The Red Cow

ABOUT

The Red Cow was a pub at 157 Hammersmith Road, Hammersmith, whose back room, with an official capacity of 250, was a rock venue in the mid-1970s. It announced its closure as a venue in July 1978, and the pub was pulled down in 1981. A Fuller's pub called The Latymers has stood on the site since 1988.

SIGNIFICANCE

AC/DC played their first show outside Australia there on 23 April 1976. The Jam played a Wednesday residency from 9 to 30 March 1977, and The Stranglers, who played there many times in 1976, came back for a secret gig billed as the Shakespearos on 2 September 1978.

MUSIC & CHARACTER

SOURCES

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

1. https://camra.org.uk/pubs/latymers-hammersmith-128711 (official website)Supports: The original Red Cow was pulled down in 1981 and The Latymers opened on the site in 1988 as part of an office block.
2. https://thestranglers.co.uk/secret-london-pub-gigs-1978/ (official website)Supports: The Stranglers played the Red Cow many times in 1976 and returned for a secret gig billed as the Shakespearos on 2 September 1978.
3. https://www.latymershammersmith.co.uk/history (official website)Supports: The pub on the site, The Latymers at 157 Hammersmith Road, says the Red Cow was a 1970s rock venue that hosted The Stranglers, The Damned, The Police, The Jam and AC/DC.
4. https://www.loudersound.com/features/ac-dc-s-first-british-gig (news article)Supports: AC/DC played their first show outside Australia at the Red Cow on 23 April 1976, in a back room with an official capacity of 250.
5. https://www.thejamofficial.com/timeline/ (official website)Supports: The Jam played a Wednesday residency at the Red Cow from 9 to 30 March 1977.
6. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/70s/78/Record-Mirror-1978-07-29.pdf (news article)Supports: In July 1978 the Red Cow announced it would stop, with a run of farewell gigs in August.