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London music venues

Bourneendboy

Bourneendboy

pfm Member
Having been going to gigs regularly for the last 40 years, most of them in London, I've been to many different venues and now have a great interest in their history.
Unfortunately, many have now disappeared which is a great shame. Some of my favourites are The Electric Ballroom, Dingwalls, The Lyceum, The Astoria, The Mean Fiddler and the New Cross Venue. Not just because I've seen some amazing bands there, but they are just great venues!

My fist gig was The Jam at the Rainbow in late '78, still my best ever and another great venue!
 
It may sound harsh but I really don't miss The Astoria. As a teenager going to metal gigs it had a well-deserved reputation for heavy-handed security. A friend of mine was taken out the back and seriously assaulted by the bouncers when we saw DRI play there.

I saw some great gigs there but I'd much rather The Scala or Camden Palace for that size of venue.
 
I'm old enough to remember the final days of Ronnie Scott's old place at 39, Gerrard Street. :(

I was particularly fond of the Lyceum though as I saw some really excellent bands and concerts there. :)
 
I'd put a appreciative mention in for Hammersmith Palais - don't think I ever saw a bad show there. A nice size venue and, if memory serves, the stage against a longer side not a narrower side.
 
Living in Stamford Brook/Turnham Green, Hammersmith was my stomping ground gigwise. Apart from the Palais (OK) was the amazing Clarendon Ballroom (where I saw Spacemen 3's first London gig) with the legendary Klubfoot downstairs where the psychobillies hung out. Thinking about it, I saw The Men They Couldn't Hang fourth on the bill there too. The Greyhound and Hammersmith Odeon were around about as well. The Harlesden Mean Fiddler was an excellent venue but a pain to get to for me-excellent ventilation for hot gigs though.
 
Spent many enjoyable nights at The Lyceum, H Palais and Ronnie Scott's.
Also love Half Moon (Putney), Union Chapel (shouldn't be that good but is), Cafe Oto and ULU.


paulfromcamden said:
It may sound harsh but I really don't miss The Astoria. As a teenager going to metal gigs it had a well-deserved reputation for heavy-handed security. A friend of mine was taken out the back and seriously assaulted by the bouncers when we saw DRI play there.
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Perhaps not coincidentally I witnessed someone being violently assaulted by security after getting into a non shouty disagreement with a cloakroom attendant.
imsmc late 80s/early 90s and I didn't return to The Astoria.
 
The bleedin' obvious, but still good, Brixton Academy, XOYO good for smaller stuff.

Fav one. now long gone, Tiles

Bloss
 
Always liked Koko and the Jazz Cafe in Camden. Also the 606. Thankfully still a few good places to see Jazz in London, though gets a bit pricey as a 250 mile round trip.

When I lived in London in the 80s, I went to the Marquee every week, sometimes 2-3 times. It was a sweaty hell hole, but the bands at the time were awesome.
 
paulfromcamden said:
It may sound harsh but I really don't miss The Astoria. As a teenager going to metal gigs it had a well-deserved reputation for heavy-handed security. A friend of mine was taken out the back and seriously assaulted by the bouncers when we saw DRI play there.

I saw some great gigs there but I'd much rather The Scala or Camden Palace for that size of venue.
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The security at the Astoria were a bit fierce. I saw the Wonders Stuff there and someone spat at Miles Hunt, he singled them out with one of the stage spotlights and asked the bouncers to 'kick the shit out of him' I think 3 or 4 did just that!
 
kjb said:
I'd put a appreciative mention in for Hammersmith Palais - don't think I ever saw a bad show there. A nice size venue and, if memory serves, the stage against a longer side not a narrower side.
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Great venue, saw The Jam there in '81 and then used to go to the Metropolis club night on Wednesdays!
Of course, then there is the greatest Clash song of all time......
 
molee said:
Living in Stamford Brook/Turnham Green, Hammersmith was my stomping ground gigwise. Apart from the Palais (OK) was the amazing Clarendon Ballroom (where I saw Spacemen 3's first London gig) with the legendary Klubfoot downstairs where the psychobillies hung out. Thinking about it, I saw The Men They Couldn't Hang fourth on the bill there too. The Greyhound and Hammersmith Odeon were around about as well. The Harlesden Mean Fiddler was an excellent venue but a pain to get to for me-excellent ventilation for hot gigs though.
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FFS Molee, Spacemen 3 at The Clarendon! This was just before I got in to the band, my first was at Dingwalls with My Bloody Valentine supporting, a year later I believe.

Loved The Greyhound, but there was a fight/trouble every time we went.
 
blossomchris said:
The bleedin' obvious, but still good, Brixton Academy, XOYO good for smaller stuff.

Fav one. now long gone, Tiles

Bloss
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Ok, I've not seen a bad gig at Brixton, have to get down the front where the floor is level, otherwise you kill your back on that slope!
Always a crush getting out, God knows what it would be like in an emergency.

Don't know Tiles, did this become the Metro?
 
Theo said:
Always liked Koko and the Jazz Cafe in Camden. Also the 606. Thankfully still a few good places to see Jazz in London, though gets a bit pricey as a 250 mile round trip.

When I lived in London in the 80s, I went to the Marquee every week, sometimes 2-3 times. It was a sweaty hell hole, but the bands at the time were awesome.
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Koko, Camden Palace, Music Machine is another Iconic venue - Feet First was a great club night!
 
Theo said:
Always liked Koko and the Jazz Cafe in Camden. Also the 606. Thankfully still a few good places to see Jazz in London, though gets a bit pricey as a 250 mile round trip.

When I lived in London in the 80s, I went to the Marquee every week, sometimes 2-3 times. It was a sweaty hell hole, but the bands at the time were awesome.
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Theo,
Forgot the Marquee, the Wardour St venue was most definitely a sweaty hell hole haha.
Charing Cross Rd was an old porn cinema and run by the Mean Fiddler Group if I remember correctly, great for up and coming bands.
 
Theo said:
When I lived in London in the 80s, I went to the Marquee every week, sometimes 2-3 times. It was a sweaty hell hole, but the bands at the time were awesome.
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Not much better now that it's a Wetherspoons, but this time it's the beer that is usually good. :)
 
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Bourneendboy said:
Ok, I've not seen a bad gig at Brixton, have to get down the front where the floor is level, otherwise you kill your back on that slope!
Always a crush getting out, God knows what it would be like in an emergency.

Don't know Tiles, did this become the Metro?
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All part of the fun in sunny Brixton.

We went to the Tiles club maybe 3 or 4 times, after hearing about if from other older mods around '67/8. I moved to Central London in early 1970 and I believe Tiles had changed names/disappeared and fashions had moved elsewhere.

Bloss

PS: in the 70's we used to frequent the Apples and Pears in New Cross, more a massive pub disco, but gig level loud and the throngs would spill out into the estate.
 
Also saw them soon after at Alice in Wonderlands in Dean Street. It was a great time for the 'Paisley Underground' and festy psych stuff. Speaking of which, The Crypt was a great venue, under a church, in deepest darkest Deptford-might have seen them there too but not so sure. And yes, The Greyhound was a bit dodgy-who'd have thought, looking at the Fulham Palace Road today.

Bourneendboy said:
FFS Molee, Spacemen 3 at The Clarendon! This was just before I got in to the band, my first was at Dingwalls with My Bloody Valentine supporting, a year later I believe.

Loved The Greyhound, but there was a fight/trouble every time we went.
Click to expand...
 
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