The Roundhouse

The Roundhouse is a former shed for the London and Birmingham Railway at Chalk Farm (near Camden Town), in London, England that became a well known arts venue, starting in the 1960s.

Related Topics:
London and Birmingham Railway - Chalk Farm - Camden Town - London - England

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On 15 October, 1966 the Roundhouse hosted a concert by Pink Floyd to launch the underground paper International Times. At the time, The Roundhouse had stood unused since before World War II. Although it appeared to be a locomotive-turning shed it had never been used for that purpose. Its original purpose was to house the winding gear to pull the trains up hill from Euston Station and once steam power was strong enough, it became redundant. By 1966, it was grimy, derelict and (certainly in October at the time of the IT launch gig), very cold.

Related Topics:
15 October - 1966 - Pink Floyd - Underground - International Times - World War II - Locomotive - Euston Station

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In the late 1960s and into the 1970s, the Roundhouse became an important venue for UK Underground and music events. The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors (in their only UK show) played at the Roundhouse. The Roundhouse briefly hosted the UFO Club after its original venue was closed down due to police pressure and the imprisonment of founder John Hopkins. Motörhead's debut performance took place here on July 20, 1975. It hosted the first UK appearance of The Ramones, in a show on July 4, 1976, that is often credited with kicking off the UK Punk Rock movement. The Roundhouse remained largely a punk venue in the latter part of the 1970s, closing in 1983. In 1998, the Roundhouse Trust was set up to lead its redevelopment. As of 2005, it remains closed, though the Trust hope to reopen the Roundhouse in early 2006:

Related Topics:
1960s - 1970s - UK Underground - Rolling Stones - Jimi Hendrix - Led Zeppelin - The Doors - UFO Club - John Hopkins - Motörhead - July 20 - 1975 - The Ramones - Punk Rock - 1983 - 1998 - 2006

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"The redeveloped Roundhouse will house up to 3300 people standing or up to 1700 seated. It will provide a highly flexible and adaptable performance space that will give artists and audiences opportunities and experiences they cannot find elsewhere. And it will accommodate a programme of work that reflects the excitement and diversity of 21st century culture. It will include a wide range of the performing arts including music, theatre, dance, circus and digital media and will include the Roundhouse Youth Arts. http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/home.asp .

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