Make shebeens great again
August 26, 2026 at 7:55 AM
Make shebeens great again
Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42 and post the second sentence.
"And while white youths were drawn to kwela, it wasn't always accessible to white audiences who wouldn't set foot in shebeens."
"South African Popular Music" by Lior Phillips
"And while white youths were drawn to kwela, it wasn't always accessible to white audiences who wouldn't set foot in shebeens."
"South African Popular Music" by Lior Phillips
Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42 and post the second sentence.
"A stack of wood too dry to be much good as firewood provided some privacy so she could lift in her cut-off trousers and sweat-stained sleeveless shirt."
"The World Within" by @danifinnwrites.bsky.social
"A stack of wood too dry to be much good as firewood provided some privacy so she could lift in her cut-off trousers and sweat-stained sleeveless shirt."
"The World Within" by @danifinnwrites.bsky.social
January 22, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42 and post the second sentence.
"And while white youths were drawn to kwela, it wasn't always accessible to white audiences who wouldn't set foot in shebeens."
"South African Popular Music" by Lior Phillips
"And while white youths were drawn to kwela, it wasn't always accessible to white audiences who wouldn't set foot in shebeens."
"South African Popular Music" by Lior Phillips
“Zanti has heard it claimed in the local shebeens, over Viceroy brandy and Lion beer, that the white government secretly encourages clashes between different black tribes. He is not sure that is true, but is certain the tactic is not implausible.…” #marvel #blackpanther
May 6, 2025 at 10:14 PM
“Zanti has heard it claimed in the local shebeens, over Viceroy brandy and Lion beer, that the white government secretly encourages clashes between different black tribes. He is not sure that is true, but is certain the tactic is not implausible.…” #marvel #blackpanther
The like of Maxwell Street were causeways of relative respectability thrown across the Wynds, an ill-defined region with a reputation for villainy that made Mos Eisley look like Milngavie.
(The area cleared for the station in 1876 was said to have contained 150 brothels and 190 shebeens.)
(The area cleared for the station in 1876 was said to have contained 150 brothels and 190 shebeens.)
November 16, 2024 at 9:48 AM
The like of Maxwell Street were causeways of relative respectability thrown across the Wynds, an ill-defined region with a reputation for villainy that made Mos Eisley look like Milngavie.
(The area cleared for the station in 1876 was said to have contained 150 brothels and 190 shebeens.)
(The area cleared for the station in 1876 was said to have contained 150 brothels and 190 shebeens.)
Indeed why bother? This is an ephemeral space where I can discuss Classical Chinese poetry, dark matter, Grace Paley, Nyorican hip hop of the 80's, and lost Irish/Jamaican shebeens of London with people who know much more about it than I do :)
It's not a competition, it's a chat :) I like chats
It's not a competition, it's a chat :) I like chats
April 21, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Indeed why bother? This is an ephemeral space where I can discuss Classical Chinese poetry, dark matter, Grace Paley, Nyorican hip hop of the 80's, and lost Irish/Jamaican shebeens of London with people who know much more about it than I do :)
It's not a competition, it's a chat :) I like chats
It's not a competition, it's a chat :) I like chats
Holy shit. I don't even think I partied particularly hard but mate, you can just go out, there are still bars, clubs, shebeens, raves, they still exist, I'm just 48 and need to make sure I do some yoga before I go to bed so I can still move in the morning or I'd have a crack with you.
August 13, 2026 at 10:50 PM
Holy shit. I don't even think I partied particularly hard but mate, you can just go out, there are still bars, clubs, shebeens, raves, they still exist, I'm just 48 and need to make sure I do some yoga before I go to bed so I can still move in the morning or I'd have a crack with you.
Sigh. There are no dive bars in London, just sad Hoxtonites playing at being cool kids.
In London we have shebeens but even they are dying out alas :(
www.timeout.com/london/news/...
In London we have shebeens but even they are dying out alas :(
www.timeout.com/london/news/...
This is the best dive bar in London, according to bartending experts
‘Sweaty, chaotic, charming, very loud and just brilliant.’
www.timeout.com
July 24, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Sigh. There are no dive bars in London, just sad Hoxtonites playing at being cool kids.
In London we have shebeens but even they are dying out alas :(
www.timeout.com/london/news/...
In London we have shebeens but even they are dying out alas :(
www.timeout.com/london/news/...
…& scratch tattoos done in shebeens in ports were both a really good way of catching the pox and having lethal compounds used as ink. Not sure if Paris Green was ever used. Hold my beer…
December 1, 2025 at 10:12 PM
…& scratch tattoos done in shebeens in ports were both a really good way of catching the pox and having lethal compounds used as ink. Not sure if Paris Green was ever used. Hold my beer…
Junction of Mary Ann Street & David Street (Tredegar St the next junction down), #Cardiff city centre
Late C19th Mary Ann St was considered an undesirable street full of illegal 'shebeens', iniquity and vice
Motorpoint Arena now sited on the left, opened 1993
Late C19th Mary Ann St was considered an undesirable street full of illegal 'shebeens', iniquity and vice
Motorpoint Arena now sited on the left, opened 1993
March 19, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Junction of Mary Ann Street & David Street (Tredegar St the next junction down), #Cardiff city centre
Late C19th Mary Ann St was considered an undesirable street full of illegal 'shebeens', iniquity and vice
Motorpoint Arena now sited on the left, opened 1993
Late C19th Mary Ann St was considered an undesirable street full of illegal 'shebeens', iniquity and vice
Motorpoint Arena now sited on the left, opened 1993
“By 1963, ska was a going concern in England, and, in Lloyd Bradley’s words, had ‘moved up from the shebeens of Ladbroke Grove into London’s West End.’”
Ian Penman on the story of 2 Tone.
buff.ly/BzxZIKR
Ian Penman on the story of 2 Tone.
buff.ly/BzxZIKR
March 7, 2025 at 9:00 PM
“By 1963, ska was a going concern in England, and, in Lloyd Bradley’s words, had ‘moved up from the shebeens of Ladbroke Grove into London’s West End.’”
Ian Penman on the story of 2 Tone.
buff.ly/BzxZIKR
Ian Penman on the story of 2 Tone.
buff.ly/BzxZIKR
Several pints coming your way if you’re ever in Dublin. There’s even a few shebeens with doors to darken
April 3, 2026 at 9:41 PM
Several pints coming your way if you’re ever in Dublin. There’s even a few shebeens with doors to darken
Might improve the atmosphere in US bars as well. Many of them have no atmosphere. Not all though, maybe those ones will do a line in speakeasies. Given that amongst the products would be Irish whiskies, you could even call them Shebeens. Free marketing tip.😂
March 14, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Might improve the atmosphere in US bars as well. Many of them have no atmosphere. Not all though, maybe those ones will do a line in speakeasies. Given that amongst the products would be Irish whiskies, you could even call them Shebeens. Free marketing tip.😂
Worked during it as an "essential" worker - on paper the idea being we supplied animal feed, fuel, farm gear, stuff for vegetable gardens etc
All the smug entitled pricks coming in to get stuff to build shebeens and yucking it up about getting around basic covid measures.
All the smug entitled pricks coming in to get stuff to build shebeens and yucking it up about getting around basic covid measures.
December 24, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Worked during it as an "essential" worker - on paper the idea being we supplied animal feed, fuel, farm gear, stuff for vegetable gardens etc
All the smug entitled pricks coming in to get stuff to build shebeens and yucking it up about getting around basic covid measures.
All the smug entitled pricks coming in to get stuff to build shebeens and yucking it up about getting around basic covid measures.
Amazing story from @upshottowers.bsky.social today
December 18, 2024 at 12:42 PM
Amazing story from @upshottowers.bsky.social today
Very sad to hear of the passing of Tom Kelly. Nightlife in cordoned-off 1980s Belfast was divided between various paramilitary shebeens but Tom's bar, with great traditional music, was a non-sectarian oasis. A sign at the door reassuringly adverted 'No shooting': www.irishnews.com/news/norther...
“He brought so much to our lives” - tributes paid to well-known Belfast publican
The funeral has taken place of well-known Belfast publican Tom Kelly
www.irishnews.com
August 12, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Very sad to hear of the passing of Tom Kelly. Nightlife in cordoned-off 1980s Belfast was divided between various paramilitary shebeens but Tom's bar, with great traditional music, was a non-sectarian oasis. A sign at the door reassuringly adverted 'No shooting': www.irishnews.com/news/norther...
Both pure invention, although the Internation is a nod to all the shebeens that existed in the area. The billiard place (which might be in the next book) was real and, of course, Studio 20 is well documented.
September 21, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Both pure invention, although the Internation is a nod to all the shebeens that existed in the area. The billiard place (which might be in the next book) was real and, of course, Studio 20 is well documented.
Yup. I miss the days of clubbing and gigs and blues parties and shebeens and the like but that’s me missing my youth :)
Who could afford that lifestyle now? I paid for it all from my Saturday job!
Who could afford that lifestyle now? I paid for it all from my Saturday job!
February 4, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Yup. I miss the days of clubbing and gigs and blues parties and shebeens and the like but that’s me missing my youth :)
Who could afford that lifestyle now? I paid for it all from my Saturday job!
Who could afford that lifestyle now? I paid for it all from my Saturday job!
Haha! He had some stories about Soweto shebeens, and had just been to Rustenburg where he went the wrong way out the ground after the game, lost the coach and delayed its departure by two hours 😆
June 8, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Haha! He had some stories about Soweto shebeens, and had just been to Rustenburg where he went the wrong way out the ground after the game, lost the coach and delayed its departure by two hours 😆
I did English in EAM. I lived in one of the East Slope shebeens in my first year, right next to the bar. I did graduate in 1998, so I’m sure the school structure is totally different nowadays!
March 20, 2025 at 3:38 PM
I did English in EAM. I lived in one of the East Slope shebeens in my first year, right next to the bar. I did graduate in 1998, so I’m sure the school structure is totally different nowadays!
Marchers from Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Manenberg and Mitchell’s Plain went to Parliament on Wednesday to demand higher taxes on alcohol.
Read groundup.org.za/article/hund... by Mary-Anne Gontsana
Read groundup.org.za/article/hund... by Mary-Anne Gontsana
Hundreds march on Parliament demanding an increase in alcohol tax
“In our communities we have shebeens that operate 24 hours”
groundup.org.za
February 19, 2026 at 7:54 AM
Marchers from Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Manenberg and Mitchell’s Plain went to Parliament on Wednesday to demand higher taxes on alcohol.
Read groundup.org.za/article/hund... by Mary-Anne Gontsana
Read groundup.org.za/article/hund... by Mary-Anne Gontsana
Lived in next door to a pub (well a few stories above, overlooking the Westway) across the road from a couple of shebeens, Notting Dale. No problems. But driven to distraction by Sunday morning drums, think it was local Boys’ Brigade.
November 27, 2024 at 4:35 PM
Lived in next door to a pub (well a few stories above, overlooking the Westway) across the road from a couple of shebeens, Notting Dale. No problems. But driven to distraction by Sunday morning drums, think it was local Boys’ Brigade.