London’s legendary Camden Barfly reopens its doors with a little help from Frank Turner
“Pick up the Barfly listings over the next couple of months and take a punt on something. They might be the best band you’ve seen in your life”
By Nick Reilly
London’s legendary Camden Barfly has officially opened its doors once more, with the venue owners telling Rolling Stone UK how they’re hoping to build on its storied legacy.
The famed Camden Town spot was previously operating as The Camden Assembly, but assumed its most famous name once more on Monday evening (June 22) after being acquired by Propaganda Independent Venues.
It previously hosted early gigs from the likes of Coldplay, Adele and The Killers, and opened its doors once more with a set from Frank Turner, a stalwart of The Barfly in the past.
Turner’s hardcore band Million Dead played their first ever gig at the venue in 2001, while he returned to play his first ever sold-out solo show there too.
“What we’re trying to do is create a sense of community here. Pick up the Barfly listings over the next couple of months and take a punt on something. They might be the best band you’ve seen in your life,” Turner told Rolling Stone UK.
On the night, Turner also unveiled a blue plaque in honour of his many appearances and to mark the official reopening.
Dan Ickowitz-Seidler is well known as the creator of Propaganda club nights across the country, but is now the boss of the Barfly. “It’s been absolutely incredible relaunching Barfly and seeing people’s reaction and how much the venue meant to so many people,” he told RS UK.
“Barfly meant so much to me and my co-owners Rich and Chris and it’s been really special seeing how much love everyone else had for the venue. It was an honour to have Frank launch the venue for us especially with his connections to the venue and everything he stands for in supporting grassroots venues, we are so aligned and it was the perfect way to restart a new chapter of Barfly for a new generation.
“It was great to also have the Barfly founders Nick, Be and Jeremy at our launch as well as Guy Garvey from Elbow, members of Snow Patrol and I am Kloot. The public outpouring of support for Barfly has been amazing, and I hope we can continue to build on it and the legacy of Barfly as we reestablish the venue.”
The Barfly will be open daily and is set to feature a Wall of Fame celebrating the venue’s heritage, showcasing imagery from its 20-year history, while a series of blue plaques will be unveiled in the coming months, commemorating the artists and pivotal moments in the venue’s history. It will also feature a vinyl listening bar, drawing influence from Tokyo’s renowned listening bars.