{"id":623990,"date":"2025-12-10T10:17:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T10:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/623990\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T10:17:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T10:17:24","slug":"a-liverpool-photographer-documents-memorable-nights-at-the-kazimier-10-years-after-it-closed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/623990\/","title":{"rendered":"A Liverpool photographer documents memorable nights at The Kazimier 10 years after it closed"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Liverpool photographer has documented years of legendary events at The Kazimier, 10 years after it closed for good.<\/p>\n

John Johnson came back to live in the city centre in 2010 and discovered the venue for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He started going regularly and photographing various nights including gigs by Sleaford Mods, Blossoms, Buzzcocks, Miles Kane, Michael Kiwanuka and Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band and lots more.<\/p>\n

He was also there when it all came to a memorable end with a sci-fi themed New Year\u2019s Eve farewell party, Escape To Planet Kronos.<\/p>\n

Now Bootle-born John has decided to give The Kaz the tribute it deserves \u2013 a book filled with images taken over five years which capture some very special times.<\/p>\n

\"leeCredit: John Johnson<\/p>\n

Called \u2018No Place Like \u2018Holme\u2019, as a nod to its Wolstenholme Square home, the book features over 80 full colour photos which he describes as \u201ca snapshot into some of those nights that took place inside that wondrous space.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI moved back to the city after quite a few years away travelling, landed in the Ropewalks area and this was the place on everyone\u2019s lips,\u201d says John.<\/p>\n

\u201cWolstenholme Square was somewhere I wouldn\u2019t normally venture to before I went away, I was more in the Krazyhouse, but I\u2019d heard about this place and once you went in it was a whole new world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved going there as a punter, mostly importantly, but I also knew how everyone else who went there felt about the place. You could see how much joy had gone into creating it, and you felt that as a punter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started taking the pictures from 2010 until the very end, the closing night, which was legendary. Escape From Planet Kronos was space-themed and they hired a giant crane and built this spaceship that they had lifted over The Kazimier.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, because I live around the corner, I even went back when it was getting demolished so I was able to document that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"escapeCredit: John Johnson<\/p>\n

John was given unprecedented access by The Kazimier\u2019s owners, meaning he could build up a large archive of images.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were always so accommodating of me going in with a camera. With most places you get the first three songs and then a lot of the time you\u2019re out, but they knew I wasn\u2019t too intrusive and there was that mutual respect. It was such a special place for me cutting my teeth and learning about live music.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I came to put the book together I had so many photos \u2013 there were a lot I\u2019d completely forgotten about and lot that were awful, but I got it down to around 500 and then I had to whittle it down again and again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were so many really good gigs and one-off events, and there\u2019s more than one moment especially from those crazy evenings that you\u2019d like to put in, but you can really only have a little snapshot of those times.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Like his previous projects, which have captured everything from the Klopp era and Goodison years to Concert Square nightlife, this latest book is a piece of Liverpool social history.<\/p>\n

\"escapeCredit: John Johnson
\nJohn explains:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all connected to documenting the city and everyone\u2019s leisure time,\u201d <\/p>\n

As for There\u2019s No Place Like \u2018Holme, he hopes it will bring back some great memories of The Kazimier.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just my little thank you for the experiences I had there, and I know a lot of other people will look at it and will have had similar experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find out more about the book, and how to buy it, here<\/a>.
\nFind out whats on across Liverpool this Christmas here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.\u00a0
\nFrom the best hotels, beauty spots, days out, food and more up North \u2013 visit\u00a0thenorthernguide.com<\/a>\u00a0and follow The Northern Guide on Instagram\u00a0HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n