FOR clubbers and music fans of a certain vintage, The Menagerie is perhaps second only to the legendary Vico’s when it comes to Belfast’s most important alternative nightspots.
While memories of nights out in the pre-smartphones and social media era of the late 1990s and early 2000s tend to be hazy at best, the copious consumption of recreational refreshments while young, carefree and stupid being another impediment to accurate recall, but the general impression of The Menagerie which lingers today is that of a beacon for the city’s alternative set, a dive bar ‘safe space’ for music-mad freaks and geeks long before the term was even coined.
The Menagerie was a dive bar ‘safe space’ for music-mad freaks and geeks long before the term was even coined
In turn-of-the-century Belfast, there was a massive imbalance between mainstream nightspots with daft ‘door policies’ and resident DJs/Emcees hellbent on inflicting commercial chart music on patrons and the more come-as-you-are establishments where you could hear alternative tunes, watch indie and punk rock bands booked by enterprising local promoters and dance to underground DJs.
In fact, the latter establishments were so few in number that a blind woodworker could have counted them on the stubs of one mangled hand.
Thus, for a good long while, The Menagerie was one of the city’s most important anti-mainstream nightspots, living up to its name as a zoo-like melting pot for the full spectrum of alternative culture.
Situated at the end of University Street, set back from the street on a sloping gravel driveway, The Menagerie’s proximity to the Holylands’ student enclave ensured it drew a carry-out fuelled further education crowd, while being a mere dander from the lower Ormeau Road ensured the odd brush with local spides attracted by the sound of repetitive beats and the prospect of “hippy fruits” to feast upon (or, occasionally, befriend and declare “dead on”- #notallspides, etc).
Descending the stairs from street level, punters would make a right turn to push through the door and into the club, emerging to the right of the stage that occupied one corner of the venue.
Directly ahead was the bar that ran down the length of The Menagerie’s right-hand wall towards its infamously nasty toilets – admittedly not quite as bad as the hygiene hatecrimes being perpetrated by Vico’s’ ‘facilities’, but still pretty grim.
It wasn’t a big room, with a capacity that can’t have been more than about 100, but a multitude of bands and DJs came from far and wide to perform on The Menagerie’s stage, or occasionally on its dancefloor – and in one memorable case, outside in the venue’s unfeasibly large carpark which was originally a ‘turnaround’ for Belfast trams.
In fact, on at least one occasion witnessed by this writer, a band began their gig on the stage, then moved to the dancefloor before proceeding to roam around the entire venue – including a brief invasion of the men’s toilets – before returning to the main room without washing its hands (read on for more details on that memorable show by Israeli garage punks Monotonix).
The late Pogues legend Shane MacGowan was supposed to perform at The Menagerie on St Patrick’s Day night in 2004 until a nearby bombscare forced the event to be cancelled – he returned in August for a DJ set at BP Fallon’s Death Disco night.
Dublin singer/songwriter Damien Rice also played there in 2002 just as his debut album O was storming the charts in Ireland and elsewhere, but otherise there weren’t many proper ‘household names’ who darkened its doors.
However, the club undeniably provided a vital outlet for local musical creativity throughout its stuttering lifespan, along with playing host to a huge variety of cult bands, artists and DJs from all over the world.
The Menagerie catered to such broad alternative tastes that punters could feasibly expect to witness a show by veteran US hardcore punks Millions of Dead Cops, a triple-bill of local young indie hopefuls like Kidd Dynamo, Panda Kopanda and Tracer AMC, an endless club night of entirely unlistenable, laptop-based DJing and a funky disco presided over by Deee-Lite’s Lady Miss Kier all within the space of the same week.
Other notable alternative names to play and/or DJ at The Menagerie over the years include The Gossip, Andrew Weatherall, David Holmes, Bicep, Damo Suzuki, Peaches, Animal Collective (who loved the place so much they attempted to replicate its ‘vibe’ on their next album), Max Tundra, Four Tet, Wooden Shjips, Silver Apples, Sic Alps, Jeffrey Lewis, The Make-Up and Daddy Long Legs.
The Menagerie was originally owned by Chris Roddy (whose dad used to run Belfast’s 1970s punk stronghold, The Pound), who may still have been running things when I first started going there in the late-90s before Francie Mackin took the reins, though it’s certainly changed hands a few times over the years.
For some reason, the club seemed to keep closing and re-opening throughout the early-aughts, or at least threatening to close – though maybe those abortive occasions were merely excuses to treat punters to a good farewell knees-up, just in case.
Despite its well-earned hippy-dippy melting pot credentials, one definite headline-grabbing period of closure was precipitated by a police raid which uncovered over 14,000 rounds of ammunition, two guns and a few ‘timer power units’ being stored on the premises.
It was re-opened and revitalised by Ormeau Road-bred dancehead David Holmes in 2009, who kickstarted another few years of alternative music and clubbing fun before moving on to other projects.
Another closure coincided with a mercifully brief stint as an illegal casino, eventually shut down by another police raid (which also discovered some serious crimes against interior design) before it reopened in 2017 under the stewardship Andy Lambe.
Then, in 2019, a flood prompted The Menagerie to close its doors yet again – this time for six years.
Sadly, this meant it was unable to fully capitalise on being included in Big Seven Travel’s Top 50 European Dive Bars – number 44 with a, er, bullet – that very same year, a coup which made local headlines at the time.
“With a long tradition of wonderful live music and clubnights, this former paint store-turned-bar is dive-y nightlife at its very best,” the Big Seven travel writer enthused.
“It puts on regular live music, artsy pop-ups and general good banter”.
However, earlier this month, The Menagerie once again began showing signs of life: under new ownership, it’s been transformed into a bar specialising in ‘natural/biodynamic wines’ – though rumours of imminent musical appearances by some of its famous alumni are already beginning to circulate.
Tickets are currently on sale for the return of David Holmes’s popular club night God’s Waiting Room on March 1, and while the posters claim it will take place at a ‘secret location’, punters purchasing tickets via Skiddle.com are advised that they’ll be back on The Menagerie dancefloor for the first time in six years.
Don’t call it a comeback – it’s been here for years.
Magic Menagerie moments
- The Make-Up vs David Holmes (November 18th 1999)
As far as I can recall, this was my first ever show at The Menagerie – it was also one of the very best.
Staged by Mark and Tanya of recently defunct local indie heroes Tunic via their newly established Skibunny promotions endeavour (an offshoot of their club night at Vico’s, or perhaps it was vice-versa), this was a headline show from Washington DC garage punk/soul mavericks The Make-Up with supporting tunes from David Holmes.
Thus, the night began with the future Menagerie owner spinning some classic soul and garage rock tunes – myself and my pal Mark were admonished for making The Creation’s psychedelic art rock classic How Does It Feel To Feel? skip by dancing too enthusiastically – before the Ian Svenonius-fronted band took to the stage and blew the roof off.
Lifelong friendships were forged amid the sweaty shapes being struck on and off the stage that night – it was that kind of place.
- Jeffrey Lewis, Jacob Golden (August 8th 2002)
THIS was comics-crazed New York anti-folk star Jeffrey Lewis’s first ever Irish show.
Support came from his Rough Trade Records labelmate Jacob Golden, another US singer-songwriter who had just released his classic single Come On Over.
I was probably looking forward to seeing Jacob more than Jeff beforehand, but he the latter won me over with his seemingly endless arsenal of clever, funny, existential angst-fuelled songs, some complete with cool hand-drawn comicbook videos.
This show was also notable for Jeff ending it by performing a few as yet unreleased songs for us in the car park when the power blew/was shut-off by staff who wanted to go home (hazy memories differ over the precise cause).
He’s returned to Belfast many times since, and is always brilliant.
- Gossip (August 2003)
GOSSIP played at The Menagerie when they were still just another touring American punk rock band – albeit one blessed with an incredible singer and frontwoman in Beth Ditto, who spent most of the gig stripped to her underwear and dancing into the crowd.
Taking place a full three years before their huge hit Standing In The Way of Control catapulted them to fame, this show was put on by the folks behind Belfast’s alternative queer night HOWL and found Gossip touring behind their second album, Movement, on the respected Kill Rock Stars label.
We may never suspected they were destined for fame at the time, but by Zod we knew they could put on a damn good punk rock show.
- Monotonix (July 23rd 2009)
ON THE subject of damn good punk rock (and, indeed, stripping to your underwear), back in 2009, Tel Aviv garage rock terrorists Monotonix put on what has to be the most energetic, out of control performance ever staged at The Menagerie.
The Israeli trio managed to cover every nook and cranny of the venue, including playing in the men’s toilets and on top of the bar.
Drummer Ran was carried aloft on the shoulders of the crowd while smashing away at his tom, while at one point wild-eyed frontman Ami climbed into a stage prop coffin he’d found (because Menagerie) and was passed across the room above the heads of punters.
By the end of the night, band and crowd alike were left sweaty and delirious, the previous hour of frantic rocking already begining to feel like some strange feverdream.
It really was a show that could only have happened at The Menagerie.
Flashback: Q&A with former Menagerie manager, Mark Reid
NOW the big cheese at Belfast’s ultra-hip Touch Sensitive Records, musichead and all-round top guy Mark Reid previously served a stint as manager at The Menagerie during the David Holmes years and beyond.
We asked him to share some of his memories of this iconic venue, both as a punter and part of its creative team…
When did you first become aware of The Menagerie and what was your first impression of it?
I definitely read about a few shows I wanted to attend when I was too young, including the now legendary gig where The Make-Up played, so probably mid-to-late 1990s – but I became a regular when I moved to Belfast for university in 2001.
I loved the rawness of the space and that it felt a little bit illicit. Also there’s something pretty cool about going down stairs – literally going underground – to a club night or gig.
There’s something pretty cool about going down stairs – literally going underground – to a club night or gig
Mark Reid
What were some of your favourite gigs/club nights?
The memories are hazy [see, I told you] but the early-2000s coincided with alot of my friends being in bands and running nights, or folks like Darren Smyth from Strange Victory putting some really good music on in the town.
One that stands out from that era is seeing Four Tet around the time of his first album im 2001 playing to a pretty small number of people. And there was a dust-up in the car park between a couple of smicks too [again, told you so] which may have even rolled into the venue – quite surreal.
Glasgow DJ duo Optimo were regulars and those nights were always great – it was the perfect space for them.
Animal Collective’s absolutely bunged 2009 DJ set after their debut Belfast gig down the road in The Stiff Kitten always sticks with me: a vibe so good that they were quoted as trying to bottle that energy for the sound of their next album.
Remember that crazy nite were Animal Collective DJed in le Menage to a load of beautiful, joyous humans? They do too 🙂 pic.twitter.com/QNgEsA79
— The Menagerie (@_themenagerie) July 7, 2012
How and when did you end up being its manager and what was the experience like?
I got involved a bit when David Holmes re-opened the spot in 2009 – doing the door, running my own club in there and then looking after bookings.
After David moved on, myself alongside Paddy McNaughton and subsequently Luke McCandless pretty much looked after the day-to-day for another six or seven years, I reckon.
It was an enjoyable experience: hectic at times, as you’d expect from running such a venture. Long hours and late nights.
What are some of your favourite memories from your time as manager?
A couple of the NYE parties were quite spectacular. I probably also experienced about six ‘This Is The Last Night In The Menagerie’ parties due to various rumour-mills or run-ins with the authorities, so we tended to go all-in for those!
You could get some pretty interesting guests rolling through on off-peak nights, especially in David’s day as they might be coming through to record – like Primal Scream DJing on a quiet Wednesday night.
We also had a pretty incredible run of visiting DJs, mostly due to excellent local promoters Belfast Music Club, including pioneers like Nicky Siano, Andrew Weatherall and Daniele Baldelli which were all really joyous affairs.
Any time Weatherall DJed was a treat. He was the easiest guy to deal with and always a musical masterclass.
Any time Weatherall DJed was a treat. He was the easiest guy to deal with and always a musical masterclass.
Mark Reid
Oh, and there was a San Francisco band called The Mantles who played on St Patrick’s Day – they had such a good night that two of them got engaged.
I mean, I’m sure their relationship was going well anyway, but I like to think The Menagerie magic furthered the romance.
What do you make of The Menagerie’s current re-invention?
It’s definitely better having the doors open rather than closed. I’ve always felt the place was a hub for music and music lovers, so I hope that’s retained in some shape.
I do think, in general, Belfast is crying out for a raw, grassroots music venue with that sort of capacity and energy.