Mystery bar number 35
There are plenty of issues I could be writing about today, such as whether the Harbour Quays development will suck the life out of the CBD, the merits of the new Cathryn Monro sculpture planned to go outside the Musuem Hotel, and of course the endless transport debates. However, I seem to have got into a pleasantly intoxigenic mode this week, so it's time for another mystery bar.
Strictly speaking, no-one has guessed the current mystery bar yet, but "Anonymous" got very close on his or her second go. It's The Lab Underground, which has an entrance that is separate from The Lab itself, and used to be "graced" by a giant polystyrene sculpture of Einstein until the council decided that it defaced a historic building. There's still a bewildering collection of odd polystyrene figures throughout the bar itself, which otherwise would have little to distinguish it from the other sticky-carpeted dives mentioned by the guessers.


Overall, it's not as horrendously cheesy as it could have been. In fact, I was almost disappointed! This is unlikely to appeal to the Good as Gold/Electroluxxe crowd of ironic mullets, lightning-bolt earrings and new-wave glam-punk electroclash mashups: instead, you should expect nostalgic thirtysomethings squealing with glee at hearing the Top 40 from 20 years ago. Which is what you get in about 80% of Wellington bars anyway. On the other hand, if they get a DJ to mix up some old Gary Numan, Art of Noise and Yazoo tracks, I'll be there in a flash.
11 Comments:
Would that be the new Electric Avenue in which was once Saffron next to Espressaholic?
When I saw the sign go up in the window over the newspaper, I was like "I must put that in my mindbank so I can win on Wellurban!"
Yes, judging by the lights embedded in the bar (which were on the plans taped in the afore-mentioned window), I'd say this was Electric Avenue as well.
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Damn you Jo!
I had done the same thing (kept it in my mind) but I've been stuck in meetings until 1 and then I had to eat.</excuses>
Also I think Tom is secretly looking forward to going here.
I knew that was going to be easy, even though they officially opened only last night (free house wine & snacks!), since they had all those signs and plans in the window. Most new bars make some sort of attempt at a sense of surprise.
Now, who's been to the original Electric Avenue? Extra points for knowing what that is, and why it was thus named.
You mean, as in Electric Avenue in Brixton? The one Eddy Grant sang about? Just near the Coldharbour Lane meat Market? Let me guess: was that the first place in London to have an electric lighting scheme down the main shopping street or something?
It's also believed that "Electric Avenue", the song, was written about the Brixton riots of 1981.
Now in the street there is violence
And then there's lots of work to be done
No place to hang out our washin'
And then they can't blame all on the sun
- not sure that those words are really Riot material...
- nor these:
We gonna rock down to
Electric Avenue
And then we'll take it higher
- but then again....
Workin' so hard like a soldier
Can't afford the things on T.V.
Deep in my heart I abhor you
Can't get food for the kid
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Unfortunately, both I and deepred6502 may be wrong. Apparently, the soong was written in 1982, so hence may not refer to 1981 Brixton riots...
Also, Mr Grant was, it seems, a resident of Birmingham, and may be referring to the Electric Avenue there, in a suburb of Brum called Aston. Slum flats i believe? But if you google Brum, up pops this lesser known fact:
"I believe quite sincerely that Birmingham has more beards per square metre than many other urban settlements. It also actually is the actual centre of the actual country, unlike London which just thinks it is."
more beards? Is this a sly reference to Tom's family?
It's bloody quiet place for a couple of beers on Saturday afternoon.
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