Gig recalls Porterhouse hey day

AS a music fan in Retford in the late '70s or early '80s who wanted to see the likes of The Jam, The Clash, The Specials or Dexy's, you had two choices:

You either bunked the train to Leicester or Sheffield and kipped on a bench in the station because you missed the last one back or you stayed at home, listened to John Peel and wished you lived somewhere else.

Thanks to an astute venue owner in Retford, called Sammy Jackson, there was a third way - The Retford Porterhouse.

Despite being out in the sticks, the Porterhouse had gained a hard-earned reputation as a vital stop-off for bands such as AC/DC, Motorhead, The Damned and The Clash.

Incorporating two floors of night time entertainment, the lower floor was always classed as being for the squares who wanted disco grooves, potential partners and chicken in a basket.

The upper floor was for the savvy live music lover, where there was the opportunity to see the truly influential bands and artists of the time. The people of Retford should be very proud to have been host to such a unique and special place as the Porterhouse.

Dean Pearcy of Setting Sons has very fond memories of frequenting the club. "The club had a culture that never the two sets of revellers should meet and I have great memories of being directed past the lower floor entrance by some burly bouncer. The only way from there was up, both physically and spiritually.

"I felt that upstairs was the place to be and I just didn't get the downstairs vibe or understand the other peoples need to be there. As you walked through the second floor entrance, opposite the dressing room door, you entered the black chasm, which held all your expectations for the next few hours."

Dean adds: "It is for these reasons that we celebrate the name of our proud Porterhouse, with the 'Porterhouse Retrospective'.

"We would like to recreate the spirit of the club, with all the memories and musical revelations."

The event is taking place at The Elms Hotel this Saturday, October 3 and will host Retford's own "Setting Sons – The Jam Tribute" and "Rebel Truce – The Clash Tribute" from West Yorkshire.