Venue - The Second Marquee Club
Published: 2009-10-11
Various artists - 90 Wardour Street
Today 90 Wardour street is site to the upmarket Cuban-themed restaurant and bar Floridita. Above it is Soho Lofts, a collection of very exclusive flats.
In 1964 the Marquee club moved from Oxford street to 90 Vardour street, it remained there until 1988. Many famous bands played at the Marquee during the course of those years.
Among artists who played at the Marquee during the 60s are The Moody Blues, The Who, Yes, David Bowie, Jethro Tull, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd and The Small Faces.
Famous acts during the 70s included; The Sex Pistols, The Boys, Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Stranglers, Generation X, London, The Police, The Sinceros, Buzzcocks, The Jam, Joy Division and The Cure.
Acts during the 80s included; Prince, Genesis and Wham! During the 80s the club was important to the British metal movement and Iron Maiden, Pendragon, Solstice, Twelfth Night, IQ, Haze, Cardiacs and Liaison all played there.
The venue is also mentioned in the title of a song by The Jam, "A-Bomb in Wardour Street".
The Marquee was also the site of the music video for I'm Your Man by Wham!. Starting off with George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley struggling to sell tickets in front of the club. George Michael then phones Simon (probably Simon Napier-Bell, one of Wham!'s two managers) saying "Eight million albums in the last six months, I don't understand why on earth we're playing at the Marquee?". After the conversation on the phone the video kicks off showing a live performance, a sign in the background reads "The Marquee".
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