Just wondering if anyone has heard anything definite about this event taking place next week. NME reported that the Astoria 'wanted' The Who and Kasabian to feature in their farewell party. [www.nme.com] As we all know, YCAGWYW!
Tickets are showing available at £30.00 a time for the party which is due to kick off at 10.00pm and run through to 04.00am.

it was, again, mentioned, in the London freebie press, last night, that
The Who, would be headlining. But no more details, than that.

S**t and f**k and blast it all ... jumping on a plane and heading outa town on that very day !! The Who headlining ............... aaaaaaaaaagh wail moan, really don't wanna miss that.

If you're going guys, enjoy it, I'll be VERY envious !!

PS: Just looked at that NME article, all it says it that these bands are WANTED ... nothing in the way of confirmations or whatever. Well hell ... I might as well as say I'd want the Who to play in my living room ... the reality would be that it might just not prevail. Still, fingers crossed ... but I still ain't gonna be here though ! O well !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-01-08 12:23 by paulywaul.

Hi guys,

Can you keep us posted as soon as anyone knows if it's The Orrible Oo!

I also read in last night's press that The Who would be headlining.

Quote
Beast
I also read in last night's press that The Who would be headlining.

Well come out in sympathy for me (cos' I can't be there) ... go on strike, don't attend, sit at home and be miserable. It's only fair !!

It ain't happening........ [www.nme.com] ......party cancelled!

..A suitable, un-celebrated demise for the shithole.

[www.nme.com]

With due respect for the last-minute efforts of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly's Sam Duckworth, who has organised a valedictory charity bash, the London Astoria looks set to go out with a forlorn strum rather than a feedback-drenched bang this week.

The central London venue will host its final gig on Wednesday (January 14) – but a line-up featuring My Vitriol, Mansun's Paul Draper and JJ72 feels like a poor eulogy for a venue that, for many thousands of UK music fans, is the hallowed site of their most cherished, formative musical memories.

Big enough for any gig there to feel like an event, but compact enough to generate a febrile atmosphere, the Astoria was the venue giant bands (U2, The Rolling Stones) played when they wanted to reaffirm their rock'n'roll authenticity.

The 2,000-capacity former pickle factory also became a yardstick for measuring when a new band had 'made it'. Witness the astonishment in the media when Arctic Monkeys sold out the venue before they'd even released a single (although The Darkness had actually managed the same thing two ears earlier).


Will the Astoria's closure impoverish British music? In practical terms, perhaps not. But, as the Carling Academy chain prepares to rebrand under the O2 umbrella, the loss of another much-loved venue raises the spectre of an increasingly antiseptic live scene, controlled by an ever-shrinking group of big-money sponsors.

Beyond the rational arguments, though, there's a sentimental attachment. The Astoria was the site of my very first gig, age 14: Green Day on the 'Dookie' tour, 1994. Later that year I witnessed a camouflage paint-smeared Richey Edwards obliterate his Telecaster at the end of his penultimate gig with Manic Street Preachers.

More recently I've felt the floor shake during a Valentine's Night gig by Justice, watched a riot break out following a Pete Doherty no-show - and, on one freezing December night in 2004, had my eardrums power-drilled by Swedish death metallers Arch Enemy (so they're not all happy memories).

I wonder how many Astoria acolytes have similar recollections, all of which end with their teenage selves emerging sweat-soaked into the chaos of Charing Cross Road, eardrums screaming, pushing past the T-shirt sellers and talking excitedly about the life-changing gig they've just witnessed.

With apologies, then, to those who don't live near London and therefore couldn't give a toss about the Astoria or its plight, think of this blog as a book of remembrance. What are your standout memories of the venue?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-01-14 10:20 by Adrian-L.

Whilist I apreciate the fact that he venue was a dump and probably needed closing, I am still a little sad that I never got to visit The Astoria. Some legendary acts have graced that stage.

My brother saw the Bluetones there the other week: reckoned it was he worst venue he'd been too.

The Keith Moon Bar, upstairs, will be sorely missed.

[www.bbc.co.uk]

'Save The Keith Moon Bar'

[www.bbc.co.uk]



Astoria's end
Bands wave goodbye to music venue The Astoria as final orders are called
14 January 2009 - The last ever gig at the historic venue takes place tonight (Wednesday 14 Jan), with Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. The Automatic, My Vitriol, The King Blues and VV Brown.

London's iconic gig site, The Astoria, is due to be demolished in the coming weeks to make way for a new £10bn Crossrail project, linking East and West London via the West End.

Since it was built in 1976, it has played host to the Rolling Stones, Prince, U2, Foo Fighters, Eminem, David Bowie, Nirvana, Radiohead, Alice Cooper, Black Crowes and Black Sabbath.

The Enemy, who hail from Coventry, have played there many times.

Tom Clarke, frontman of the trio, said it would be a “tragedy” if the venue is closed.
"For anybody who goes to gigs in London, it's a staple venue. It's the end of an era."
Frank Turner

As for why he loves the space, he told 6 Music: “I’ve never seen a gig there where people are sat down upstairs not caring. It’s one of the most small, big venues you can play and it’s just the most amazing feeling.”

A place of firsts

One of the performers on the final night’s bill is the folk singer-songwriter Frank Turner.

He revealed they are planning a fitting, if a little “emotional” send off to the venue, where he watched his first huge gig.

“I bunked out of school and went to see Foo Fighters play in 1995,” Turner recalled. I was really excited because it was the first big show I’d ever been to.

“I did my first ever crowd surf and since then I shudder to think about the number of times I’ve been to the Astoria. For anybody who goes to gigs in London, it’s a staple venue. It’s the end of an era”

Save the bar

The news has even prompted Robin Turner from Heavenly Records - who look after Doves, St Etienne and the Manic Street Preachers - to launch a campaign to save the Keith Moon Bar, which is currently housed within the venue.

“It’s a slightly wistful campaign,” he explained. “Because obviously it’s something that can’t be saved but the Keith Moon bar was just one of those great hang outs, probably the epicentre of a million and one nights out and a million and one fantastic hangovers.”

Take a look

In the run up to its final days, we were guided through The Astoria by Ivor Wilkins, who has a 30 year history with the venue and is a manager at Festival Republic, the UK music promoters.

Wilkins reminisced: “One of my best memories was seeing Iggy Pop her and seeing the audience going absolutely mad and people stage diving, and then towards the end of his set Iggy Pop actually diving in there himself.”

[www.nme.com]

The London Astoria hosted its final ever night yesterday (January 14), with a host of bands played the venue's iconic stage one last time.

The venue is being closed and the building demolished to make way for the new Crossrail project linking the centre of London to the east and west of the city.

Mystery Jets, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, The Automatic, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Drew McConnell's side-project Helsinki, VV Brown and Frank Turner were among the acts who played at yesterday's 'Destruction Ball'.

The event, organised by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly's Sam Duckworth, also raised money for Love Music Hate Racism and Jail Guitar Doors.

Most of the bands on the bill voiced their disapproval at the fate of the venue, which has hosted legendary shows by Nirvana, The Strokes and the Manic Street Preachers in its 30-year history.

Babyshambles' bassist Drew McConnell (playing with his band Helsinki) launched a verbal attack on London mayor Boris Johnson for allowing the venue to be knocked down - although the decision was made during his predecessor Ken Livingstone's tenure.

"I can't believe they're gonna knock this place down. Boris Johnson…what a c*nt," McConnell said from the stage. He then coaxed the crowd into chanting "Boris Johnson - what a c*nt", over and over.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, who had flown in for the gig earlier that afternoon, said the venue held special memories for them. Singer Conrad Keely told NME.COM: "For us, we filmed our first video here. Our first London shows were here and it was a big deal. We were like 'Whoa! This is a @#$%& cool place!'

"I remember we played here with The Strokes too, for an NME Awards Show I think (the 2001 NME Awards Show also featured Rocket From The Crypt and Peaches). What a gig that was. It's a shame, what's happening to this place."

Mystery Jets went onstage shortly after 11pm (GMT), playing a rapturously received set that included fan-favourites 'Flakes' and 'Young Love', while The Automatic paid tribute to the Astoria for letting them play alongside The Cribs and The Long Blondes at another NME Awards Show, in 2006.

"Who remembers that gig, eh?" said frontman Robin Hawkins. "I can't believe this is the last night here."

Not everything on the night went smoothly though. The Enemy had been due to play, only to be denied entry by the venue's door staff. After arguing with the bouncers, bassist Liam Watts was finally allowed into the venue, although by that time his bandmates had given up and left.

The night also saw some older faces returning to the Astoria. Mansun's Paul Draper appeared onstage briefly to sing his band's 1996 classic 'Wide Open Space' with My Vitriol, who also premiered a host of new songs in their set. JJ72's Mark Greaney also played a short set.

For the final ever song played at The Astoria, King Blues singer Fruitbag, VV Brown, Sam Duckworth, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead and Drew McConnell performed a cover of Bob Marley's 'Three Little Birds'.

Despite the fact that the venue had long surpassed its live music curfew, the makeshift band were reluctant to stop playing, turning the song into a 15-minute singalong.

The final gig in its small hall, Astoria 2, takes place tonight (January 15) with club night PUSH hosting proceedings.

The Astoria is reportedly being demolished this weekend.

The day after official closure and The Astoira is a sorry sight......

thanks MOWAT for the photos

Down at the Astoria the scene was changing.

...cue for song!