A week or so back, my London Shoes were in the Finsbury Park district of North London, putting together a blog article (not this one) and whilst down there I just had to seek out a historic music venue that once operated there – a place where the young teenage me, saw loads of the top bands, particularly those from the early 1970’s…..play ‘live’. Some of the performances I saw at ‘The Rainbow’ were more influential and became more legendary than others.
The ’Rainbow Theatre’ (as I used to know it as) opened in 1930 as the ‘Finsbury Park Astoria’ – located on an island in the road at the junction of Seven Sister Road and Isleton Road London N4.
At that time, the Finsbury Park Astoria was one of the largest cinemas in the world.
Its interior design/structures and fixtures & fittings, were quite unique for its time – extremely lavish. It had a goldfish filled fountain in the foyer – an auditorium that replicated a Spanish village at night – a 35ft x 64ft stage – a massive state-of-the-art organ – all looked down upon from 4,000 seats.
However – not long after the grand opening of this impressive cinema – Astoria were taken over by Paramount Pictures – who started incorporating ‘live’ variety performances at the venue, not just films.
However – Paramount found the costs of maintaining such a venue – far to much for it to be run as a profitable business – and 9yrs later in 1939 they sold the venue to Odeon Cinemas, who immediately decided that the theatre would only now concentrate on showing films and organ recitals – a decision that meant the enterprise returned to becoming a profitable business.
Moving on a decade or so to the late 1950’s – the rock ‘n roll genre of music had started to kick in especially with Britain’s teenagers. Cafés up and down the country started to install juke boxes and some even hosted live music. For example, places like the 2i’s Coffee Bar in London’s Soho district, was a particular venue where many a future ‘stars’ performed in the mid to late 1950’s.
One of the very first to get his name in lights was Tommy Steele (dubbed the British ‘Elvis’) who regularly played the 2i’s Café in Soho – he was spotted there by an agent – signed to the Decca record label – released his first record within a couple of weeks from signing to Decca – that record became a Top 5 Hit within a couple of weeks of it being released – and a week or so late 19yr old Tommy Steele was heading the bill of a variety show at the Finsbury Park ‘Paramount Astoria’ – things happened that quickly.
The entire style of entertainment suddenly changed for the old cinema venues – from that of variety acts, to pop bands – usually several bands or singers on one bill, with the most popular act of the day, headlining.
In 1963 the Beatles were signed up to perform their ‘Christmas Show’ at the old Astoria Theatre.
In 1967 Jimi Hendrix played the theatre (as a supporting act to the Walker Brothers) – and it was at the Astoria that he set fire to his Fender Stratocaster for the first time – something he would then continue to do regularly throughout his later performances.
The Astoria was re-named the Finsbury Park Odeon in 1970 – and after some conversion work, it was re-named again in 1971 as “The Rainbow Theatre” – and in Nov 1971 “The Who” were the first ‘rock’ band to play the newly named theatre.
A variety of acts ranging from The Osmonds to ‘Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention’ (you couldn’t get more diverse) were booked (and sold out) the ‘Rainbow’ in its early years.
In Nov 1971 ‘Alice Cooper’ played the ‘Rainbow’ – introducing all his theatrics – and that particular gig of his is said by many to be the birth of what became the ‘Glam Rock’ era of music, as apparently the like of Marc Bolan and David Bowie were in attendance that night, and what they witnessed probably influenced them.
Moving on to 1972, is where my personal association with the ‘Rainbow’ started.
April 1972 saw David Bowie release his now legendary “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” album – and in Feb that year, he embarked on his very first ‘Ziggy’ tour across the UK – a tour that started in a pub in London where apparently only 60 people attended.
As the tour progressed and the Ziggy album became popular – the demand for tickets increased and as a result, larger venues were required.
In August 1972 Bowie hired the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park with a view to staging a massive Ziggy show – showcasing his talent to the good and the great.
The 15yr old me was fortunate enough to get hold of a ticket for Bowie’s ‘Rainbow’ gig – which now has gone down in history as being one of the pivotal performances of Bowie’s career, but of course, at that time, no one, (inc Bowie himself) knew it was gonna end up becoming a landmark event.
Following this Rainbow gig, David Bowie had well and truly ‘arrived’.
What was so special about Bowie’s 1972 Rainbow debut, were its theatrics.
There was scaffolding erected everywhere on the Rainbow stage, which Bowie paraded around on throughout his entire set list, which was put together with tracks from his previous ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ and ‘Hunky Dory’ albums – and of course his recently released ‘Ziggy Stardust’ album.
On the Rainbow stage that night, Bowie was accompanied by the avant-garde ‘Lindsay Kemp Mime Troupe’ a realyl ‘out-there’ ensemble who were dressed in all manner of outfits – and they proceeded to add their unique style of choreography to the numbers being performed……it really was something spectacular and different, something that kids of my generation, had never witnessed before.
That event had such a massive influence on me, that some 53 years later, I can still recall the running order of the set list and how the music and the overall performance totally gripped me from start to finish. I don’t recall any other music event that I’ve attended throughout my almost 70yrs on this planet, affecting me in the way that performance did that particular night.
Sadly – it was not recorded ‘live’ – nor was it captured fully by photographs or film – as it would be done in today’s world – but perhaps that’s a good thing, as it adds to the uniqueness of the event.
Now – the support act for David Bowie that August 72 night was a band called ‘Roxy Music’ who had just released their debut album ‘Roxy Music’ a few weeks earlier.
Again, like Bowie – Roxy Music were different gravy. I didn’t really know too much about them – I don’t think many people did at that time – but dressed in their over-the-top glitzy stage gear, the band played almost every track from their recently released debut album, a type and style of music that I had never heard before – just totally different, and totally alien to 15yr old me – but I absolutely loved it.
During that performance Roxy Music also played some additional tracks which they announced as being from their next album, which they were still in the process of writing – and what I clearly remember, was that some of the additional numbers they played, suddenly just ‘stopped’ rather than continue to a conclusion – and they explained that this was because they hadn’t actually finished writing the material yet!!.
Now – fast forward 12mths to 1973 – I saw Roxy Music headline a sold-out Rainbow Theatre when they performed material from their 1st and 2nd albums, both of which by now, were top selling records, by what were now a massive band, and continue to be so.
Throughout the 1970’s the Finsbury Park ‘Rainbow’ Theatre was probably the most iconic rock music venue in London, and most probably Britain – you name any top rock band or performer of the early 1970’s from Britain/the States/ and around the world – and they all would have played ‘The Rainbow’.
The Who / Pink Floyd / Alice Cooper / David Bowie / Queen / Frank Zappa / Rory Gallagher / Genesis / Deep Purple / Jethro Tull / James Brown / Bob Marley / Lou Reed / Stevie Wonder / Mike Oldfield / Fleetwood Mac / Elton John / The doobie Brothers / Thin Lizzy / Dire Straits / The Grateful Dead / Focus / The Jacksons plus many many more – have all played memorable gigs at The Rainbow. Also – there has been many a top selling ‘Live’ album recorded there.
During the 1970’s the ‘Rainbow’ had acquired a Preservation Order – but by the end of the 70’s the management of the theatre couldn’t afford to maintain the premises to the required standards.
There were talks of turning the place into a Bingo Hall but it never happened.
So – for roughly 14 years, this magnificent (now ‘Listed’) building that held so many memories for so many – stood abandoned, empty, unloved and disused.
However – in 1988 the Rainbow building was used by ‘The Rainbow Christian Fellowship’ – and then the ‘Elim Pentecostal Church’ – and in 1995 it was taken over by its current owners….”The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God” – who completely refurbished its interior and made it into a church venue, which is still going strong today.
So – finding myself down in Finsbury Park way on a different mission, after an absence of some 45yrs since I was last there, and even though it was the evening and quite dark – I just had to check-out the old ‘Rainbow’ building – to say hello and thank it for the wonderful memories it’s given me.
I was fortunate enough to have seen many bands play the Rainbow during its relatively short life as a music venue – but, as I mentioned above – that now legendary Bowie performance (with Roxy Music as support) in August 1972, coupled with the Roxy Music headlining gig there in March 1973 – had a massive influence on 15yr old me – those 2 gigs were so powerful to me at that time in my life, I can still clearly recall every detail of them in my memory banks to this very day – some 53 years later…. the power of music eh!!!!
Hope you enjoyed this little bit of nostalgia from London Shoes – and the images/photos I’ve sought out and put together to help tell the story.
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See below the entire gallery of photos and images put together to accompany this blog article
Finsbury Park Station – just a couple of hundred yards from the legendary ‘Rainbow Theatre’ – London N4
The ’Rainbow Theatre’ (as I used to know it as) opened in 1930 as the ‘Finsbury Park Astoria’ – located on an island in the road at the junction of Seven Sister Road and Isleton Road London N4.
At that time of its opening in the 1930;s – the Finsbury Park Astoria was one of the largest cinemas in the world
Moving on a decade or so to the late 1950’s – the rock ‘n roll genre of music had started to kick in especially with Britain’s teenagers.
One of the very first to get his name in lights was Tommy Steele (dubbed the British ‘Elvis’) who regularly played the 2i’s Café in Soho . A week or so after releasing his first record, 19yr old Tommy Steele was heading the bill of a variety show at the Finsbury Park ‘Paramount Astoria’ – things happened that quickly.
In 1963 the Beatles performed their very own ‘Christmas Show’ at the old Astoria Theatre.
The Beatles on stage at the Finsbury Park Astoria – 1963
The Astoria was re-named the Finsbury Park Odeon in 1970 – and after some conversion work, it was re-named again in 1971 as “The Rainbow Theatre” – and in Nov 1971 “The Who” were the first ‘rock’ band to play the newly named theatre.
April 1972 saw David Bowie release his now legendary “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” album – and in Feb that year, he embarked on his very first ‘Ziggy’ tour across the UK – a tour that started in a pub in London where apparently only 60 people attended.
As the tour progressed and the Ziggy album became popular – the demand for tickets increased and as a result, larger venues were required. In August 1972 Bowie hired the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park with a view to staging a massive Ziggy show – showcasing his talent to the good and the great.
The 15yr old me was fortunate enough to get hold of a ticket for Bowie’s ‘Rainbow’ gig – which now has gone down in history as being one of the pivotal performances of Bowie’s career, but of course, at that time, no one, (inc Bowie himself) knew it was gonna end up becoming a landmark event.
On the Rainbow stage that night, Bowie was accompanied by the avant-garde ‘Lindsay Kemp Mime Troupe’ a really ‘out-there’ ensemble who were dressed in all manner of outfits – and they proceeded to add their unique style of choreography to the numbers being performed……it really was something spectacular and different,
That Bowie gig at The Rainbow really was something spectacular and different – something that my generation of music lovers had never witnessed before.
David Bowie & the Spiders from Mars – onon stage at the Finsbury Park ‘Rainbow’ – accompanied by the Lindsay Kemp Mime Troupe – at the now legendary August 1972 event.
The set list that memorable night was put together with tracks from his previous ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ and ‘Hunky Dory’ albums – and of course his recently released ‘Ziggy Stardust’ album.
Now – the support act for David Bowie that August 72 night was a band called ‘Roxy Music’ who had just released their debut album ‘Roxy Music’ a few weeks earlier.
Roxy Music 1972 – at the time when they were the support act to David Bowie & the Spiders from Mars event at the Finsbury Park ‘Rainbow’ (Aug 72) – Like Bowie, Roxy were completely different to anything else around at that time.
At the time Roxy Music were supporting David Bowie at the ‘Rainbow’ – they had not long released their very first album – titled ‘Roxy Music’
Me – at home with my battered and scratched copy of Roxy Music’s debut album.
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Fast forward 12mths to 1973 – I saw Roxy Music headline a sold-out Rainbow Theatre when they performed material from their 1st and 2nd albums, both of which by now, were top selling records, by what were now a massive band, and continue to be so.
Roxy Music – as they were in March 1973, at the time they headlined the ‘Rainbow’
Me – at home with my copy of Roxy Music’s 2nd album release ‘For Your Pleasure’ – the track from which formed a big chunk of their top of the bill performance at the Finsbury Park ‘Rainbow’ in March 1973
Me – at home with my copy of Roxy Music’s 1973 released album ‘For Your Pleasure’
Throughout the 1970’s the Finsbury Park ‘Rainbow’ Theatre was probably the most iconic rock music venue in London, and most probably Britain – you name any top rock band or performer of the early 1970’s from Britain/the States/ and around the world – and they all would have played ‘The Rainbow’.
During the 1970’s the ‘Rainbow’ had acquired a Preservation Order – but by the end of the 70’s the management of the theatre couldn’t afford to maintain the premises to the required standards. There were talks of turning the place into a Bingo Hall but it never happened. So – for roughly 14 years, this magnificent (now ‘Listed’) building that held so many memories for so many – stood abandoned, empty, unloved and disused.
In 1988 the Rainbow building was used by ‘The Rainbow Christian Fellowship’ – and then the ‘Elim Pentecostal Church’ – and in 1995 it was taken over by its current owners….”The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God” – who completely refurbished its interior and made it into a church venue, which is still going strong today.
The old Rainbow Theatre as it was when my London Shoes visited the site a couple of weeks back. Since 1995 its been the ”The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God”
Me & my London Shoes – outside what was once the legendary Finsbury Park ‘Rainbow Theatre’ throughout the 1970’s – which, since 1995, has been the ”The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God”
The old ‘Rainbow Theatre’ in Finsbury Park N4 as it is today – the ”The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God”
The entrance to the now ”The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God” – once the iconic ‘Rainbow Theatre’ throughout the 1970’s.
Me & my London Shoes, a couple of weeks back, outside the now legendary old rock music venue……the ‘Rainbow Theatre’ in Finsbury Park-London N4 – a place that holds so many wonderful memories of the 1970’s for me.
Another informative and enjoyable read. I remember Marty Wilde being there in the fifties.
I am really enjoying you articles on “Old London” having grown up and lived there from the 40’s, up to the 70’s.
Thank you for all your hard work.
Thank you for contacting my London Shoes and for your very kind feedback – it is very much appreciated.
Here’s hoping you continue to follow and enjoy my weekly articles.
Kind Regards
GEOFF (www.londonshoes.blog)
I saw Gordon Giltrap there, but im unsure what year, late 70s anyway..
Another great post Geoff. Ticket price of £1.50, unbelievable these days.
My dad took a quite young me to watch a Steptoe film there – more for him I think, I found it boring. Being a north London lad, and a big live music fan, the Rainbow was the place we went in late 70s. But being too young for the Ziggy era it was punk/new wave/reggae bands that I first saw there – notably The Jam, The Boomtown Rats, Bob Marley – and others. It saved the long tube trip to Hammersmith!
I think l went there 5 or 6 times during the 70’s – Stackridge. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Ginger Baker (why???), Bad Company (one of their first gigs) and The Who (which may have been their first gig with Kenny Jones following the death of Keith Moon?).
I saw Deep Purple there in 1972, my ears are still ringing(!) yet, a mates girlfriend sitting with us on the balcony, actually dozed off during them playing ‘Space Truckin’. Now, that might have been due to the hi-tech light display….(a ‘glitterball’ reflecting spot lights!) or the ‘warm smell of Colitas’ rising up from the stalls below!!
We’ll never know…. but what a gig!!
Yup from South London but at 14 I actually managed to find my way to the rainbow to see Slade record their film Flame. It was an eye opener all round. Thanks I’d forgotten that!
Once more, really interesting and entertaining.
Nice to get a glimpse into London Shoes – the teenage years .
I bet you enjoy searching out the relevant photos almost as much as pounding the streets 📷 👣
Great bit of social and musical history Geoff.👍
Geoff once again another great post really does bring back such great memories of times gone by
I know Rory Gallagher played the Rainbow a few times. I can only remember seeing Rory Gallagher once and that was at one of the Reading Festivals (75 or 76?) – at the time I wasn’t really a fan, and avoided going to The Roundhouse the last time he appeared there. But there’s a link between two of the bands I saw at The Rainbow. During 1973 my friends and myself were big Stackridge fans and went to see them whenever we could. That September they were due to play at the City Poly on a Friday night – but on the way to work I picked up my usual copy of Melody Maker to discover to my horror that they’d just split up (this being the first time!). I phoned the Poly’s SU to find out what was going on and was told they’d managed to book the SAHB as a short notice replacement. I’d seen film of them playing at The Marquee which had been shown earlier in the year on OGWT so my mate and myself decided to go anyway – to this day one of the finest gigs I’ve ever attended – and I became an immediate fan
I watched my first and only horror film at the Finsbury Park Astoria. Never again – and I also saw the Beatles play there !!!
Another enjoyable read Mr.Shoes I don’t need to say much cos it’s all about music, and as always your love and knowledge for all things connected shines through.
I was born and grew up in Greece in the late 70s, and I remember my parents always reminiscing and talking about the good times they had when they lived in London in the 60s. One of their fondest memories is seeing The Beatles live at the Finsbury Park Astoria Theatre. As a big music lover myself, I was always very jealous of them! I have now moved to London and I live not too far from what used to be the historic Astoria Finsbury Park / Rainbow Theatre. Every time I pass by, I look at the building and try to imagine what it would have been like to watch, not just The Beatles but any of those legendary music bands performing live in that beautiful venue. Thank you Geoff, for writing such an informative article about one of the most significant and important music venues in London that has been lost, and for putting together a gallery of photos and images to accompany this article. Now I can visualise a bit better what my parents would have experienced back in the day.
PS: You are so lucky that you got to see David Bowie and Roxy Music live at such a landmark event. That must have been so special!
Hi Vangelis,
Thank you so much for contacting me via my London Shoes website and for sharing your memories of your parents connection to the famous ‘Rainbow Theatre’ – and you’re right, how good must it have been for your Mum & Dad to have seen the ‘Beatles’ play there – a moment in history!!!
I loved my visits to the Rainbow – and the iconic bands I saw play there.- I just wish I could travel back in time and revisit some of those gigs again – how good would that be.
Im hoping that you’ll continue to follow my London Shoes stuff – as music is a massive passion of mine, I’ve published a lot of music related blog articles, that I think yu’ll enjoy.
Kind regards
GEOFF (www.londonshoes.blog)
Went to several shows , lived across the road in the flat:- The Osmonds – Gary Glitter – Alvin Stardust – Roxy Music – Sparks etc
we local kids used to sometimes get some free tickets.
Great memories
Just a little older than yourself (I was 16yrs old in 1970), I saw many, many concerts at The Rainbow in the 1970s. I also used to contibute occasional articles for a magazine that went out to London taxi drivers and used that opening to negotiate a private conducted tour of the theatre around 1976. It was fascinating and I still have the photos I took from the stage looking out into the auditorium (what a buzz!) as well as the hard copy Rainbow Seating Plan I was given. I’ve also always remembered being shown the ‘hidden’ Caretaker’s flat on the roof and the amazing views from up there.
In preparation for my visit I also contacted Rank Strand Electric, the actual owners of the building I think, and they were really kind and generous with their help. When I went down to their office at Merstham in Surrey, they gave me a complete and full set of the original Blueprints for the theatre, and I still have these in my possession too.
Fast forward over forty years and I found myself researching the history of an eccentric (and now long-gone) hotel in South Devon. During the course of my investigations, I interviewed someone who had once painted the exterior of the hotel for free beer (a story in itself!) but then it transpired that he had later been involved at a very high level when what was by then the long-disused Rainbow was eventually converted into the current day church premises. He told me that by the winding gear at the side of the stage that raised and lowered the fire curtain, the graffiti written on the wall by many of the groups that had appeared at the Rainbow was still there before the conversion took place but it was then hidden behind a new solid interior wall, possibly lost for ever… though I like to think that perhaps one day in the distant future, some random urban explorer may chance upon that little unique piece of rock music history again! .
Hi Nick,
Apologies for my delay in response – but I just wanted to say a big thank you to you, for taking the time and trouble to contact me via my London Shoes website, and I’m pleased that you enjoyed my ‘Rainbow’ blog read – I thoroughly enjoyed putting it together, as (like you Nick) it brought back such fantastic and happy memories, of a time that was much more enjoyable than today.
Thank you for sharing your memories and connections of what was an iconic (and now historic) music venue – I know that many future readers of this blog article will thoroughly enjoy your recollections and info.
Once again – many thanks Nick
kind regards
GEOFF (www.londonshoes.blog)
Cheers Geoff
I took the opportunity to have a look in my storage unit and find these documents, which I haven’t looked at for many, many years… please find this updated and corrected version of my original post:
Just a little older than yourself (I was 16yrs old in 1970), I saw many, many concerts at The Rainbow in the 1970s. I also used to contribute occasional articles for a magazine that went out to London taxi drivers and used that opening to negotiate a private conducted tour of the theatre in February 1977. It was fascinating and I still have the photos I took from the stage looking out into the auditorium (what a buzz!) as well as the hard copy Rainbow Seating Plan I was given. I’ve also always remembered being shown the Caretaker’s flat on the roof hidden behind the front facade of the building.
In preparation for my visit I also contacted Rank Strand Engineering, a division of the actual owners of the building and they were really kind and generous with their help. When I went down to their office at Whyteleafe in Surrey, they gave me a complete and full set of the original Blueprints for the theatre, and I still have these in my possession too.
Fast forward over forty years and I found myself researching the history of an eccentric (and now long-gone) hotel in South Devon. During the course of my investigations, I interviewed someone who had once painted the exterior of the hotel for free beer (a story in itself!) but then it transpired that he had later been involved at a very high level when what was by then the long-disused Rainbow was eventually converted into the current day church premises. He told me that by the winding and fly gear at the side of the stage that raised and lowered the fire curtain, the graffiti written on the wall by many of the groups that had appeared at the Rainbow was still there before the conversion took place but it was then hidden behind a new solid interior wall, possibly lost for ever… though I like to think that perhaps one day in the distant future, some random urban explorer may chance upon that little unique piece of rock music history again! .
Hi
I just visited the building today with my walking group and was shown around by a lovely man from Brazil called David.The building interior is stunning. I told him that I had been to the venue several times including a Walker Brothers concert but more famously in 1973 to see Santana on a cold November evening. They played 4 concerts in 2 days. We were given a lovely welcome.
Hi David,
Many thanks for the feedback and for sharing your memories/experiences of this amazing (& historic) venue – I know that future readers of this specific article, will view your comments with interest.
Cheers
GEOFF (www.londonshoes.blog)