Due to the difficulties involved in developing a mobile app meant to guide users through London’s punk history and present, I’ll be gradually publishing the entire series here. Over the course of nearly a year, I personally visited every location—and while many venues no longer exist and have been replaced by something entirely different, there are still plenty that operate much like they did in the late 1970s.
If punk subculture sparks your curiosity and you’re planning a trip to London, you might find some inspiration here for places worth checking out.
Electric Ballroom
184 Camden High St, Camden Town, London NW1 8QP
Artists who’ve played here include The Pogues, The Clash, Joy Division, Nick Cave, The Smiths, Madness, and many more.
This club became a cornerstone of Camden’s punk scene. Regulars included Shane MacGowan and his partner Shanne Bradley.
After the Sex Pistols broke up, Sid Vicious played a gig here with his band Vicious White Kids to earn money for a trip to America—one he never returned from. The Clash performed a two-day concert here in January 1980 in support of their London Calling album. In the second half of the ’80s, The Pogues rehearsed here, and in 1987 they performed alongside Joe Strummer. The club is still up and running today, though it’s now focused mostly on other music genres.
