#209 - 5 London Venues With Rich Music Histories
The Roundhouse, Camden
Now one of the best-known venues in London for concerts, The Roundhouse began its life as a railway repair and maintenance shed before becoming cultural venue in 1960. It was at The Roundhouse that some of the most memorable performances of the 60s took place, including from Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Sex Pistols, Fleetwood Mac and many more. It played a crucial role in the punk and post-punk movement in London during the 1970s.
The Half Moon, Putney
In late 2009 a planned refurbishment was set to turn the Half Moon into a gastro-pub. The renowned music venue took a spirited campaign, supported by almost 6,000 fans on Facebook, to persuade Young's Brewery to keep live music at the heart of a new Halfmoon. When the pub first started putting on concerts in 1963, there were performances from folk stars, including Roy Harper and legendary American blues men. Over the years many more big names have taken to the pub's backroom stage, including The Rolling Stones, Kate Bush etc.
The Dublin Castle, Camden
This venue has become something of a training ground for indie's next big things with Blur, Coldplay, and Arctic Monkeys all appearing. One of Camden's most famous residents, the late Amy Winehouse, performed there and she was also known to pop behind the bar on occasion and help serve drinks to customers. The pub continues to thrive as a music venue and is one of the main ports of call for the Camden Crawl festival.
The Hope and Anchor, Islington
The basement room at The Hope and Anchor has been a silent witness to some raucous music history. The venue is most readily associated with pub rock and punk - in the early 1970s there were gigs from, among others, The Damned and Dr Feelgood. The pub was the scene of an early U2 gig and was the place where Joy Division made their London debut. The Hope and Anchor continues to put on gigs and comedy nights and there is plenty of memorabilia on the walls to remind visitors of its impressive past.
MOTH club, Hackney
Tucked away in a corner of Hackney in East London, this former servicemen’s club has seen some of the world’s biggest music stars grace its stage. Everyone from Lady Gaga to the Foo Fighters has played there alongside many of our most rapidly emerging bands and acts. With decor harking back to its early life including wooden walls and red leather seating, few venues offer such a unique place to witness live music.
