September 2024. London.
A Beer Guide tick, Sweet and Sour Pork, and the greatest living Australian playing live in the West End.
Now that’s a great Monday night out in London.
A week earlier Julia had been the surprise noon act at End of the Road, a performance we’d missed due to (checks notes) having walked off-site to an NBSS 2.5 Butcombe pub. So, while catching her on the Hadestown cast’s day off in a West End theatre felt odd, it also felt like redemption.
All that was missing was an aimless wander round Soho before doors open at 7:30, and if the West End is good for anything it’s good for aimless wandering.
And wondrous it looked (and spotless, let it be said), though of course my focus is on closed pubs like the Intrepid Fox.
As the graffiti sagely notes,
No sign of the West End losing its appeal, though despite living within an hour of the capital I rarely made it to the theatre, except this year.
though there’s far too many classic in this setlist, though a bit of Jesus Christ Superstar and Catatonia
almost made up for the lack of Motherland.
Almost.
retiredmartin 
Where’s the beer? You’d think this was a diary.
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We were warned in this site’s sub-heading what to expect, Dave 😉
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Dave’s joking. He’d like more questionable music videos, angry American lesbians and crispy beef on this site.
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Ah, The Intrepid Fox. The metal pub you’d call into for a pint before a gig at the Marquee.
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What happened to the Marquee ?
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Moved to Charing Cross road and lasted a few more years before becoming a Spoons. Which is now also shut.
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Thanks Ed. Know I went to Wardour St Marquee the once in mid ’80s, shame I can’t remember who.
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It closed in 1996 and is now Tim’s The Montagu Pyke, cask beer only being sold in one half when I went several years ago.
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I initially read that as beer only sold in half pints, Paul !
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One more reason for me not to use Tim’s venues then !
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Not many people know that in 1964 the M&B Five’s manager and producer Alex Murray used a homemade studio in the garage at the back of the Marquee Club to produce the classic “Go Now” single which shot to No. 1 at Christmas 1964 and filmed for it the first ever UK pop promo video.
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This 1980 version was one of the first singles I bought, Paul.
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Yes, written by Larry Banks who couldn’t claim to be from Wolverhampton.
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