Stylon Pilson Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Don't know if this is supposed to go in the Gigs section or not. We've been offered a gig at The White Horse in High Wycombe. I know that this place used to be one of the roughest pubs in the country, but supposedly has cleaned up its act in recent years ([url="http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/4077192.Strip_club_pub_to_clean_up_image_with_rock_and_roll/"]source[/url]). Has anyone played a gig here recently? Am I likely to leave with the same number of teeth that I walked in with? S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkG3 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 (edited) I gigged there 3-4 years ago, I wouldn't call it rough there was barely anyone there. They said they couldn't let us plug into anything as it would cause a power shortage to the strip club upstairs. So we had to source a generator if we wanted to play. Luckily we found one. It was supposedly meant to be a battle of the bands but that was just made up, there was 2 bands us and some cocky teenagers who turned up with 1 guitar, no bass , no bass or guitar amps and assumed we would let them use it. We said no so they had to play with just their acoustic guitar they brought along. They were lucky that we actually let them use the generator we had to source. They tried starting a fight with me and my brother who was our guitarist and singer. They didn't get very far as we kindly told them where to go and they soiled their pants. Oh I almost forgot the fact we needed a generator was that the sound man did have a generator but he got pissed and drunk drove away with his generator..... I would be wary of playing there if I were you, but I'm sure others may have had a better experience! Edited November 16, 2014 by Mark_88MPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Not played there but a band I was depping for rehearsed in the studios round the corner and after prac would go for a drink there - I never did as don`t drink. None of them were particularly rough people and they never seemed to have any issues with the place. I`d say if going for the gig research the other bands on the bill as seems like Mark got a bad deal with the other band rather than the pub itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I heard you shouldn't get on it....sorry I'll get me Cape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I went to uni in the town, never played a gig there but have been there for gigs & drinks lots of times: it has a bit of a reputation but its nowhere near the roughest pub in Wycombe let alone the country. Depends what you're used to, its worse than most pubs in London but I'd say pretty standard for dingy pubs in relatively poor towns - just remember to put your pound in the pint glass when it comes round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I played there a few years back - no problems whatsoever. There's a charming little room off to the side featuring gyrating 'lovelies' around a pole so be careful where you wander. .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkG3 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1416159130' post='2607447'] Not played there but a band I was depping for rehearsed in the studios round the corner and after prac would go for a drink there - I never did as don`t drink. None of them were particularly rough people and they never seemed to have any issues with the place. I`d say if going for the gig research the other bands on the bill as seems like Mark got a bad deal with the other band rather than the pub itself. [/quote] The other band were more troublesome, but despite numerous messages about BOTB before and after the gig we never had a response after the first one promoting it. The organiser wasn't even there to 'judge' the bands and seemingly the staff there didn't have a clue about it either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriswareham Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Played there a couple times about fifteen years ago. It was a Hells Angel pub back then, complete with bikers club room upstairs which doubled as the strippers changing room and band backstage area. A grotty place, but they still seemed to get some decent bands. Sounds like it has gone downhill since then and I guess it's not a biker place anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Ahhhh the old White Horse... Organised a gig there about a year ago. Us and got another band we know in. Our singer knows Alistair the owner. The Downstairs area actually has pretty good sound, but we did bring our own sound engineer. On a weekend you get the local crowd in and they are happy to watch some live music. But I wouldn't say it was a rough pub by any means. And you do have the option of the strip 'living room' upstairs. Its a little room with a pole and girls dancing around it. The old pound in a pint glass deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Shame they've sent the girls upstairs - when I used to go they were just downstairs in the main bar room & would still be going round when they bands were setting up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymondo Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Crikey I didn't know these places still existed The last time I played a pub with strippers around here was 1975 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon. Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Going back a little bit, but the first 'proper' job after finishing uni was in Chelmsford, at the end of 1996. A group of 5 lads got together for a house share as we were all new to the company and town. After finishing moving everything in on the first day in the hose, we decided to go for a beer. Stopped at the first pub we came to just round the corner and walked in to the sight of a couple of strippers giving it their all at 3 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon . Strangely enough, it became our local... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 [quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1416307273' post='2608806'] Shame they've sent the girls upstairs - when I used to go they were just downstairs in the main bar room & would still be going round when they bands were setting up! [/quote] Ah thats still the case. The girls go upstairs after 7:30.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 (edited) The only thing I can say about this place is that my dad used to love going there. Edited November 18, 2014 by 40hz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 When are you guys playing there? Sounds like this place has all the ingredients for a BC drink up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1416328630' post='2609105'] When are you guys playing there? Sounds like this place has all the ingredients for a BC drink up [/quote] Haha, that would be awesome! The date we've been offered is Saturday 13th December, not sure if we're confirmed yet. I've been reassured by the comments above that it's not a dangerous place, but it sounds hella sleazy. Which might be fun. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 (edited) ah bugger... last train back into London is 11.12... night will just be getting started by then. However a cursory check of booking.com shows some hotel rooms for £50... although I suspect they will be equally as salubrious as this venue sounds Edited November 18, 2014 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I lived around there for about thirty years - it was, like many other Wycombe boozers, locally regarded as a bit of a hole. Went in to see the landlord once and 'admired' the somewhat rough stripper on what passed for a stage. Never heard anything totally bad about the place....just make sure you get paid (?). I gigged a bit at the Nags Head, Wycombe, that had a bit of a rep, but I never had any issues...the town ain't that hard, but then I've done Edmonton, Chislehurst and Wealdstone (yes I know The Who started there...please shut up about it....bored now), as well as Spitalfields All-Star, so p'raps I find the Hoom Counties a bit tame........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 The update you've all been waiting for! So, got there with my lead guitarist shortly before 7pm. Parked on Oakridge Road (no restrictions after 4pm or at weekends), about 100m from the venue. Lugged my stuff in, fair few punters in, had great fun weaving my way through those crowds. There's a little area to the side of the stage which presumably has tables in during the day, but is cleared out and reserved for bands' gear in the evenings. The rest of my band were already there, they said that the strippers... sorry, exotic dancers... had already gone off upstairs, about half an hour previously. Never mind. The stage was reasonably deep but somewhat narrow, I was concerned that with three of us standing side by side there might be a danger of some headstock-in-face action, but we dodged it. The acoustics were superb, we got a really tasty stage sound, and the other bands sounded good too. Exceptional clarity, no-one got lost in the mix. The night was really well-organised by Major's Live Events. My favourite touch was that 5 days ahead of the gig, the organiser sent out a PDF containing information such as when to get there, what equipment is provided, what equipment ISN'T provided, line-up, venue policies, organiser's mobile phone number. It's not the first time I've had the pleasure of receiving such a document, but I believe it should be obligatory, and it's the indicator of someone who knows where their towel is. The crowd thinned out a bit over the course of the evening (I think that the opening act, a guy with an acoustic Telecaster playing Oasis covers, probably didn't help) so we didn't end up playing to a packed pub, but it was better attended than some of the shïte gigs we've had lately. Went home about midnight. Didn't bother going upstairs to say hi to the exotic dancers. I'm way too cerebral for such low-brow distractions. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Sounds alright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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