Council owned and operated the mandarins in charge stopped spending money on the place and eventually bands stopped playing here.

Unlike the Marquee or even Bristols Bierkeller this was not a place to stand up and boogey. You were expected to sit down stay still and clap politely, a policy that the nazi bouncers would try to enforce sometimes successfully.

But despite that the following bands have all played there.

• AC/DC
• Black Sabbath
• Blizzard of Oz
• Deep Purple
• Dio
• Gillan
• Hawkwind
• Iron Maiden
• Judas Priest
• Motorhead
• Rush
• Rainbow
• Scorpions
• Thunder
• Triumph
• UFO

Even today Bristol still doesn't have a good sized venue. There has been talk for years of building one but it never happens, which given that Bristol has the 2nd highest council tax in the UK is outrageous. If you live anywhere in South West England you have to go Cardiff, Birmingham, or London if you want to see any of the established acts.And add another £20-£100 in travel expenses to the ticket price for the privalige.

Unsurprisingly no band has ever recorded a live performance at the Colston Hall or The Hippodrome that I'm aware of.