Downtown Kampus

Downtown Kampus was a pivotal music venue in Cork, Ireland, operating from 1977 to 1981. Established by Elvera Butler, then Entertainments Officer at University College Cork, it was housed in the Arcadia Ballroom on Lower Glanmire Road. The venue became a cornerstone of Cork’s burgeoning punk and post-punk scene, hosting performances by emerging bands such as U2, who played there nine times between 1978 and 1980.

Advert above is for the first night @ the Kampus

Elvera Butler  “I ran a student gig in the Stardust ballroom in Cork from Easter 1977 (when College didn’t allow gigs for the last term before exams) until I opened the Arcadia (Downtown Kampus) on 26th November 77.  So the gigs ‘Kampus Kitchen’ gigs would have been in the college cafeteria and Sleepy Hollow was the final gig there.   The Stardust was a well established showband venue and trying to do something different on a Friday night to get a new crowd – Saturday was their big night.  Sir Henry’s was part of the building, same owner. The DJ in Henrys recruited me for the owner to book rock bands.  Of course we were rivals when I started the Arcadia and the Stardust owner tried to cause a lot of hassle for me”. 

Rock nights

“I used to phone the ads in to the newspaper so wording/billing was hit and miss at times.  One of those ads says opening night of the Student Union gigs – that was Friday November 26th, and the aim was a rock ‘covers’ night with the Saturdays being ‘indie’ nights.  Mick Daly was a singer/songwriter doing an acoustic gig in the coffee bar upstairs, and Tweed were a good rock covers band downstairs.  We had actually opened the previous night (Thursday) with a showband The Memories, another good covers band, but that was run for one of the college societies so not technically a Kampus gig.   Both Freddie White band, and Jimi Slevin band were very good, well seasoned bands”. 

“The Arc”

The Downtown Kampus in Cork was a significant music venue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly for punk and post-punk bands. It was located at the Arcadia Ballroom on Lower Glanmire Road and became a hub for emerging Irish bands, including U2, Nun Attax, Microdisney, and Mean Features2. The venue was closely associated with University College Cork (UCC) and was run by Elvera Butler, who later founded Reekus Records.

One of the most notable events at the Downtown Kampus was the recording of the live compilation album Kaught at the Kampus in 1980, which showcased Cork’s vibrant post-punk scene. The venue played a crucial role in shaping the city’s musical identity and remains an important part of Cork’s cultural history.The Arcadia Ballroom, affectionately known as “The Arc,” was one of the few places in Cork city that would host punk bands, providing a platform for alternative music during a transformative period in the city’s cultural history. Back in 60’s and early 70’s “The Arc” would play host to many of Irelands biggest showbands.

Reekus Records

Reekus Records released “Kaught at the Kampus,” a live compilation EP featuring performances recorded at the venue. This record showcased local bands like Nun Attax, Mean Features, Urban Blitz, and Microdisney, capturing the vibrant music scene fostered by Downtown Kampus.

International Stars and Irish bands

During her time at the “Kampus” Elvera Butler brought in many international stars including Reagge bands & XTC, The Only Ones, both had U2 as their support band. The Cure, the Fall, John Ottway Wilko Johnson, as well giving local Irish bands their big chance, such as Nun Attax, Asylum, Adolf Grunt.

The Arcadia

Wikipedia The building was located on the Lower Road opposite Kent Station and has since been demolished and replaced by student housing.