goon) and one of them hooking up with Rick Hucknall from Simply Red!! Then visiting again when it was Calendar Girls 20 years later in the late 00s!
The Firestation - super bogan - a sort of last resort to be honest
So much live music, such a great time - thanks for the trippy time warp
Strangely I was at Rock Pool last week and the DJ was playing an amazing house music set - great for playing pool to 😀
Also, Greg is the David Attenborough of the history of Aotearoa dance music! What knowledge he holds! X
hahah yes I think your right!
I'm from Akd and just been in Chch over the weekend and Chch is an awesome city. Very underrated and worth the visit for anyone that's never been.
My best experience in Chch was playing at Heaven. It felt like the city's version of Calibre for a period of time. Had a few massive nights there with Aragorn and others from the scene.
Funny. You guys bought back so many memories for me. I too was Djing in Chch from June 1990 - Aug 1996. Never got to go to many bars as I was Djing up to 5 nights a week back then. Limbos. Yes. Was the only place that was open that I could go to after work . Andrew was very good at his tune picking and blending. Loved what he played. Never got to meet Greg until I moved to Auckland in 1999 to end up being a res Dj with Andrew from Limbos at G.A.Y Auckland in High street. Looking and sounding good Greg, been a while. Arohanui.
Loved the closing story about his dj inspiration, Tony Peake, and that great tale of standing outside Zanzibar and hearing I Feel for you and running inside and asking Tony to rewind it, and he did. How cool is that. Thanks, Greg and Shae.
Nice work Shae thanks Greg Churchill for sharing the Chch scene from back in the day very interesting was a great era to grow up in cheers for the vid bro keep up the good work 😊👍🏽
So many to list. I came back to Chch after 30 odd years, all the venues in the city I had res at were gone, of course. Had some good times in the 90's. Oh wait, just remembered, I was flown in and did a gig in 2004 at the Mansion, that easter that you were playing at also. Oldness.
Thank you Greg. (re: DJ Global Influence) Glenn McKinley. I knew Glenn before he were global superstar; he was nothing before he meet me. Mind you I was even less. I was repeating Form Six (for the sixth time) and Glenn caught up with me, he was in my form class at Lincoln High. His family lived in a little township south of Christchurch called Tempelton - back when it was affordable - now you need 3/4 million for two bedroom and no parking.
Glenn was a mathematics prodigy, probably a savant, (I was Grover from Sesame St.). But Glenn was very patient with me. We were members of the Canterbury Astronomical Society. Glenn performed experiments; collecting micro-meteorite particles from the upper atmosphere on sheets of paper during rain events. On one occasion he used an antiquated oven on low heat - upon shutting the oven door, rust was dislodged from interior of the oven on to the sheet - rendering the experiment void.
Regrettably, he fell under the influence of Chris Knox (late of Tall Dwarfs) and some horrible US pop band (The 'Residents'). At Canterbury University he fell-in with a bad crowd at RDU (late of Botulism Swab) and, sorry to say, one of the finest intellects and personalities of the 1980s was lost to New Zealand (late of Bovine Spongiform Encyohjbfhjbfbphy) forever.
-Andrew Mackenna, Christchurch, New Zealand (8/24)
This was a very nostalgic watch and although l was at home mothering when most of these flourished, l did get to a few of them. Christchurch's music scene really was fantastic and l'd be lying if l didn't say l missed it. Hats off to Greg Churchill, his knowledge is almost encyclopaedic and his memory is outstanding! Slightly disappointed that Moby Dick’s Nite Spot didn't get an honorary mention, although l realise, it was probably outside the scope of this video. It was three floors of joy that opened in 1970, in what was formerly the Majestic Theatre in Manchester Street. One floor was dedicated to video games, one to dancing and l think the top floor was the bar and seating area. I still have the VERY much coveted photo ID, that l lied through my teeth to get. No idea how l pulled it off cos l think l was 15 at the time l got mine. It was one of the first of the 'modern' style discos and for that deserves a mention, even if it's just from me. 😊 Not entirely sure if it, or Adam's Apple in Lichfield Street was first though.
Who remembers the little old man who would randomly turn up and dance with so much energy 😅
I think we used to call him Jackson shit he went hard
Wow. So sad that all of these are gone now. I’m 23 years old and the clubs we have now don’t seem to come close to any of these. Really seems like this was the golden era of Christchurch night clubbing… wish I could have experienced it.
as a 19 year old in early 1974 we spent a lot of time enjoying the great Christchurch night life. Those days are now a bit hazy and a distant memory but the night clubs and pubs were buzzing with plenty of drugs, great music and hot women.
Ministry ruled, you could party there all night and everyone would wind down their night back at caffiends with a coffee and nachos
Loved the chch scene back then.
Brilliant video, thanks for such a great history trip. Im proud to have experienced those places, brings so many good memories. Goldie at Ministry was insane.... I had earplugs and it was still brain damaging. Expresso 124 & playing on the pool table outside on the pavement... then heading down to Liquor lounge to hear Josh Wink being played. In those days we all got pretty frickin sideways. Looking back the club standard was pretty high... respect to all those DJs on the scene then.
I couldn't hear for days after Goldie played at Ministry!😂
I was a bit too young for some of those venues but had great memories of Espresso 124 and Ministry - the site of ‘The Six Million Dollar Rave’. Awesome vibes away from ‘the strip’ with cheap drinks at Danz before heading to Lick’er Lounge, Quadrophenia, Kickin’ Jazz, Bardellis. Listening to P3, Mission Control and the Rhythm Zone on RDU. Good times.
Quadrophenia!! Yes! I remember that place. Good memories of a misspent youth.
38:22 yeah limbos was a beast. And the wonderful Andrew Green was the guy who would become my DJ mentor.
thanks so much shae this was excellent good times!
My most memorable night out was at Base Bar on Colombo upstairs for their Wednesday night Hip-hop days and a very young Scribe stood on a chair grabbed a mic off one of the MC and just made ever one stare and shut the fark up. Also Ministry seeing Ed Rush and Optical was amazing. The Urinals would turn into bass speakers as well and spray urine everywhere
Yep Chris and Romanovs were the best years of my life. We all used to dance all night. God I miss those days. And Daniels.
Stuart Page (of the Axemen) started some interesting graffiti inspired by his trip to the USA in the 80s. I think he got funding to do a book of his photos taken over there. For many years in the 80s a couple of his pieces stayed unmolested - San Pedro Nectar of the Gods which had cactuses, and in Welles St a big weird head promoting the Axemen - "they love you yes they do".
The BluesBar was great too
Great live venue, Steve the coolest dude in town!
Tagging is the best!!! Huge talent out there!
Thank you for remembering the Palladium, Dwight and the Chancery. My name is DJ Shane Darren and I opened the Palladium in 1986 and was resident DJ for the first 3 years. It was world class
Shane Darren you are a legend. Your friend Mike N
This is fantastic. What wonderful journey through my seedy 20's. So much fun. Great beats, outstanding humans, tu meke. Gee Papa Winston, seems like yesterday.
Ha! My daughter is logged onto CZcams, hence the genshrinko tag. Daddy D'Arcy Waldegrave
Still remember banging nights at the Worcester Bar inside Noah’s Hotel 1992-1993 where Greg DJd - bloody excellent times
Heard Bic Runga sing one NYE at… Azure. Just before she became super famous.
Sounds like you disappeared during the peak of Christchurch nightlife in the early 2000's! The amount of people in town the amount of clubs and venues were at peak. You even had legal high shops dotted around. Obviously it's a generational thing around the music played, but Holly hecka it was insane. Been to a lot of places around the world, and how good we had it was incredible!
Great walk around memory lane. Would love a version in Chch going back 20 years - early-mid 2000s
Tuesdays at Cats
You guys absolutely rocked it. 25:38
Fantastic interview and trip down memory lane.
Facinating stuff. Really enjoyed that.
One of my favourite night in Chc was when boogie nights just opened up on Manchester street next to shooter. Such a shame the earthquake happened as it took away so many amazing venues
Fantastic work Lads!!
3:35 I got my DJ start at Worcester Bar on Wednesday nights. I’d come in on Fridays to hear all the best music being played by Greg and friends.
These were the years I went clubbing in Christchurch too. So cool to revisit my wayward youth! Oh yeah, now I remember Elvis (Dave) the karaoke DJ too (mid to late 90's). Ah, the 'Get-ladium' was a great club!
Look forward to this one !
I was kicking around Chch in 97. All Bar One, Cafe Bleu, Rattle Snakes, Base on Colombo. Great times.
I remember Worster bar (OB1) he was Slip Matt then and that random dude who used to wear coloured baby suckers around his neck, this was 92. I was at the Broadcasting school we did the first Dance Station Pulse 96.1 while there, Wayne Clark had Ministry in Chch, I knew Wayne from when he had Maxines in Nelson I dunno if he still has Family Bar in Auckland now or not, Our spots where Americanos, Dux Delux, Catching Birdman at Paladium (Getlaidium) and even Columbos up the top where they had the male and female Strippers. Some great gigs where at Warners, Saw Pumkinhead on their prime then, was awesome - Then saw them support FNM at the hall on Kilmore street.
Greg - Looking good brother!
The palladium nightclub was the best place, I used to go there in around 87'
Dollar drinks
Loving the series, still waiting to hear about the awesome era that Code in Auckland was, I was a regular there on the floor, Greg was my fav DJ, many great nights down there until the sun came up!
Would of been good to hear about: Base, Suite, Quadrophenia, Heavan, Liquor Lounge, Carbon, Hybrid and other clubs post 1996
I can remember a few clubs, there was one called cats nightclub, I used to go to a place called caesars night spot, the had this great covers band, 😊
The Club Romanov's that Greg spoke about became Cats
I was at that Chemistry and Storm Ministry gig in ‘97. I had the time of my life there between “94- 2000. It’s a total bummer what’s happened to our venues in Chch. The 90s were cranking
I was resident DJ at Espresso 123 (mid 98/early 99) nights a week) till I was fired lol
The next day I began a residency at The Boulevard (4 bars away) from 99-04 thurs/fri/sat nights.
The Boulevard had the absolute best staff, from bar staff to door staff. The guys had no egos and the girls that worked there were gorgeous.
I stayed 5 years because it was the working environment was so positive.
I left Boulevard in late 04 to begin a residency at Work Bar, also on Oxford terrace.
The hours at Work Bar were long, I remember one night I did a 14hr set non stop
The bar staff were feeding me up on Red Bulls, it ended when I fell asleep on the mixing desk about 10am on a Sunday morning.
Also did a few nights at Viaduct.
Chch has never been the same since the earthquakes
The memory flash backs...hours on the dance floor at expresso 123 (some rather vague due to my own boozed and legless demise) my 21st birthday in 98... Huge night mainly spent in expresso but also rolling in and out of surrounding clubs. Have to say I remember you as a DJ there and at Boulevard!
™Club Hopping down The Strip" ChCh had such an amazing night life round this time!!
@@melissawooldridge1105 Expresso 124 was always a battle to start up atmosphere. It was basically a giant fish tank. All windows, and always too much light, you’d turn the bar lights off, but the place was still lit up by the street lights.
I do remember the D.J. booth was up high and you had to basically crawl through cubbyholes to finally reach it.
All my vibes. Frequented all these bars and clubs in the 90s and beyond. Worchester Bar was seminal for me, thanks Greg and co for opening my mind.
Greg is SO OLD!!! Love. Ferk
So awesome you mentioned Soul Masta C, Chris Roosda Muagututi'a and his influence of the hip hop DJ scene in chch in the early 90's, such a rich history in chch night scene.
Most of these venues were about 5 years before my time (around this era, me and my mates would hang out around Cashel St - Echo records, Java, Galaxy, Cheapskates). Venues of my misspent youth - Base, The Civic, Jet Set Lounge, Coyotes, McKenzies Hotel, Nancies, The Foundry, Rockpool, Corner Pocket, but none bigger than The Dux.
I was in a band called "Manjamin" with my bro "H" and we were playing @Cats when Greg & Glen, 2 skinny white kids, got their start. Know everybody well pre '93... when I headed to Aus.
PS: Soul Master C just turned 60...haha.
This was really interesting, all well before my time (I was 11 in 1996) but some of the places you mentioned were still around when I first started going out. And one inaccuracy, you said at the end that none were still around, but The Rockpool still is, albeit maybe in a slightly different form
what a amazing video down memory lane of chch its a dam shame chch clubs haven't come back and the ones have gone full pop and main stream
I was turning 18 as the earth quakes struck Christchurch so me and most my mates and most people my age missed out on the whole clubbing scene
It's nice to reminisce but you can't go home again. Yes I recall some of those places but we lost so much after the quakes that dwelling on it can only take you to a dark place. Unlike the guys in this clip, I stayed in ChCh and decided to keep moving forward and not look back. Go anywhere in chch and you'll see an empty space where something used to be. I can't think about that or it would drive me to tears. The scene is alive and vibrant in chch. House and DnB are strong. It's interesting to hear these OG takes on the past but like I said, you can't go home again and they appear to have moved on and left chch behind anyway. Was an interesting clip though guys. Thank-you for your memories. Fun fact, just before the quakes the old Palladium nightclub was turned into a Calendar Girls Strip club. I went there once and it was freakn weird. The strippers took guys up the stairs to the couches on the mezzanine floor to give them lap dances. Kind of a sad end to an awesome venue. The quakes took out the palladium and even chancery lane itself. Its all gone.
nice, recently, I heard Greg at Silent Studio in Patrick Street Onehunga. I biked there. All the bands that passed thru, Hunters and Collectors, The Saints, Paul Kelly. Even U2 played at Lancaster park. So yeah, thanks for this, Calibre, it was like aphrodite, DJ hype, all at the Ministry. Got outa there.
I love how greg remember all these all nightclubs. I remember going to limbos in the days.❤ I was ones underage 15 or 16 😂 great times love the music❤.
thanks so much for this so many fond memories, for me staring on tuesday nights at romanov's, onto so many good nights a the Worcester bar and through my mod to goth to raver... stages
Tony Harris came from Christchurch to Auckland and opened the Picasso Coffee Bar just across from the Auckland Town Hall. Just about the first late night venue with live music and home to many of Aucklands more colourful Characters. That would have been in 1960. Worked there for quite a while with Marie Heyward and was known as Ron Dish. Wild days they were.
awesome bro. great memories of going to the ministry.
Being a young soldier based out of Burnham, late 90’s, 2000’s the last chance Chancery 😂😂😂
The palladium and chancery were the last resort when I started clubbing in 1990 at 16 years old. But man do I miss those places now. Daniels was the club to be in my day! 😊
Before the Chancery got a DJ it was supposed to be the "swanky" bar and it had bartenders who would whip out a lighter to light your cigarette and the female staff all had to wear silky blah dresses with unnecessary splits. I was once kicked out of it for wearing a pyjama top as a shirt.
I have live footage of the Ministry Raves. On my old VHS tapes. We made an L @ P High Energy video there. Pre Energy drinks, I will dig it out Shea. Wish I had followed up that idea. Pre Red Bull. haha😂
Would love to see that footage!
Greg brought up his biggest influence in Soul Master C, but didn’t mention where he applied his trade the for most hip hop bar in Christchurch
Daniel’s
Amazing memories, tragic none of those venues survived - Dwight, Soul Master Cee, beat mixing legends ahead of their time …
I was there at that 1995/1996 new years party in the car park. It was pretty good but I was sad that I wasn't at the rave at Golden Downs (1 year before the first Gathering)
Hallelujah Picasos was the main act in the NYPD car park party i think?
yeah I remember us playing at that, thought Salmonella Dub headlined? We had to stop mid set so everyone could sign 'old ang syne' at midnight.
First met Greg, must have been 1995, in Joe bolideos. Him and Martin playing.
Playing pool on the round pool table.
124 was great times,
I was there your last night.
When you were out side where the ministry was. We lived in the building thats to the left.
sup dread head? I vaguely remember that awesome flat lol. Jamie
Love these vids, can you add the old photos of these places (if any) that would be cool
Late to the party - but Dwight is still DJing, sometimes seen on the Terrace. One of the nicest DJs I've met since moving to Chch too
I. Pretty sure the fire house used to be right next to Sydenham park because we used it as our rugby club as well.
I remember moving to ch ch and saw Tim playing congas with a latin band then next minute I took over and he moved back to Auckland back in the 90s
I was clubbing in Chch in the early 2000s. People either went to The Strip (Ferment/Coyotes and Mad Cow) or the Manchester corner (Shooters/Grumpy Mole) and usually finish up near Cathedral Square (Holy Grail).
One time early 2000s at ministy the guy that work at galaxy records stopped Goldies record gave him the finger and said something about Bjork leaveing him stuff of legends.and the shakeing steel steps in there you could hear shakeing from outside and wot a rigg.
Groove is in the Heart at Worcester Bar!
Ah the Rockpool - pints of Ngahere Gold and properly strong teapots. Those were the days.
That was mighty, thanks to all involved
Greg seems familiar to me, maybe thru The Star and Garter and Gladstone days , im not sure.
Just a special watch reliving a lot of those bars and that era of House/ D&B, Jungle kicking in, it wasnt my scene but I get it .
Great memories of The Ministry seeing Rockers Hi fi and Pitch Black there one night and African Head Charge another time .
Man Greg really has an Encyclopedic knowledge of the Christchurch scene , a real walking historian of music that should be recorded and preserved, i think, as he said at the end he could talk forever, which isnt a bad thing cos the stories and insights are so sharp and popping
The backdrops throughout the walk were sublime, it really shows off a stylie and crisp new city