a fond farewell

I know you know about the mass venue closure across Tottenham Court Road for the gargantuan Cross Rail Project. But allow me to pay my own homage. As far back as I can remember, well, two-and-a-half years ago, Saturday night at Astoria 2 has always played host to some form of indie disco night, first Frog and then Push, aside from about two weeks in summer 07 when the ill advised Pop Scene took over. The drinks were always dear, the bouncers and bar staff unfriendly, the bands were mainly rubbish, but it was fun. It was a staple on our weekend calendar. And now it’s gone. Well, actually Push has come back in a new venue, but the less said about that, the better. Astoria 2 has seen some big moments on Saturday nights, some celebrated, some, not so. It’s played host to The Pigeon Detectives and The Wombats whilst they were still considered interesting and different for a brief moment in early 07. Other before-they-were-famous sightings belong to Vampire Weekend, Noah and the Whale and Natty. A bog standard playlist of the Libertines, Blur, The Jam, Iggy Pop, The Smiths plus whatever band was Myspace’s band of the week was enough to keep hundreds of sweaty-faced, sobriety-dodging first years writhing, moshing, bopping and snogging until the wee hours. Special mention must go to Push’s first (and only) birthday party where special guest, the elusive Andrew WK, reared his terrifying head and whipped the braying masses into a frenzy with a frankly ghastly set complete with a stage dive from Alice Dellal.
It has played a part in most of the major dramas within our circle of friends. Relationships have been forged and broken, friendships have been thoroughly tested, fights have been started, certain people have been banned from the dance floor and received some time on the naughty step from angry bouncers. But through it all, I cannot think of any other place that one can lose all inhibitions to ‘Killing in the Name Of’ without the worry of the judgement of others. Astoria 2 never tried to be cool, it knew it was sad in a way the KOKO didn’t, and so remained more popular. The line, ‘who’s up for Push on Saturday?’ would inevitably be met with groans and protestations but an underlying sense of satisfaction that you knew a fail-safe night was on the cards.
I’m glad it stopped when it did. All the punters were starting to look like our cooler younger siblings and didn’t know any songs pre-dating 2005, but nevertheless, Astoria 2 spanned our university existence and has received, in total, from me a good £600 worth of my hard-earned student loan. But I wouldn’t take a penny back, apart from the tenner I spent last night at new Push. RIP Astoria 2 and your Saturday nights, you were a dear friend.