The Clutha Bar
I work in WASPS studios, in The Briggait, and when I finish work, I often go next door to The Clutha. When I finish an instrument, I like to go and sit in the beer garden and try it out, through a wee amp. I've even played some of my creations through the P.A. in the bar, (as you'll see on this blog) - It's a great place, The bar staff are all friendly and have a blether, The customers are all there for the atmosphere, the great jukebox, the live music, the warm fire in the winter and a welcome unlike many pubs in Glasgow (No football team allegiances, no pretentiousness, no gangs of youngsters out to get trashed, no sexist drunks) a safe, friendly place.
So for me, the events of Friday, November 29th 2013 are all the more upsetting. - At 10:25pm, when the bar was packed with people enjoying a weekend drink, and the ska band, Esparanza, a police helicopter hit the roof of the Clutha, killing the 3 crew, and 6 people in the bar...with many others injured. Incredibly there was no explosion or fire, and even more incredibly (according to the media at least), people passing by rushed to help. - It is now Wednesday, and the scale of the tragedy is starting to sink in. People who I know are dead, Others are still in hospital, The shock and sadness has spread around the world. Such a random, awful, sad and unthinkable thing to happen. It's hard to talk about.
I was in the bar on Friday afternoon, and left to go and see a band on Renfield Street. Other friends who were there went to see Jerry Dammers at the O2. Some friends stayed. - Saturday (and Sunday) were spent answering and sending messages to reassure people that I was OK, and trying to find out if everyone I knew was OK... 9 dead (update - now 10) is awful. I feel terrible sadness and sympathy for everyone affected
They can rebuild The Clutha, but it will be impossible to rebuild what it was. - A happy place.
