We have arranged for the former owners of the Someplace Else Nightclub, Annette and John Flaherty to bring their memories to our next Membership Meeting on September 22nd. Annette and John visited the museum a couple of weeks ago and shared a selection of great Robbinsdale stories. If you were a swinging teen back in the 60s, dance halls provided a great all-ages option. When rock ‘n’ roll was young, so were the people listening to it. Twin City bars weren’t interested in booking noisy long hairs who couldn’t bring in people old enough to order a drink. Most of the local bands played the neighborhood dance halls. The hottest venue in Robbinsdale was Someplace Else on West Broadway. If you were a swinging teen back in the 60s, dance halls provided a great all-ages option. When rock ‘n’ roll was young, so were the people listening to it. Twin City bars weren’t interested in booking noisy long hairs who couldn’t bring in people old enough to order a drink. Most of the local bands played the neighborhood dance halls. 
The little club occupies a big place in Minneapolis music history. In March of 1968, the local band, South 40 recorded a live album at Someplace Else. The album released on the Metrobeat label, sold 2,000 copies. South 40 also made a 45 of I Want Sunshine. On the B-side was a song called going Goin’ Someplace Else. A couple years later South 40 changed their name to Crow. Columbia Records brought them in to record a demo and Crow was signed to Amaret and Crow’s debut album Crow Music was recorded. The single Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me) made the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. In November 1968, Joker’s Wild used someplace else to rehearse songs for a new album. Then the club had a fire and the band lost $20,000 worth of musical equipment that they were using courtesy of Park Music in St. Louis Park. Someplace Else hosted local acts like Robbinsdale’s very own Still Rovin’, The Nicked Revolution, The Youngsters, The Litter, The Illusions, The Marauders, More-Tishans, The System and many more. These days the building is occupied by Lions Gym. The Flahertys’ owned Someplace Else for two years. Annette and John have put together a wonderful presentation including photos and memorabilia from back in the day. Join us for rockin’ ride down memory lane on Tuesday, September 22nd at 1:00pm. Our Membership Meetings are always held in the basement of the police & fire station at 41-1/2 and Hubbard Avenue N. The event is free and open to the public.
(Top photo was taken by Mark Pruhs. The bottom photo is from a Robbinsdale High School annual. Mark probably took that one too!)