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The Top Rank Suite Sheffield


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Started going on Tuesday nights(Late 60's) as a schoolkid (no alcahol night) and progressed to Saturday nights(Early 70's). I guess my best memory of "The Rank" is that is where I met my wife and are still together nearly 40 years later.

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Chelsea - Friday 30th June 1978, obviously ;-)

The venue of a magnificent gig by the clash, not sure of the support act on the night though could have been the dammed or Richard Hell and the Voidoids

Top gig

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21st October 1979

I remember going to that Buzzcocks gig and seeing Joy Division who were brilliant. Pete Shelley paid homage to Caberet Voltaire - he was a big fan.

A couple of other gigs that stuck in my mind were Magazine (supported by a very young Simple Minds on their first tour) and the Police - both cost about £1.75!

The first time I went I made a bit a prat of myself by trying to buy some tickets in advance ar the Top Rank Bingo place round the corner!

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Guest trish4397

I went to Top Rank in the late 1960s. My friends and I used to go on Saturday afternoons - we were young teenagers, well before alcohol age etc. It was just a huge disco, a time to get together and meet new people, especially boiys as we were at an all girls school! Some of the anthems of the time were 'Mighty Quinn', 'Bend Me, Shape Me', 'Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde'. One of the DJs there was Tony Prince who went on to work as a Radio Luxembourg DJ. Great memories!

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Just felt I wanted to post to say what a fantastic section of Sheffield History website is this Sheffield nightclubs section it's just absolutely wonderful reading through all the many threads of all the old night haunts that I used to visit from around the early 1970's up to 1980.

I used to love the Sheffield nightclubs even though I live just outside the Sheffield boundary in Rotherham, my favourite place of the lot had to be the wonderful Top Rank Suite it was a great nightspot in those days and whenever I hear the songs today Nathan Jones by The Supremes and Witch Queen of New Orleans by Redbone it always reminds me of the place because they seemed to play these two records all the time then, great great place even if the beer was pants. lol

Next favourite place was Bailey's, brilliant disco fabulous club and when you'd pulled it was straight next door into the cabaret side with your conquest lol, happy memories of there too. Loved the Genevieve too down bottom of the moor just off it went there loads. Had good times in Josephines class place, the old Tiffany's with soup in a basket, okay scampi wasn't it, Crazy Daisy, the Hofbrau House with litre beer glasses, the Bier Keller and of course the wonderful Fiesta Club with all the great acts, saw, met and chatted with Tommy Cooper there in 1974 he was sensational that night and something I will never forget was actually meeting him.

There's probably more but the old memory's fading, anyway superb pages to read and read over again bringing back fantastic memories for everyone. :) :) :)

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It's a long shot and it was no big deal but was anyone at the Top Rank in about 1973 I think the night they had a beauty queen contest on the stage in between the usual disco and dragged in Les Dawson from the Fiesta next door where he was appearing that night to judge it?.

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Guest Rachel Smith

Hi Billy244, just to let you know & for all others interested, Dave Allen is hosting a Josephines Reunion party at Napoleons Casino on Ecclesall Road in January all the info can be found on the Napoleons Facebook page.

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I went to see the Albertos, still have the ticket.  Sunday December 3rd 1978. Ticket number 885 £1.80.  Police supported them, think Roxanne was just climbing the charts.

Also saw Graham Parker and the Rumour in 1977 (saw them this month too at Holmfirth Picturedrome with all 6 original membes, brilliant)

Also The Motors who were supported by Motorhead.

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Guest Kevin Dinnigan
On 27/5/2007 at 22:38, wisewoodowl said:

Does anyone remember the Improvision nights on Sundays in the late 70's / early 80's.

 

I saw The Jam there and remember seeing Hinkleys Heroes with Joe Cocker guesting; Joe threw up behind one of the speakers before he took the mic.

 

One of the most memorable Sundays was seeing a celtic / rock band, Horslips. I bought the Book of Invasions album on the strength of that gig.

Hi ..i use to be the Dj along with Stuart Mcegan in the 70s when it was The Top Rank Suite..then Steelys and i opened the Sunday night

Improvision rock/new wave concert nights..Some great bands on a Sunday night..Great times at the Rank in the 70s..regards..Kevin

Kevin.JPG

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Remember dancing to a touch of velvet here, must have been very early 70's haha remember having slushies too.

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On 12/07/2014 at 22:40, Billy244 said:

It's a long shot and it was no big deal but was anyone at the Top Rank in about 1973 I think the night they had a beauty queen contest on the stage in between the usual disco and dragged in Les Dawson from the Fiesta next door where he was appearing that night to judge it?.

lol well it was circa 1973 when I visited Club Fiesta (aged 19!!).I actually watched Les Dawson and was brilliant with his Mother In Law jokes. Club Fiesta was BTW the only place in Europe designed so that wherever you sat you got a full view of the stage.

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1969/71 My work friend and I would go to the TOP RANK under 18s Disco on a Tue night. It made us feel real grown up, being able to order a Drink from the Bar. Coke, Orange, Lemonade, or, the first time I had ever seen a flavoured Slush Puppy. The DJ I think liked Rod Stewart's Maggie May when it came out, as he seemed to play it a lot during the Disco night. Even though the song Woolley Bulley, came out in the 60s, it was a favourite, and when it was played, everyone got in rows on the floor to do the dance, it was great fun.

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OLD THREAD. NEW POST.

I went to see Culture (Joseph Hill) Reggae Band, at the Top Rank in 1977 or 78?

I have photographs from the gig, but they are stuck heavily into a photograph album, and I can't see the date I might have written on the back.

I must have heard Culture-Two sevens Clash, on John Peel? then bought the album....and then the gig turned up at the Top Rank. I know I was still at school, so for me, it would definately have been 1977 or 78, as I left in 78.

Did anyone go to the gig?

Does ANYONE know what month and year that would have been?

 

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On 11/02/2020 at 00:56, Dropout said:

OLD THREAD. NEW POST.

I went to see Culture (Joseph Hill) Reggae Band, at the Top Rank in 1977 or 78?

I have photographs from the gig, but they are stuck heavily into a photograph album, and I can't see the date I might have written on the back.

I must have heard Culture-Two sevens Clash, on John Peel? then bought the album....and then the gig turned up at the Top Rank. I know I was still at school, so for me, it would definately have been 1977 or 78, as I left in 78.

Did anyone go to the gig?

Does ANYONE know what month and year that would have been?

 

Went to the gig,  - probably my only ever reggae gig. I can't remember the date but remember how brilliant they were, and had Ansell Collins of Dave and Ansell Collins fame on keyboards. If there is any way you could scan any of your photos, I would love to be reminded of that night :)  cheers

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Thanks 200sx.

I scraped out a couple of the old photographs.

It was March 1979, so DEFINATELY NOT, 77 or 78!! and I wasn't still at school!

Old memories can sometimes play tricks.

Though still a teen I really enjoyed the gig....and it was probably my first reggae gig too.

(Maybe a photo attached here)? NOT Very good quality.

SAM_8953.jpg

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16 hours ago, Dropout said:

Thanks 200sx.

I scraped out a couple of the old photographs.

It was March 1979, so DEFINATELY NOT, 77 or 78!! and I wasn't still at school!

Old memories can sometimes play tricks.

Though still a teen I really enjoyed the gig....and it was probably my first reggae gig too.

(Maybe a photo attached here)? NOT Very good quality.

SAM_8953.jpg

Brilliant! I never expected to see any photos of gigs I attended back in the 70's :) I must admit that the Top Rank was one of my favourite venues back then, even if we had to travel down the M1 from Wakey. The only bad memory I have is when me and the wife had queued for ages for a Stranglers gig and got within a couple of yards from the door, when an extremely drunk punk thought it would be a great idea to relieve himself right down the back of my leg. Thought about slotting him but reckon the bouncers on the door would maybe not let us in, so walked about with a warm wet leg for the whole gig grrrrrrrrrr

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