.jpg) A photo of the pub from 2012, closed and converted to a residential property. | |
 Interactive map of The Falcon | |
| Location | 234 Royal College Street, Camden Town, London, NW1 |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 150 |
| Construction | |
| Closed | 2002 |
The Falcon, laterThe Camden Falcon, was apub andmusic venue located at 234Royal College Street, in theLondon Borough of Camden,North London. The pub went from hosting low-key gigs in the late 1980s to becoming one of the most influential music venues of the 1990s, and a hub of London'sBritpop andShoegaze scenes. In November 1997 American music magazineBillboard referred to the pub as being one of a few in the area that can "arguably take some of the credit for the rebirth of British rock in the mid-'90s".
A pub on that spot dates back to at least the late 19th century. In 1896 a pub by this name listed at 234 'Great College Street' (the former name of Royal College Street, prior to theVeterinary College there being awardedroyal charter) had an acceptedtender "for alterations" reported in theconstruction trade periodicalThe Builder.[1]London's Lost Pubs by Sam Cullen states it opened as the Falcon in the mid-1850s.[2]
The pub went from hosting low-key gigs in the late 1980s to becoming one of the most influential music venues of the 1990s, and a hub of London'sBritpop andShoegaze scenes.[3] During this time it was owned by Baxter Mitchell andAlexis Hunter.[4] It was also afringe theatre for a short period.[5]
Bands and musicians such asBlur (then named Seymour),Pulp,Lush,Slowdive,Inspiral Carpets,Suede,The Stereophonics,Feeder,Doves,PJ Harvey,Travis,Muse,Catatonia,Teenage Fanclub, andColdplay all played there early in their careers.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
It was also a key venue for what journalists dubbed theCamden Lurch scene, a term they used to describe the preponderence of non-shoegaze ordance music indie bands that often played in the area, such asSilverfish andTh' Faith Healers.[12]
The Sundays and Lush played their first concerts there (on separate occasions) in 1988.[13][14] In February 1990,Galaxie 500 played a hastily arranged gig at the pub after the London date of The Sundays' headline tour, on which they were support, had to be postponed.[15]
The Verve's second time performing in London was at the pub.[16] On 22 October 1993, after signing toCreation Records andSony at the latter's headquarters,Oasis went toWhiteout's concert at The Falcon at which they played an unplanned and shambolic set.[17]
The Barfly originally started as a series of concerts there, with disputes with the local authorities about crowd capacity eventually leading it to move to the Monarch in nearbyChalk Farm.[3] The founders of The Barfly also startedThe Fly magazine, initially as a listings leaflet for their own events. Their offices were above The Falcon until 1997, when a fire was caused by an employee staying in the office during a power cut falling asleep with a candle still lit.[18]
In November 1997 American music magazineBillboard referred to the pub as being one of a few in the area that can "arguably take some of the credit for the rebirth of British rock in the mid-'90s".[19]
Ivo Watts-Russell signed Lush andPale Saints to4AD after seeing them both on the same bill there in 1989.[20]
Heavenly's second time performing was at the pub, supportingThe Television Personalities, and it was there thatSarah Records offered to release the band's recordings.[21]
Creation Records co-founderAlan McGee's first time seeingSuper Furry Animals was at the pub in 1995, after being brought there by the label'sA&R Mark Bowen, this led to the label signing the band.[22]
Simon Williams first approached Coldplay about releasing onFierce Panda Records upon seeing them play at The Falcon in 1998.[7]
