I started going to The Charlotte when I was 16. Over the years I've seen some incredible gigs there and interviewed some great bands. The two main things I loved about the place were how close you could get to the bands during a gig and how easy it was to meet them.
I saw Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros play a secret warm-up show in 2000. Joe shouted out the window to us as we were queuing, telling us to stick around as it was going to be a great show. He spent most of the gig stood on a crate - in his socks - so those at the back could see, as they hurtled through a set list made up mainly of Clash songs. I was 17 at the time and it remains one of my favourite ever gigs.
The Alkaline Trio and Crackout gig I went to in 2001 was wild and probably oversold. I'd never seen so many people squeezed into The Charlotte before. It was December and freezing outside, but inside the walls were dripping with sweat before any of the bands had been on, as there were so many bodies packed in. I remember Alkaline Trio dedicating 'Stupid Kid' to a lad whose birthday it was, changing the lyrics to 'Birthday Kid' as he crowd surfed his way from the sound booth to the stage. I also had a beer with Steven from Crackout, as was customary at their gigs.
Against all the odds - 2001 was the year of the Nokia 3210, so we didn't have camera phones, never mind the ability to film - I've just found this video from the gig. It probably features the back of my head at some point.
En route I wondered to myself whether they still had the UV light and the scaffolding pole that served as a barrier, how many doors there would be on the toilet cubicles (never a full set) and if my graffiti was still there... The answer to all of these questions is no. Mainly because most of the building has gone and the bands were playing in the ruins of the venue.
Everything looking normal
Walking in, the bar area looked like it was already under going a refurb, with just a couple of lamps hanging from the ceiling to provide the lighting. Through a makeshift doorway was the old floor and stage area, and stepping through, I thought it felt a little chilly. I also thought how odd it was that people were smoking inside. And then I noticed the hole in the roof. And then it dawned on me that it wasn't a hole at all. There was no roof and there were no longer any toilets - they'd been knocked down. That's right, I'd wandered into an outdoor gig in December - DECEMBER! - with just a small marquee to protect us from the elements.
The Paradimes play the outdoor stage at The Charlotte
The bar
But despite losing the feeling in my feet and legs, as I shivered my way through three and a half hours of live music, it was great fun remembering all those nights I'd spent in there jumping around and covered in sweat that wasn't entirely my own.
It was also amusing watching everyone else thinking the same and pointing at where things used to be. The best was seeing people wander up to where the toilets used to be, point at the empty space, look up at the sky and let out a string of expletives. It's easy to see why...
No doors, no cubicles, no toilets
Goodbye Charlotte, I'll miss you
Thankfully, The Charlotte will be reborn as a pub next year and will nod towards its musical past with old gig posters on its walls. I can't help feeling a little sad that it'll never host a proper gig again, but I'm sure I'll pop in at some point. If only to let out a string of expletives while pointing out where things used to be.
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