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Hammersmith Palais R.I.P
*We are interested in your memories of Hammersmith Palais. Please add them after this Blog posting*
If there’s one venue that’s etched in the memory of Bhangra gig folklore then it has to be West London’s Hammersmith Palais. It was the first club I ever went to and the scene of hundreds of huge Asian events over the years. But now it’s set to close. The building is expected to be bulldozed to make way for office blocks by developers Parkway Properties. No date for the closure has been given.These photos were shot backstage at a New Years Eve event in Hammersmith Palais back in ’92, with Shaktee, Achanak and Alaap live on stage. It was one of the best Bhangra gigs that I ever went to
MIA’s ‘Where were you in ’92?’ had recently got me thinking about how instrumental clubs like Hammersmith Palais were to the development of British-Bhangra in the 80’s and early 90’s.
My perspective was different then, as a Student journalist on Hounslow-based ‘Apna Beat’ Magazine (alongside a pre-punk and bindi Bobby Friction) we were witnesses to the early growth of various British-Asian scenes and sub-genres. The left-field was growing – Joi were then known as Joi Bangla Sound-System and had been around for a few years by that point, and early Nation Records Fun-da-mental and Transglobal twelve's were coming through the post. British-Asians were already picking up Guitars by that point – Cornershop and Voodoo Queens. Hustlers Convention, Kaliphz, Stixman were amongst the first Asian’s to take up Hip-Hop or Dancehall.
This was a different time and a full decade before 成人论坛 Asian Network or show on Radio 1. There was little Mainstream Press interest in British-Asian music.
But this was undoubtedly the time for Bhangra, and it thrived in this environment. Albums from Safri Boys, DCS, Sahotas, Malkit Singh and Sat-Rang regularly sold more than 50,000 copies. The Bhangra new wave (and Second-Generation) were beginning to emerge – Anakhi, Saqi, Anaamika and Achanak, most part of the Nachural Records camp. Apache Indian had entered the scene of the back of Reggae dub-plates, Panjabi MC had just dropped ‘Roots’ and Bally Sagoo’s ‘Wam Bam’ was gaining momentum. It seems laughable now, but Nachural Records even introduced real graphic design to Bhangra album artwork, a world away from the filmi-kitsch designs of Multitone-designer K.Koria.
The era of the archetypal 80’s Bhangra band - Alaap, Heera, Premi, Kalapreet – was beginning to fade. The industry-grip of London-based Multitone Records, once home to almost every main Bhangra artist, was starting to loosen and the epicentre was moving from Southall Broadway to Birmingham’s Soho Road, home of Roma Music Bank. We were still some years away from the likes of Moviebox.
It’s hard to imagine now exactly how colossal the monthly Bhangra events that took place across the country were back then. Venues like The Dome, Hummingbird, Empire, Hippodrome, Maestros, MGM, Krystals, Sanctuary and Paradise Lost, packed with thousands, are etched in the memory of Bhangra Gig folklore. This was the era of Asian nights at The Wag, Anokha, Limelight and Bagleys. Way before the very different weekly Asian club culture that we know now.The Hammersmith Palais was home to live Bhangra, and had been since the first day-timers held there in the mid 80’s. At every event students would arrive in coaches from all over the UK. It wasn’t uncommon to attract more than twenty-five coaches at an event. Ticket Agents in local Asian shops across the country were packed on the day of the gig with people wanting to part with das-pound (?10) for a ticket. Metro Music, ABC, Anand Pan, Kingsway Tandoori and Centre Point, all main ticket agents, used to sell hundreds of tickets each.
Events after the Gig closed were almost as entertaining as the bands. Every event would close with a cavalcade of Capri’s, Cortina’s, Mirafiori’s and Stags wheeling their ways down the main routes back to West London, a sea of parandian weaving down the A40, Uxbridge Road or Great West Road. Lafunga ‘rude boy’ culture was de rigueur, with a choice of Adidas Gazelle’s with fat laces, or Sergio Tacchini and Fila. Events like these were the focal point for Asians from all over Britain, and occasionally tensions would spill over outside onto Shepherds Bush Road. Hammersmith Police Station was conveniently placed next door to the Palais.
I was fortunate to be able to organise several events at the venue. The first, and most memorable, was in ’93 and the line-up included The Sahotas, Apna Sangeet and Malkit Singh. The promoters of these events were always, and continue to be, larger than life characters. Smuj, Kushty, Big Baba, Abbey and Double M were some of the most renowned.
DJ-ing at Palais was an experience in itself. The venue acoustics and system were never ideal – turntablists trying to mix had to get used to juggling a delay of several seconds from the monitor speakers – but it was the place to be seen if you were a budding DJ. This was the era of the Asian Sound System, each representing their local area. There were various crews across London, with some still in existence: Calibar, Sting, Telstar, X-Zecutive, Badd Company, Ambassadors Of Sound, Le Freak, Asian DJ Culture and Entasia to name but a few. My sound-system were known as Maximum NRG.
Admittedly, the venue has seen better days and the greatness of those Bhangra events departed some years ago, despite several Asian Music Awards being held there recently. But like many supporters of Bhangra I will still lament the loss of Le Palais and everything it stood for.
I’m hearing that there will be a final Bhangra event before the venue is closed for good. We’ll be sure to cover it on our Specialist Bhangra programme ‘Breakdown’.
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Comments
Post your commentI was in London in 1987. I saw the Hammersmith Palais from the outside. I remember the people lining up for Bhangra Concerts. It seemed like an excellent venue for concerts. It is a shame that it has to go.
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Good post.
It is a huge shame they are closing down this venue. I hear they are converting into a bunch of office blocks/ flats. Do you reckon they will do a 'Highbury' and start giving away bits of brick to the harcore bhnagra fans.. thas an idea!
I'm sure Palais must have been home to a few daytimers back in the early 90's
(I never did have the guts to go one!).
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This is a perfect example of a what I call 'get outta jail card. What I mean by this is that instead of investing into what is ultimately a piece of music history - it is instead added to the forgotten music venues of this great city London.
The Forum in Kentish Town is also heading that way!...and it is a shame!!! It seems to me that any venue without a 'corporate puppet' controlling it is walking a very fine line between staying open and being condemed to music heaven!
Why can't it be restored? like the Camden Palace now known as KOKO....it just baffles me!
Rob K
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You are bringing back a lot of good memories for me. It's a shame to see this monument to Bhangra music be destroyed.
LB
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Rob Khan - They did the same to The Labyrinth in Dalston just a few weeks ago - it was the birth place of Rave music and the location of The Prodigy and Badmarsh's first gigs.
Mark - The Dome Bhangra gigs rocked! (Yep - I just about made it to a couple of daytimers despite my Underground leanings - heck, back then they WERE Underground!)
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Nerm: What can I say it is frikin nuts! - but hey maybe if the venue attaches itself to a alcoholic product it will be saved? - My view is...that will be very doubtful! :S
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ohhh nooooo im soooo upset....what is going on find some other place to build offices...god i remember those days..when we listened to heera, alaap, golden star....on vynil....oh my days dont bull doze my memories..naaahhhiiinnn..
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Ahh...I just went back to my childhood and know feel like shedding tears for it!
My first Bhangra gig was at the Empire in Leicester Sqaure a couple of years before that but I have a very strong memorys of the Hammersmith Palais - One of them included having to stand outside giving out flyers (on an Entasia/Big Baba..or was it M?) gig while Mark was allowed to do more important things inside (grrrr)....
...Cool thing was that I (as a ninteen year old) got 4 phone numbers from girls that day by using my big gob and flyers..and met a girl who I ended up seeing for four years!
Also as a West Londoner it was always the Hounslow/Southall side of town so most of the gigs were spent looking a girls from the other side of town and trying to "Chirps" them.
End of an Era and more importantly this little blog shows just how Brit-Asian cultural history is being lost over time - Where are the Academics who should be recording all this stuff!! Hey!
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This post made me so nostalgic. I went to a school in Hammersmith - because bunking was difficult there, often I could only see the lines outside the Palais as my dad drove me to school. My brothers and cousin who had better luck skiving and more nerve were usually in the queue as I drove past. I did manage to get to Tuesday nights at the Wag, Wednesdays at Limelight and all the rest and went to lots of events where Maximum NRG, Ambassadors of Sound etc. were playing. They were good days. It's great to see the Asian music scene come so far but it was exciting to feel like part of a something that felt new and undiscoverd and underground. Funnily enough, when my dad first came to this country - he used to go ballroom dancing at the Palais. So from the 50s to today, it has had meaning for lots of generations of Asians. Viva La Palais.
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Hi
Loads of memories about Hammersmith Palais its sad its going.
i was lucky enuff to perfom on stage with my dance group D.I.P along side many bands. The one that really stood out was when the line up
safri
ajuba
jazz
pdm
what a night that was electrifing crowd who appreciated the live scene.
r.i.p hammersmith
regards
sanj
(former member of d.i.p)
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Thinking of the Hammersmith Palais brings back some real nostalgic memories indeed, especially the girlfriends i went with over the years, and the many guys who couldnt control their hands to pinch their bums! But i suppose that is just how it was, after some time i moved away from the asian scene due to the negative stuff at the gigs, namely the fights afterwards!!! But nothing but love for the time regardless! Look out for a tv documentary covering the closing of the venue airing in the summer on 成人论坛3, im providing input in terms of the significance the venue has on the asian music movement over the years, as many will agree, it was the beginning for many of us!!! Look forward to the final asian gig at the venue, see you all there for sure, holding back the tears!!!!!!
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what can I say, my life began here... I met the lady of my life at this place, it all started of like a fairy tale....
Gutted its closing down...
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Well it's certainly the end of an era. I feel so old saying this, but they just don't make 'em like they used to. I think the same is to be said of the new generation of british Asians. Standing up and enjoying our cultural heritage has been confused with the race to impress the corporates at the bbc, and to see who can enjoy the most commercial sucess. I'm sorry to say, but the likes of Juggy D, Jay Sean and Richie Rich have absoloutely nothing to say, nor do they have a particularly interesting sound. It doesn't get much better than a mid-day valentines gig in the 80's with the mighty Heera headlining at this great venue which became synonomous with banghra and everything it meant back in the day!.
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i remember the first gig ever dj at le palais.
when i started my set the place just started to rumble/jumping.That night i hosting the gig as i was the main dj at all entasia gigs.It was the best venue for all bhangra gigs.dj sukh
www.rawechoes.com
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RISHI RICH IS ONE OF THE FEW NEW STARS TO HAVE ACTUALLY PERFORMED AT LE PALAIS
... WAS WITH 'BADD COMPANY' ALSO IN THE LINE WAS ARGY AND AMEET CHANA AND MY SELF AND MENTOR ,UPESH AND MITESH....ALL THE CREW FROM X-ZECUTIVE DAYS BY THE ONE AND ONLY SAN-J SANJ
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