The Imperial was a pub on St James Street in Nottingham that had a back room where gigs took place. There were gigs there in the sixties and in the seventies it was, alongside The Boat club, one of Nottingham’s premier venue’s for local blues, rock and later punk bands. It carried on into the eighties and beyond but has now long been closed.
By the mid seventies there was live music at the Imperial six nights a week with local heroes Gaffa, Plummet Airlines, Cisco, Desperate Dann, Slender Loris, Mensch, Colin Staples, Storm, SF2, Some Chicken, The Favourites, Radium and many more strutting their stuff to the regular crowds.
Here are some pub interior photo’s from a fb post by Colin Slaney.
There is a great account of the Imperial and Cisco by Lewys here
Cisco, the brass rock band were regular visitors to the Imperial.
Here is Andy Toone playing at the Imperial circa 1971. He was in Odysseus and maybe Medicine Hat.
The above photo is from a facebook post here.
Nottingham blues man Colin Staples would often lead a blues night on a Wednesday in the seventies.
A band called Hardware play in 1971. They were probably a blues based act.
Much more coming …………
Although predominantly a local venue there were visitors from out of Nottingham. This interesting flyer from 1973 has some less well known early seventies rock groups that played during the Nottingham festival that year.
The Nottingham acts mentioned are Dave Turner (Comedic folk), Odysseus (Heavy rock), Stone Pony (Rock) and Dave Whalley (Folk).
The out of town acts are:
Victor Brox who was part of the British Blues boom in the late sixties. Here is an interview with him covering a little of his history.
Wooden Lion who are still active today and have a presence online. Now known as That Legendary Wooden Lion they have website and facebook links.
If anybody has information on the other bands mentioned let me know.
Ruby from London
Zeus from London
Pahana from Birmingham
Incredible Hog from London
Gangster from Staffs
Lazy Jake from Sheffield
Much more coming ……..