{"id":582,"date":"2008-04-02T12:59:52","date_gmt":"2008-04-02T17:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/2008\/04\/02\/top-five-must-see-musical-sights-1-hammersmith-palais-london\/"},"modified":"2013-03-26T16:50:05","modified_gmt":"2013-03-26T20:50:05","slug":"top-five-must-see-musical-sights-1-hammersmith-palais-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/2008\/04\/02\/top-five-must-see-musical-sights-1-hammersmith-palais-london\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Five Must-See Musical Sights -#1 Hammersmith Palais, London"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Old<\/p>\n

They say you save the best for last\u2014but Number One of New York Habitat\u2019s Must-See Musical Sights in London<\/a> won\u2019t be saved for long so best to see it now! The top spot on our list is reserved for none other than the time-honored, self-proclaimed \u201cworld famous\u201d Hammersmith Palais, a venue that had been hosting the hottest acts on the London music scene since 1919 but will be demolished soon to make way for a shopping center.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not familiar with the Palais? Think CBGB\u2019s in NYC, another recent concert casualty. Think The Clash\u2019s classic \u201c(White Man in) Hammersmith Palais,\u201d a song ironically condemning the commodification of music. Think live shows from The Clash, The Cramps, The Cure, The Pogues, PiL, Bowie and almost any band that mattered. Better yet, think of booking a nearby London\u00a0vacation rental<\/a> as soon as possible and being one of the last people to snap a shot of the Palais\u2019 famed fa\u00e7ade, one of the only parts still standing. Forget \u201cif walls could talk\u201d\u2014imagine what you\u2019d hear if they could sing!<\/p>\n

When the Palais first opened on 242 Shepherd\u2019s Bush Road, it showcased ballroom dancing and jazz bands (including one featuring Elvis Costello\u2019s father). It withstood air raids and a brief stint as a hockey rink before becoming London\u2019s definitive live music venue in the late \u201970s<\/strong>, then morphed into a haven for West Indian and Brit-Asian all-nighters, integrating current musical and cultural influences into the community. To say the least, the Hammersmith Palais was a stalwart institution\u2014to say it better, in the words of Joe Strummer, it was a refuge for a \u201croots rock rebel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"StreetsDespite the impending destruction of the Palais, Hammersmith is certainly worth a stay in itself. A happening part of West London, Hammersmith is packed with historic pubs<\/strong>, such as the 17th century Dove, the world record holder for having the smallest bar (which didn\u2019t keep writers Graham Greene or Ernest Hemingway away, or stop Sir Alec Guinness from enjoying a pint of\u2014what else?\u2014Guinness). There are also plenty of parklands along the riverside<\/strong>, among them Furnivall Gardens, a good place to catch the upcoming Oxford and Cambridge boat race.<\/p>\n

A few weeks in a New York Habitat vacation rental in <\/a>Fulham-Hammersmith<\/a> will acquaint you with experimental theater at The Lyric; cinema and art at Riverside Studios, a former water pump factory on the Thames; a lively weekly farmers\u2019 market; the Chelsea<\/a> and Fulham football clubs; and more music at the Hammersmith Apollo.<\/strong>
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Some recommended accommodations are:<\/p>\n