The Troubadour is a

nightclub A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

and

pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

located at 265 Old Brompton Road, Earls Court, London. Established in 1954, it is one of the oldest and last remaining nightclubs and

coffee house A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non- ...

s of its era in London. It still offers live music seven days a week.

Financial troubles

The Troubadour was in danger of closure due to financial difficulties after being served with a noise abatement notice in 2012, related to use of the garden. In 2015, ownership was taken over by

shareholder A shareholder (in the United States often referred to as stockholder) of a corporation is an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the legal own ...

Giles McNamee, who has indicated there will be future investments to keep the club open.

Ownership

The Troubadour has had four proprietors since its opening: *1954–72, Michael Van Bloemen and Sheila Van Bloemen, founders of the venue *1972–98, Bruce Rogerson *1998–2015, Simon Thornhill and Susie Thornhill. *2015–present, Giles McNamee

Artists

The club has played host to a number of major artists in various stages of their careers. Among these have been: * Richard Harris – in early 1956 where he auditioned and rehearsed his own production of the Clifford Odets play '' Winter Journey (The Country Girl)'' while studying at the then nearby

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. LAMDA's Principal is ...

(LAMDA). Richard Harris fell in love with his wife Elizabeth here as well. A newspaper review of the time *

Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an i ...

– in summer 1961, *

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

– Christmas 1962, performing under the name

Blind Boy Grunt Blind may refer to: * The state of blindness, being unable to see * A window blind, a covering for a window Blind may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Blind'' (2007 film), a Dutch drama by Tamar van den Dop * ''Blind' ...

. *

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

- Played June 9th 1964 in London, at Troubadour *

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...

– played in 1970 *

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...

– likewise,

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

had no official dates at the Troubadour * Lionel Grigson, along with other jazz musicians – including

Spike Wells Michael "Spike" Wells (born 16 January 1946) is an English jazz drummer and priest. Biography Born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Wells was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral Choir School. He became interested in jazz after coming across a recording ...

Mick Pyne Mick Pyne (2 September 1940, in Thornton-le-Dale – 23 May 1995, in London) was an English jazz pianist. His brother was jazz musician Chris Pyne. He learned piano from a very early age and could also play cornet and violin. He and his brother C ...

Dave Gelly Dave Gelly MBE (born 28 January 1938) is a British jazz critic. A long-standing contributor to ''The Observer'', he was named Jazz Writer of the Year in the 1999 British Jazz Awards. Gelly is also a jazz saxophonist and broadcaster, presenting a n ...

, Daryl Runswick, and Happy Williams – played regular Sunday afternoon gigs in the 1960s. *

Sandy Denny Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny (6 January 1947 – 21 April 1978) was an English singer who was lead singer of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention. She has been described as "the pre-eminent British folk rock singer". After briefly w ...

– who was the subject of a 2008 tribute show held at the venue. *

Martin Carthy Martin Carthy MBE (born 21 May 1941) is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, and later artists such as ...

– an influential figure in British traditional music *

Davey Graham David Michael Gordon "Davey" Graham (originally spelled Davy Graham) (26 November 1940 – 15 December 2008) was a British guitarist and one of the most influential figures in the 1960s British folk revival. He inspired many famous practitioners ...

– an influential figures in the 1960s folk music revolution in England

References

External links

* – official site
Classic Cafés
site {{DEFAULTSORT:Troubadour Clubs and societies in London Music venues in London 1954 establishments in England Folk music venues Coffeehouses and cafés in London Earls Court Nightclubs in London Concert halls in London Jazz clubs in London Pubs in London Historic Rock and Roll Landmarks