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March 13, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 102 The New Bodge

Bodega-2-900x720…So we piped the horseshoe bar down to Ghuznee Street and then Fraser put a big shout on at the old Malthouse and we had wonderful night  – met Sally the new bar manager. The next day I helped him and big Al in the demolition of what had been a large Chinese restaurant – Sukhita and I took down all the mirrors.

Over the next few weeks they transformed the place – a proper stage and jarrah floor, a big sound system and the same vibe, only amplified. He got the best staff and began the whole thing over again and as regulars, we all came with him and became even closer as a loose group.12767743_435767349953358_1884534972_n

I was doing a solo album at the time and didn’t have a band as such, so my first gigs there were on my own but then the Spines re-emerged though that and we wound up playing some massive shows there over the next decade in our various incarnations. In the same way that the 90s Spines started at the old bar – the band as it is today began life at the new Bodge.

11063711_10153320008658655_3055088094166005883_nFraser, at a certain point, had had enough and felt that he had to sell the bar. By this stage we had established a great after-work drinking group not unlike Cheers – we had big Bob, Al and Simon, all the Daves, Crunch. Andie, Caro, J.P. and Kent. We all gravitated around Sva who was still the heart of the place really and it was hard to tear yourself away from there on a Friday night.

When Mo took over, the transition went pretty smoothly – we all helped and were behind 12088128_907021266059060_8219126113203630904_nhim one hundred percent and the place took off again in a different way. He brought a new energy and focus and we got to see some amazing international acts. He became a good friend too and though him we played some incredible gigs – like the Buzzcocks support or my 50th birthday bash.

Since Sva passed on we have mostly drifted away from Bodega as a regular haunt but the bar goes from strength to strength in other ways. For me it was a haven in its prime – after a day of torture on the Hobbit or just painting someone’s house I’d just turn up there and get plastered with one or several of my totally eccentric mates and the night would unfold and I will get around to burgundytelling those stories too.

Kent took these photos – bless him.

We played there again just this last year supporting The Fall and that stage felt like magic under my feet again – a big audience and Mo looked after us, just like the old days.

The Bodega will turn 25 this year and the Spines turn 35 so we will have to tee something up. I reckon we have played as many, if not more, gigs at the Bodge in all its forms than any other band.

In all its forms.

(For part one, The Old Bodge, click here).
12421802_435767369953356_114586847_nfff

The Ghost of Electricity – War Stories by Jon McLeary is a new initiative at Off The Tracks, a series of stories and reflections from painter, writer and musician Jon McLeary

To read any from the first 100 in the series click here

Posted in Blog, Miscellany and tagged with Art, Bodega, Buzzcocks, Fraser, Gigs, Guest Blog, Guest Post, Jon Mcleary, Kent, Locals, Mo, Music, Pub, Regulars, Spines, Sva, The Fall, The Ghost of Electricity, The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 102 The New Bodge, The New Bodge, The Old Bodge, The Spines, War Stories, War Stories # 102, Wellington, Writing. RSS 2.0 feed.
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39 Responses to The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 102 The New Bodge

  1. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 146 Hillcrest Normal

  2. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 147 The Terrace – Part One

  3. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 152 On a Need to Know Basis

  4. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 157 Liner Notes

  5. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 158 Hawker Street

  6. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 160 The Rodent Guys

  7. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 164 Me and the Don

  8. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 163 The Electric Ballroom

  9. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 166 Marvel Super Heroes

  10. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 167 Alcohol

  11. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 168 End In Tears

  12. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 174 Maraetotara Falls

  13. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 177 The School Social

  14. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 180 We Are Strangers

  15. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary #182 In Your Wound

  16. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 183 It Hurts to Laugh and Hurts to Cry Two

  17. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 185 It Hurts to Laugh and Hurts to Cry Three

  18. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 190 David Brent

  19. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 193 Sixty/Thirty

  20. Pingback: The Nightwatchman Clicks His Flashlight: On Jon McLeary’s Double Century of Ghost Posts

  21. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 205 Stop the World

  22. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 204 The Set List

  23. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 203 Visions of JoHannah

  24. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 201 Tora Tora Tora 2018

  25. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 196 Ska

  26. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 195 Wigan Street

  27. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 191 Something/Anything?

  28. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 189 Holloway Road

  29. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 172 There Goes The View

  30. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 170 On A Daily Basis

  31. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 169 Sex Can Be Sad

  32. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 165 Out Back of the Bodge – Part Two

  33. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 159 The Braille Guys

  34. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 151 Good Sunday

  35. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 150 Out Back of the Bodge

  36. Pingback: The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 148 The Album

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