The Troubadour is a

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

restaurant A restaurant is an establishment 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 Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...

and

pub A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...

located at 265

Old Brompton Road Old Brompton Road is a major street in the South Kensington district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. It starts from South Kensington tube station, South Kensington Underground station and runs south-west, through a ma ...

, 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 serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, Caffè americano, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually ...

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 corporate stock refers to an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the ...

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 Richard St John Francis Harris (1 October 1930 – 25 October 2002) was an Irish actor and singer. Having studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he rose to prominence as an icon of the British New Wave. He received numerous a ...

– in early 1956 where he auditioned and rehearsed his own production of the

Clifford Odets Clifford Odets (July 18, 1906 – August 14, 1963) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. In the mid-1930s, he was widely seen as the potential successor to Nobel Prize–winning playwright Eugene O'Neill, as O'Neill began to withd ...

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. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. In ...

(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 was the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a Graphic designer, graphic artist, Watts developed an interest i ...

– in summer 1961, *

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

– Christmas 1962, performing under the name Blind Boy Grunt. *

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

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

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan Mitchell (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitch ...

– played in 1970 *

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin from its founding in 1968 until their breakup in 1980. Since then, he has had a successful solo ca ...

– likewise,

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

had no official dates at the Troubadour * Lionel Grigson, along with other jazz musicians – including Spike Wells, Mick Pyne, Dave Gelly, 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-songwriter who was lead singer of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention. She has been described as " guably the pre-eminent British folk-rock sin ...

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

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

– 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 nationality, British guitarist and one of the most influential figures in the 1960s British folk revival. He inspired many ...

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

References

External links

* – official site
Classic Cafés
site {{DEFAULTSORT:Troubadour Clubs and societies in London 1954 establishments in England Folk music venues in the United Kingdom Coffeehouses and cafés in London Earls Court Nightclubs in London Concert halls in London Jazz clubs in London Pubs in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Historic Rock and Roll Landmarks