Rainbow Theatre

ABOUT

The Rainbow Theatre was a concert hall at 232-238 Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park. The building opened in 1930 as the Finsbury Park Astoria cinema, which also put on concerts, and was renamed the Rainbow Theatre in November 1971; its last concert was on 24 December 1981. The Grade II* listed building has been used as a church by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God since 1995.

SIGNIFICANCE

As the Finsbury Park Astoria it staged The Beatles' Christmas Show from 24 December 1963 to 11 January 1964, and on 31 March 1967 Jimi Hendrix set fire to his guitar on stage there for the first time. The Who played the first concerts under the Rainbow name on 4 and 5 November 1971, and on 9 May 1977 fans at The Clash's White Riot tour show tore out about 200 seats. Elvis Costello and the Attractions played the last concert on 24 December 1981.

MUSIC & CHARACTER

SOURCES

Details compiled from public sources. Run this venue? Get in touch to confirm or correct the listing.

1. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1297977 (official website)Supports: The building was built in 1930 as the Finsbury Park Astoria cinema, designed by Edward A. Stone, and is listed Grade II* (first listed 16 January 1974).
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002724/http://www.islington.gov.uk/publicrecords/library/Leisure-and-culture/Information/Guidance/2013-2014/%282013-08-08%29-2013-Local-History-Astoria-Rainbow.pdf (official website)Supports: Under the Astoria name, The Beatles' Christmas Show ran there from 24 December 1963 to 11 January 1964 (30 shows).