by David Grindlay
Buried at the north-eastern end of the magnificent Glasgow University campus is a brutalist/modernist building that will be your home for CommsCamp Scotland in April 2025
It sits in University Gardens between a mix of blonde sandstone created at the end of the 19th century and modern glass and open spaces of the 21st.
An ugly blister? A true carbuncle? Well, let’s have a look.
The new Queen Margaret Union (QMU) was built in 1968 after the much-needed expansion of the existing ‘women’s union’, founded elsewhere on the campus in 1890s after women were first allowed to matriculate at the University. (Yup, the Uni was founded in 1451 and yet …)
The expansion offered a social space for women to mix and congregate and perhaps was a marker for the future in terms of fun.
Offering tea dances on a Saturday afternoon in the late 60s, where men could be invited from the ‘men’s union’ down the road at the foot of University Avenue, things were quite refined.
But with the growth of ‘yoof’ music in the early 1970s, students soon demanded a more exciting mix of the student experience.
Early visitors in the 70s included Slade, Hawkwind, The Move, Black Sabbath, The Who, and Queen (who consistently blew the electrics btw).
The venue soon grew in importance as a medium-sized venue in Glasgow for upcoming bands on the make and became a preferred gig location due to its capacity combined with the design of the floor, balcony, and stage.
Legends were born and its status grew.
Over the years it saw Kurt Cobain warned for smoking dope by Michael, the QMU porter after playing a blinding set. He was told to rearrange his priorities by Kurt, swiftly.
The legendary Smiths – part of the rider was for £20 worth of Gladioli – unable to source these locally in time, enterprising board members went around extracting daffodils and other flowers from various locations around the Uni – otherwise Mozza would not go on stage.
The Bangles being asked to share something by the crowd you might not want to … at least not on a first date >.<
And a few other tales I *may* disclose in person. Ask me.
These luminaries were joined by bands such as Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Garbage, Status Quo, Belle & Sebastian, Coldplay, Biffy Clyro and Franz Ferdinand who all did their stuff on stage at the QMU.
It rocked and we rocked. It still does.
So, if you want to absorb a shed load of ‘OMG’ moments and ‘his sweat lies here’ etc etc, head up to the first-floor bar at CommsCamp Scotland, where the original stage floorboards are there, and you can imbibe the soul and feeling of what made this great venue utterly amazing. Will turn a blind eye if you scrape a few shavings.
The QMU is quite a place – it is very progressive helping all. Always.
It supports many, many causes that help young people – this includes a charity for student mental health support that we will be collecting for on the day, Elephant in the Room. Please give a few quid if you can. Buckets will be around the place. It means a lot.
We’re also doing a Foodbank collection so please bring tins, packets etc.
So QMU, I love it – I want you to love it, it ain’t especially pretty, but it will love you back.
commscamp 