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, Wales. It was a special place for fans of rock music and other alternative styles. Many bands that are now very famous played there when they were just starting out.
Radio 1 DJ John Peel even called it "The Legendary TJ's." The club closed in 2010 after its owner, John Sicolo, passed away. Later, his grandson opened a new place called El Sieco's nearby. It tried to bring back the spirit of TJ's. However, El Sieco's closed in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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How TJ's Started
John Sicolo first opened the building in 1971. It was a restaurant called "Cedar's Rest." Later, it became a burger place named "The Pittsburg Diner."
In 1973, John Sicolo bought the building. He made it bigger by adding another property. This new, larger place became a nightclub called "El Sieco's." Many different musicians, including local folk artists, performed there.
The Name TJ's
The name TJ's has a few possible stories. Some people think it came from the initials of John Sicolo's sister, Jeanette, and his partner, Trilby Tucker. So, it would be "Trilby and Jeanette."
Other people believe the name came from Trilby Tucker and John Sicolo himself. They say Trilby helped make it a live music spot in 1985. She supposedly named it "Trilby and John's."
Another idea is that John's daughter, Janet Sicolo, worked with Trilby to save the club. Because of their efforts, the name changed to TJ's, meaning "Trilby and Janet."
Famous Bands at TJ's
Oasis's Early Show
On May 3, 1994, the band Oasis played at TJ's. They were a new band from Manchester at the time. Oasis often visited South Wales that year to record music.
At TJ's, they played on a stage that was almost level with the crowd. This made it a very close and exciting show. Members of the band Manic Street Preachers were in the audience. Soon after, Oasis's lead singer, Liam Gallagher, was on the cover of NME magazine.
Other Big Names
Many other famous bands played at TJ's early in their careers. Catatonia even filmed their music video for "Mulder and Scully" there.
Some of the other bands include:
- The Manic Street Preachers
- Green Day
- The Offspring
- Lostprophets
- Iron Maiden
- The Stone Roses
- Muse
- Primal Scream
- Skunk Anansie
TJ's Popularity and End
TJ's was very popular. John Sicolo, the owner, passed away on March 14, 2010. He was 66 years old. A special concert was held in his honor in Newport. The band Goldie Lookin' Chain performed there.
In September 2011, the TJ's building was sold. In February 2013, a fire damaged the building. People thought it was set on purpose. In 2019, plans were approved to turn the building into a hotel. This project will help restore the historic building.
El Sieco's
El Sieco's was a venue on Market Street in Newport. It was opened by John Sicolo's grandson, Ashley, in 2016. The club tried to recreate the feel of the original TJ's. It even had items and decorations saved from the old TJ's building. El Sieco's closed permanently in 2020.
See also
