The Fighting Cocks
The Fighting Cocks is a music venue built in 1890, active since the 1930s and located in Kingston upon Thames, the administrative center of the Royal Borough of Kingston, southwest London, England. Historically, it specializes in Rock'n'roll, Punk, Metal, Ska, Alternative, Rockabilly, Electro (music), Comedy, & Cabaret performances. It was conspicuous for hosting touring Jazz acts in the late 1930s and in the 1940s[1],[2]. It is now a standard on the London Live Circuit[3]. It was a popular watering hole, and host to many jam sessions including such artists as Eric Clapton, CBE, or The Rolling Stones. Since 1992, it is also a live-audience training platform and term assessments venue for Kingston University's Drama and Music students.[4]
The venue in 2016 | |
Address | 57 Old London Rd Kingston upon Thames United Kingdom, KT2 6QA. |
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Coordinates | 51.4103°N 0.2995°W |
Public transit | Kingston railway station (England) ; Travel Card Zone 6 |
Type | Music hall |
Production | Rock'n'roll, Punk, Metal, Ska, Alternative, Rockabilly, Electro (music), Comedy & Cabaret performances |
Construction | |
Built | 1891 |
Years active | 1930 – present |
Website | |
TheFightingCocks.co.uk |
History
Unsigned, underground, as well as established artists have been invited to perform. The last management of the Cocks opened its doors in 2000. The Fighting Cocks is cooperating with Banquet Records promoters based a few minutes walk away in the city center, formerly part of the Beggars Banquet Records retail chain. Banquet Records is also home to Gravity DIP music management. On Mondays, the music venue is transformed into the award-winning Outside the Box comedy night, which has hosted Robin Williams, Jo Brand, Lenny Henry, Dara O'Briain, Lee Mack, Frank Skinner, Al Murray, Jack Dee, Stephen Merchant, Bill Bailey, Jimmy Carr, and Mickey Flanagan.[5]
- The Stupids in 2009.
Music performers
Past performers include:
Sources
- The Folk Directory. English Folk Dance and Song Society. 1979.
- Briain, Dara O. (2009-10-01). Tickling the English. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 978-0-14-193257-6.
- "Fighting Cocks pub: fears over its closure allayed as development plans reveal music venue will be even bigger". Surrey Comet. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- Richardson Andrews, Charlotte (10 June 2014). "The gig venue guide: the Fighting Cocks, Kingston upon Thames". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
- "Kingston Performers". OutsideTheBoxComedy.co.uk. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- Kevan (16 April 2018). "Fighting Cocks History". PubsHistory.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
External links
- The Fighting Cocks on Instagram.
- The Fighting Cocks at Time Out.
- The Fighting Cocks at Mayor of London's 'Visit London'.