Begg Family Memories - The Barrowland Ballroom
Begg Family Memories - The Barrowland Ballroom
Based on the West Coast of Scotland, music is engrained into everything we do. For our AW20 Collection 'Calling all Paisley Punks', we worked with renowned photographer Robbie Lawrence to capture part of our campaign at the incredible Barrowland Ballroom, an iconic international music venue. Built in 1934 with a sprung dancefloor and host to some of the most well-known artists of all time, from David Bowie to the Stones, the Barrowlands is a true form of escapism with an unbeatable atmosphere. We asked our team at Begg x Co to share some of their memories from their favourite gigs at the Barrowlands.
Ashley Maclachlan - Marketing Manager
The Glasgow Barrowland Ballwroom is hands down the best live music venue in the world. There is no better feeling than climbing the red vinyl stairs and seeing the smokey ballroom (complete with glitterballs & stars on the roof) and waiting in anticipation for your favourite band to come on stage. Glasgwegians unite at the Barrowlands, the floor bounces when you jump and dance together to the music – it’s the best gig experience you can find.
I’ve been to many gigs at there – Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Shins, Supergrass, The Libertines to name a few (before going on stage, Pete Docherty managed to convince me to allow him to wear my vintage green costume jewellery on stage – I never saw it again) – but my favourite band was the legendary Oasis. It was 2001 and an incredible gig (their ‘10 years of Noise and Confusion’ anniversary tour). A time before mobile phones & social media, everyone in the room just was completely in the moment, singing their favourite songs like Cigarette’s and Alcohol, Morning Glory & Champagne Supernova together. I don’t know if they’ll ever get back together, but the memory of that Barrowlands gig with Noel & Liam playing on stage will live in my memory forever.
The Barrowlands is an incredibly special place for so many people & I can’t wait to return to watch more of my favourite bands there next year.
Ian Laird - Managing Director
Del Amitri, 1992. One of my first dates with my wife, Lesley. No photos - only black & white in those days. Perms were still considered a good thing!
Lorraine Acornley - Creative Director
I’m thinking late 80’s...first gig at the Barrowlands for me was the Scottish alternative Indie band...The Soup Dragons.
Formed in Bellshill and disbanded in 1995...one went on to Glasgow School of Art and one went on to join the band Teenage Fanclub (I once won a prize at GSA for a painting I did for their Album cover weirdly!) I remember winning £500 at the time which was quite a big deal...and by which time, I myself was at Glasgow School of Art and flitting between rave/house music, nights at The Tunnel and Indie bands like The Charlatans/The Stone Roses/Happy Monday’s...
I wear my Barrowlands t-shirt with a whole lot of love...and wish I’d brought my roller boots to the AW20 shoot, that spring floor would be awesome to speed skate on!
So glad we could shoot Begg x Co AW20 there.
Holly Brown - Designer
I have been to many great gigs in this venue but the best was Enter Shikari back in 2011. This was the first time I had seen the band. I went along with a group of friends from school. A couple of the boys decided it would be funny to lift me up and throw me into the crowd so I could crowd surf, it was so fun! While I was making my way to the front of the crowd someone took off my shoe and threw it on stage along with the band! I had to wait to the end of the show to claim it back. Hobbling about the Barrowlands with one shoe is not exactly how I thought the night would go, made a good story though.
Kirsty Jack - Customer Service Coordinator
I saw Ed sheeran here, just a the peak of his career, it was such an intimate gig with just Ed and a foot pedal. This venue made it unique, the atmoshphere and attitude of the whole crowd made it an epic night! This would have never been the same great experience if it had been held anywhere else!
Lorna Dempsey - Production Manager
The Barrowlands is where I saw one of my first gigs, and hundreds more afterwards, of The Saw Doctors...all the way from Tuam Ireland.
I remember the glitter ball being our meeting point, "see you under the glitter ball". Checking myself out in the mirrors on the walls, all sweaty whilst pushing my way downstairs after the tenth encore, all singing at the top of our voices to get to the chip shop queue, thinking I looked good!! Amazing venue, amazing memories of old friends and crazy people.
Ross Lawrie - E-Commerce Executive
I went there for my first gig to see the Foals in 2008 and it will forever be ingrained in my mind due to the sheer carnage of the room. Fast forward to 2019 on my first shoot with Begg, I was on the main stage with the team, playing to an empty ball room.
Coral Dalgleish - Design Manager
Mine wasn’t the first time I went, I can't even remember that now, but my husband proposed to me on the 23rd of December 2016 right before we went to the Barrowlands to see one of our favourite bands called Fatherson, they are from our hometown of Kilmarnock. Was a special night and we have a poster from that gig in our home still.
Jessica Burke - E-Commerce and Marketing Assistant
I remember queuing up outside the Barrowlands as a teenager for hours to see We Are Scientists, back in 2008. I bought a Brain Thrust Mastery poster that night that was up in my room for far too long, next to my gig tickets. I later met the singer Keith Murray outside the ABC in Glasgow at another of their gigs… when I hear them now it’s just pure nostalgia.
Pamela Bryson - Project Coordinator
I was at the Barrowlands seeing my favourite band, The Libertines. I was down the very front and manged to catch the drummers towel when he threw it into the crowd….
Share your Barrowlands memories below