Post by South-Punk Admin on Nov 5, 2008 10:27:53 GMT
Like most people, it is with great sadness that I greeted the news that The Astoria in London is to close in 2009 to make way for the Cross Rail development. I was at the Hanoi Rocks / Wednesday 13 gig the other night and it hit me that soon it will be no more. The venue, together with its sister venue Astoria 2, has hosted some amazing rock and roll nights, and indeed some great nights generally since it was built in 1927.
For most of the punk era, it was operating as a traditional theatre, with its final being production being 'Lennon' in 1985. Then the venue was taken over and converted into the music theatre that we've come to love ever since.
I always felt it had a slightly 'decayed grandeur' about it, perhaps a bit like the old Music Machine (now Koko) or a even a smaller Lyceum, and was very suited to Rock and Roll. As well as gigs, the venue hosted many great rock clubs, such as The Apocalypse club in the '80's and the Friday Rock night in the late '80s / early '90's, before hosting the regular Friday G-A-Y night that ran there for years. The upstairs 'Keith Moon' Bar was cool to hang out in after a gig and the sound system at full blast was excellent.
Trying to remember some of the bands who've played there, I came up with:
The Ramones, The Lords of the New Church, The Fuzztones, Dr and The Medics, Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction, The Damned, Sham 69, Hazel O'Connor, The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, Ghost Dance, Fields of The Nephilim, New Model Army, Ian Hunter, Social Distortion, Backyard Babies, H-I-M, The Cramps, The Priscillas, Queen Adreena, Demolition 23, DKT-MC5, Nine Inch Nails, The Godfathers, The Dogs D'Amour, Purple Helmets, Gunfire Dance.
By no means a definitive list, but some great nights I remember. Indeed, the Social Distortion / Backyard Babies gig there in 2005 I'd put as one of the best I've seen in years, period.
The Astoria, RIP.
www.southendpunk.com/html/astoriat.html
PS For more History, go to:
www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/AstoriaTheatreCharingCrossRoad.htm
For most of the punk era, it was operating as a traditional theatre, with its final being production being 'Lennon' in 1985. Then the venue was taken over and converted into the music theatre that we've come to love ever since.
I always felt it had a slightly 'decayed grandeur' about it, perhaps a bit like the old Music Machine (now Koko) or a even a smaller Lyceum, and was very suited to Rock and Roll. As well as gigs, the venue hosted many great rock clubs, such as The Apocalypse club in the '80's and the Friday Rock night in the late '80s / early '90's, before hosting the regular Friday G-A-Y night that ran there for years. The upstairs 'Keith Moon' Bar was cool to hang out in after a gig and the sound system at full blast was excellent.
Trying to remember some of the bands who've played there, I came up with:
The Ramones, The Lords of the New Church, The Fuzztones, Dr and The Medics, Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction, The Damned, Sham 69, Hazel O'Connor, The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, Ghost Dance, Fields of The Nephilim, New Model Army, Ian Hunter, Social Distortion, Backyard Babies, H-I-M, The Cramps, The Priscillas, Queen Adreena, Demolition 23, DKT-MC5, Nine Inch Nails, The Godfathers, The Dogs D'Amour, Purple Helmets, Gunfire Dance.
By no means a definitive list, but some great nights I remember. Indeed, the Social Distortion / Backyard Babies gig there in 2005 I'd put as one of the best I've seen in years, period.
The Astoria, RIP.
www.southendpunk.com/html/astoriat.html
PS For more History, go to:
www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/AstoriaTheatreCharingCrossRoad.htm