Rockin Rollin down
Wardour Street
100 and 159 Wardour st
The Marquee Club was arguably one of the most important music venues in the world during the 1960's and 70’s. It launched the careers of a generation of rock, pop, punk and R and B acts, including The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac who were both known to have made their live debuts at The Marquee.
Established by Harold Pendleton, it began life as a Jazz club on Oxford Street in 1958-the same year that he ran the UK’s first outdoor jazz festival, which, in turn, led to establishing the Reading Festival.
Harold and Barbara Pendleton Internet archive
Queen live at The Marquee Club Dec 20th, 1972 Internet archive
The Rolling Stones played their first gig there in 1962. The performance only took place because they were filling in for Thursday-night-regulars- Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, whilst they were off playing a BBC radio session that evening. -
The Marquee club moved to Wardour street in 1964- where legendary acts continued to perform on a small stage.
A carved wall beneath the window to the left of number 100 depicts the wall of fame including The Sex Pistols, The Who, Pink Floyd, Bowie, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Queen.
Take a read of this to learn more https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rolling-stones-first-ever-gig/
Queen 1972. Internet Archive
The club met with a strange end. In 1987 it was found that the façade of the Wardour Street building that housed the club had slipped towards the pavement after 30 years of heavy vibrations and needed to be demolished for safety reasons.
It was famed for its decor which resembled a marquee, designed by Angus McBean complete with an iconic striped canopy.
1992-05-14 Hiarkuts That Kill Internet Archive
Whilst we’re on Wardour street discussing the latest crazes in music it should be noted that in the 19th Century Soho was the Violin making centre of Britain.
86 Wardour St.looking southwards & number 90 Aug. 1905
Slide up the road to 159 Wardour St
St Moritz Club
This thriving cult spot for live music, punk and rock ’n’ roll was called “The ultimate Soho shebeen” by VICE magazine
Tucked beneath London’s oldest Swiss restaurant, this little hedonistic cave - nicknamed ‘The Pit’ - retained much of the same cave like decor it had since the ’60s, giving it a timeless, proper Soho, character for over half a century.
Founded in 1960 as a quiet swiss community lounge it wasn't until the well loved Armin Loetscher, AKA Sweety took over, eventually buying it in 1969 that it started to transform into the music and dance club it came to be..
Sweety was the charming, dapper founder and chef of the Swiss Restaurant upstairs whilst managing St Moritz downstairs, right up until his death in March 2026.
St Moritz held Swiss carnivals, fondue parties, après-ski nights and even its own newspaper, The St Moritz News.
Sweety - Photo by Ruby Flashman
Sweetie interview - 2012 - the Soho Society
VICE said of the club” it was a members bar, because back then you had to be for people to drink until 3:30AM. You had to be recommended by two people…. to get a membership, and it cost £5. The crowd was very European.”
Over the years, its cramped stage was graced by pretty much every front-page rockstar: from Lou Reed and Joe Strummer to Iron Maiden, U2 and Lee Scratch Perry and The Kinks’ played their first gig here.
As Sweety once wrote on an early flyer: “Here you can let your hair down; no one will mind.”
St Moritz was also home to London’s longest running one nighter - Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues -originally founded in 1980 at Gossip's, Dean Street , it moved to St Moritz in 1995.
Legend Gaz Mayall -Resident DJ Natty Bo Gaz’s Rockin Blues &
Photos Ruby Flashman
At the Helm is legendary selector Gaz Mayall whose eclectic music tastes were influenced by family friend, the aforementioned, Alexis Korner, Gaz is also son of blues great John Mayall.
The night filled the basement with DJ’s and live music ska, blues, reggae, rock ’n’ roll every Thursday. With many of the greats playing there such as Lee Scratch Perry and Prince Buster & Gaz’s band The Trojans.
Gaz’s was still drawing a brilliantly mixed crowd when St Moritz recently closed. -
Take a watch of this brief history vid when you next sit down
“There are lots of memories and history in this club” said Sweety, “and I think it’s important to keep that part of Soho alive.”
In June 2026 it was announced that The restaurant and club would close “ temporarily” …after 60 years of memories there is sadness at the loss of this cultural gem.
Catch Gaz’s now at the (new) Flamingo in Kingly CourtTake a little wiggle right now towards Soho Square in order to reach Frith Street.