Glasgow Apollo

From 1927 to 1985 the Glasgow Apollo was a landmark in Glasgow’s architecture and culture. It opened as Green’s Playhouse in 1927 and was built as a showpiece palace in the great era of live entertainment. It was a giant and elaborate building capable of seating up to 4,500 people. During these early days the cinema, ballroom, cafes and vestibules could cater for 10,000 people; incredible even by the standards of today’s multiplexes.It was renowned before the Apollo era as a unique experience, and the rock’n’roll years only added to its fame.

In 1973 after the curtain was finally brought down on the Green’s Playhouse and following a low budget “Changing Rooms” style makeover, The Glasgow Apollo was officially opened. The first ever gig at the Apollo was Johnny Cash. A few months later it was the Rolling Stones debut at the Apollo.

The Clash first played the Apollo in October 1977, returning in July 1978 just days before the venue's owner, Mecca, announced plans to convert the auditorium into a bingo hall. Apparently the Clash were told that their show was to be the last at the Apollo. 

The infamous Apollo bouncers were going to get revenge on the Glasgow crowd for making their life hell over the years. The Clash played in a very tense atmosphere and found themselves asking the crowd and the bouncers to stop fighting on numerous occasions. The mayhem in the Apollo was filmed for Rude Boy and Joe and Paul were arrested for being drunk and disorderly after the gig. Rude Boy features fans of The Clash blocking the streets outside the Apollo before the 1978 gig.

The website www.inthewilderness.com provides some great stories about the bouncers including one when the bouncers met their match in the form of an unexpectedly violent source - David Soul’s 13 year old teenybopper fans! Their screaming, hysterical crying, punching, kicking and spitting led to police eventually being deployed to keep them off the stage. The bouncers hid from the girls behind the thin blue line! 

The Anti-Nowhere League had to do a runner after being annoyed at spitting tried to spit back on the audience but hitting the bouncers instead!Tears were shed for what looked like being the Apollo's swansong.  But a big campaign by fans got underway immediately.  Petitions were drawn up.  Debates were carried on through council chambers and newspaper columns.

As a resultMecca had to change plan and 1978 became one of the best years in the Apollo's history. Tom Robinson and SLF reopened the Apollo on 29 September.

The building was in rapid decline in its last decade, the plaster, bricks and mortar rotted to dangerous degrees and was finally demolished in 1989.