“I was made up to learn that a group of musicians and friends are putting a plaque on the wall of the Zanzibar in celebration of the late, great Tony Butler who ran the venue for a quarter of a century.
The Zanzibar was special and Tony was at the heart of why the venue is regarded with such affection by artists and audiences alike. On the face of it, the Zanzi was just another small, sweaty venue (my favourite type) but the fact that it was so well regarded for such a long period of time is very much down to Tony.
Tony was a unique character and one who is much missed by all those who knew him. He gave opportunities to loads of young bands including the likes of The Coral, The Zutons, The Maybes, The Tea Street Band and Red Rum Club to name just a few of the better-known ones.
He ran the Zanzibar like a caring, benevolent dictator. He looked after people but if he thought you were a fool he wouldn’t entertain you. Even if you were a ‘big’ name you would get the treatment that Tony thought you deserved. If you were someone he liked but thought you were getting above yourself then he would gently but firmly put you in your place.
He was unfailingly loyal and supportive to those he liked and would give anyone a chance. Those who knew Tony knew he was a lovely generous soul, although this was sometimes hidden behind a surprisingly shy and sometimes grumpy exterior.
I was lucky enough to get to know Tony well over many years. Somehow I managed to fool him into thinking I wasn’t an idiot and we became good friends. Obviously, I’d see him when I was at gigs at his venue and we’d have a chat at the door. I’d also pop in to say hello if I was in town on the way somewhere else but my favourite memories are of spending an hour or two with Tony during the daytime when we would natter over a cup of tea in his tiny ‘office’ space. (Well it had a phone and he plugged his laptop in so it was technically an office).
Tony did look out for loads of local artists and kept an eye on their progress. I remember going to see The Coral with him at the Philharmonic Hall, which is probably about as far away as you can get from the band’s beginnings at the Zanzi. He would never say it but you could tell he was incredibly proud of the success of the band as I’m sure he was with all those he worked with.
Everyone who has gone to gigs in Liverpool will have their own favourite memories of the Zanzi and I’m the same. Off the top of my head, I remember great Bandwagon nights with The Bandits, The Stands, The Zutons, and a great early gig by The Libertines. I loved the ‘secret’ gig The Coral did with Mick and John Head and the mad free pre-Glastonbury gig with The Stands and The Bandits.
We were approached before LIMF 2019 about having a tribute for Tony as part of the festival to which we happily agreed. It was put together by Nick from The Tea Street Band and they played on the night along with a bunch of others (including The Zutons) who wanted to acknowledge the role Tony had played in their careers. That was a lovely event but it was a one-off. The plaque will be there forever and will be a fitting reminder of a great venue and a good man who was a great supporter of Liverpool music.
Thankfully the latest news is that the Zanzibar is set to continue as a live music venue. That’s great news for the local music community and something which feels entirely appropriate given its rich history in the city.”
Kev McManus, Head of UNESCO City of Music, Culture Liverpool
