London's lost venues – in pictures

[editor]

Great selection here - I've either played at - or visited - all but one of the venues listed.

Imagine seeing Talking Heads and Patti Smith in the shitty Rock Garden! The Nashville Rooms was a great gig.

London's lost venues – in pictures

With the post-lockdown future of so many live music venues in doubt, Paul Talling’s new book is a timely reminder of what we have already lost.

www.theguardian.com

 

[metalguru]

More recently the Luminaire in Kilburn is another great small venue lost.

The Rock Garden in Covent Garden only had good bands for a short time - it seemed to go downhill pretty quickly.

Saw X, John Cale, and Nico (separately) at the Venue in Victoria, and probably bands that I've forgotten. That place seemed like the Tardis - a lot bigger inside than it looked from the outside.

I'd never have recognised the Cure from that photo.

 

[mx wcfc]

I went to the Marquee a couple of times "back in the day". Saw the UK Subs there in c.1978. Just last year, I had a work thing in Wardour St. I wandered up and down, trying to figure out where the Marquee used to be, before realising that, yep, it was the fancy place on the left of that picture (on the Guardian link), where my nice corporate do was. I could have cried, not just at how much it had changed, but how much I had.

 

[19sixtysix]

I won't forgive Ken his bulldozing the Astoria for Cross Rail. There was an empty church behind or a Primark across the road instead.

 

[William of Walworth]

Astoria, Sir George Robey and Marquee are the three that I've been in for gigs, several times.
All way back (90s) when ... maybe my last gig at the Astoria was as late as 2008 or so (?) , though ....


Most others in those Guardian pix that editor linked to, were well before my gigging in London times ......

100 Club and Half Moon Putney (another two that I've been to a fair few times) were mentioned in the relevant Guardian article, but they're still going, so not relevant to the defunct venue theme!

 

[William of Walworth]

I drank a few times in The Three Kings at the top of North End Road -- early nineties-ish?
Poor for beer but usually not bad for sounds, even then!
Never saw a live band there though ... I think they still had the odd gig even as late as then, though (?)
But its older incarnation as The Nashville Rooms passed me by -- again, well before my (adult) London times.

I was born in London (NW1),, and if my parents hadn't wrongly taken us all away to North Wales to bring us up before I was one , , I'd have hit all these places I expect, especially the Camden ones!!!

 

[William of Walworth]

That picture of Patti Smith** (2nd in OP) is amazing!!!!

**Due at Bearded Theory this year ....

 

[Lurdan]

Of the one's mentioned in that article I went to the Marquee a fair few times through the 70s (also at least once at it's subsequent location in Charing Cross Road). The Nashville Rooms once or twice. Not sure I feel any great nostalgia for them as performance spaces. And particularly not for the Rock Garden (as I recall we thought it was such a toilet we left before the music started). Similar mixed feelings about the Rainbow Theatre which isn't mentioned. I'd been to it when it was still a cinema. It was a fantastic cinema but a pretty mediocre music venue although I saw some great gigs there.

Many of the rock venues I do think of fondly still technically exist - the Hope and Anchor, the Town and Country (now the 02 forum), and particularly the old pre-first (early 80s) renovation Roundhouse, but they aren't the same spaces as they were. Then again neither is the music scene and neither am I.

In 1971 I went to a benefit for the Oz Magazine Trial which was held in the basement in King Street Covent Garden which had been Middle Earth. Interesting space and I'm glad I saw it with some of its original crowd in attendance. But 1971 was already no longer 1967. And today sure ain't the late 70s.

 

[mx wcfc]

I drank a few times in The Three Kings at the top of North End Road -- early nineties-ish?
Poor for beer but usually not bad for sounds, even then!
Never saw a live band there though ... I think they still had the odd gig even as late as then, though (?)
But its older incarnation as The Nashville Rooms passed me by -- again, well before my (adult) London times.

I saw what I believe to have been Echo and the Bunnymen & Teardrop Explodes' first London gig at the Nashville Rooms (was it called that then?). The stage was about a foot high. Went to a couple of other less memorable gigs there too.

Thankfully, in my late teens, I was a lot less fussy about my beer.

 

[Pickman's model]

I won't forgive Ken his bulldozing the Astoria for Cross Rail. There was an empty church behind or a Primark across the road instead.

tbh wouldn't have wanted the former virgin megastore to go either. centrepoint, on the other hand...

 

[Spandex]

Of the clubs in the link in the OP I went to:

The Marquee when it was on Charing Cross Road - I know I saw bands there but the only nights I can remember are Spiral Tribe DJing with a live PA from Test Dept and the first Megatripolis, before it moved to its regular home at Heaven.

Gossips - I'm pretty sure it was Gossips where I spent a night dancing to EBM long after all my friends had gone home.

Limelight - I don't know why I went to Limelight, but I remember dancing to alt-80s/goth music in a downstairs room while a proper 80s pop night went on in the main room.

George Robey - I went to the Robey quite a bit: dub nights with a fog of cannabis smoke, punk bands with the smell of beer, sweat and piss. It was at the Robey on an acid fueled night in 1994 (Freaky Friday I think it was called) that my best friend started calling me Spandex. No idea why, but that's acid for you.

 

[19sixtysix]

tbh wouldn't have wanted the former virgin megastore to go either. centrepoint, on the other hand...

Overpriced and virgin was a reason to bulldoze it.

 

[BCBlues]

I saw what I believe to have been Echo and the Bunnymen & Teardrop Explodes' first London gig at the Nashville Rooms (was it called that then?). The stage was about a foot high. Went to a couple of other less memorable gigs there too.

Thankfully, in my late teens, I was a lot less fussy about my beer.

That's my memory of The Nashville Rooms too, the low stage, in 1977 in the midst of unruly punk!
I saw The Killjoys there as we got a free lift/entry with the band (from Brum). The Skunks were support band.
Other London clubs I got to see bands at were The Roxy ( Adam & The Ants), Marquee, Vortex (Electric Chairs) and Hope & Anchor. That's from a struggling memory, I do have a sort of diary somewhere from 77, I must dig it out.
Some great pics in the article mentioned in o/p. Cheers for the link editor

 

[William of Walworth]

That's my memory of The Nashville Rooms too, the low stage, in 1977 in the midst of unruly punk!
I saw The Killjoys there as we got a free lift/entry with the band (from Brum). The Skunks were support band.
Other London clubs I got to see bands at were The Roxy ( Adam & The Ants), Marquee, Vortex (Electric Chairs) and Hope & Anchor. That's from a struggling memory, I do have a sort of diary somewhere from 77, I must dig it out.
Some great pics in the article mentioned in o/p. Cheers for the link editor

I was struggling yesterday to remember the name of the legendary (Upper Street) Hope & Anchor!

Still going as a music spot it seems, according to this Wiki entry with interesting band list

Trying to remember (obscure!?) band names I saw there in the later 80s and 90s, but I went there quite a few times

 

[BCBlues]

I was struggling yesterday to remember the name of the legendary (Upper Street) Hope & Anchor!

Still going as a music spot it seems, according to this Wiki entry with interesting band list

Trying to remember (obscure!?) band names I saw there in the later 80s and 90s, but I went there quite a few times

I only went there once to see The Killjoys in early 78, by which time Kevin Archer had joined and musical directions were being planned by Mr Rowland, cometh Dexy's later that year.

 

[skyscraper101]

Not forgetting the Hammersmith Palais. Now 'luxury' student flats. Saw some great shows there. Doves were probably my favourite. And Missy Elliot.

Or the Greyhound on Fulham Palace Rd which seemed to be a fun pub with pool tables last time I saw it open. It's now perma-closed.

And LA2/Mean Fiddler. RIP.

Sigh.

 

[Pickman's model]

the pied bull on liverpool road, now a branch of halifax - saw the damned and christian death there (different nights), sure i saw a few more bands the memory of who has been wiped from my mind by alcohol

the torrington in north finchley - only saw mates' bands there, and i doubt anyone but me remembers the ephemeral 'laughterland' now. few references on the internet... but they put on lots of blues bands in the big back room

 

[Dr. Furface]

There's a few now gone that I only ever went to once -
The Kilburn National - saw the Beta Band there, which must've been one of its the last ever shows, it closed in 1999 turned into a religious venue and is now used by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, who coincidentally also have the old Rainbow at Finsbury Park, where I also went just once, to see Little Feat.
The Powerhaus at Angel, saw the Stone Roses there just before their album came out in 89. Later became an All Bar One, don't know what it is now.
The Embassy - don't remember much about it or where it was but I saw Doll By Doll there (don't remember much about them either).
The Wag Club - went to club nights there a few times but only ever saw one gig there, which amazingly was Wayne Shorter around 87/88. It's now an O'Neil's pub, I think.

 

[Lurdan]

I was struggling yesterday to remember the name of the legendary (Upper Street) Hope & Anchor!

Still going as a music spot it seems, according to this Wiki entry with interesting band list

Trying to remember (obscure!?) band names I saw there in the later 80s and 90s, but I went there quite a few times

I first went there in September '76. I'd seen my first punk gig the week before which was a bit of a mixed bag, so I went to see the Damned. The basement was being renovated and as a result they played, rather appropriately, in front of a partially demolished wall, to an audience of maybe twenty of us. Absolutely brilliant - any doubts about 'this punk thing' vanished. Later I worked in Essex Road and then for about 18 months lived in Upper Street so I saw lots of gigs there. Wilko Johnson, The Pirates, Roogalator, Lew Lewis stand out from the blur of fading memory. Years later I found myself working with a guy who'd been involved in managing it at some point but he evidently didn't have any happy memories of it.

Not forgetting the Hammersmith Palais.

Didn't go there very often but I liked it a lot. Troublefunk!!

This reminds me of another former ballroom which was a great venue, the Lyceum in the Strand. Very happy memories of seeing Bo Diddley and Link Wray there amongst others. There was also one, maybe more (?), music venues inside the Trocadero building in the early 70s. I remember one of them, another former ballroom I think, which had become a disco, either called Bumpers or which had a regular gig night branded as that. Saw Gong there for the first time. Also got to see Brian Auger's Oblivion Express there before they relocated to the States.

 

[Dr. Furface]

This reminds me of another former ballroom which was a great venue, the Lyceum in the Strand

That's another one I only went to once, and what a show it was - The Birthday Party supported by Einsturzende Neubauten and Malaria!

 

[mx wcfc]

That's another one I only went to once, and what a show it was - The Birthday Party supported by Einsturzende Neubauten and Malaria!

I was at that gig. An excellent night. I was struggling to light a fag as my matches were damp with sweat, and one of Einsturzende Neubauten offered me his lighter.

The Lyceum used to run Sunday gigs, starting about 5.00pm, with 5 bands on sometimes. Saw a Liverpool special there (Bunnymen, Wah, Pink Military, Scritti (?),) and even a U2 gig - The Only Ones and Toyah were on the same bill. Maybe 1982 ish? Someone in the audience died - a dodgy pill apparently - and we were all held inside the venue and let out a few at the time to be searched by plod. The hall was thick with cannabis smoke while we were waiting. I'm sure I saw the Bunnymen there twice, but may be confused. Certainly saw the Au Pairs there, but it's all getting very hazy.

 

[Voley]

Some great photos there.

Is The Boston Arms still going? Tufnell Park. I saw The Charlatans there, second or third time they played London, I think. Next time I saw them they were headlining Reading Festival.

 

[Sue]

I was struggling yesterday to remember the name of the legendary (Upper Street) Hope & Anchor!

Still going as a music spot it seems, according to this Wiki entry with interesting band list

Trying to remember (obscure!?) band names I saw there in the later 80s and 90s, but I went there quite a few times

It's now more of a pub theatre kind of thing (or was before Covid-19). Poopped in there for a pint in February. Was a Saturday afternoon and the bar smelled so badly of piss, we left and went somewhere else.

 

[metalguru]

There also used to be a venue near Goodge Street - the Unplugged Club in Alfred Place - which I'm curious to know if it is still going. I can't remember the exact address - but from a quick google it may now be a private members club.

Jayne County and the Electric Chairs must have been one of the hardest gigging bands in London at one point. I remember seeing them at the Marquee, Dingwalls and a bit later on with a semi residency at the Sir George Robey.

 

[Lurdan]

The Lyceum used to run Sunday gigs, starting about 5.00pm, with 5 bands on sometimes.

I remember one of those in about '79 with The Mekons, The Fall. The Human League (mk 1), The Gang Of Four and Stiff Little Fingers. I think it was sponsored and presumably partly broadcast by Capital Radio. Some nazi's turned up and kicked off. Capital DJ 'Little' Nicky Horne was DJ'ing from one of the boxes. All of a sudden he disappeared out of sight as the missiles started landing around him.

Couple more lost venues come back to me - one was underneath the Westway near Notting Hill Gate. Used to be free gigs there regularly in summer at the start of the '70s. The one I remember particularly included Skin Alley, only time I saw them. The other was Les Cousin's folk club in Greek Street. Friend was more into folk and I went a number of times with him. John Martyn and Mike Cooper come to mind. (Obviously when you get into the area of jazz, free jazz and improv, as I did gradually, there is a whole load of former clubs and performance spaces. My favourite was the Vortex at it's old location in Stoke Newington Church Street). Lot of former college venues as well in the days of the 'college circuit'.

I was trying to remember the name of a West London pub venue which as I recall had the performance area in the middle of a big room adjacent to the bar so it was kind of in the round. Still no idea which it was but while looking I found this flickr album of photos of lost music venues. The notes under each picture often contain links to other pictures. Includes a number of those which have been mentioned.

London Lost Music Venues: Rock Music - Flickr

 

[blossie33]

Some great photos there.

Is The Boston Arms still going? Tufnell Park. I saw The Charlatans there, second or third time they played London, I think. Next time I saw them they were headlining Reading Festival.

Yes, I believe they still have music events at the Boston along with their other large room they call the Dome.

There's a hotel being built where the George Robey was after the pub was partially demolished and the site was empty for years.

A friend and I came down from Brum and went to the Marquee in Wardour Street once. When I moved to London I was able to spot where it was in relation to the position of the Ship pub where people used to go for an alcoholic drink beforehand

 

[blossie33]

Lurdan - are you thinking of the original Mean Fiddler pub in Harlesden?
That was a music venue, I went there to see a band once.

 

[Lurdan]

Lurdan - are you thinking of the original Mean Fiddler pub in Harlesden?
That was a music venue, I went there to see a band once.

I honestly don't know - West London is largely another country to me

 

[blossie33]

I honestly don't know - West London is largely another country to me

...me too really

 

[William of Walworth]

A friend and I came down from Brum and went to the Marquee in Wardour Street once. When I moved to London I was able to spot where it was in relation to the position of the Ship pub where people used to go for an alcoholic drink beforehand

I remember The Ship -- it was my work local in my first (1-year) postgrad job in 1985/86 (pub was very close to a British Library department nearby)

But the above from you implies that The Marquee didn't serve alcohol?? -- surely that can't be
Or maybe just overpriced/club-priced alcohol, which I can believe!