The final curtain

Take a bow, the night is over
This masquerade is getting older
Light are low, the curtains down
There's no one here
There's no one here, there's no one in the crowd

So we wave goodbye to The Astoria this week - with an aptly-named "Demolition Ball" tonight. We have had some great nights at G-A-Y there over the years, dancing on podiums, queuing for hours to see Geri Halliwell, seeing the first public performance of Steps and the last performance of all three original members of Bananarama...

The Astoria Theatre was built by Edward A.Stone and was a conversion from a former pickle warehouse. The theatre was built in 1927 with a large auditorium capable of seating 2,000 in some comfort. It operated as a cinema until 1976, when the building was converted (against the trend at the time) into a venue for live performances.

Although some very major bands played there over the years, The Astoria was always a run-down venue, occupying as it does a rather undesirable position next to a busy road junction and opposite the ghastly Centrepoint complex. Its saving grace came when G-A-Y took over certain nights of the week, packing in the punters.

Yet despite this success, we are going to lose one of the biggest central London auditoriums for the sake of public transport... It is a crying shame!

Geri Halliwell - Cabaret/Look At Me (live at G-A-Y)

Bananarama - Venus (live at G-A-Y)

RIP

Where the boys are

So Ken Livingstone has confirmed that The Astoria Theatre on Charing Cross Road, home to G-A-Y, is to close and be demolished to accommodate the new Crossrail station development at Tottenham Court Road.

I always had a great time when went to G-A-Y! The premier home for that exquisite breed - the teenage queen - Mr Joseph’s inspired combination of kitsch music, cute boys, podiums for posing, and top chart acts (Kylie, Madonna, Christina, various Spice Girls and boy bands have all played there) was always guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

We saw Geri Halliwell there in 2000 (pic above); the last ever performance of all three members of Bananarama; Right Said Fred; Steps; Scooch; Ash; Indigo, and many many more fab acts!

So where will it go now?

What other venue could supply such an atmosphere? Nothing beats teetering precariously on a banquette on the balcony, dancing to You Spin Me Round, sixty feet above the dance floor (until the bouncer sits you down). Where is the replacement enormous stage, large enough to accommodate singer, band, troupe of dancing boys in sparkly shorts, speakers and the inevitably tearful Jeremy bearing a bouquet? And what other venue has ceilings that high, to drop enough giant balloons to lift a small car into space?

Heaven won’t suffice (although that is the most likely venue according to the rumours). Come on Jeremy Joseph - let the punters know!

News article about the closure

http://www.g-a-y.co.uk/