A+ A A-

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular

GAZ'S ROCKIN BLUES 35th ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular Presented by Mode and Portobello Radio.

GAZ’s ROCKIN BLUES is a Soho institution and London’s longest running club one-niter. It opened on July 3 1980. The Stray Cats were the first live band, and it’s been open every Thursday since, originally at Gossips in Dean Street and since 1989 at St Moritz in Wardour Street.

The legendary Gaz Mayall is the host, pumping out ska, jive, rocksteady and rhythm & blues. The audience now contains children and even grand-children of the original members. The sounds may be vintage but the atmosphere remains as fresh as ever.

Acts that have played there range from  Desmond Dekker, Lee Scratch Perry, Prince Buster, Toots, Louisiana Red and The Jolly Boys to Paloma Faith, Beth Orton, The Strypes and most recently up and coming ska girl from Camden, Emily Capell.  If Gaz isn’t DJing, you’ll find Natty Bo, Mark Lamarr, Baby Soul or Duke Vin at the decks. Tracey Emin was the coat-check girl.

picture by Margaret Hines xx

Gaz’s Rocking Blues is a classic Soho dive (hot, sweaty, but no longer smokey), in the traditions of 20s Jazz Clubs (like The Gargoyle), 50s Blues, or Mod Clubs of the 60s (The Scene, The Flamingo). The crowd is delinquents, dandies, thieves, aristocrats and drug-store cowboys, all looking like they own the night” and has included Robert de Niro, Mick Jagger, Lucien Freud, Kate Moss, David Bowie, David Hockney, Damien Hirst, Scarlett Johanson, Jude Law, Joe Strummer. Robert Plant had his son’s 21st there: Ian Dury called it his favourite place in London.

Gaz takes the show to the Rocket Lounge in Glastonbury’s Shangri La every year and has hosted a stage at Carnival since 1989, just outside The Globe, Notting Hill’s ‘last shebeen’. He’s big in Japan of course. His flyers inspired Gaz’s Rockin Blues – The First 30 Years, a book from art publisher, Trolley Books, and an exhibition at Gordon McHarg’s Subway Gallery.

Gaz is celebrating his anniversary by hosting a Rockin Blues Spectacular in the heart of his West London manor, taking over Mode on Friday July 3rd and transforming into a stomping blues, with his favourite bands, his irresistible tunes and his unique collection of people.

First on the bill is the Sweetheart of Portobello, Alexia Coley with her smoove soul. Next up is ‘the Dickensian hip-hop world of Rotten Hill Gang, with tales of old and new London, stories as putrid as decaying vegetables at the end of a day in Portobello Rd’. Top of the bill, as always, is Gaz’s own band, The Trojans, purveying Celtic Ska since 1986. The line up changes but the energy never abates.

Gaz chose Mode because it’s a venue he first played in April 1982, when it was Acklam Hall. He hired it for his then girlfriend’s 21st for £50, charged £1.50 on the door. It was a sell out we hope to repeat again on July 3rd (it’s still only £7). Acklam Hall saw legendary gigs by The Clash, Madness (who were chased off by the Ladbroke Grove Skins), Joy Division, The Fall and many others.

The place became Subterranea, which introduced the UK to Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Run DMC, Eminem and many more, then Neighbourhood (owned by Ben Watt from Everything But The Girl), which was on more of a House tip. Now it is transformed once more, into Mode, a canvas on the night for projections that explore Gaz’s relationship with the building.

Selectors on the night are Gaz, Natty Bo and Mr Mass.

Portobello Radio is presented by Chris Sullivan (Wag Club, Blue Rondo A La Turk, GQ) and Piers Thompson (Soul Furnace, Portobello Panto, Portobello Live), every Friday between 1 and 3pm on Ktokradio.com. It is closely linked to both the Save Soho and Save Portobello campaigns.

See related listing GAZ'S ROCKIN BLUES 35th ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR

More News

Prev Next

Hits:12128

Two meetings, one voice

Two meeting…

You had to be there. North and south of the boro...

Read more

Hits:34317

New Site

New Site

We're back ;)   Read more: New Site...

Read more

Hits:12713

Corbyn Won Kensington Nomination

Corbyn Won …

On July 21st Jeremy Corbyn overwhelmingly won th...

Read more

Hits:13298

Hats-off to Micky P: Portobello Live 3rd/4th May

Hats-off to…

Reflecting on the Portobello Live Festival - by ...

Read more

Hits:16083

Portobello community stands up against plans to turn iconic area into bland shopping centre

Portobello

Hundreds of protestors, including children and p...

Read more

Hits:14174

Leon Löwentraut at the The Muse Gallery

Leon Löwent…

Never too early to become a full fledged artist ...

Read more

More News 2

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Prev Next

Hits:15195

Greferendum: an anthology

Greferendum…

Thinking of Greece. ...

Read more

Hits:12712

Pink Cigar video release

Pink Cigar …

 Local down’n’dirty rock’n’roll outfit Pink Ciga...

Read more

Hits:16868

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular

Gaz’s Rocki…

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular ...

Read more

Hits:13831

Interactive Video Art at The Dissenters Gallery Catacombs

Interactive…

On Saturday 4 July, 11-5pm, a chance to see the ...

Read more

Hits:13112

"Exposed" a Solo Show by Louis-Nicholas Darbon

"Expos…

 Coming up Thursday- June 4th -  at the Graffik ...

Read more

Hits:13511

Mock The Opera Protest @ Holland Park

Mock The Op…

A protest is taking place tomorrow at the Hollan...

Read more

Hits:13979

Where next for Labour?

Where next …

 Labour’s defeat in the UK general election on M...

Read more

Hits:13311

Artists For Nepal – local benefit gig for Nepal

Artists For…

 Thursday May 21st at the Elgin with music, film...

Read more

Hits:13519

RED ALERT by Maximilian Wiedemann

RED ALERT b…

West Bank last exhibition at the current buildin...

Read more

MUSIC NOTES

Prev Next

Hits:12712

Pink Cigar video release

Pink Cigar …

 Local down’n’dirty rock’n’roll outfit Pink Ciga...

Read more

Hits:16868

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular

Gaz’s Rocki…

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular ...

Read more

Hits:14377

Documenting the Songs For The Wicked

Documenting…

Alex Shirley traces his involvement with local r...

Read more

Hits:11709

James Simmins on Acousticity

James Simmi…

We asked James Simmins about this night at the E...

Read more

Hits:15379

Local promoter Micky P brings his Fired Up night to Portobello

Local promo…

New regular and bigger night by Micky P comes to...

Read more

Hits:13533

Good Times in the Scrubs

Good Times …

Only yesterday we published about the Wormwood S...

Read more

Hits:18297

The Cigars Are Out

The Cigars …

By OJ Jennings     Bluesy glam punk Notting H...

Read more

Hits:16035

Local band The Graphic release EP

Local band …

  This EP marks the official launch of The Grap...

Read more

Hits:17112

"STreets Of Peace" comes to Notting Hill

"STree…

  Some dreams do come true. Singer songwriter M...

Read more

Hits:20288

The Creative Questionnaire 2: Miss Angela Molineux

The Creativ…

  Angela Molineux is a Canadian born artist sin...

Read more

ARTS

Prev Next

Hits:14174

Leon Löwentraut at the The Muse Gallery

Leon Löwent…

Never too early to become a full fledged artist ...

Read more

Hits:13831

Interactive Video Art at The Dissenters Gallery Catacombs

Interactive…

On Saturday 4 July, 11-5pm, a chance to see the ...

Read more

Hits:13112

"Exposed" a Solo Show by Louis-Nicholas Darbon

"Expos…

 Coming up Thursday- June 4th -  at the Graffik ...

Read more

Hits:13311

Artists For Nepal – local benefit gig for Nepal

Artists For…

 Thursday May 21st at the Elgin with music, film...

Read more

Hits:13519

RED ALERT by Maximilian Wiedemann

RED ALERT b…

West Bank last exhibition at the current buildin...

Read more

Hits:13719

A solo show of fresh works by Tim Fowler

A solo show…

  Coming up on April 2nd at the WestBank Galler...

Read more

Hits:19850

Darren Berry’s "The Crocodile of Old Kang Pow"

Darren Berr…

No crocodile tears here  - An unfinished opera p...

Read more

Hits:15777

PORTOBELLO LIVE 


PORTOBELLO

A much needed music, arts and performance festiv...

Read more

Hits:11945

Photographic Exhibition by Nadia Nervo at The Muse

Photographi…

A single fleeting moment by nadia nervo. ...

Read more

Hits:13887

"Sex. Pop. Vandal." A Solo Exhibition by Ben Allen

"Sex.

The London Westbank Gallery presents a fresh bod...

Read more

Local Events Calendar

<<  <  August 2019  >  >>
 Mo  Tu  We  Th  Fr  Sa  Su 
   
 

Upcoming Events

Fb

writers pic2

We're looking for writers! Join in! (scroll down the article)

Rants

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7

I don't do …

I don't do rants. But,

...it's a rant! ...

Read more

Last Night …

Last Night I Dreamt...

"I could see the body of Kim Kardashian..." ...

Read more

Portobello …

Portobello drinkers 'harassed' by children

  From our sports correspondent Dave 'the ...

Read more

Everyone’s …

Everyone’s a F*****g DJ

by Kensal Scream  At long last! Another salvo f...

Read more

Lap dogs …

Lap dogs & devil dogs - the final solution

By Kensal Scream Time for another rant by the K...

Read more

Trains and …

Trains and  lycra pants

 By Kensal Scream That Really Grinds my Gears i...

Read more

An e-mail f…

An e-mail from Billy Connolly?

We can not be sure that  it’s his but it co...

Read more

Your Experience

review and preview

Login or Sign Up