NationStates Jolt Archive

Astoria closedown (http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20060905_astoria.shtml)



"Astoria can't be saved"
London Mayor launches protection scheme
11 Mar 08 - London's Mayor Ken Livingstone today says the most important thing in London is to try and sustain the city's live music venues.

It comes after The Spitz and Hammersmith Palais both closed, and he's now developing 'a live music strategy' to protect venues in the capital.

Details of his plans were published today in a report that examined the future of small and medium sized venues but sadly he says it's too late for music institution, The Astoria:

"There are some instances where that just physically isn't possible. The construction of Crossrail means that The Astoria can't be saved."

This won't be welcome news for the 35,000 names on a petition to save the London gig arena, but it will be replaced:

"Where you're demolishing one, you've got to replace it with something better."
London Mayor Ken Livingstone on The Astoria

"We're basically putting in a vast train station but the developers that have actually drawn up the scheme for the area are replacing it with a larger live music venue."

He says he's not totally insensitive to people's protests however:

"I understand the historics behind it, but it wasn't at the cutting edge of modern comfort and so, my broad view is where you're demolishing one, you've got to replace it with something better."


The Spitz, The Hammersmith Palais and now The Astoria. These venues, all important to the world of music, small venues where gigs with big bands were intimate. Now it's going. It's a sad day for all music lovers and performers alike.

History of London Astoria:

1927 - Opened as a cinema
1976 - Became a theatre
2000 - Became a venue exclusively for live music

Some bands that played there:

Blur
Nirvana
Oasis
Radiohead

Why must they shut these places down and turn them to rubble?

Why must they shut these places down and turn them to rubble?

Because they aren't profitable?

Thus marches capitalism

Because they aren't profitable?

I'm assuming it had to be quite profitable if it was bought for 23.8 million pounds in 2006 (Source for reference) (http://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/LOemail/wider_newsdetail.cfm?codeID=15661). It does get really packed out and is a brilliant place for rising bands to showcase themselves.

It'll be a big miss to those who enjoy the London music scene.

I'm assuming it had to be quite profitable if it was bought for 23.8 million pounds in 2006 (Source for reference) (http://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/LOemail/wider_newsdetail.cfm?codeID=15661). It does get really packed out and is a brilliant place for rising bands to showcase themselves.

It'll be a big miss to those who enjoy the London music scene.

It was just a suggestion...
Also, just because it was bought for a sh1t load of money 2 years ago doesn't mean that has been profitable since.

There's a much more benign reason. A ticket hall is being built for the Crossrail extension on the site of the Astoria. A damned shame, as it's a brilliant and delightfully filthy venue - it's big enough to have a huge atmosphere, but intimate at the same time.

The Newt Fancying One says he wants to put in place a "larger music venue"... much like say the soulless O2 Arena say, which is perfectly adequate musically and performance-wise, but isn't in the heart of the West End, and has all the charisma of a glass of lukewarm water.

I'll have to see one last gig before they close it down. Doesn't matter which band, just to say goodbye to the old place.

There's a much more benign reason. A ticket hall is being built for the Crossrail extension on the site of the Astoria. A damned shame, as it's a brilliant and delightfully filthy venue - it's big enough to have a huge atmosphere, but intimate at the same time.

The Newt Fancying One says he wants to put in place a "larger music venue"... much like say the soulless O2 Arena say, which is perfectly adequate musically and performance-wise, but isn't in the heart of the West End, and has all the charisma of a glass of lukewarm water.

I'll have to see one last gig before they close it down. Doesn't matter which band, just to say goodbye to the old place.

Same here. I'd much rather have the uncomfortable intimate gig at the Astoria than being in a large arena unable to experience a real gig. Oh well. HAve to find a new gig place to attend.

this is either an elaborate plot to turn the UK into an endless scene of gray tower blocks...

or its an attempt at this progress I keep hearing about, really hanging onto old hangouts is just sad to me

Some bands that played there:

Blur
Nirvana
Oasis
Radiohead

burn it down, salt the Earth and have exorcisms performed on the land involving every major world religion!