Hammersmith Palais to go

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First the Astoria, now Hammersmith Palais - where will it end?
Develpoers want to knock down the Hammersmith Palais to build office and retail space...nice.

The Palais is one of the country's last surviving dancehalls, and the list of bands who've played there reads like a chronological history of British rock & pop.

Who's up for saving it?

― Ronan Point (beefheart), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 23:44 (nineteen years ago)

that would suck if they tore it down : (

i'm assuming that's the place from the clash song?

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 00:02 (nineteen years ago)

indeed - the not-racist, White Man in Hammersmith Palais.

― Ronan Point (beefheart), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 00:04 (nineteen years ago)

It's still there?!

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 02:03 (nineteen years ago)

back up... first the ASTORIA???
no way!

― i am not a nugget (stevie), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

Every Sunday morning there's a five foot tall pile of trash outside of the one heinous chip shop that stays open for when they get out of the club, surrounded by a spackling of vomit and puddles of urine. But it's hard to be mad about it, because they look like they are all having SO MUCH FUN. Also, the girls dress in the sluttiest possible version of their school uniforms.

The only other event I have ever been aware of that took place there was a Missy Elliott concert about a year ago. But it might be off my radar because I am old and fat, and talk disgustingly about slutty schoolgirls.

― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

"The day they knocked down the palais
My sister stood and cried.
The day they knocked down the palais
Part of my childhood died, just died."

― JohnFoxxsJuno (JohnFoxxsJuno), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 19:37 (nineteen years ago)

Ha ha... I was just thinking that!

― KeefW (kmw), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

Though of course, I've never been there.

― KeefW (kmw), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

it has the old prices for dances in shillings and pence on the back wall - you can see from the H&C line station. quite faded.

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 20:23 (nineteen years ago)

To be fair they haven't been putting on much of late apart from those pederastic School Disco nights.

However, another restaurant and office block. I mean, London is so sorely in need of another one.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:19 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't know this and I live within spitting distance of the place. Every Saturday night they have this thing there called "School Disco" where guys dress in their school uniforms and girls dress in the sluttiest possible version of their school uniforms, and they dance to "retro" hits (which I can only imagine for these kids means songs from 2001 or something).
Every Sunday morning there's a five foot tall pile of trash outside of the one heinous chip shop that stays open for when they get out of the club, surrounded by a spackling of vomit and puddles of urine. But it's hard to be mad about it, because they look like they are all having SO MUCH FUN. Also, the girls dress in the sluttiest possible version of their school uniforms.

beautifully done

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

Or, to put it more succinctly, "paedophilia."

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:27 (nineteen years ago)

I dunno. Every school disco I ever went to (i.e. while at school), no-one went in their school uniform.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:36 (nineteen years ago)

Seems to be a secret campaign to close down all London's venues - Astoria, Garage, etc. Yet the Shepherds Bush Empire which is possibly my least favourite venue is unscathed. It's a conspiracy.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:40 (nineteen years ago)

BBC property innit.

I didn't mind Actual Proper School Discos when I was at school. But there's something rather icky and deeply suspect about trying to relive that experience as an adult.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

what's going to happen to the astoria?!

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:57 (nineteen years ago)

Sold off and turned into posh flats or whatever.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 10:58 (nineteen years ago)

Hadn't heard about the Garage, why is that in trouble?

― Hell Hath No Furry (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:00 (nineteen years ago)

i assume these are all old cinemas or even variety halls, thinking on it.

xpost

shitty indie is the trouble

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

Do they have people staring into the strobe lights at very close quarters? That seemed to sum up school discos at my school.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:02 (nineteen years ago)

Garage has been closed since last July. It was supposed to reopen in September but hasn't for some reason. I think Vince Power sold it off or something.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

I can't believe the garage is closed! that's bloody shocking! is the electric ballroom still endangered?

the astoria will be sacrificed to a new cross-london rail link, I heard. shame...great venue.

so are there any decent venues left in london, or is the carling academy islington (the worst venue in the western world) establishing a monopoly?

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:07 (nineteen years ago)

[American here, nothing to say, just noting that Marcello's overdue for another comment about current use of venue]

― A Radio Picture (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

i never get the hate for the Empire. and it's quite a beautiful building (unlike the Palais).

― vita susicivus (blueski), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Well the Brixton Academy's still there.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

yeah but we're talking london venues.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:32 (nineteen years ago)

This from a Wood Green resident.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:34 (nineteen years ago)

Koko seems decent enough. I don't go to gigs anymore tho.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:38 (nineteen years ago)

Or, to put it more succinctly, "paedophilia."
-- Marcello Carlin (marcellocarli...), January 24th, 2007.

OTM :(
Look, I'm not proud...

― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

koko is the one with 'club nme' yeah? i go past it every day. looks nicer than most.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:42 (nineteen years ago)

It's the 'club nme' bit which puts me off...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

I like the Scala too. I expect that will be redeveloped by the end of the decade tho.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

For whatever reason the term "club nme" still makes me think of 1991 and stripey French fishermen's jumpers moodily walking about to dancefloor smashes from Chapterhouse and Slowdive.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 11:46 (nineteen years ago)

Shepherd's Bush Empire has a TERRIBLE sound system

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

Best gig I saw at Hammersmith Palais - Orange Juice supported by Jonathan Richman

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

I saw Jesus and Mary Chain, supported by Sonic Youth and Pink Military. New Order also supported them in that they got tickets and clapped.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

only went to one gig at the Palais: Basement Jaxx '03

never noticed inferiority of SBE sound compared to other similar venues. maybe i've been lucky. my ears were almost bleeding after a Mogwai gig there in '01. no jokes please.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

Bands I specifically remember seeing at the Palais: The Cult; The Cure; The Damned; The Fall; Killing Joke; Siouxsie & The Banshees (with Altered Images, The Associates & The Yachts iirc); Spizzwhatevertheywerecalledthatyear; Theatre Of Hate....

The fact that they're pulling it down might bother me if they were still putting on worthwhile music, but seeing as "they haven't been putting on much of late [of late Marcello? It must be at least 10 years - probably a great deal longer!] apart from those pederastic School Disco nights", who cares?

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

Oh and New Order

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 21:09 (nineteen years ago)

Best show I saw there - The Specials, Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Selecter, August 79. And Stiff Little Fingers with the Vapours there the same week. And Stewart's right. Who cares? No one in their right mind cared when the Rainbow ceased to be, a far more important venue.

― Allen Baekeland (Allen Baekeland), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

I only care because it seems to be part of a trend of London venues closing, I've never been to the Palais, have no idea if they put anything on I'd want to go to, probably not.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:07 (nineteen years ago)

"And Stiff Little Fingers with the Vapours there the same week."

Hey, I was at that one too!

I was the little skinny guy with black spiky hair and "Damned" written on the back of his leather, standing next to the tall skinny guy with blonde spiky hair and "SLF" on the back of his leather, right up in front of the stage* - which one were you?

(* me and my mate Cally, just about every gig we went to, '78 - '81)

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 25 January 2007 00:26 (nineteen years ago)

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