Yeah - I did, once. Midweek night with a mate. I’m pretty sure it would have been the Denmark St address.
As it says in that piece - weed through a hole in the door. We played pool, and smoked inside - it was great!
Was working at the Evening Standard mag at the time. In my hazy memory I think I went to work the next day, or maybe one or two days later - and it was front page news on the Standard, with pictures, of the place being raided.
: )
This (still is) an astounding article that completely discredited an economic orthodoxy that has been foundational to our social-economic-political reality, for the last 50 years. Yet… had little meaningful impact on politics (2008 crash, Panama Papers, Exxon research leaks, etc, etc). The workings of the finance sector, micro and macro economics and the basics of double-entry bookkeeping, remain a subject of little interest, never mind outrage.
I knew the ‘larger building slightly north, on Denmark Street, in the record label EMI’s old recording studios’ well - it was actually accessed through that archway people might remember at 144 Charing Cross Rd, opposite the Astoria.
I bought weed thru the hole there in the 90s but it had been a shebeen type operation for a long time - I’d been to Dirtbox parties there in the 80s. Barfly was briefly there and then it became ‘Rouge’ in the 00s and then ‘Sin’, before completely disappearing into the Outernet development.
We put on a series parties there in 2003 with Stuart & Leo & BBE called The Family Tree (I’ll dig out some flyers to post). The EMI recording studio mentioned was originally designed to record orchestras - a circular room where the mic was suspended centrally from the domed ceiling.
We had Spinna playing under the dome, sadly no pics!
Is this an old chapel with a raised gallery and big open space? Opposite the Astoria and was pulled down during the Elizabeth Line rebuild of Tottenham Court Road. I went to the revival of Dirtbox there …at some point. And it was owned by a guy who did AV for The Orb and who shared a squat in Clapham South with my then girlfriend. (i know this is super specific but this has unlocked some very fuzzy 90s memories for me!)
I don’t know about a chapel, although the dome room could have been at some point - I thought the dome had been put in by EMI but might be wrong.
The dome was on the 1st or 2nd floor and was at the end of quite a large long room and there was a massive curving oak staircase at that end which could have had a pulpit-ish feel but definitely did access a room above (when it was Rouge they used it for table dancing during the week and the ladies would descend the staircase from their dressing room).
The rest of the building was all exposed brick and had a warehouse feel, on at least 4 levels incl a basement.
That side of Ch X Rd is in Camden rather than Westminster, so has always been a bit naughty in comparison. In fact I went to a wedding only last year in a slightly cleaner but similarly ‘underground’ do-what-you-want place owned by Sean McClusky, at the far end of Flitcroft St (the street in the orig article).
All in the name of art obviously… https://farsightcollective.com/
500 cap space in Denmark St?? That sounds great
500 is pushing it. 250 more realistic I reckon.
But definitely a good space with a little internal courtyard leading to a small lounge bar.
Even better!
For anyone interested in the actual realities of our current predicament regarding climate collapse, fossil fuels and the deep problems transitioning to renewables. Not the stuff for a heartwarming read, but essential nonetheless. Ignore anyone talking about oil, pro or con, it’s meaningless. The science behind fossil fuels was settled in the late '60’s early '70’s. Fossil fuels will be needed in any realistic solution. A Professor of Geology, Mining and rare Earth Minerals.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X23002110?via%3Dihub
a large % of central BCN is just a glorified Disneyland now. One of the reasons we left last year. Loads of people have been driven out. Pretty much the same story as anywhere else except with different buildings.
On a BCN-related note, I loved reading/looking at this today:
Heard a great cover of this by the Brand New Heavies(!) at the weekend. I’ve always found the Jackson 5 version really moving, little Michael sings it like he’s had his heart torn out. Didn’t realise there were so many versions.
Thanks interesting read.
Was trying to wrack my brain about places around there, we lived in Fitzrovia so was pretty local to us. Any one remember a small venue just down from Astoria with an alley next to it, saw the Tom Tom Club there in about 88/89.
Yes, probably The Borderline, closed down now, but loads of gigs in its day. Can’t imagine them playing the old Soho Theatre Club which fits that description too.
Yes, ta!
Could go in the social media thread as well…
