What's happening with the Astoria*?
Posted by Chris G on 3 August 2008 - 4:26pm.
A while back it was being sold off for flats.
Is this still the case?
Walking past just now it looked shabbier than usual.
I've been to see loads of memoral gigs there including seeing Mercury Rev for the first time and I think the Pixies.
So seeing as the world needs more "high quality loft style apartments" like a hole in the head is there any news?
Lastly what's the best/worst gig you've seen at this old dame of a sticky floored venue.
* sorry for being centrist it's a venue at the end of Charing Cross road in that there London! ;)
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Radiohead, 1997
Blagged my way into their secret gig at The Astoria by the technique commonly known as 'waving money under a doorman's nose'. They were magnificent... 'OK Computer' had just come out and we were in for a treat. Perhaps the highlight was a great version of 'Nobody Does It Better', the old Carly Simon tune.
Worst? Hmmm... went to a charity night there in 1995 which featured amongst other lowlights Bruce Willis playing harmonica. I think it might have passed through a fair number of anal clefts, because the noise he made with it wouldn't give Stevie Wonder any sleepless nights...
A few years yet
The Astoria will be demolished as part of Crossrail construction, but the management have said they have no closure date yet and it could stay open for another 2 or 3 years.
"shabbier than usual"
Is that possible?!! While it may have atmosphere to spare, it is now and always has been an absolute dump.
I mean't the
outside, it looked like it was closed for good.
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers
Saw him slay the Astoria in 1987 or '88. In the week Kid Rock goes toppermost of the poppermost here's a reminder of what a real Bad Motherfucker looks like.
Manic Street Preachers
Last gig with Richey on the Holy Bible tour.
Incendiary performance. Truly great.
More embarrassingly, also saw The Farm there in the dog end of 1990. Dire.
Does beg the questions
with supposedly all this money flying around in live music, why a venue has to sell up for flats and why so few venues put any money into refurbs? Do venues not get much of the cut? Are there too many venues or can they just no be bothered in upgrading their facilities? Or are they run by idiots?
The last time I went to The Brixton Academy I saw about 200 people queuing for drinks with only 3 people behind the bar (same story in each of the bars), so I think the answer to the final question has to be a yes.
It doesn't have to be like this
The bar staff question is a good one, particualy when one round pays their wages for an hour!
The roundhouse is much nicer friendly staff, nice food (a bar-b-q outside) plus extra bars.
The refurb of Koko (also in camden) was good it looks nice and the sounds good my only complaint is the crush to get out which at times feels unsafe.
London theatres/venues are in general dreadful, shabby and crummy inside with poor toilets etc.
why is this I think as has been said before gig goers put up with it all.
Drink sales at gigs
Yes I agree, the queuing makes you teetotal. Brixton Academy, Shep Bush Empire, Hamm Odeon, Astoria: all as bad as each other.
And you know, that may just be the tactic. Pissed people at gigs = fighting, throwing up, punters talking loudly & ruining the live experience, overzealous moshing, women groped in moshpits, stage invasions, stage diving, security problems...
more likely
ineptitude rather than crowd control, they seem reluctant to take your brass of you.
Never liked it
but seen many, many gigs there. Sound was generally pretty bad and it's a right dump - much prefer the plush surroundings and excellent sound at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.
Best gig at the Astoria was Joe Strummer October 99, dangerously packed to the rafters, very emotional as it was just when Joe started to make his comeback with the Mescaleros - lots of passionate singing along to old Clash classics too - marvellous!
have to disagree
about shepherd's bush (apart from being in wales!)it's ok if your are down stares but up stairs the seats are dreadful and vertigious, it's not the worst that being the Carling apollo (or whatever it's called this week) which is a big souless dump of venue the only place refuse to see even my favourite bands at.