Ward Lane Tavern

Ward Lane, August 2006

The Ward Lane Tavern was a tavern/venue situated on Ward Lane (off Ward Street), which was the major venue for Hamilton's original bands through the early 1990s. Previously known as The Old Granary, The Ward Lane Tavern opened c.1985, but initially catered to inner city business people for after work drinks. Bands began to play around 1990. The first band booked was called Kaos, who eventually changed their name to the Clap, and became Ward Lane regulars (along with Whisperscream, Hapukalypse Now, and much later 5 Girls). Many of Hamilton's original bands played here in the following years. At its height, a cafe was opened upstairs called Naked Lunch.

Ward Lane advert, 1992

In 1994 the bar changed ownership and was converted into a wine bar, closing what was at the time the only inner city venue for original bands. The wine bar did not fare well, and with the advent of dance culture it was soon rebranded as Pulse. It has also served as a hip-hop/rap venue. From the late-1990s, it again became an occasional band venue, which continued until 2012.

A weird sort of decline

In 2021, Stuff reported on the conversion of the building to apartments with 'New York-style loft conversion' [1].

Setlist for the Bangs' gig at Ward Lane, one of several international bands who've graced the stage

Notable Gigs

• The Bunker, 26 October 1991
• Dead Moon, 16 September 1992
• The Axemen, 1 October 1992
• Love and Violence and Romantic Andes, 22 April 1993
• Benfest, ft. The Datsuns, MSU, Rumpus Room, Schrodinger's Cat and Tweeter, 28 July, 2000
• The Datsuns, Super Gyration! release party, 11 August 2000
• Bangs, 15 February 2001
• Daisy Chain Halo, 22 August 2003
• A Low Hum Series 3, Issue 1, 11 February 2006
• A Low Hum Series 3, Issue 4, 12 May 2006
• A Low Hum Series 3, Issue 5, 16 June 2006
• Aether, 10 March 2007
• Circle Jerk 2007, 26 May 2007
• Kaleidoscope World Series 24, 6 July 2007
• Dynamo Go, 4 July 2008
• Dick Dynamite and the Doppelgängers, The Hollow Grinders, Wasteland, The Bludgers, 8 August 2008
• Dynamo Go, The Dusk, No Fixed Abode, 3 April 2009
• Dick Dynamite and the Doppelgängers, Drab Doo Riffs, The Hairdo's, Pinecone Lightning, 12 November 2010
• Down the Rabbit Hole 2012, 21 July 2012

External Links

• Ward Lane Facebook page

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