Alanbro Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Used to go to the Roxy on Idsworth Road at Page Hall in me teens. There used to be a bouncer there who was very supple. He could bend fully over backwards and pick up a handkerchief with his teeth. He wasn't a heavyweight bruiser, but he could sure sort the troublemakers out. The market lads used to put in an appearance there regularly and it was like Yosser Hughes time as they like to use the nut in an argument. There was a small balcony over the entrance to the dance hall and that is where you could get your refreshments. We went down to the coffee bar on Owler Lane and down to the Firth Park Hotel for a couple of jars. They said then that " Rock and roll is here to stay; and it sure is!" Pity so many of the true greats had to die so young. By the way the old Roxy building is still standing, but it's now a secondhand furniture emporium and it's character has long gone. Drugs were not on the scene then and you could walk the streets feeling completely safe, whatever the time of day or night. I also saw Buddy Holly and the Crickets in person at the City Hall. Duane Eddy and Eddie Cochran at the Gaumont and Gene Vincent(I think that was at the City Hall). The world is now a different place (not all bad), but it's nice to look back and nostalgia will live forever. Alanbro in a melancholy mood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cycleracer Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 The music still lives on in my house Alanbro as i have all the rock'n'roll greats and they are always on in my car to. I was only a baby when the greats were strutting there stuff and i think the late 50s early sixties music is the best ever recorded by far and will never be beaten. The late greats of Eddie Cochran, Buddy and Jimmy Justice, i could go on. I am trying to get a ticket for the Shadows farewell concert at the Barbican in York but there like gold dust and there is a waiting list for any that might come on the market due to someone coming down ill. They will be on The sound of the sixties on radio 2 on Saturday which will be worth a listen to. Great music, great legends and music will never be the same. CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abdul Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 The Roxy has been all sorts over the past couple of decades. The ones I can remember (from the early 80's onwards) are of it being a dance club, a gym for infants, a snooker club and bingo hall. It is a furniture store now, though it sells new stuff, not second hand. The exterior of the building was shown in the local film 'The Full Monty'. Although some scenes of the movie were filmed at the Shiregreen Working Mens club, the old Roxy was used for the external scenes. I'm always interested in the history of that part of Sheffield. What decades are your memories from, if you don't mind me asking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbuck Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 When I was about 17 in1956 I went to the Roxy Ballroom for the first time ..I went in and payed my Entrance fee and I was fascinated by a sound I'd never heard before, a sort of rhythmic Boom, Boom, Boom..when I went inside the main room I found out it was the sound of feet hitting the floor in time to a "Bill Hayley" record, I stood against the wall for the rest of the night just watching Rock and Roll dancing and listening to the music..I was hooked on Rock-n-Roll for the rest of my life. I went again the next week, and I saw my first live pop group "The Four Imp's" from Lincoln featuring a young lad on guitar called "Dougie Brown" later to become well known as a TV comedian/entertainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanbro Posted April 30, 2004 Author Share Posted April 30, 2004 No offence intended about the Roxy building, Abdul. I've only been past at a distance and not really looked closely at the furniture shop. My memories are from the 50's onwards. My first rock n roll records were by Tommy Steele, Marty Wilde(Kim Wilde's dad), Bobby Rydell and numerous other, mainly British singers, until Buddy Holly came along and then I concentrated on buying his records. I went to see Buddy and the Crickets at the City Hall in 1958. Me and me mate sat in the front row of the balcony. The joint was raving. All the Crickets could not appear because of work permit problems. Buddy died a short while later and sadness prevailed for a while. I bought the record "Three Stars" which was about the demise of Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. There were a few tribute records released, but "Three Stars" was the best at that time, until Don Maclean with "America Pie". The 50's and 60's were my favourites for music. Bobby Vee sounded very much like Buddy Holly, and in between all this was the "King", Elvis Presley himself. I saw all his earliest films, but when he started making films like "Girls, Girls, Girls" his film credibility dropped enormously. His music is the greatest. Thanks for your contribution as well, cycleracer. You have tremendous good taste! Regards from Alanbro Underground Airman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbow2411 Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 I used to go to the Roxy in the late 50's early 60's along with the Locarno on a Sunday night. I remember listening to Radio Luxenburg desperately hoping that the signal wouldn't fade when the new releases from America where played, after the musical diet of Ronny Hilton, Dickie Valentine, David Whitfield and the Billy Cotton Band Show, the excitement of listening to Roy Orbison, Rick Nelson, Buddy Holly and of course Elvis for the first time was something that I will never forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coddy Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 I went to the Roxy when I was really little and it was a cinema. My mom took me and my sister to watch Kid for 2 Farthings. I remember I was given a little brown envelope with 2 farthings in it. I kept it for years but think it got chucked out when mom and dad sold up and went into retirement bungalow. I was probably only about 3 at the time but remember walking along Page Hall road with my envelope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughy101 Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 does anyone remember big jim moran who worked on the door he used to be a wrestler , he was awsome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awoollen Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 Originally posted by Abdul The Roxy has been all sorts over the past couple of decades. The ones I can remember (from the early 80's onwards) are of it being a dance club, a gym for infants, a snooker club and bingo hall. It is a furniture store now, though it sells new stuff, not second hand. The exterior of the building was shown in the local film 'The Full Monty'. Although some scenes of the movie were filmed at the Shiregreen Working Mens club, the old Roxy was used for the external scenes. I'm always interested in the history of that part of Sheffield. What decades are your memories from, if you don't mind me asking? i remmember the roxy when it was called the page hall used to get in for nothink one offthe lads payed rest went through the toilet doors got kicked out many a time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 The next dance will be a Mambo. No Bopping in the first two numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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