The end of an era

[MK Shrimper]

And a sad wave goodbye to an old friend...

The London Astoria shuts its doors tonight - saw many, many bands there, the last of whom being The Enemy last year. Another part of my youth in the dustbin :(

 

[DTS]

Think you will find it has become a black slum over the past few years which is probably part of the reason you will love it so much.

 

[RobM]

I thought it bit of a crap-hole to be honest. The "bar" seemed to do a can of Red Stripe for £3 in a plastic glass - oh no mate, pour it yourself. "Service" with a sneer. Wow.
Much prefer The Borderline.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Think you will find it has become a black slum over the past few years which is probably part of the reason you will love it so much.

A "black slum"? I can't see "the hood" turning out for skinny indie boys with loud guitars somehow.

 

[DTS]

No but I can see them turning up and firing shots at the so solid crew gig though cant you.

 

[MK Shrimper]

No but I can see them turning up and firing shots at the so solid crew gig though cant you.

Lol, you wouldn't get me within miles of anything to do with So Solid, Gangsta Rap or anything like that! I'll leave that to LdnFatso!

 

[Pubey]

Lol, you wouldn't get me within miles of anything to do with So Solid, Gangsta Rap or anything like that! I'll leave that to LdnFatso!

you need to broaden your taste in music Paul!

I saw some good gigs at the Astoria, but it is a bit of a sh*thole and I'm not too sorry it's gone.

 

[seany t]

I won't miss the Astoria THAT much as its a horrid and smelly and overpriced venue, HOWEVER I am concerned that its yet ANOTHER music venue gone.

How many more will we lose? Given that money in music these days is starting to come from playing live as opposed to downloads / commercial sales, surely this is poor vision and detrimental to a towns status?

Southend I think misses a venue the size of the Esplanade. It looks like Leicester will soon miss music venues altogether with The Charlotte on its last legs. When these places are gone, they're generally gone for good.

These places (along with theatres, book shops, vintage clothing, libraries, museums, etc) are what make towns and cities worth living in to many. Lose those, and they're just soulless streets populated with gastro pubs and coffee shops.

 

[DTS]

Lol, you wouldn't get me within miles of anything to do with So Solid, Gangsta Rap or anything like that! I'll leave that to LdnFatso!

No but some of our black friends decision to fire a gun at one of there concerts is one of the main reasons for its closure.

 

[Pubey]

I won't miss the Astoria THAT much as its a horrid and smelly and overpriced venue, HOWEVER I am concerned that its yet ANOTHER music venue gone.

How many more will we lose? Given that money in music these days is starting to come from playing live as opposed to downloads / commercial sales, surely this is poor vision and detrimental to a towns status?

Southend I think misses a venue the size of the Esplanade. It looks like Leicester will soon miss music venues altogether with The Charlotte on its last legs. When these places are gone, they're generally gone for good.

These places (along with theatres, book shops, vintage clothing, libraries, museums, etc) are what make towns and cities worth living in to many. Lose those, and they're just soulless streets populated with gastro pubs and coffee shops.

agreed, it will be a shame if the Charlotte goes, I went there loads when at uni.

I think we're losing the medium sized venues which is a real shame as they are the bread and butter venues for most bands... instead bands tend to do just 4-5 UK dates at the academy venues and that's it. I think live music is generally suffering outside of London/Manchester/Glasgow

 

[seany t]

agreed, it will be a shame if the Charlotte goes, I went there loads when at uni.

I think we're losing the medium sized venues which is a real shame as they are the bread and butter venues for most bands... instead bands tend to do just 4-5 UK dates at the academy venues and that's it. I think live music is generally suffering outside of London/Manchester/Glasgow

Too true. Not many bands can fill arenas, and not many of us can afford (or even want) to go see bands of that ilk every month.

These middle sized venues are where I've seen 90% of the live music I've seen I'd wager. But half of these places (Esplanade / Metro / Astoria / Electric Ballroom / etc) are now gone forever...

 

[MK Shrimper]

you need to broaden your taste in music Paul!

I saw some good gigs at the Astoria, but it is a bit of a sh*thole and I'm not too sorry it's gone.

The best venues are always sh*t holes IMHO - maybe it was a dump and maybe I'm seeing it through rose tinted glasses but I saw bands like The Manics, Stereophonics, Mansun etc before they went stellar (or a bit bigger in the case of Mansun!). I won't miss the overpriced cans of warm Red Stripe though!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Too true. Not many bands can fill arenas, and not many of us can afford (or even want) to go see bands of that ilk every month.

These middle sized venues are where I've seen 90% of the live music I've seen I'd wager. But half of these places (Esplanade / Metro / Astoria / Electric Ballroom / etc) are now gone forever...

Army & Navy?

 

[Hazey]

A shame that the biggest name five live got to interview about it being closed down was Justin Hawkins.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Army & Navy?

Went a few years back.

I have alot of memories from The Astoria it was almost my second home for a period of time I was going there so often! Yes the choice and cost of beer was ****ing awful but we was always wasted before we went in anyway.

Went to the best gig of i've ever been to there when I saw Slayer totally rip the place apart!

R.I.P.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Too true. Not many bands can fill arenas, and not many of us can afford (or even want) to go see bands of that ilk every month.

These middle sized venues are where I've seen 90% of the live music I've seen I'd wager. But half of these places (Esplanade / Metro / Astoria / Electric Ballroom / etc) are now gone forever...

Electric ballroom??

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

It's sad it's closed down, like Seany said it's mainly sad because we're losing music venues left right and centre, and in a period when supposedly interest in live music is at a high. Venues like the Astoria may be dark, dingy and not that swish but at least they have some soul.

Some of the bands I've seen there of recent years...Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Elbow, Belle & Sebastian, McAlmont & Butler, Graham Coxon, Sleepy Jackson, !!!, LCD Soundsystem, Soulwax, The Go! Team, The Tears, Magic Numbers, Bright Eyes, The Bravery :unsure:, Devendra Banhart, Dirty Three, Les Savy Fav & Future of the Left.

RIP Astoria.

 

[fatshrimp]

Saw a few bands there over the years, and Friday night at LA2 was a regular event for me and my mates for a couple of years.

Sadly missed, but I haven't been there for probably 10+ years! Makes me feel old, saying that!

 

[MrB]

Saw Queensryche there, they randomly played the whole of Operation Mindcrime from start to finish, what.a.great.night. I was happy with the bar as they sold ice cold Bow in cans.

Give me a dark dingy venue over an arena any day!

 

[Ron Manager]

A dark, dampy, selly ****hole. Served overpriced cans of lager that weren't always chilled.....and the bogs were disgusting.

I ****ing loved the place!

Real shame to see it go, as sad as when The Esplanade (as it was) closed down.