I was just gonna say that the Astoria is one of London's top venues...

only been to leadmill and rescue rooms off of that list but would say both have provided me with enjoyable nights of entertainment. Rescue rooms being the best of the two because its less manky than the leadmill and has a nice separation between a bar/food area and the live performance section.

I quite liked the academy 3 in Liverpool when I went there. And TJs in Newport is pretty good in an intimate way - with shitty cans of beer and bands on horrendously late.

As regards Sheffield I also like the Fez Club, and the Barfly when it was still in existence.

The astoria rocks

Rescue Rooms - Nottingham
Brudenell Social Club - Leeds
Leadmill - Sheffield
Garage - Islington
Rock City - Nottingham
Underworld - Camden

Carling That's a Carling fantastic list. Carling.

joiners arms.
and the Freebutt, and some others.

Bristol Academy - overstuffed to within an inch of its life, so you can never see the band or get round the venue. They have tons of fire exits and therefore a very high fire limit. It's an absolute pain.

Rescue Rooms is an amazing venue to watch a band in. Wanna play there, too.

night n day
cos you sweat more than a ------ outside a --------

Defo The Freebutt - ace venue, had to play drums on a pool table

Cardinals Cap in Canterbury - used to be a brilliant, dirty little hardcore place

As for large venues, Brixton Academy wins hands down

I've never heard many bands either than Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle pull off good sound at the Astoria, where as Brixton has been great every time.

What bands have you heard some shit at Brixton? :|

Meh? Decent sound?!?!?!?! I've had the misfortune to go to a lot of gigs at the Astoria and the sound is fucking awful. My least favourite venue ever. Guaranteed to ruin any band. I've come to the conclusion its not really worth going to anymore.

the Tunbridge Wells forum was the largest public toilet in europe before it got converted, it's that special it also smells abit. Agree with above both The concorde 2 and The Freebutt are both top venues. I also have a fondness for the Buffalo Bar in Highbury.

But the sounds shit, bounces off the walls really badly because its a silly shape.

Half the time they dont open the balcony, so you if you're late it just obscures you're view.

Oh and the beer is even worse than carling is normally which shouldnt be possible...

the birmingham academy is one of the most soul-destroying places on earth.

i've been there twenty times since september.

well, ok, i am including academy 2 and bar academy gigs. but they're practically the same thing.

I disagree. The atmosphere of the management and security towards its customers is, whilst not equally important, still a big issue.

For example, when Seafood played at the Islington Academy last year, the Security were disgusting - not only menacingly telling people on the front row to put their cameras away, but also shining torches into cameras belonging to people not on the front row [thus screwing up the picture].

When someone near me dared to complain, one member of the staff growled 'you got a fucking problem?' at them.

Ridiculous, and it really made it difficult for me to enjoy the evening.

the barrowlands is bloody amazing, saw idlewild there the other night and the atmos was mental. that place is so goddam sleazy, i fucking love it though

i'd have to say that king tut's is one of my personal fave venues, nice cosy place... plus it's pretty damn loud, which is nice.. worst venue is the carling academy in glasgow.. the sound seems so quiet

apparantly glasgow are the only crowd to throw loadsa beer at bands... is this true?having only ever been to two gigs outside glasgow i dont really have much to go on..

Ask Keith TOTP the fun we had the first time Art Brut played there.

I have also been to gigs that have been misleadingly advertised. i.e. a full Gonzales show was advertised, got there to find he was playing a solo piano set. Whilst I did not mind seeing him playing a solo piano show I would have liked to know that was what I was buying tickets for.

Sadly most of the bands I have seen there have not had the same quaility of sound as they have had in similar sized venues.

Betsy Trottwood - Farringdon, London - a great tiny and charming little place.

Rhythm Factory - Whitechapel, London - take away the 'smactory' reputation. I've been to some cracking gigs here and has stayed open late on midweek nights. All sweaty and rock n roll to the hilt.

Dublin Castle as well if it had more atmosphere.

Brixton Academy - for the big boys

http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00490996f00000014.jpg

i think the railway is awful. far too small and no ventilation so you can't see for the smoke in your eyes coming from all the 12 year old goth smokers.

Jamie