- Rainbow (London)
The Rainbow was a live
rock music venue in northLondon that opened in September 1971 with a concert byThe Who , supported by Quiver and closed for the last time in January 1982.Built on an island site at the junction of
Seven Sisters Road and Isledon Road, inFinsbury Park , it was a cinema of theLondon Astoria chain and opened on 29 September 1930. There were three other Astorias,Streatham ,Old Kent Road andBrixton . It was in use as a cinema until September 1971 when it was permanently given over to live music - although rock concerts had been a feature throughout the 1960s.It was at this theatre that
Jimi Hendrix first burnt a guitar, with the collusion of his managerChas Chandler and a journalist from "NME ", press officer Anthony Garland was dispatched to purchase lighter fluid and Jimi proceeded to set fire to hisFender Stratocaster guitar on 31st March 1967 on the opening night of theWalker Brothers tour, resulting in a hospital appointment for Jimi's burnt fingers and a moment that set the precedent for rock performances. Jimi later repeated the stunt atMonterey . Despite press commentary thatFrank Zappa was handed the burnt Astoria/Miami guitar it is highly unlikely that months after the stunt, the guitar was taken toMiami . When Jimi left the stage at The Finsbury Astoria, the guitar was intact apart from burns. The guitar handed to Frank Zappa in Miami was a burnt body without a neck.The fine building had been the subject of a preservation order in the 1970s and the management company that operated the venue was unable to maintain it to the required standard. The building was closed permanently in 1982, although there were plans for its conversion to a bingo hall.
In 1995, the building was bought by the
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God and is now used for religious ceremonies.References
*cite book | author=Gray, Richard | title=Cinemas In Britain - One Hundred Years of Cinema Architecture |publisher =Lund Humphries |year=1996 | id=ISBN 0853316856
*cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/the_jimi_hendrix_experience/news/12073 |title=Uncut.co.uk - News |accessdate=External links
*http://picturepalace.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/public/finsbury_park.htm
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