Twa Tams music pub celebrates 46 years and looks back at its history - a year later than planned

A popular Perth live music venue puts on a 46th birthday bash tonight - having missed the 45th celebrations last year because of COVID.

The Twa Tams first opened as a music haunt on November 5, 1975 and is currently in the hands of The Mad Ferret Band musicians Sandy Stirton and Chris Woods.

The pair have been gigging together for over a decade.

In April 2019 they took the plunge and bought the business from Zoe Cooper, who in 2007 had bought it from the brewery Belhaven.

Sandy and Chris have renewed the electrics and audio and opened up the interior. The revamped stage area alone required two miles of new cabling.

Big-bearded Sandy told the PA making improvements to the old building “has been a challenge” and it “needs constant TLC” but if he got the chance to make the decision again he noted: “I would do it, in a heartbeat.”

Sandy first walked through the door off Scott Street as a teenager (age unspecified) in 2005.

“I went in to help out as a sound engineer with a friend’s band,” he said.

“I remember it was just brilliant from the moment I walked in.

“The Tams was this fantastically lively pub with an awesome atmosphere, full of fun, chatty locals.

“I think that first time influenced my later decision to get involved and make a go of it.”

The Twa Tams live music venue in 1975. The venue opened on November 5 that year (George Craic)

The Twa Tams got its name from founders George Thomas Craic and Martin Thomas Sweeney, two Perth lads with the same middle name Tam.

Time past, the old Co-operative building opposite was on the site of the army marching ground.

And the Twa Tams was known as the ‘Commandant’s House’ as officers were billeted there.

In 46 years plenty of musicians have raised the roof - Travis, Belle and Sebastian, Malcolm Middleton of Arab Strap and Ocean Colour Scene are some of the bigger names to come the the Fair City pub.

Ocean Colour Scene were just breaking into the big time when they were persuaded to play in Perth (unknown)

Most recently, Archie McAllister, fiddle player with mega-folk band Skipinnish, performed there just a few weeks ago.

Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants is a Glasgow-based rock band that has performed many times.

Frontman Hugh told the PA: “We often went through to Perth to play at the Tams.

“My favourite memory is of playing there one Hallowe’en night in the nineties, when for some reason many members of the audience jumped on top of me when I jumped off the stage.

“The band couldn’t see me because I was buried under a sea of bodies, but somehow and unusually for me, I was note and lyric perfect for the whole song.”

Hugh was playing there again just a few weeks ago.

Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants play at The Tams (submitted by Hugh Reed)

Another musician with memories to share is Paul MacFarlane. His band LAF do rock covers and currently Paul lives just down the road from the Tams.

“I have been going there on and off since 1991,” said Paul. “My favourite memory is the time Ocean Colour Scene came to play when they just hit the big time. When they played, I was allowed to meet them in the Tams conservatory before the gig.

“I had a cup of tea with them and got their autographs. I still cherish the signed ticket.

“Since then, I’ve played there in a couple of bands myself, from college gigs to Friday’s birthday party, when I’ll be front and centre as the singer for LAF.”

Paul, now 48, is the in-house photographer when he is not playing.

As a Perth music veteran, he can remember the other places to go and catch a band back in the day. Some are still operating, most are closed for good.

“The Grill, Yorkies Night Club, The Lamplight, Mucky Mulligans, Electric Whispers, Roxannes Night Club, The Ice Factory, The Windsor and The Grampian on a Sunday,” he recalled.

“ Perth had a fair number of spots, Karaokes at the County Hotel, The Market Bar, The Claghan/Images, Checkers, The Kinnoull Club, The Saints Club (on Dunkeld Road), The Jeanfield Club and the Railway Club on the South Inch.”

The Twa Tams has seen out two pocket-squeezing lockdowns and is proud to keep going, 46 years in.

Current restrictions mean it can only admit 120 customers inside and 60 outside when, in the past, it would have pulled in many hundreds.

The jury’s out over the new ticketing model where punters pay £5 to see a band instead of it being free.

The band charge goes to the musicians and engineers with money taken on the Skiddle online platform.

Some pints cost a very reasonable £2.80 so Sandy and Chris believe they offer value for money with the door charge instead of putting up the price of drinks.

The party tonight, Friday, November 5, sees doors open at 7pm.

Expect gourmet stovies, familiar faces, foot-stomping folk from Mad Ferret Band and classic rock from LAF.

They launch the Christmas menu on Monday, November 8.