RIP The Old Wharf

Two days ago the best little venue in Birmingham shut its big red and black (or cream and black as it is now!) door for the last time.

It's hard to imagine where Dakesis might be today if not for the support and friendship we found inside this little pub in the back end of Digbeth.

Our live photographer Tony Gaskin, and his wife and daughter who we count as our closest friends now? Met them there.

DJ Beerman and Mrs J of Top Rock Radio who have championed us far and wide, booking us for festivals and being our staunchest supporters? Met them there.

Black Scorpion Promotions, and Hills from Ovation, who have booked us for countless gigs all over the Midlands and have introduced us to some bands that we will continue to share a stage with for years to come? Met them there.

Jack Traveller who engineered and mixed our album? Met him there.

Red, the lovely tog who got us our first review in the major UK music press and forced every reviewer in the midlands to come and see us? Met her there.

I could go on and on and on naming countless friends and supporters ... but I'm sure you get the point.

The Old Wharf was a hive of activity for the Birmingham underground music scene. You could go there pretty much every weekend and see not just a band but a -good- band, a -great- band, in a room full of people having an amazing time. You'd find talented photographers and reviewers and DJ's giving up their time to cover these bands in anyway they can. Promoters who -actually promoted- their gigs! Most of all you found people who loved live music, who would give up and coming bands the chance to shine.

I can tell you that the first time we played for BSP at TOW, we played to a full room of people who were so excited just to be discovering new music. 

We played with bands who are now our friends and stage-mates. In fact Captain Horizon, who headlined that night, are playing with us at The Roadhouse on Thursday! 

It was a veritable haven for bands and music lovers. This tiny pub, where we could barely all fit on stage at once. It was like a home away from home.

I even booked my birthday party there, which incidentally was the first time Adam ever saw Dakesis.

Our history is written in those walls (and even one of the ladies toilets where someone scratched "Dakesis Rock" into the door) and the thought of not squeezing onto that tiny stage, or huddling around the outdoor fireplace in the winter or squealing and tacklehugging the next familiar face who walks through the door there is a sad one indeed.

This blog could easily have been about the decline of support for the scene that caused the closure of this beloved venue, or about how bands in Birmingham need to learn to support one another more... but I'd much rather it was about the many fond memories, good friends and brilliant nights we had at The Old Wharf. 

Birmingham's underground music scene will never be the same.

We'd like to wish 'Chelle and Dave the best of luck in whatever they do in the future, and thank you thank you thank you for giving us the opportunities you did in your lovely little pub =) 

I'd like to share a few of my personal favorite memories of TOW (and there are many!) from the smiling faces all around you can see that there are many people who will have long happy memories of this hallowed ground.

RIP The Old Wharf. You will be missed. 

Gem XOXO

* Most of these photos are  © Tony Gaskin 2011 however a lot of them are very old and I'm not sure who they belong to. If you see one of your own photos and would like me to add your copyright here please email me at Gemma@Dakesis.com, and ill be happy to sort it out for you!