100 Club

100 Club
Majo76 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	100 Club
Address	100 Oxford Street
City	London
Country	United Kingdom
Opened	1942
Capacity	350
Type	Music venue

100 Club is a historic live music venue on Oxford Street in London known for hosting jazz, punk, rock, and blues acts since its founding in 1942. The club has presented influential performers from Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to The Sex Pistols and The Rolling Stones, functioning as a crossroads for scenes including British jazz and punk rock. Over decades the venue has intersected with institutions such as the BBC, festivals like Glastonbury Festival, and movements connected to figures including Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, and Joan Baez.

History

Opened during World War II in 1942, the venue began amid wartime London entertainment circuits featuring artists tied to Royal Air Force morale and wartime broadcasts. Postwar, it became central to the British jazz revival hosting performers associated with Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, and Kenny Ball. In the 1950s and 1960s the club bridged to blues and rhythm scenes welcoming names linked to Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, and Bo Diddley. The late 1960s and 1970s saw associations with The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and Jimi Hendrix offshoots while the 1976 punk surge connected the venue to Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, and Siouxsie Sioux. In subsequent decades the club hosted genre crossovers tied to Nirvana, Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, and Amy Winehouse-era circuits.

Venue and Facilities

Situated on Oxford Street near the junction with Tottenham Court Road, the club retains an intimate capacity around 350, with a low-stage layout used by small ensembles and headliners. Backstage access and technical setups have accommodated touring crews linked to Island Records, EMI, Warner Music Group, Virgin Records, and independent labels such as Rough Trade and Stiff Records. The sound system and lighting rigs have been upgraded to standards used by production teams who have worked with Live Nation, AEG Presents, and festival crews from Reading Festival and Isle of Wight Festival. The venue’s layout supports jazz combos in the style of Miles Davis ensembles as well as punk lineups like Johnny Rotten fronted bands, and accommodates broadcasts historically syndicated by BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2.

Notable Performances and Artists

The club’s stage has featured seminal jazz figures such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Charlie Parker-era influences. Blues legends including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Etta James, and B.B. King played there, while British rhythm and blues acts like The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds traced early intersections with the venue. The punk epoch showcased performances by Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, Buzzcocks, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Later rock, indie, and alternative artists including Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day, The Strokes, Coldplay, Muse, and Arctic Monkeys have ties through performances or benefit shows. Folk and singer-songwriter presences such as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Nick Drake-adjacent artists also appeared in acoustic sets. The club staged benefit concerts and anniversary gigs attended by personalities tied to Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, and music producers like George Martin and Brian Eno.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

The venue contributed to the British jazz renaissance associated with Chris Barber and the trad jazz movement, and later became a crucible for punk’s DIY ethos alongside venues like CBGB and Roundhouse. It influenced label signings at Stiff Records, Factory Records, and Rough Trade, and fed into festival circuits including Glastonbury Festival and Reading Festival. The club’s archives intersect with broadcasters such as BBC Radio 1 sessions and music journalism from publications like NME, Melody Maker, and Rolling Stone. Its role in scenes spawned scholarly and biographical works on figures like Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren and informed retrospectives involving British Library collections and exhibitions at institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum. The venue’s cross-genre programming influenced generations of musicians from Patti Smith to David Bowie-era collaborators.

Management and Ownership

Originally opened by proprietors linked to wartime entertainment networks, management evolved through proprietors who engaged with promoters from Paul McCartney-adjacent circles, indie entrepreneurs, and corporate partners tied to entities such as Live Nation and AEG Presents for production services. Over time the venue worked with promoters from Songkick, Drowned in Sound, and independent agencies connected to Dave Haslam and Ronnie Scott-affiliated personnel. Ownership disputes and preservation campaigns have drawn attention from public figures including members of Parliament and music industry advocates associated with BRIT Awards stakeholders.

Preservation and Renovations

Preservation efforts have involved collaborations with heritage organizations and municipal authorities in Westminster, appeals citing cultural significance akin to listings processed by Historic England, and campaigns echoing advocacy by groups associated with English Heritage and music heritage charities. Renovation phases modernized sound, safety, and accessibility while retaining historic features, drawing contractors familiar with conservation projects for venues like Royal Albert Hall and Roundhouse. Fundraising for upgrades has included benefit concerts featuring artists from labels such as Island Records and Rough Trade, and support by cultural patrons connected to British Music Experience initiatives.

Category:Music venues in London