Live at The Marquee!
The relationship between performers and venues played is vital in establishing the reputation or, indeed, credibility of a given group or musician. Think of The Cotton Club and the Jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong that consolidated their legendary status here.
The mystique of a club, the vibe of an underground venue (at the cutting edge of music fashion) the roughness of a dive, the opulence of a casino, the smokiness of a Jazz joint can all add to the mythology of those who?ve played there. The destination of choice for up and coming musicians in London, with an eye for the big time and rock immortality, has since the late fifties always been the iconic Marquee Club.
The club came into being in 1958; the birthplace: 165 Oxford Street. This was the dawning of the ?Swinging Sixties?, when post-war austerity was morphing into something much brighter, with an emerging and dynamic youth culture - which was more hedonistic, less repressed and more fashion-conscious than previous generations had known. Changing economic patterns also meant that the young had opportunities, like never before, and a disposable income, which fuelled a consumer boom and an explosion in music and fashion. At the epicentre was the Marquee, banging out a combustible mix of Jazz, Rhythm and Blues.
The Rolling Stones, the very incarnation of the loved-up, psychedelic sixties, launched their assault on the world by playing one of their earliest gigs at The Marquee in July 1962. Names such as Clapton, The Yardbirds and The Animals became regulars here, cementing both their fame and fortune and the status of the club as a key landmark of ?Swinging? London.
The roll call of artists that rocked the Marquee throughout the 60s and 70s reads like a Who?s Who of the most dazzling stars in rock?s bright firmament. These include: Hendrix, Bowie, The Who, Yes, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Genesis, to name but a few.
The late 70s saw the anarchic emergence of Punk as an irresistible musical and social force. A deep well of attitude-fuelled creativity was dramatically uncovered, which redefined the music scene. The Marquee was at the forefront of this new wave and hosted the likes of The Clash, The Damned, The Sex Pistols, Generation X and Siouxie and the Banshees. The Jam, The Undertones and The Cure also unleashed their unique brand of music here.
The 80s had a heavy synth-flavour about them, and the club once again tapped into the new mood and became a meeting point for British Synth-Pop and the New Wave scene, featuring such luminaries as Depeche Mode and New Order.
The location of the Marquee, like the music it?s hosted, has been through a number of changes. From its Oxford Street beginnings it then migrated, in 1964, to the address that became synonymous with the club and a hallowed destination for legions of Marquee devotees. This, of course, was 90 Wardour Street Soho. In the 80s it relocated to 105 Charing Cross
and in September 2002 it was transplanted to Islington by the ex-Eurythmics, Dave Stuart ? though, this latest venture had limited success. The club now resides in Leicester Square and long may it continue blazing as a beacon of the London music scene.
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This article was written by
Copyright: PC Meehan 2005
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Meehan who is the features editor
at www.Just-Jammin.com . As well as a freelance writer on many subjects