"The" Roundhouse in London has hosted many famous bands, and has a relevance to history long after it ceased to be used by the railroads.
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Roundhouses in general were buildings used to turn steam locomotives around at the end of a rail line. I became interested in them on a recent train trip. I had a layover at a station with a matched pair of old roundhouses. One was still standing but the other was half collapsed, and appeared to be under rennovation. With that memory in mind I began researching roundhouses. It turns out that most roundhouses still in existence now serve purposes different from those for which they were originally designed. There are museums, restaurants, art galleries, factories, and much more in old rounhouses.
I soon came across interesting information about "The" Roundhouse in London. It started its life serving the conventional purpose for which such buildings were constructed, but from just before WWII until October 15, 1966 it sat empty. Being a large well built structure, someone eventually thought of a new use for The Roundhouse. On that October day, it was used by a promoter to launch an underground paper the International Times. Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, and other bands played at that event. The underground/alternative movements of the 60s and 70s were generally of the radical left wing variety, and can often be linked directly to 60s drug culture. Most only survived for about a decade.
Not long after its 1966 debut The Roundhouse began to be used regularly as a concert venue. A lot of big name bands from the late 60s and early 70s played there including the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Motorhead. It's popularity slacked off in the mid 70s, but some consider it a birthplace for "alternative culture" and maybe even British Punk.
As time went on The Roundhouse became a venue for art and theatre shows and presentations. It was again unused for a short period, but has recently been rennovated and reopened as a flexible venue which can accomodate over 3000 spectators for various events.
The" Roundhouse
