Bars, Night Clubs & Dives from Back in the Day

[bigg jay]

 

 

Buffalo Bills. End thread

No love for Bullwinkles aka the oak?

It was safari or rum jungle when I was young. Buffalo Bills was where it was at.

 

 

Yep, the worst thing CanadInn's did with that place was change it from Bullwinkle's.  That place was always packed on Friday's & Saturday's until they switched the format.  The crowd shifted to Buffalo Bill's or the Spike & the Safari Club/Rum Jungle never got them back... even now they tried to recapture that era by changing the name to The Oak but it'll never happen... Transcona does not like change!

[bigg jay]

 

 

 

I'm sure this'll all get moved to General Forum, but I do remember Boogie Nights (Knights?) vaguely, as that's where I spent my 21st birthday. Man oh man...my one memory is it's the first place I ever puked at a bar. That was a LOT of shots....

Bar was Boogie Nights (formerly Stardust). The house band was the Boogie Knights Band.

 

Right right right....I remember now. Man that place changed names a LOT....last I checked, it's still Cowboys......

 

Yeah thats the Canad Inns way.  They just closed Area nightclub, presumably to open up as something else but the whole Pembina HWY bar scene died a slow death.

 

I was 18 working at Grapes on Main, went to Pier 7 and Scandals at 19.  U4IA at...21 I think.  Stardust was still Stardust when I was there, then became Boogie Nights.  Then I think it was the Coliseum which never worked (what kind of identify is that) and finally Cowboys which has worked out well as a hot country bar.  Leanne Pearson plays (or played) there a lot and she's great.  I dont go to bars much anymore but if I am asked, I'd go to Cowboys.

 

The LID was awesome until it closed, though Im biased.  ;-)

 

 

Yep, they went with the Roman theme to go with the Egyptian one next door at Pharoah's.

[Noeller]

Disappointed that I never got to go to Silverado's before it changed. I remember listening to QX104 as a kid and hearing commercials for Country shows at both Silverado's and the Spike. My mom lives in one of the newer parts of T-Cones, so I spend a fair amount of time there when I'm home, but I've never gone to the Spike. Drive by it all the time on my way into TC, but have never ventured in. I assumed it was a scary biker bar.....but have never been in.....

 

Any Brandon Bar memories? 17to85 and I were in the Brandon U dorms together, late 90s-early 00s. Houston's was THE place to be, back when it was still a Country bar. There was Yaks in the VIc Inn at the time, and their Toonie Tuesday promotion was always a good time. The North 40 (at the time) was known as "The Over 40", as it tended to have an older clientele. There was also OCCs downtown which was primarily frequented by the first nations population (hence the nickname of Occasionally Caucasian Club) but we went there a time or two and didn't feel TOO out of place. This was all before CanadInns came in with Road House, of course.....which changed things a bit. Not a bad place and spent some time in there after I'd left school, but came back to the Wheat City to visit....

 

Oh, and  bonus props to "The Key-Rock" for it's 2.95 high balls and free/cheap pool......

[The Unknown Poster]

Canad Inns is very good and taking any sort of identity out of their bars.  Im not sure if that was brother Ron's doing.  I know he was in charge if nightclubs at the time they boasted they had a format where they could shut down a nightclub, renovate it and change the theme and re-open in a week.  They dont seem to do that as often now that Ron is gone.

 

I know there was a lot of consternation when Scandal's changed names as it had "legendary" status do area youth.  Cleaning a place up and freshening it up doesnt mean it needs some goofy theme.  Someone in Canad Inns loves Vegas and tried to bring Vegas themes here.

 

And usually bars over-value one theme night.  For example, Stardust was dying and did "Boogie Nights" on Thursdays which was super busy so they changed the entire format to Boogie Nights.  Which might be the best example of it working.  Rockbar on Pembina did a country night which was great so they changed the whole thing to the Ranch. Dead.

 

When the Palladium renovated, they went with the "vegas" thing too...Stratosphere.  It looked great in there and was really busy for awhile but it took a ton of marketing to keep an older crowd coming that far down pembina.  Once it trailed off, it was done.  I remember saying to the GM, we're 2 minutes from 30,000 students.  Give them what they want.  Cheap booze, top 40 music.  And thats when we became the LID, which was just The Palladium updated.  Packed again right up until we closed down.

 

I went into Reset a few weeks back and it was empty.  The only people in there were obvious university-aged people in casual clothing playing video games while a "DJ" played blaring techno music all night.  It used to be a good DJ would know his crowd.  Now, the DJ thinks he's the star and if people dont want to hear his techno stuff, then its the audience's problem.  I briefly trained to be the back up DJ at Grapes when I was 19 and the main DJ told me one rule "Play what they want to hear, not what you want to hear".

[Noeller]

Canad Inns is very good and taking any sort of identity out of their bars.  Im not sure if that was brother Ron's doing.  I know he was in charge if nightclubs at the time they boasted they had a format where they could shut down a nightclub, renovate it and change the theme and re-open in a week.  They dont seem to do that as often now that Ron is gone.

 

I know there was a lot of consternation when Scandal's changed names as it had "legendary" status do area youth.  Cleaning a place up and freshening it up doesnt mean it needs some goofy theme.  Someone in Canad Inns loves Vegas and tried to bring Vegas themes here.

 

And usually bars over-value one theme night.  For example, Stardust was dying and did "Boogie Nights" on Thursdays which was super busy so they changed the entire format to Boogie Nights.  Which might be the best example of it working.  Rockbar on Pembina did a country night which was great so they changed the whole thing to the Ranch. Dead.

 

When the Palladium renovated, they went with the "vegas" thing too...Stratosphere.  It looked great in there and was really busy for awhile but it took a ton of marketing to keep an older crowd coming that far down pembina.  Once it trailed off, it was done.  I remember saying to the GM, we're 2 minutes from 30,000 students.  Give them what they want.  Cheap booze, top 40 music.  And thats when we became the LID, which was just The Palladium updated.  Packed again right up until we closed down.

 

I went into Reset a few weeks back and it was empty.  The only people in there were obvious university-aged people in casual clothing playing video games while a "DJ" played blaring techno music all night.  It used to be a good DJ would know his crowd.  Now, the DJ thinks he's the star and if people dont want to hear his techno stuff, then its the audience's problem.  I briefly trained to be the back up DJ at Grapes when I was 19 and the main DJ told me one rule "Play what they want to hear, not what you want to hear".

While going to school in Brandon, I DJed for LOOK Music.....weddings, bars, you name it.....and that's the name of the game. I'm a pretty big music snob when it comes to certain things, and I make a decent living now programming music for radio, but at the end of the day, you HAVE to know who your audience is, and give 'em what they want...

[Jpan85]

Was never a big club guy when I was younger but we always enjoyed a afternoon beer on a Friday or Saturday at the Marion the Curtis or the Pemby

[The Unknown Poster]

Honestly, today you could plug in an ipod and keep the general crowd happy.  I might be old but people dont want to listen to three straight hours of techno that all sounds the same.  This isnt some new york house club music or whatever the kids call it.  Invariably, when the popular top 40/dance song of the day comes on, the dance floor is packed.  When you play the 80's set, dance floor is packed, 90's set, dance floor packed.  People just want to hear songs they like and have good memories to.

[Noeller]

Honestly, today you could plug in an ipod and keep the general crowd happy.  I might be old but people dont want to listen to three straight hours of techno that all sounds the same.  This isnt some new york house club music or whatever the kids call it.  Invariably, when the popular top 40/dance song of the day comes on, the dance floor is packed.  When you play the 80's set, dance floor is packed, 90's set, dance floor packed.  People just want to hear songs they like and have good memories to.

The town I live in now has a pub that features live music once or twice a week,  the rest of the time, they run iTunes through their sound system. They have different playlists and stuff set up, but it's just iTunes running, and it's THE place to go in town....

[The Unknown Poster]

 

Honestly, today you could plug in an ipod and keep the general crowd happy.  I might be old but people dont want to listen to three straight hours of techno that all sounds the same.  This isnt some new york house club music or whatever the kids call it.  Invariably, when the popular top 40/dance song of the day comes on, the dance floor is packed.  When you play the 80's set, dance floor is packed, 90's set, dance floor packed.  People just want to hear songs they like and have good memories to.

The town I live in now has a pub that features live music once or twice a week,  the rest of the time, they run iTunes through their sound system. They have different playlists and stuff set up, but it's just iTunes running, and it's THE place to go in town....

 

I've seen some placed where they have a fancy pants Juke Box where customers pay ACTUAL money to play songs.  Like $5 for 10 picks or something.  And I saw in a bar in the country for about three hours one day waiting for a wedding reception and the customer's kept the songs going and PAID to do it.  You can access the juke box from a smart phone too.  It was actually pretty cool.  I think when no one is plugging it, it plays randomly.  Worked perfectly fine.

 

For a nightclub, maybe you want a DJ for the face-to-face interaction but I know from my own experience, we had a great DJ and the music he played also controlled the crowd we attracted.  Played lots of videos too.  But there was plenty of times where we plugged in a play list into the computer from 7-9:30 until the DJ showed up and if a crowd or pub crawl showed up, it was pretty easy for the bartender or bouncer to go up there and slip in some requests or dance music.  No one cares about the perfect 32 beat mix anymore...just push play.

[basslicker]

Buffalo Bills. End thread

Go a little deeper into T'cona to find the real gems. The Central, The Spike, still around too. It's like going into a time machine.

Ah the Central.....aka Rookies.

Almost got arrested out front one time.

Lots of memories of that place.

25cent draft night, playing shows, free drinks and having a bartender put my head in a wall. (Brother's friend)

[basslicker]

Not sure if I missed it earier in the thread, but I'm gonna miss the Zoo....a lot.

Being involved in the local music scene for 15+ years, I love that place.

[basslicker]

Buffalo Bills. End thread

Go a little deeper into T'cona to find the real gems. The Central, The Spike, still around too. It's like going into a time machine.

You forgot the Pandora and the Royal George.

The old slogan on the Pandora sign :

"If your wife drives you to drink, get her to drive you to the Pandora."

T-cona born and bred.

[Chaosmonkey]

Used to love the lid. $2.25 fridays. 

 

 

Lived across the street from Monty's for awhile, but never really went in there. Especially after I heard the gunshots that killed the guy in the pharmacy parking lot when a bar fight from Monty's spilled across the street.

[bustamente]

For live bands it was the Black Knight, Curtis, and the Zoo. Anybody remember Benjamin's 

[iso_55]

I went to Bogarts a couple of times. nutty place. just a mad booze up, and the rest of it. hedonism.

LOL! That just about sums it up.  My friend loved that place but I didn't. We'd always end up there whenever we went out. There were bars with better clientele in Winnipeg at the time but if you wanted strange then that was the place to go. It was located off of Main Street close to  City Hall in the old (I think) Bank of Montreal building.  The bar was huge. It has 2 levels.I got into 2 skirmishes there. Looking back, I'm lucky things weren't worse. I was in my 20's & pretty stupid. 

[iso_55]

For live bands it was the Black Knight, Curtis, and the Zoo. Anybody remember Benjamin's 

Was that the bar on Portage Avenue beside the old Freep building? if it was, I just remember the place was full of mirrors & glass. 

[bustamente]

 

For live bands it was the Black Knight, Curtis, and the Zoo. Anybody remember Benjamin's 

Was that the bar on Portage Avenue beside the old Freep building? if it was, I just remember the place was full of mirrors & glass. 

 

yes i believe just off portage it was a long time ago. Coat check and bathrooms in the basement

[Taynted_Fayth]

i worked the rum jungle the day it opened as favor to former pharoahs manager who was transfered to tcona canad inns then TYC (ran into him with my dad at the old pre game party at TYC power 97 used to run prior to bomber games and turns out my dad knew him as a bouncer from the palamino club when his baseball team was sponsored by them ... anyways) .

 

Ive gone to the george a lot in recent years, still cant figure out why lol.

 

I used to love the zoo for things like boozefest and the odd black n blue ball (ex-gf at time dragged me to it originally) but i got into a fight with the zookeepers cuz they wrongfully accused me of getting sick on a table a night i was a DD for one of the bands and wouldnt let me back in despite it being -30 out and the band had yet to play. so i never went back

 

i pretty much stuck to live bands everywhere else in the city especially the albert for local, burt for bigger shows.  went to a pork roast concert a bit past altona a few weeks ago with 4-5 bands playing out in a barn, great time until the fireworks guys set some off that went into the crowd, no one was hurt but great way to clear a crowd lol

[Taynted_Fayth]

Ive only been to the lid 1x and they shot a porno there ppl caught in on the dance floor had to sign waivers.  interesting way to make a first impression

[The Unknown Poster]

Ive only been to the lid 1x and they shot a porno there ppl caught in on the dance floor had to sign waivers. interesting way to make a first impression

This is untrue. Would not be allowed to do so. The only

Time waivers were required was when filming a promo (not porno lol) for a tourism show airing in the US.

[Brandon Blue&Gold]

Disappointed that I never got to go to Silverado's before it changed. I remember listening to QX104 as a kid and hearing commercials for Country shows at both Silverado's and the Spike. My mom lives in one of the newer parts of T-Cones, so I spend a fair amount of time there when I'm home, but I've never gone to the Spike. Drive by it all the time on my way into TC, but have never ventured in. I assumed it was a scary biker bar.....but have never been in.....

 

Any Brandon Bar memories? 17to85 and I were in the Brandon U dorms together, late 90s-early 00s. Houston's was THE place to be, back when it was still a Country bar. There was Yaks in the VIc Inn at the time, and their Toonie Tuesday promotion was always a good time. The North 40 (at the time) was known as "The Over 40", as it tended to have an older clientele. There was also OCCs downtown which was primarily frequented by the first nations population (hence the nickname of Occasionally Caucasian Club) but we went there a time or two and didn't feel TOO out of place. This was all before CanadInns came in with Road House, of course.....which changed things a bit. Not a bad place and spent some time in there after I'd left school, but came back to the Wheat City to visit....

 

Oh, and  bonus props to "The Key-Rock" for it's 2.95 high balls and free/cheap pool......

When I lived in rural Westman and between the age of 16-18 me and my buddies would often goto the Double Decker in downtown Brandon, mainly because they rarely, if ever, asked for ID.  Liked that bar, english style pub with a couple pool tables and live music sometimes.  Still a good place to go.  Houston's is still Houston's, the 40 is unchanged (no young people and they also get bands and the occasional comedian on tour) and the Roadhouse is where the cool kids go.  I'm more a Joe Beeverz/The Dock kind of guy these days.  And it's been ages since I set foot in the Key Rock, I swear, 

[Taynted_Fayth]

 

Ive only been to the lid 1x and they shot a porno there ppl caught in on the dance floor had to sign waivers. interesting way to make a first impression

This is untrue. Would not be allowed to do so. The only

Time waivers were required was when filming a promo (not porno lol) for a tourism show airing in the US.

 

absolutely true, they had scenes shooting behind closed .... ill call them cubical walls with bed set up, at first i was out having a smoke and limos were pulling up wondering what was going on and a bouncer said what was up, i was approached while on the dance floor if i would or wouldnt not like to be part of the back ground leading up to the scenes shot in private by the shooter bar. i chose not to cuz i wasnt the star      but seriously that happened - the form i called waiver was just consent to being shown, might be using wrong name. alas i think the chicks name was oceana or something like that.

 

i too thought there was no way they could do this in public but it is what it is. this was bar down in ft. richmond pretty close to where IGF is now

[Noeller]

Disappointed that I never got to go to Silverado's before it changed. I remember listening to QX104 as a kid and hearing commercials for Country shows at both Silverado's and the Spike. My mom lives in one of the newer parts of T-Cones, so I spend a fair amount of time there when I'm home, but I've never gone to the Spike. Drive by it all the time on my way into TC, but have never ventured in. I assumed it was a scary biker bar.....but have never been in.....

Any Brandon Bar memories? 17to85 and I were in the Brandon U dorms together, late 90s-early 00s. Houston's was THE place to be, back when it was still a Country bar. There was Yaks in the VIc Inn at the time, and their Toonie Tuesday promotion was always a good time. The North 40 (at the time) was known as "The Over 40", as it tended to have an older clientele. There was also OCCs downtown which was primarily frequented by the first nations population (hence the nickname of Occasionally Caucasian Club) but we went there a time or two and didn't feel TOO out of place. This was all before CanadInns came in with Road House, of course.....which changed things a bit. Not a bad place and spent some time in there after I'd left school, but came back to the Wheat City to visit....

Oh, and bonus props to "The Key-Rock" for it's 2.95 high balls and free/cheap pool......

When I lived in rural Westman and between the age of 16-18 me and my buddies would often goto the Double Decker in downtown Brandon, mainly because they rarely, if ever, asked for ID. Liked that bar, english style pub with a couple pool tables and live music sometimes. Still a good place to go. Houston's is still Houston's, the 40 is unchanged (no young people and they also get bands and the occasional comedian on tour) and the Roadhouse is where the cool kids go. I'm more a Joe Beeverz/The Dock kind of guy these days. And it's been ages since I set foot in the Key Rock, I swear,

Never been to Joe Beeverz (heard about them tho, as they were showing Wheaties away playoff games) and never heard of The Dock. I'm down that way for a wedding in a couple weeks so I might have to have a peek...

[Brandon Blue&Gold]

 

 

Disappointed that I never got to go to Silverado's before it changed. I remember listening to QX104 as a kid and hearing commercials for Country shows at both Silverado's and the Spike. My mom lives in one of the newer parts of T-Cones, so I spend a fair amount of time there when I'm home, but I've never gone to the Spike. Drive by it all the time on my way into TC, but have never ventured in. I assumed it was a scary biker bar.....but have never been in.....

Any Brandon Bar memories? 17to85 and I were in the Brandon U dorms together, late 90s-early 00s. Houston's was THE place to be, back when it was still a Country bar. There was Yaks in the VIc Inn at the time, and their Toonie Tuesday promotion was always a good time. The North 40 (at the time) was known as "The Over 40", as it tended to have an older clientele. There was also OCCs downtown which was primarily frequented by the first nations population (hence the nickname of Occasionally Caucasian Club) but we went there a time or two and didn't feel TOO out of place. This was all before CanadInns came in with Road House, of course.....which changed things a bit. Not a bad place and spent some time in there after I'd left school, but came back to the Wheat City to visit....

Oh, and bonus props to "The Key-Rock" for it's 2.95 high balls and free/cheap pool......

When I lived in rural Westman and between the age of 16-18 me and my buddies would often goto the Double Decker in downtown Brandon, mainly because they rarely, if ever, asked for ID. Liked that bar, english style pub with a couple pool tables and live music sometimes. Still a good place to go. Houston's is still Houston's, the 40 is unchanged (no young people and they also get bands and the occasional comedian on tour) and the Roadhouse is where the cool kids go. I'm more a Joe Beeverz/The Dock kind of guy these days. And it's been ages since I set foot in the Key Rock, I swear,

Never been to Joe Beeverz (heard about them tho, as they were showing Wheaties away playoff games) and never heard of The Dock. I'm down that way for a wedding in a couple weeks so I might have to have a peek...

 

Joe Beeverz is no big deal if you're from the big city (you guys have Wild Wing after all) but it's good little sports bar for a Brandon sized city.  Plenty of flatscreens, decent bar food and good beer on tap.  The Dock is a recent place that opened in an old building on Princess St.  Styled as an Irish Pub/restaurant.  Good food and drinks, at least whenever I've been there.  Worth a look if you get a chance.  

[The Unknown Poster]

Ive only been to the lid 1x and they shot a porno there ppl caught in on the dance floor had to sign waivers. interesting way to make a first impression

This is untrue. Would not be allowed to do so. The only

Time waivers were required was when filming a promo (not porno lol) for a tourism show airing in the US.

absolutely true, they had scenes shooting behind closed .... ill call them cubical walls with bed set up, at first i was out having a smoke and limos were pulling up wondering what was going on and a bouncer said what was up, i was approached while on the dance floor if i would or wouldnt not like to be part of the back ground leading up to the scenes shot in private by the shooter bar. i chose not to cuz i wasnt the star but seriously that happened - the form i called waiver was just consent to being shown, might be using wrong name. alas i think the chicks name was oceana or something like that.

i too thought there was no way they could do this in public but it is what it is. this was bar down in ft. richmond pretty close to where IGF is now

Wasn't the Lid. There was not a shooter bar at the lid. Oshean did appear at Wise Guys on campus I know for sure. I knew her videographer.

The only time she appeared at the Lid was an appearance at a wrestling show. Her thing was taking people back to her place for filming where they signed waivers. You can't shoot porn in a bar.