Astoria Send Off Show Cancelled
The Astoria's last ever show has been cancelled because it wasn't good enough.
Posted 12th January 2009, 3:04pm in News, by DIY News Desk
The Astoria's last ever show, which was to be hosted by Manumission on 15th December (the day after this one), has been cancelled because organisers feared their last minute efforts were not producing an event that reached their 'standards'.A statement made on Manumission.com reads: "It was a race against time from the start. Transport for London, who are demolishing the venue to make way for the Crossrail, served 28 days notice to vacate on19th December 2008 which was the day the world’s entertainment industry took two full weeks out effectively for Christmas and New Year.
Undeterred, Manumission and their management team gave it their all to put together a fitting farewell night for 15th January. The ‘wish list’ line up was a who’s who of Rock but although many were keen to pay tribute to the Astoria, few were able to make the date due to the short notice. During this key promotional period TFL re-served the writ demanding keys to the venue be returned on 16th January, and then two days later extended it again by which time the organizers had lost almost all of the major names they had invited to perform. There was a final massive push from Manumission’s management to secure a big name artist who could make the night and would have kept the event in line with original plans to make it a star studded charity celebration. With the whole enterprise already struggling against the clock and the authorities, the dream, so nearly a reality, began to slip away. Despite round the clock efforts from all parties, it was proving impossible to honour the Astoria with the glittering line up they planned.
This was always to have been an ‘all or nothing’ event, the Wildest Party Ever, with a Roll Call of the most exciting names in Rock mingling with Manumission’s finest and the ringmasters, Mike and Claire refused to lower their standards. Faced with being unable to put this night on as promised because of constraints put upon them by spiralling events the decision was reluctantly taken by Manumission management and team to pull out."
Manumission thanked those who have shown support for the venue, including: Kasabian, Foo Fighters, Kaiser Chiefs, Babyshambles, Primal Scream, Status Quo, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Damon Albarn, Tom Middleton, Eddy Temple Morris, Rob the Bank and Matt Bates.
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