Beverley Lyons
A Glasgow club is so underground that punters are asked not to take pictures.
Rost in Glasgow at 49 Bell Street has already been running for three months and those in the know have already partied till the wee small hours in its bunker like space.
The club which has a capacity of 270 has already played host to art school degree show bashes as well as some big name private parties but you’d never know unless you’d been.
Director Paul Sweeney said: “We opened for three months without being on social media. We wanted to drive things underground and provide a safe space for the city’s creative and leftfield crowd.”
The club is so underground that guests are asked to adhere to a no photos policy.
Paul said: “We request that people take no photographs and ask them if we can put a sticker on their camera phone before they come in. Everyone is always receptive to that.
“If we are hosting a gig that is a bit different, but with regards to our clubnights we like of give people the anonymity they deserve.
We’ve been opened a few months and have a capacity of 270 in our main room. We also have an application pending to introduce a new cafe bar offering for Glasgow’s Merchant City within the premises.”
The interior of Rost, which means rust in German, has walls that oxidise over time.
It’s very industrial and stripped back so that art students and club promoters can provide their own colour if need be.
The club is fully operational every Friday and Saturday but has been hosting events on Thursday and Sundays as part of the art school degree programme.
This Sunday it plays host to a founding member of the famous Acid Jazz label who is who playing a special DJ set.
Eddie Piller is not only one of the founding members of the famed Acid Jazz label (along with Gilles Peterson), he’s also a founder of the legendary Blue Note club.
Acid Jazz started off the careers of The James Taylor Quartet, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies and many more.
He’s a man who brings serious clout with him and the Merchant City club are thrilled to have been able to secure him for a four hour long DJ set from 10:30pm.
Eddie, who recently performed a set for Lauren Laverne on Radio Six music who will also be featuring the event, is just part of Rost’s celebrations for the Glasgow Jazz Festival.
The club also celebrated with an official after party for Mulatu Astatke at the fest on Friday.
Paul said: “This is our first year of involvement with the Jazz Festival. For a jazz based event the club has the atmosphere anyone would look for - a low ceiling basement with great acoustics. Our live content is based on us providing a place for mostly electronic and visual performance.
On Sunday we welcome The Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra at 7:30pm for a full show before Eddie Pillar takes over for his set.
Acid Jazz started off the careers of The James Taylor Quartet, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies and many more.
He’s a man who brings serious clout with him and the Merchant City club are thrilled to have been able to secure him for a four hour long DJ set from 10:30pm.
Eddie, who recently performed a set for Lauren Laverne on Radio Six music who will also be featuring the event, is just part of Rost’s celebrations for the Glasgow Jazz Festival.
The club also celebrated with an official after party for Mulatu Astatke at the fest on Friday.
Paul said: “This is our first year of involvement with the Jazz Festival. For a jazz based event the club has the atmosphere anyone would look for - a low ceiling basement with great acoustics. Our live content is based on us providing a place for mostly electronic and visual performance.
On Sunday we welcome The Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra at 7:30pm for a full show before Eddie Pillar takes over for his set.
Excerpts of this article have since appeared in Glasgow Live
From Scotland with Love
