Kelvingrove Bandstand

Excellent venue for occasional concerts and film screenings. I’ve been to see Belle and Sebastian, a film screening of Local Hero and a fantastic screening of «from Scotland with Love» with live music from Kong Creosote.
Where possible bring a picnic or your own snacks (check if this is allowed via event promotional details) as in house catering stalks can be expensive. it can also turn a little chilly in the evening time!

Second part of my two part review of the Magner’s Summer event, for the review of the aspects of that which were controlled by Magners go have a look on their page for my review.
I’ve been looking forward to going to the Bandstand since I heard it was getting refurbished. I always love the idea of going to gigs in old bandstands like this, and I like the idea of this kind of space being available for the public for loads of different types of event.
They have done a brilliant job of refurbishing this. It maintains the old Victorian charm of the stage and the area, which making sure that it’s as modern as possible. The sightlines are great no matter where you sit, and importantly the sound is really, really good. Make sure you bring a cushion though, as the concrete seats definitely aren’t forgiving if you’re sitting for a while.
It does feel a wee bit weird seeing a gig here though — I don’t know if it’s the location, or the style of venue, but it does seem like people’s concentration levels are a little lower than at a normal gig, so it can be a little more chatty than normal. I’d also like to see it being used a bit more throughout the year — it only seems like things get advertised during the Magner’s Festival, and it would be good to see things happening more often.
Just make sure you bring a cushion and you’ll have a great time!

I love being at an outdoor gig, that isn’t a festival. I experienced the Kelvingrove bandstand for the first time last night when I went to see echo and the bunnymen. I was so excited about going as I had wanted to go to a gig there since it re-​opened.
I didn’t realise how big it was. I was with friends who had been before and they recommend heading to the front as there were wooden benches at the front, so helped stop your bum getting so cold. I came prepared with blankets but we ended up not needing them.
The view was perfect and even when folk stood at the very front you could still see sitting down. The band were great and I think wherever you were in the arena you’d have been able to see.
As the gig was going on and I looked up to see the stars in the sky, a big smile came over my face and I thought to myself, it’s a shame they don’t do more gigs here all year round and then I remembered we live in Scotland and the 2 weeks of «summer» they do have the gigs on is gamble enough for good weather.

You know, I didn’t think my bum would last as long as it did sitting on concrete for about 5 hours. Even still, next time, I’m bringing some sort of cushion!
My boyfriend and I bought tickets to see King Creosote perform the score to the documentary From Scotland with Love (live to the movie) at the Kelvingrove Bandstand and what a night it was. Bellys full from a lovely meal at The Crafty Pig (see separate review) we turned up when doors opened, and were able to score the perfect seats. Close, but not too close.
We weren’t sure what we were allowed to bring in, which is why we dined before, but turns out, loads of people brought in outside food and made a night of it. No bottles whatsoever were allowed in, instead we were made to pay outrageous amounts for booze and water. I believe the tickets were £2 a piece and 2 tickets got your a cider/​beer. Water was £2. I did notice that Whole Foods had a truck set up, but being rather full from dinner, we didn’t venture over to check it out. We did notice, however that people were buying nachos, and what looked like some sort of pulled pork burger kind of deal, and coffees. What was also interesting was that there were popcorn girls dressed up like 50’s girls walking around looking as miserable as could be, trying to sell wee bags of plain propercorn for £1.
The sound was amazing and at times a wee bit loud for all the babies that seemed to be in the crowd, but for a somewhat acoustic gig (opening act was also acoustic) — most babies had ear protection on, which I appreciated seeing. King Creosote, in true fashion had an orchestra and choir along with him and his band and they had two large screens on either side of the stage to play the documentary From Scotland with Love. What an amazing night.
The weather couldn’t have been better, not a droplet of rain to be had, and actual sun for the earlier part of the gig. Once the sun went down, the movie started which made for a late night since we’re at the height of «summer» here and the sun usually doesn’t set until well after 1030pm.
If you can, check out a show here. I can’t imagine how much tickets are for a bigger group, as tickets were a lot more expensive than I had imagined, but we fully enjoyed ourselves and will be back soon, I’m sure.

I love having the bandstand on my doorstep! I’ve been to a number of events here throughout the summer and love that this recently refurbished space is put to good use.
You can see the stage well from any of the seats given they are built in to the slope and having the park in the background makes for a lovely backdrop. Parts of the West End festival utilised the bandstand, from the samba bands in the Parade to some of the colourful performances at the Mela.
On Wednesday’s during the summer (June and July I think) the bandstand was open for kids between 10 am and 3pm, with different activities and a few performances and it was free! Plus kids can burn off lots of energy running up and down the steps, who knew that could be so much fun? And the toilets in Kelvingrove Park are adjacent to the bandstand too.
One of the main events at the bandstand are the Magners Summer Sessions in August (see seperate review), in my opinion these make great use of the space and I would love to see other organised events at the bandstand such as theatre performances or more music gigs. I guess Glasgow just needs some better weather to fully enjoy and open air stage!

Hurrah for the return of the Kelvingrove Bandstand. I’m not going to lie — I barely knew it existed until it got refurbished and reopened. It’s really great to see this kind of thing being preserved though as I think it could be really amazing.
Could be really amazing, that is. I visited recently for the Magners Summers Sessions (unfortunately Glasgow’s summer was long over by August). There was large walls set up around the Bandstand which I thought was a bit of a shame — I’m pretty sure all the gigs sold out really quickly so would it really be so bad for people walking by to have a wee gander? Once inside, there was allocated bays to sit in rather than seats which was quite good if you were there early, but too bad if you were late as I saw a lot of people struggling to find somewhere to sit.
There were food stalls and staff selling coupons for booze, neither of which I partook in. The band (Teenage Fanclub) were great and it was nice to have a wee seat to watch a band for a change. That is, until the people in front of us stood up. Thankfully we came to a friendly arrangement of synchronised seating/​standing so we could all see which I thought was quite funny. On a cold night (and probably a warm one) you’d definitely want to take something to sit on as the cold concrete really starts to get uncomfortable — I had a winter coat on and was still chittering!
The big reason for the 3 stars is the lack of toilets for an event this size. The bandstand holds 2500 people. There was two toilet blocks to the left of the stage, one with three ladies toilets (yes, THREE) and I’m not sure how many the other had, but it didn’t look a whole lot bigger. What do you get when you mix 2500 people with lots of Magners? Lots of trips to the loo! To me that is just madness expecting people to queue for 20 – 30 minutes. I get that it’s a small space, but they definitely should have planned that aspect better.

After it’s recent refurbishment there have been a series of gigs here so, when I saw that the Waterboys were playing, I grab a few tickets for me and some friends for a wee trip down memory lane.
What a great venue!
The rain, thankfully, stopped not long after we got there and whilst there was some confusion with the seating — something they will need to sort out — we took to our soggy benches. Thankfully the sponsors had plenty of free plastic ponchos being handed out so we used those to keep things dry, although as others have advised I’d take a cushion if you have a sensitive derrière as the wooden slatted benches weren’t the comfiest…
As for bars, food stalls and toilets, it seems like the venue is repeating the same mistakes of most other venues, not enough female and accessible toilets, and not enough choice of food and drink. The sponsor was a cider maker (begins with M, ends in agners) and so the choice for those of us who prefer lager or ale was limited to a no-​name lagery thing which wasn’t the nicest.
Food stalls offered a little more variety, and I guess for the size of the venue there was enough variety.
With all that in mind I’d happily attend another gig here, it’s nicely laid out, small enough to feel intimate, large enough to feel like a sizeable gig. I hope they have good plans to keep it looking spick and span over the winter mind you!

I love the newly renovated Bandstand at Kelvingrove. I was there on Friday night to watch the Waterboys gig as part of the Magnets Summer Night concerts.
It’s a wonderful layout for any kind of show and due to the slope of the seating everyone can see pretty well. It is a beautiful venue and makes for a great settling and a lovely vibe in the crowd.
I had a couple of wee grips/​tips. Take something padded to sit on, as the benches are solid concert they’re pretty hard going. Also if you’re reasonable tall like me the height the benches are at feels really low so a bit uncomfortable.
I didn’t actually go but there seemed to be quite a lack of ladies toilets.
These are fairly minor grumbles and I definitely look forward to seeing many more gigs there in the future

3 words — What. A. Waste.
The bandstand is currently lying derelict, boarded up so the local youths can’t make use of it for their own boozy ends. With the bars up over the mouth of it, it looks sad and shabby. The paint is flaking away into the wind and there’s the odd bit of graffitti brandished on the sides.
But I still love it.
There are two (seemingly) frivolous tasks I am willing Glasgow City Council to get on board with at the moment — improving cycle lanes around the city, and getting this bandstand returned to its former glory. Local, popular indie bands Belle and Sebastian and the long established Teenage Fanclub are on side with this idea, as are many people on the city who are saddened at the bandstand’s decay.
Please, please, please let me get what I want — a shiny new bandstand, licked up and returned to its former glory. It would make a fantastic gig venue and is currently disregarded. It’s an opportunity in the making, I just wish the council would open their eyes. Or maybe it’s just a case of weathering the after effects of the recession before development can commence. At any rate, it should be seen. I love you, bandstand.

I have vivid memories of visiting Kelvingrove Park Bandstand as a child, joining the crowds who had gathered to watch a local band perform. The building, which has now been listed as Category B, looked very picturesque on the banks of the Kelvin.
The last time I walked past, the bandstand was dilapidated and abandoned, bar a group of neds who had gathered outside. According website set up to encourage its restoration, there is no real progress being made to return it to its former glory. A real shame.

It may not be much to look at now, but this Bandstand was once a much loved theatre and music venue in Kelvingrove Park. It was built in 1924 by architect James Miller and over the years has hosted many performances including sets from Simple Minds. However, today the Bandstand is only a shadow of its former self and is overgrown with weeds and covered in graffiti, it is even fenced off to the public. You wouldn’t believe it by looking at it but the amphitheatre style seating has a capacity of over 3000! It seems such a waste then, that it should lie in a state of disrepair and not be used as a venue for the public as its location makes it a great artistic resource for the West End.
At the moment there is a group set up called the Amphitheatre Restoration Committee who are currently campaigning to have the bandstand restored to its former glory. They have done fundraising to try and raise as much money as they can for the restoration but the bandstand remains property of Glasgow City Council so it is only them who can give the project the go ahead. Hopefully with more campaigning and more public support this will once more be a great theatre and music venue. Wouldn’t it be great to go to see some theatre in the beautiful Kelvingrove park? The committee believe that 2010 will be a big year and hopefully see some process in restoring the bandstand — so keep your eyes peeled for development!

On bus 44A to Glasgow uni, the old lady sitting next to me pointed at Kelvingrove area as the bus was turning up the hill and said ‘This is where I was born’. I said I knew only the museum, and she threw an encouraging smile as though stating ‘not bad for a foreigner’. The sun that day made me restless and I left the top floor of the library in a haste promising to be more studious on my next visit. i plunged into the warmth and strolled down hill towards Kelvingrove. I dived into the Park and was not disappointed the least. My crave for spring sweetness brought me into a very large park area with crossing paths. I followed my instinct, which led me through skating area, a number of playgrounds, rose garden and rows of smiling faces on benches to which I smiled back almost dazed by the fresh air and the blue softness of the skies.

The bandstand in Kelvingrove Park was once a proud venue of summer outdoor concerts. Now it is the venue of neds drinking. When Ronald Villiers of Chewing The Fat fame stood on its hallowed stage he was immediately booed of by local tracksuit wearing youths. Says it all really.
However, after the bandstand was listed as a Category B building in 2000, a community based scheme was launched to restore it to its former glory and encourage its use as an outdoor venue once more. Trendy Glasgow bands Teenage Fanclub and Belle and Sebastian got on board to support the project which was subsequently brought up in the Scottish Parliament.
There doesn’t seem to be any recent updates on how the restoration is coming along but hopefully Glasgow City Council will get their rear ends in gear. It would a shame to see this beautiful bandstand wasted any longer.

Kelvingrove Park is located in the West End of Glasgow, close to Glasgow University. It’s easily accessible from the Kelvinside underground stop and from the M8 motorway. The park is quite large and is packed out in summer with students from the University. An excellent place for a family visit, picnic or game of football! There are also loads of pathways which you can use for running or walking.

Well it’s all been said already but I want to just add a few words to the list because this is one of my favourite places! I’ve walked through here many a time and I love following the River Kelvin and seeing the view of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, also the statues here and there, particularly on Kelvin Way Bridge where they represent Peace and War, Navigation and Shipbuilding, Philosophy and Inspiration, and Commerce and Industry. There are a lot of mature trees and lawns and you can ‘leave the city behind’ very quickly. Kelvinbridge is the nearest subway station and it’s close to the Transport Museum too (though I believe that is moving to another site soon)

I agree with most other reviewers — the best parts of this park are where you have incredible views. The first time I went here, I was waiting for the Museum to open and thought I’d pass a half-​hour. It was more like an hour and a half in the end as I took a whole film of photos (before digital). On subsequent visits we found extra, hidden gems, usually following the river and crossing little bridges.
Another aspect, not necessarily positive, is that, in the summer, there can be a number of celebrities from local TV strolling around — often still in make-​up. We have met a few bright orange presenters!
Don’t let it put you off, though, this is a wonderfully peaceful place.

I have to say that I love Glasgow’s parks at this time of the year and just as the city is damp, cold and dirty looking taking a walk through Kelvingrove Park is a great cleansing and therapeutic way to get out of the congested city centre.
I like to walk up from Woodlands Road to Park Circus where you get a fantastic view of Glasgow or along Woodlands Road from Charing Cross and into the park at the gate on Eldon Street just before you cross over the Kelvin.
If you’re after some me time and don’t mind taking your time get a coffee-​to-​go from the Beanscene on Woodlands Road and go up via Park circus and into the park at the war memorial, stop here for a minute or two and enjoy the view across to the University, slowly go down the hill towards Kelvin Way, from here you can cross over and back into the park to go on toward the Art Galleries and to Dumbarton Road or turn right and walk along this tree lined road to head over to University Avenue and you should feel as though the city grime has been swept away.

Kelvingrove park is well worth a visit. It’s in the heart of Glasgow’s west end, but provides a bit of peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
There are plenty of paved walkways and cycleways and play areas for the children as well and walks along the River Kelvin where it is possible to see wildlife. There are also tennis courts, a putting green and a bowling green — most of these only operate in the spring/​summer months.
There are beautiful views in the park of the Kelvingrove Museum and Glasgow University. Kelvingrove museum is right in the park and is a must visit if you are in the area.
In the summer, the park hosts a number of outdoor shows which can be worth a visit.

During the day time, it is a great place to have a stroll around, to admire the view of the Kelvingrove and the Glasgow University. I have enjoyed walking around there in the sunny days with a group of friends, and to laze around on the grass under the sun.
But feels it is being taken over by a group of mass students as there is a university nearby, and they tends to leave their own litters around the park, which it is a shame, and it is being invaded by the skaterboards.
Also at the night time, it is well known area, for gay males to go for a place of sex there

A large, glorious, sprawling park, it is one of the best known and best loved parks in Glasgow. Situated in the leafy west end, in summer it is full to the brim on a sunny day with strollers, frolickers and general merry makers. It’s a great place for a gentle walk, an energetic run or a pleasant cycle. A number of groups also run exercise class in the outdoors here, anything from military fitness classes to kettlebell training, come rain, hail or shine.
Other attractions include the massive and recently refurbished art gallery and museum which is housed within the park and is well worth a visit. There’s also a play area for children, tennis courts and a skate park. All in all, this is a lovely park in a lovely area of the city.