The Astoria, one of the very best British venues and a favorite haunt of any live music loving Londoner is apparently doomed:
Late last week, development company Derwent Valley struck a deal with Mean Fiddler worth almost £24m, and are rumoured to be planning to turn the aging theatre into a new development of shops, office space and flats. Derwent already own much of the land and buildings surrounding the Astoria, and could develop the entire block into a retail complex.
This is just too depressing for words.
The building has had numerous uses through the years, starting out as a Crosse & Blackwell Pickle factory before becoming a strip joint and music hall. It's the gigs though that has made the place famous as one of London's premiere stages. Nirvana, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Metallica, Oasis, Prince, U2, Eminem and The White Stripes are listed on the Mean Fiddler website, but just about every metal band worth its salt has divided the Astoria audience in two to see which side could scream the loudest. And it's still playing host to more innovative acts as Mike Patton's Peeping Tom are due there next month...
Mean Fiddler acquired the London Astoria in May 2000, securing the future of live music at one of London’s most famous rock ‘n’ roll venues - secured for six years until selling out to the highest bidder, because Londoners NEED more places to shop.
Where now will all the goth and emo kids sit from 2 in the afternoon instead of going to sixth form college? Are archeologists going to be allowed access to preserve and remove the reservoir of Lemmy sweat from the stage? Where will girls who should know better congregate to suck off roadies? And what about the cries of the poor ticket touts?
Favourite gig at the Astoria? Looking forward to seeing it replaced with a GAP or something? Let us know below.
