Bookies - Palmer Park

[9606 Prest]

Does anyone have any interesting stories about visiting Bookies to see punk bands in the 1970s?

[econ expat]

Does anyone have any interesting stories about visiting Bookies to see punk bands in the 1970s?

Wellll not about the punk bands

Early 70's
One night, Aorta was kinda full, so I went to a nearby club [[Bookies) for a cold one.
The bouncer at the door didn't ask for ID[[whew, I was 17, not 18)
he collected a cover charge. I asked "what's the band?" He said "strippers tonight"
Cool, I'd never seen a live girls strip show.
Didn't that night, either.

[econ expat]

Does anyone have any interesting stories about visiting Bookies to see punk bands in the 1970s?

Early 80's were tough times, also, I wasn't in Detroit area in Bookie's punk heyday

But a friend of mine was in one or more of the headline bands there. He still plays a few 'reunion' gigs.

And there is a website with Bookie's memories from the punk band days::

http://www.bookiesclub870.com/news.html

[EastsideAl]

I was in there pretty much every weekend night from the fall of 1977 to 1980 or so. And pretty much every night in the wonderful summer of 1978. Saw lots and lots of bands, from bunches of high school kids with guitars, to local legends, to national and soon international acts [[like The Police). Or, sometimes, it was drag night, which was also amusing.

The place was really beautiful on the inside, in a decaying kind of way. Left over from the Frank Gagen's days there were the long shiny bar, cushy semi-circular red banquettes, and checked-tiled raised dance floor. Backstage there was still the remnants of a kitchen, along with old signs for things like a $4.00 steak dinner special.

[gnome]

Where was this place located?

[EastsideAl]

On the north side of Six Mile just west of Third.

[EastsideAl]

Picture of the front of Bookies:

[EastsideAl]

A couple of flyers:

[Pam]

I was in there pretty much every weekend night from the fall of 1977 to 1980 or so. And pretty much every night in the wonderful summer of 1978. Saw lots and lots of bands, from bunches of high school kids with guitars, to local legends, to national and soon international acts [[like The Police).

I was too young to go there during most of its heyday. My first visit was in 1980 to see Lene Lovich. I was still 17 but went with an older friend who gave me an ID to use. Good show but I remember being puzzled by the men hanging out in the women's bathroom. I think I only went there once or twice after I turned 18, by then more clubs had opened and Bookies didn't have a monopoly on shows.

[eno]

I look forward to hearing more of EastsideAl's memories and handbills.

My first visit to Bookies was to welcome home the Romantics after they had broke big nationwide. The place was packed. A friend and I tried to move as close to the stage area as we could. There was a small dance area in front of the stage where dancers seemed to be throwing themselves about rather than dancing with one another. It seemed to be a night of extreme behavior or it could have been the mescaline. Moving forward toward the stage, I felt a hand gently cover my groin area and squeeze. I looked behind me to find some guy with a Cheshire Cat grin smiling at me. I didn't swing that way but considering the weirdness of everything else that night it just seemed to be part of it all. Eventually the Romantics came on in their red leather outfits and rocked the place hard. It was brilliant.

I only went to Bookies a dozen times or so and saw John Cale, the Contortions, Lene Lovich, XTC and a ton of great local bands like Retro, RUR, the Twisters and the Cubes.

[EastsideAl]

It seemed to be a night of extreme behavior or it could have been the mescaline.

Now that sure sounds like the late '70s/early '80s to me.

[polaar]

Iggy played there for a whole week in the fall of 1980.

http://www.sixtiesposters.com/images/bookies_iggy.jpg

[Hamtragedy]

My buddy caught me with a swift shoulder straight to the chest one night on the dance floor while the DJ was playing The Specials. I landed on my back, popped up and went out for more. I remember watching two punks with liberty mohawks [[ the kind that terrified people's mothers) cross their wrists and lock them together and spin the shit out of each other [[helicopter style) so violently that anyone in their path was doomed.

They also had a bar in the basement, and shared uni-sex bathrooms.

[greebomusic]

An old girlfriend of mine worked the basement bar... in fact, that's where we met.

[Downriviera]

I saw that Police show. Also saw The Police at the Center Stage.

[EastsideAl]

The basement bar was opened later, during the 80s sometime. During the period when I was going there regularly that was a combination band room, store room, rehearsal space, and place for somewhat more private activities.

[Detroitej72]

I would have loved to have been at that concert in 1980 with the Police and XTC.

[eno]

I would have loved to have been at that concert in 1980 with the Police and XTC.

During the Police' encore, XTC's Andy Partridge put shaving cream over Sting's face and shaved him.

[Detroitej72]

During the Police' encore, XTC's Andy Partridge put shaving cream over Sting's face and shaved him.

That must have been before Andy developed stage fright, and its the reason why I was never able to see them in concert.

[rajdet]

I saw a few bands there, although I admit I didn't always know who most of the bands were, it was more of a hang out with the wild crowd sorta' thing. I do remember seeing Pere Ubo, and The Bus Boys there.

[eno]

That must have been before Andy developed stage fright, and its the reason why I was never able to see them in concert.

I wonder about Andy's stage fright. The Police show was at the Masonic and XTC was touring the Black Sea album. I saw them at Bookies when they were touring Drums & Wires. Aren't there drugs people can take to overcome social anxiety? I believe Andy just didn't like being on the road. Have you ever run across any video of XTC performing live?

[Pam]

XTC also played Detroit in 1981 at the Madison Theater. I was at that show.

[p69rrh51]

Members of J. Geils showed up one evening after their Pine Knob dates in the late 70's. It was terrific when they sat in with band playing that night.