TJ's facts for kids
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The Legendary TJ's
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TJ's, on Clarence Place in Newport
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| Address | 16–18 Clarence Place, NP19 0AE |
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| Location | Newport, Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°35′27″N 2°59′29″W / 51.590849°N 2.991337°W |
| Owner | John Sicolo (founder, 1971) Trilby Tucker 1985-93 Mehmood and Ozzeer Hassan (2011) |
| Type | Music venue and Nightclub |
| Genre(s) | Alternative |
| Seating type | Primarily standing, some seating |
| Capacity | 400 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1971 |
| Expanded | 1985 |
| Closed | 2010 |
TJ's was a famous music venue and nightclub in Newport, South Wales. It opened as a live music spot in 1985. It quickly became a very important place for the Newport music scene, especially for fans of rock music.
The club was known as "The Legendary TJ's." This cool nickname was given to it by a famous radio DJ named John Peel. TJ's closed in 2010 after its owner, John Sicolo, passed away. Today, John's grandson, Ashley, runs a similar place called El Sieco's nearby. It celebrates the original TJ's with its music and style.
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The Start of TJ's
John Sicolo first opened the venue in 1971 with his wife, Vivienne. It was a restaurant called "Cedar's Rest." Later, it became a burger place named "The Pittsburg Diner."
In 1973, John bought the building. He made it bigger by adding the next-door property. This is when it became a nightclub called "El Sieco's." Many different musicians played there, including local folk bands.
What Does TJ's Mean?
The name TJ's has a few possible stories behind it. Some people think it came from the initials of John Sicolo's sister, Jeanette, and his partner, Trilby Tucker. This would make it "Trilby and Jeanette."
Other people believe the name came from Trilby Tucker and John Sicolo themselves. Trilby was the one who helped make TJ's a live music venue in 1985. So, it could have meant "Trilby and John's."
Another idea is that John's daughter, Janet Sicolo, worked with Trilby to save the club in the 1980s. Because of their hard work, the name changed from Sieco's to TJ's, meaning "Trilby and Janet."
TJ's History and Famous Bands
Oasis Plays at TJ's
On May 3, 1994, the band Oasis played at TJ's. They were a new band from Manchester at the time. They had been touring small venues in the UK. Oasis often visited South Wales that year. They recorded music at studios nearby.
At TJ's, Oasis played on a stage that was almost level with the crowd. This made it feel very close and exciting. Another local band, 60 Ft. Dolls, also performed. Members of the famous band Manic Street Preachers were in the audience!
Big Names of the 1990s and 2000s
Many other famous bands played at TJ's early in their careers. The band Catatonia even filmed their music video for "Mulder and Scully" at the venue.
Some of the amazing bands who played there include:
- The Manic Street Preachers
- Green Day
- The Offspring
- Lostprophets
- Iron Maiden
- The Stone Roses
- Muse
- Primal Scream
- Descendents
- NOFX
- Misfits
- Mighty Mighty Bosstones
- Lagwagon
- The Bouncing Souls
- The Vandals
- The Ataris
- Skunk Anansie
In 2002, a band called Jeff Killed John released their music at TJ's. This band later became the very popular Bullet for my Valentine.
TJ's Popularity and Closure
TJ's was a very popular place. In December 1997, a magazine even called it one of the top 50 "Big Nights Out" in the world!
John Sicolo, the owner who made the club so famous, passed away on March 14, 2010. After his passing, TJ's was sold in 2011.
In 2019, plans were announced to turn the old TJ's building into a 58-bedroom hotel. This project will also help fix up the historic building.
El Sieco's: A New Chapter
Today, you can visit El Sieco's on Market Street in Newport. It's run by John Sicolo's grandson, Ashley, since 2016.
El Sieco's has a similar feel and sound to the original TJ's. It even has cool items and decorations saved from the old TJ's building on Clarence Place. It's a great way to experience the spirit of the legendary TJ's!
