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Live music venues under threat

Many of our good music venues are being closed, sold off and converted into offices etc. We need to act now to preserve them. These are the places where new bands start out and get their first breaks, they are the places where established bands visit on tour and they are the famous places with loads of history and character.
We have already lost the Hammersmith Palais. The Astoria is possibly next to go. There are many others around the country which need our support to help keep them alive.

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The Astoria is now run by Festival Republic and has bookings until the end of March 2009. After this, the future is still uncertain. There is still talk of a Compulsory Purchase Order so the building can be demolished and replaced by a ventilation shaft for the London Crossrail Link.

I must admit it was quite a while ago that I last went to a gig at The Astoria in London. I live in Dorset, so it's a bit of a trek. I last went there to see John Otway perform and found it to be an excellent music venue. For the up-and-coming band, it is ideal. Not too big but still much better than most pub gigs. It is a step on the road to stardom for many acts to get into a real music venue, not just a pub. The trouble is; there are very few real live music venues left. There are loads of pubs where a band can get on an play in front of 40-50 people. How many venues do you know where you can get to play in front of 2000 people.

Your help is needed to save this venue from the bulldozers. In 2009 there are plans to 'redevelop' the area and as a result we will lose one of London's premier rock venures.

Guardian Article

This is where you can lend your support to the campaign to save this piece of music history. Please help.

Wilton's is the world's oldest and last surviving grand music hall.

Wilton’s holds a wealth of history within its four walls and is a wonderful place for people to learn and fall in love with live performance and the associated theatre business.

Wilton's is semi-derelict. Only 60% of the space is safe, and in use. In its present condition Wilton's is extremely vulnerable to vandalism and further decay. At the current rate of decay the building will cease to be accessible in the next three years.

website

The Square, Harlow - Saved

Working with local promotions organisations, The Square will once again host a quality varied programme of entertainment to suit all ages and tastes.

"The Square is Harlow's Live Entertainment Venue with a 30 year history at the heart of the music scene in the town.
From July 2008, The Square will be under new management and will be offering a varied programme of events across a wide range of musical genres to appeal to all ages within our community.
The Square will operate an open door policy - all ages and no dress code. We believe no more in uniform dress, than we do uniform thinking and in the past this has ensured that there has always been a great mix of ages, social groups, cultures and fashions - all with something to offer and all welcome.

Has anybody seen my bike?

On the 19th July 2003 I was involved in a motorbike accident on Southsea Parade near Portsmouth which resulted in me being taken to hospital with serious arm and leg injuries. The following day I was able to contact the RAC and asked them to recover the bike and take it to Bike Business on Fratton Road, about 2 miles away. A couple of days later, while still in hospital, I was able to check my answerphone messages and was suprised to hear one from the RAC saying that they believed my bike had been stolen as they couldn't find it. The next message was more reassuring and said that they had now found and recovered it.
After spending two weeks in hospital, I was finally allowed out in a wheelchair. I was picked up in a car and taken to the accident scene. I wanted to refresh my memory of the accident before making my statement. On arriving at the accident scene I saw that my bike was still there. After being left on the seafront for two weeks, my bike was now a rusted wreck. I rang the RAC and complained and they came out within the hour to collect it. When the patrol arrived, I again asked for my bike to be taken to Bike Business and was assured that it would be. That was the last time I saw my bike.

Charity Memorabillia Sales.
Some time ago, I was involved in a motorbike accident in Portsmouth. I suffered a badly broken ankle, severed ligaments and tendons and a broken collarbone. I spent two weeks in Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham and the next five weeks in a wheelchair. During my stay in hospital, I found that the equipment used to check patients blood pressure and heart rate etc. on the ward was faulty. This meant that some of the tests were carried out manually using other equipment. I am very grateful to the hospital for the way they looked after me and in return for their kindness, have decided to raise money to buy a new blood pressure monitor for them. It costs around £1800, so I am looking for cash from anywhere I can find it.
During my time at UPSU, I did lighting for a number of bands and was able to acquire various items of memorabilia. I am now selling these items and hope to raise lots of money towards the target. I have put pictures and descriptions of all the items here. If you would like to buy something or donate something, either memorabillia or cash, email me we can make arrangements.

Appeal Update