The Troubadour: a special place in history

If you want to feel for a while that you are no longer in the world of iphones and twitter, visit the Troubadour and enjoy the echoes of Dylan and Hendrix over half a snakebite.

The Troubadour was founded by Michael and Sheila van Bloemen in 1954 as part of the second great London coffee revolution, it quickly became a west London institution.  Through the 50’s and 60’s this was one of THE centres of London intellectual and artistic life. It’s where Private Eye was first produced and distributed; where the early Ban the Bomb meetings were held (the precursor to CND); and where the Black Panthers met when they left Paris after the ’68 riots. The Troubadour was the first place where Bob Dylan performed in London. Paul Simon, Martin Carthy, Redd Sullivan, Charlie Watts, Sammy Davis Jr.and Jimi Hendrix have all played here. Richard Harris fell in love with his wife Elizabeth here. Ken Russell recruited staff for his first shorts here, and it was here that he became friends with Oliver Reed. Led Zeppelin used to come and jam here after their Earl’s Court gigs. Tom Robinson and Elvis Costello used to play here too.

263-267 Old Brompton Road, London

 

 

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