Music Is My Radar: Rock n Roll London: The Rainbow, Finsbury Park

The Rainbow July 2013

There's this gorgeous Art Deco building in Finsbury Park, where I live. It is currently a church, but it has had an amazing musical past that would knock the socks off the parishioners.
It opened in 1930; as an Astoria Cinema, part of a chain of four cinemas that includes, what is now Brixton Academy.
It was a cinema until 1971, when it was fully converted to a music venue and re-named the Rainbow.
The Rainbow was where Jimi Hendrix first burned his guitar, on March 31, 1967.
Pink Floyd played a four night run here in 1972.
Genesis played at the Rainbow many times during their career.
The Ramones played two gigs here over New Years Eve 1977-1978.
Bob Marley and The Wailers played four nights here, which became the Bob Marley and the Wailers Live! at the Rainbow album. This alcum went on to stay 56 weeks on the U.K. charts and launched Bob Marley into superstardom.
A friend of mine saw the Jackson Five here in 1979. Another friend of mine saw Meatloaf and Rainbow at the Rainbow.
The last film to be shown at the Rainbow was Paul McCartney's Wings, August 10th, 1979.
And David Bowie played here on August 19 & 20th, 1972.