Parkview Tavern Chatham Ontario

Venue: Parkview Tavern (AKA Bear)
City: Chatham Ontario Canada
Year: 1980’s & 90’s
Address: 35 William St N

Notes: Located downtown across from Tecumseh Park. A popular small bar in Chatham for many many years until it was finally demolished for existing beyond its years.The Parkview featured cover bands every weekend along with the odd original band. The Popcorn band was a regular feature there. The club had a laid back appeal that was popular with the college scene, as well as the 40 something classic rock kids of the 70’s.

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Email us:
chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com
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Aberdeen Tavern Chatham 1995

Venue: The Aberdeen Tavern
Home: Chatham
Opened: unknown: Circa 1971.
Closed: Circa 1996.
Last owners: Ron L. (Al & George)
* Aberdeen reunion 2016 info here.

 

1970’s – Chatham was home to a strong music scene with bands performing at least six nights a week at the Aberdeen. Musicians from all over Ontario join the strong Union in this city. Times are good.  Country music rules the day & the Aberdeen is a bar highly respected in the music community. Touring acts from around the world played here when they crossed Ontario.

1980’s – Glam rock takes over. The bar grows rough edges but continues to thrive and becomes a legendary party venue on the touring scene.  It can be safely said that no bar may hold more good rock & roll stories than our little watering hole here in Chatham.

1990’s – Live entertainment dwindles down to just three nights a week. By the late 1990’s, the live music bar scene fades & Al & George decide to sell the venue & move. The Aberdeen becomes a storage warehouse for a local business. It still stands today (2011) in all its run down glory. The glory days are over, but the stories will never be forgotten. It was simply Chatham’s most legendary bar.

* The Aberdeens final “weekend” of live bands included Nerve, Never, Square Root Of Margaret & The Janet Theory/Foster Child.

Mama, George & Al. Good Kind people!

If you have any pictures of the venue or Al & George, please send them to us so we can share them. Thanks.
Email us:
chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com

Jack Austin Trio 1977

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Band: Jack Austin Trio
Year: 1977

Members:
Jack Austin – Guitar/Vocals
Pat Crone – Drums
Marc Haslip – Bass

Notes: Marc  joined the Jack Austin Trio in the fall of 1977 and stayed on for 3-4 months.  They were the house band at the Parkview Tavern on William Street until December of that year. 

Marc later played in several other bands, Maple Shade, Harvest, Ground Zero and The Appliances.

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Hat Trick (1981)

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Band: Hat Trick
Home: Chatham Ontario
Year: 1981
Ran: 1980-1984

(L-R)
Rick Chrysler – Drums
Mark Wood – Bass
Jeff Parker – Vocals, Guitar

Notes: They were the house band for the Parkview Tavern for over three years. Jeff Parker made quite a name for himself. As I begin to research the Chatham Music scene through the 70’s and 80’s, Jeff is up there with the best of them.