It was strange as I'd seen them (LCD) at Cargo a few nights before & was expecting that one to be the better of the two. Turned out that Cargo was full of industry types or people too cool to get loose whereas the Astoria was full of actual fans of the band who wanted to get sweaty & clappy. Teahead would've hated it!
The Astoria. Your memories?
- Thread starter Lionman
- Start date
It was strange as I'd seen them (LCD) at Cargo a few nights before & was expecting that one to be the better of the two. Turned out that Cargo was full of industry types or people too cool to get loose whereas the Astoria was full of actual fans of the band who wanted to get sweaty & clappy. Teahead would've hated it!
Dr. Furface
One small step for me
Yes it was, one of the best gigs I ever went to there (and far better than when they played there a year or two before).
Other good ones I remember were Microdisney, Front 242 (both late 80's), Stereolab/Jimi Tenor (90's) and !!! about 3 years back.
The worst was Devendra Banhart a few years ago, but it was memorable for two things. At one point in the show he asked if anyone from the audience wanted to get on stage and play a song - so this guy gets up, grabs a guitar and sings one of his own songs, and it was by far the best thing played all night! The other thing was I pushed a door into Bobby Gillespie - he wasn't happy!
I won't miss the Astoria tho, never liked the place.
strummerville
vinyl lover
I went to The Trip. Fucking mental. people dancing outside in Charing Cross Rd stopping the traffic, air horns, strobes, 'CAN YOU FEEL IT" etc It was a bit like that scene in Trainspotting when he's looking round the dancefloor at everyone raving and says times are changing.
Also remember a great Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros gig there in 99. First gigs he'd done in London for years and every sad old Clash fan had turned up to see him. He didn't disappoint. Remember the mosh pit was full of blokes in their late 30's early 40's trying to relive their youth and realising how unfit they were.
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
Watching Joe Strummer with a broken leg (mine, not his) - one geezer started a ruck at the front and Strummer dived into the crowd at him - I met Janie Jones that night too.
Going to the Ramones and throwing up over the balcony, looking over and seeing it had landed on some old punk and runied his mohican (sorry if that was anyone here
)
Seeing a bunch of kids come on at around 7.30pm, bottom of the bill, 20 minute set, and thinking 'they're gonna be big one day' and it was Coldplay and they are fucking shite....but big!
Radiohead fan club only show - so packed, you couldn't move and the security had no way of keeping people safe - it was hot, sweaty, loud and Radiohead played like heroes.
Again with Blur, a packed and heaving, throbbing night - they were on fire, so good I almost forgave Damon for being such a dick.
I've been to a lot of shows already mentioned on here too and they were all great as well.
The Astoria was always my favourite venue and I've been there well over a 100 times, so I'm gonna miss it alot.
Going to the Ramones and throwing up over the balcony, looking over and seeing it had landed on some old punk and runied his mohican (sorry if that was anyone here
)Seeing a bunch of kids come on at around 7.30pm, bottom of the bill, 20 minute set, and thinking 'they're gonna be big one day' and it was Coldplay and they are fucking shite....but big!
Radiohead fan club only show - so packed, you couldn't move and the security had no way of keeping people safe - it was hot, sweaty, loud and Radiohead played like heroes.
Again with Blur, a packed and heaving, throbbing night - they were on fire, so good I almost forgave Damon for being such a dick.
I've been to a lot of shows already mentioned on here too and they were all great as well.
The Astoria was always my favourite venue and I've been there well over a 100 times, so I'm gonna miss it alot.
shit, just posted my version and hadn't seen yours
yeh, was a special night, that.
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
I was there
bluestreak
HomosexualityIsStalin’sAtomBombtoDestroyAmerica
Oooh, Le Tigre were good there too, I remember that.
And Raging Speedhorn at the LA2 was one of the most mental gigs I have ever been to.
After the Ned's Atomic Dustbin reformation gig I was so blitzed that at the end of the night I was dragged out by a friend puking all the way down the stairs as all these aging grebos looked on in horror. Probably all thinking, was I once a 20nothing with dreads and an over-inflated sense of his own drinking ability?
Oooh, Queens Of The Stone Age, just before Rated R came out. Was there to interview the singer of the support act. Got fucked off by their manager, was really drunk, and missed half QOTSA. When I returned to the gig they were playing a song that was five minutes of stoner drone, dull, and I left. Fell asleep on the train nd woke up in Bedford. later discovered that the gig had been ace except for the drone and that i'd missed an excelletn show.
And Raging Speedhorn at the LA2 was one of the most mental gigs I have ever been to.
After the Ned's Atomic Dustbin reformation gig I was so blitzed that at the end of the night I was dragged out by a friend puking all the way down the stairs as all these aging grebos looked on in horror. Probably all thinking, was I once a 20nothing with dreads and an over-inflated sense of his own drinking ability?
Oooh, Queens Of The Stone Age, just before Rated R came out. Was there to interview the singer of the support act. Got fucked off by their manager, was really drunk, and missed half QOTSA. When I returned to the gig they were playing a song that was five minutes of stoner drone, dull, and I left. Fell asleep on the train nd woke up in Bedford. later discovered that the gig had been ace except for the drone and that i'd missed an excelletn show.
editor
hiraethified
editor
hiraethified
BlueSquareThing
With chips
Marillion - 88 (and a few times afterwards I guess). Would have been the first proper gig with Hogarth. Brilliant atmosphere and he played the crowd really well.
Think I must have see Runrig there as well. That may have involved spoons being played ;-)
Think I must have see Runrig there as well. That may have involved spoons being played ;-)
scifisam
feck! arse! girls! drink!
My first, nervous night out on the gay scene, when I hadn't come out to anyone, I went to a couple of bars by myself, met some people, and got gven free tickets to see Melissa Etheridge. She wasn't my favourite singer by far, but when you're on your own and trying to fit in, and someone offers you a free ticket, you say yes. I spent the latter part of that evening standing up banging along on the chairs in front along with the rest of the audience - there were chairs, but everyone stood up anyway (and I was wearing really high heels. Ergh!)
GAY didn't hold so many good memories. There was my totally demure, girly friend, so annoyed by the bouncer's questions to confirm she was a lesbian (which clubs do you go to? which papers do you read?) that she fnally told him 'I can tell you what pussy tastes like, will that help?' Then there was the night it was almost all men, and one put his cigarette out on my arm, and said I didn't belong there.
So, some good, some bad.
Le Tigre would be great live even if you saw them playing in the stockroom at Tesco.
I spent the latter part of that evening standing up banging along on the chairs in front along with the rest of the audience - there were chairs, but everyone stood up anyway (and I was wearing really high heels. Ergh!)GAY didn't hold so many good memories. There was my totally demure, girly friend, so annoyed by the bouncer's questions to confirm she was a lesbian (which clubs do you go to? which papers do you read?) that she fnally told him 'I can tell you what pussy tastes like, will that help?' Then there was the night it was almost all men, and one put his cigarette out on my arm, and said I didn't belong there.
So, some good, some bad.
Le Tigre would be great live even if you saw them playing in the stockroom at Tesco.
took this from Centre Point in July, (sorry if the quality is a little low, it was taken on an iPhone).
You can see the stage and auditorium just starting to go.
that's really depressing
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
Astoria was my favourite bigger venue in London...it's a damn shame that it's gone.
Boris Sprinkler
Dont be scared
I was at that gig (2006 or 5 no?), brilliant gig, ended up playing rugby in the soho streets with a beercan, my mates and a load of punks from Bristol, friends of friends.
Last time I was there was October 2008 on a Friday I think at G.A.Y with a female friend. We just wanted a late night drink and the bars in Soho were closing or full.
First time was seeing Machine Head in 94 or 95 I think and many gigs inbetween. Some really fond memories.
bluestreak
HomosexualityIsStalin’sAtomBombtoDestroyAmerica
I remember a bit of aggro with someone getting hit over the head with a bottle of spirits grabbed from behind the bar at a Gun Club gig in 1987(?).
Also saw the Fall around that time, and the Grid around 1994/95.
Gutted to have missed The Trip and the rave scene in 88.
Also saw the Fall around that time, and the Grid around 1994/95.
Gutted to have missed The Trip and the rave scene in 88.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
saw pil there in '87, alien sex fiend there in '89 (junior manson slags supporting), & ramones supported by anti-nowhere league in '95
astoria rip
astoria rip
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