POI #6 The Roundhouse Concert Hall

The Roundhouse - A Symbol of Past and Present

Originating as a steam engine repair building, the Roundhouse has undergone several fundamental changes in its lifetime. Now a treasured part of London’s history, particularly its music history, the Roundhouse has “seen it all: narcotic-fuelled psychedelic happenings, saliva-flecked punk gigs, scenery-chewing experimental theatre and messy alternative circus nights - not to mention a fair few steam trains.” The roundhouse became an arts venue in 1966, and quickly became a hub for new and exciting musical acts. Beginning with bands such as Pink Floyd and The Doors in the 1960s, the Roundhouse helped to facilitate the growth of the punk rock scene by hosting performances from high profile punk bands including The Clash and The Ramones. The venue has also been used for theatre productions and circus acts, and has recently been undergoing a major refurbishment, enhancing its structural and acoustic properties. In addition, new areas are being introduced to the Roundhouse, including hospitality, catering, and support facilities. In addition, a studio theatre, expanded seating, and new access points will be added as a part of the refurbishment. The Roundhouse will now serve as a testament to the architecture of the 19th, the 20th, and the early 21st century, and blend the industry and entertainment that existed and will continue to exist in each era. .

Internationalization of the Punk Movement

Punk's connection to the Roundhouse began in July 1976, when The Ramones "took over the hippy Roundhouse and reduced it to the hottest, sleaziest garage ever". They quickly became the crowd favourite however, and cemented their popularity in Britain. Contrary to what many would attribute to The Ramones however, their awareness of the political, social, and economic situations in Britain at the time was minimal. Danny Fields of The Ramones stated that: "We had to go through a great deal of being asked: 'What are you going to do to change the world? How are you going to get rid of capitalism.' But the Ramones were: 'You've got a heatwave, why haven't you get air conditioning? Why can't I get ice cubes?' That was we were worried about, ice cubes."This would change later as the punk movement grew and became more interconnected.

As the first show played by The Ramones outside of the United States, this concert helped to internationalize punk rock. This was apparent on both large and small scales of punk culture, since it helped to familiarize punks in one country with their cousins across the Atlantic Ocean, while also allowed for the bands present at the concert, namely The Clash, the Sex Pistols, and The Ramones themselves, to meet and exchange ideas. This expansion of the punk movement was particularly important because it was beginning to replace the counterculture movements of the 1960s, which to many punks were becoming shadows of their former selves. To punks, the older counterculture had fallen victim to the very capitalist, bourgeois system it opposed, and was largely integrated into it. They saw contemporary society as a constraining force that repressed individuality and made for a boring and controlled existence. Different leaders of the punk movement had different ways to deal with this. For example, the Sex Pistols' message was one of anarchy, of dismantling everything and starting anew, whereas The Clashacknowledged the injustices and issues in the world, but believed firmly in the ability to fix them and make the world a better place, making use of slogans such as "The Future is Unwritten".

Bibliography

Bindas, Kenneth J. " "The Future is Unwritten": The Clash, Punk and America, 1977-1982." American Studies 34, no. 1 (1993): 69-89. Accessed November 22, 2017. http://www.jstor.org.proxy.library.brocku.ca/stable/40642496.

James, Anthony. "House of fun: London's Roundhouse reopened and reborn." Theatreprojects.com. May 2007. Accessed November 23, 2017. http://theatreprojects.com/files/pdf/projects_roundhouse01_House%20of%20fun%20%28Auditoria%29.pdf.

Rose, Steve. "Steve Rose reports on the restoration of the Roundhouse." The Guardian. May 29, 2006. Accessed November 21, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2006/may/29/architecture.

Sorene, Paul. "The Ramones Play The Sleaziest Garage Ever - The Roundhouse, London, July 4 1976." Flashbak. December 08, 2016. Accessed November 22, 2017. https://flashbak.com/the-ramones-play-the-sleaziest-garage-ever-the-roundhouse-london-july-4-1976-369223/.

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