Caley Cinema/Picturehouse

The Caley Picture House at 31 Lothian Road opened in 1923 and played host to many concerts throughout the seventies and into the mid eighties, when it changed it’s name to the Caley Palais.  After a couple of decades under various nightclub guises the venue reopened as The Picture House, owned by the Mama group.  Tragically the venue closed again in December 2013, and was sold to the Wetherspoon’s pub chain. 

Picture House Idlewild opening night 13th September 2008. ©S.S. 2008.

  • 1969  14th November David Bowie (moved to Friscos, High Street)
  • 1970  6th February Family
  • 1970  11th August Tony Williams Lifetime (Tony Williams, John McLaughlin, Larry Young, & Jack Bruce).
  • 1970  13th September “Stars At Night” featuring Mungo Jerry, Story-Teller, Julie Felix, The Humblebums, Pentangle, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Ralph McTell, The Strawbs, Taste, & Jake Holmes
  • 1971  19th May Pink Floyd (moved to the university student health centre, bristo sq.)
  • 1971  27th June Wishbone Ash
  • 1971  19th April The Strawbs, support band Brake & Crane
  • 1971  25th April Van Der Graaf Generator, Genesis, Graham Bell & Arc (in place of Lindisfarne)
Thank you to David Evans for this rare ticket.
  • 1971  10th October Argent, The Climax Chicago Blues Band, & The Duffy Power Band
Thank you to Oddfellow for this ticket scan.
  • 1971  21st November Wishbone Ash, & Glencoe
Thank you to David Evans for this rare ticket.
  • 1972  4th February Steeleye Span
  • 1972  13th February Wishbone Ash
Thank you to Geoff Collier for this ticket.
  • 1972  23rd April Gentle Giant & a screening of “Jimi At The Berkeley”.
Thank you to Geoff Collier for this ticket.
  • 1972  30th April Barclay James Harvest, with Iron Claw
Thank you to David Evans for this rare ticket.
  • 1972  14th May Uriah Heep, support Mike Maran
Thank you to Geoff Collier for this ticket.
  • 1972  21st May Slade, & The Sleaze Band
Thank you to Charles Laing for this ticket.
  • 1972  30th July Hawkwind
Thank you to Geoff Collier for this ticket.
  • 1972  17th September Stone The Crows, & Tennent And Morrison
  • 1972  30th October Ten Years After, & Frankie Miller
Thank you to Geoff Collier for this ticket.
  • 1972  12th November Stackridge
Thank you to David Evans for this rare ticket.
  • 1973  25th February Rory Gallagher, support band Greenslade
Thank you to Oddfellow for this ticket.
Thank you to Al McNab for the two scans above.
  • 1973  22nd March Status Quo, support band Byzantium
Thank you to Oddfellow for this ticket.
  • 1973  23rd April Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
  • 1973  30th September Gentle Giant, and special guests Wild Turkey
Ray Schulman of Gentle Giant at The Caley Cinema.  Thank you to Nick Brand for the picture.
Derek Shulman of Gentle Giant at The Caley Cinema.  Thank you to Nick Brand for the pictiure.
  • 1973  2nd October Man, Deke Leonard’s Iceberg, Johns St Field & Vyvyan Morris
  • 1973  14th November Fairport Convention, support from Mark Brailie
  • 1973  25th November Mott The Hoople, support band Queen
  • 1974  9th January Beck, Bogert, Appice
  • 1974  23rd January George Melly & Peter Skellern
  • 1974  10th March Chick Corea
  • 1974  22nd March J.S.D. Band, Pete Atkin, & Lucas & McCulloch
Thank you to Oddfellow for this ticket.
  • 1974  1st May Rab Noakes & His Band
  • 1974  3rd May Man, & Chris Darrow
Thank you to Oddfellow for this ticket.
  • 1974  6th June Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band & Henry Cow
  • 1974  13th June Magma
  • 1974  20th June Stomo Yamashta’s East Wind (Stomo Yamashta’s music was used in the Nicholas Roeg film “The Man Who Fell To Earth” starring David Bowie).
  • 1974  15th September Gong
  • 1974  19th November Tangerine Dream
Thank you to Al McNab for this scan. 
The programme for this Tangerine Dream tour.
  • 1974  1st December Argent
  • 1975  10th January (rescheduled from 27th May 1974) The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
  • 1975  9th February Robin Trower
  • 1975 23rd February Chick Corea
  • 1976  31st October AC/DC
The AC/DC programme from the 1976 tour.
  • 1978  7th October Robert Halpern
  • 1984  22nd January The Cult 
  • 1984  4th May Ian Dury, support band Baby Knives (ex Trax)
  • 1984  6th May Blancmange
  • 1984  8th May Dead Or Alive
  • 1984  10th May Runrig
  • 1984  13th May Orange Juice
  • 1984  17th May Psychedelic Furs, support band Passion Puppets. (Psychedelic Furs spotted dining in nearby “Rock Bottoms” restaurant before the show).
  • 1984  31st May Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, support band Bourgie Bourgie 
  • 1984  4th June Billy Bragg 
  • 1984  14th June The Smiths
  • 1984  4th October The Sisters Of Mercy 
  • 1984  7th October Aztec Camera, support band The Go-Betweens
  • 1984  12th October Shriekback
  • 1984  18th October Hanoi Rocks, support bands Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers & The Baby Sitters 
  • 1984  21st October Billy Bragg, The Hank Wangford Band & The Frank Chickens
  • 1984  22nd October Spear Of Destiny
  • 1984  25th October The Fall
Thank you to Mark Fleming for this ticket.
  • 1984  1st November Bronski Beat
  • 1984  2nd November SPK, support band Rebublika
  • 1984  4th November The Alarm 
Thank you to Jim Barr for the ticket above.
 
  • 1984  8th November Lords Of The New Church 
  • 1984  9th November The March Violets, & First Priority
  • 1984  16th November REM, support band The Lucy Show
Thank you to Paul Trotter for this ticket.
I.R.S Records badge, the record label REM were on at this time.  Thank you to Ian Dunipace for this rare badge.
  • 1984  22nd November The Cult
Thank you to Grant Scrivener for this scan.
  • 1984  23rd November The Redskins 
  • 1984  30th November “The Home Front” featuring Baby Knives, Rubber Yahoo, & Ege Bam Yasi
  • 1984  18th December Lloyd Cole & The Commotions   
  • 1985  24th January Everything But The Girl        
  • 1985  5th February New Order, support bands The Royal Family & The Poor 
  • 1985 10th February The Boomtown Rats
  • 1985  21st February Killing Joke, support band Ellery Bop
  • 1985  10th March The Sisters Of Mercy
The Sisters Of Mercy, Caley Palais 10/05/85. Thank you to Jim Barr for the picture.  © Jim Barr 1985.
  • 2008  13th September Idlewild (special preview night, the first concert at the revamped Picture House).

The photos below were taken prior to the revamp. ©Pete Naples.

A view from the intact balcony of the hall and stage.  Once the chrome
decking is removed you can see wha a great place this will once again be.
Another view from the balcony.
A view of the bar!!  This is situated in the original position at the back wall of the
venue opposite to the stage.
A view of that all important light refreshment area!!
Another shot of the bar for good measure.
Original art deco Tiffany style stained glass situated above the fire
exit doors, taken from the inside.
More period art deco features.
Original proscenium situated above the stage area.  This motif
is continued throughout the building.
A closer view.
Even closer.
Another original plaster feature.
Disco days ceiling art.  Also original skylight with plaster detail.
More ceiling art.
Lovely original cast iron radiator lurking behind some plaster board paneling.
Now arguably some of the most interesting pictures.  The original projection 
room is still present, and amongst the air conditioning that has been placed here
remains a number of original projectors.  As far as I know
films have not been shown here since circa 1983, so it’s amazing
these have been left to gather dust.  Possibly with the weight and bulk of these
machines, it has just been easier to leave them be.  How fantastic and spooky!
Another view
And another view.
Inside the projector.
The makers mark proudly displayed on the top of the projector.
Another view.
Not sure if this is some sort of old stage light or another projector, but its certainly a great looking piece of vintage equipment. I think it is actually one of these projectors that are in the foyer of the Wetherspoons just as you walk in, but it’s been restored and buffed up..
Another view.
And another…..
Made in England….
Another view among the rubble and dust.
Some sort of service record for the equipment.
Some sort of old stereo sound control centre? Marked Duosonic.
Among the dust some old film reels lie.……
Another view.
And lastly……