Astoria Manumission Night Called Off

• 13th Jan 2009

The people behind Ibiza club Manumission have had to call off their plans to stage a grand finale for central London venue the Astoria because there just isn't time to get it sorted before the bulldozer pulls in.

Manumission announced over the Christmas break their intent to stage a big bash at the venue on 15 Jan, having heard that Transport For London had finally served notice on the building for 19 Jan. Sad that there would be no big party to formally close the legendary venue they decided that they should try and stage one. But, alas, with most of the music industry on its Christmas holiday when the one month notice to quit was issued, and with Transport For London unwilling to budge on the closure date (in fact at one point they apparently brought it forward), Manumission were unable to book the artists they wanted to play, mainly because with such short notice most of those artists were committed elsewhere.

Confirming their Astoria event would now not go ahead, Manumission's Mike & Claire McKay told CMU: “It is ridiculous that such an important venue is being demolished for 'economic progress'. It can never be replaced. We wanted to give The Astoria the send off it deserves, we feel saddened and disappointed by the decision made to pull what could have been an amazing event, especially in these troubled times”.

A smaller event in the Astoria 2 venue next door will go ahead on 15 Jan – an edition of indie club PUSH. Meanwhile Get Cape Wear Cape Fly will stage a Demolition Ball in the main Astoria the day before, 14 Jan, with The Automatic, My Vitriol, Frank Turner, The King Blues and VV Brown all due to join Mr Duckworth for the proceedings.