On Monday 19 December the iconic 300-capacity London venue announced via Facebook that it would be closing for refurbishment. The official statement read:
After over thirty years of bringing simply the best musicians to London, our home is now in need of some love & attention. For this reason, as the year draws to a close, so will The Borderline’s doors as we undergo a refurbishment from 24th Dec – mid March ’17. During our temporary closure we’ll be taking a look back over the venue’s past and asking you to share your favourite memories here with us too. We’ll also be posting some sneak previews into the venue’s new developments on our Instagram & Twitter […] Rest assured that The Borderline’s incredible history will not be forgotten during the refurbishment.
In May 2016 it was announced that Nottingham-based promoter DHP Family had purchased both The Borderline (Soho) and The Garage (Highbury). Both venues were formerly part of the MAMA & Company portfolio before the company’s acquisition in August 2015 by Live Nation and Gaiety Investments. The DHP Family manage eight venues across three cities; Rock City, The Rescue Rooms, The Bodega and Stealth in Nottingham, Thekla in Bristol, together with OSLO, The Borderline and The Garage in London.
The Borderline is a much-loved Soho institution and has seen the likes of R.E.M, Rage Against The Machine and Mick Jagger grace its tiny stage since opening in 1988, as well as providing a platform for up-and-coming acts of all genres.
I used to be one of a hand-full of House Photographers at MAMA & Co venues and The Borderline was always my favourite (despite that damn LED strip-lighting), and I also had the pleasure of putting on my first ever show at the venue back in September 2015 with my good friends The Prophets headlining.
The last gig of the year at The Borderline will be Chris Farlowe & The Norman Beaker Band on Friday 23 December, followed by a club night until 6am. Tickets and further information available from www.theborderlinelondon.com.
All photos by Katie Frost Photography
