Possibly the most important venue in the history of pop music.
In March 1964 the Marquee Club moved to its most famous venue at 90 Wardour Street, with the actual music venue housed over two buildings. The place did not have an alcohol license until 1970, so Jack Barrie and Kenny Bell came up with the idea of opening a private bar above The Marquee, at 100 Wardour Street, that was called La Chasse.
Band residencies during the late 1960s included The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, The Who (a blue plaque celebrating Keith Moon is now where the Marquee sign once hung), King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Manish Boys featuring David Bowie (who first played there in November 1964) and Peter Green‘s Fleetwood Mac. In the 70’s Queen, David Bowie, The Stranglers, Generation X, London, The Police, XTC, Skrewdriver, Buzzcocks, the early Adam & the Ants, The Jam, Joy Division, The Sound, and The Cure all played here. “‘A’ bomb in Wardour Street, it’s blown up the city/Now it’s spreading through the country” sang The Jam in 1978.
Metallica performed their first UK show at the venue on March 27, 1984. In 1988 Harold Pendleton sold the club to Billy Gaff, former manager of Rod Stewart. The site was sold for redevelopment and the Marquee Club was forced to move again.
Address: 90 Wardour St, Soho, London W1F 0TH
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