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Home > Staffordshire > Stoke On Trent > ST1 > The Vine

The Vine

 

 


 
The Vine was situated on Vine Street. This pub has now been demolished.
Source: Bernard Lyons
 
The Vine in Vine Street Hanley was local music venue during the 70's & 80's. It was particularly central in the local punk scene in the early 80's & was frequented by local heroes "Discharge". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discharge_(band)
I seem to remember quite a bit of violence whilst going to watch bands there a particular bad incident being when London band Erazerhead played there &
the coach load of BNP/NF/Nazis supporters wrecked the place when some poor black guy happened to walk in the pub. The gig actually never took place as it was stopped by the police after the violence.
Another incident I remember was someone from the Discharge entourage attacking Gene October on stage during his band "Chelsea"gig there & Cal needing to drag the guy off stage.
Also the Platinum Needles got attacked on stage & more can be found here about the incident - http://www.platinum-needles.co.uk/history.html
"the infamous Vine gig on the 3rd July when after the band had played a riot broke out. A number of youths intent on causing trouble entered the venue indiscriminately attacking many of the Punks using chains and baseball bats. This was to be the last ever gig at the Vine it was closed down shortly after."
Maybe I am painting a bleak picture here but it was actually a top place to see bands, I remember going to see the Membranes there when only me & me mate turned up, they played about 6 songs then got totally pissed off with the poor turn out & abruptly ended the set & came over to our table to have a pint with us!
http://www.themembranes.co.uk/
Bands I caught there were Abrasive Wheels, the Varukers, Chelsea, Platinum Needles, Skeptix, the Membranes.
Carlos Fandango (October 2014)
 
I worked there for the period mentioned that it was open. I remember the riot, I had 17 stitches in my head as a result and took my life in my hands to save a mate who had been glassed and was under attack from one of the 3 instigators who eventually got 8 months youth custody sentence at Hanley crown court. We had lots of bands after, best venue in Stoke next to the Victoria Hall for live music, every day most weeks, and the best jukebox by a country mile…we put the records on, customer’s bought them in, they got reviewed then either selected or not. Absolutely the best pub ever, bands came from all over the UK.
Paul Willis (August 2022)
 

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Name Dates Comments
Jean Wakefield 1958-early 1960s My parents were landlords. Reg and Irene King. I was married from there in 1959