There seems to have been a spate of London exhibitions recently looking back and celebrating the music and culture of the past.
In just over a year, I’ve seen an interactive David Bowie installation, archive Blondie photos, a New Romantic retrospective, punk and reggae photos by Dennis Morris and a major exhibition charting the work of the iconic Face magazine.
This free V&A exhibition focusses on ‘lost’ performance spaces from the 1980s to 2010s.
The Smiths in Swansea. Tidy!
Backstage passes. I imagine Sabbath and Queen could have been lively.
Doors from London’s much-missed The End club.
Band posters from across the UK.
Membership cards.
Merch.
A club toilet mock up – which frankly looks positively pristine compared to what you’ll see in New York these days.
Dressing room mock up. Again, it looks pretty vanilla to the ones I’ve seen (and I’ve seen a lot!).
Handwritten lyrics from Oasis and a set list from Blur at the Bull & Gate in Kentish Town. The pub is still open, but it’s no longer putting on gigs.
I was particularly moved seeing these signs from the Astoria which was flattened in 2009.
Below you can see the sign in situ before the venue’s demolition.
More info
Lost Music Venues
Closes Saturday, 30 October 2027
V&A South Kensington
Cromwell Road
London, SW7 2RL
Theatre & Performance, Room 104
Admission free
