June 9, 2008
Remembering The Iroquois
The Iroquois will never be forgotten.
Recent comments on this blog attested to that fact. Two weeks ago, when we asked folks to name their favorite places to hear live music in Roanoke, people of a certain age wrote fondly and sentimentally about The Iroquois on Salem Avenue. The fact that it's been gone for 12 years has not dimmed the memories of the place.
I have to agree with those guys. The Iroquois was great music place. Sure, it had its dive-like qualities, but that used to be what music fans and musicians went for. It wasn't all about $12 mixed drinks with cantaloupe slices floating in them or video games on the bar. It was about hearing that a good band was in town, shelling out 10 bucks to see 'em and having a good time for less than $20.
What I remember best about The Iroquois was that its musical guests ran the gamut -- Bill Monroe, Alison Krauss, Warren Zevon, Richard Thompson, Rodney Crowell and a slew of local-and-out-of-town punk rock acts played there. Bo Diddley, who died last week, played The Iroquois about 20 years ago.
These days, Roanoke clubs don't bring in as many "name acts" as they used to. 202 Market, Martin's, The Coffee Pot and Blue 5 do a good job at attracting touring bands. With concert prices getting out of hand, catching a good band at a bar for a decent price is important to health of a music scene. The Iroquois kept the scene going for 15 years. Even today, it is missed by those who won't forget the great bands they saw there.
Comments
[June 10, 2008 2:18 AM]
charlie hamill : →http://www,charliehamill.comYou nailed it. The Iroquois was the place in the 80s and 90s. I cut my teeth there in Full Tilt, circa 1986-1989. I remember seeing Edgar Winter, Leon Russell, lots of great local bands. Shirley and the crew were always cool and great to the bands. And then there was backstage downstairs. It took a long time to get beers, but I think they did that on purpose cause they didn't want a lot of drunk kids causin' trouble. Lord knows I never caused any..... Thanks for the story
[June 10, 2008 10:52 AM]
chloe's mimiDoes anyone out there still remember the hottest spot for local musicians in roanoke in the 70's and 80's? Does Johnny's Tavern ring a bell? They had the best Thursday through Sunday bands anywhere. Remember Diamonds? Brent, Fred, Fran, Jim and the drummer du jour. I don't believe there has even been another cover band to equal those guys (with the exception of Juice). Yes, Johnny's was not a place you would want to frequent during natural light hours, but when the lights were down and the band's stage lights were all the illumination necessary, you could be transported to an edenic musical paradise. Does anyone out there besides me long for a reunion of nostagia from that era?