The Gaumont State Cinema on Kilburn High Road
The Gaumont State Cinema is a Grade II* listed Art Deco theatre located in Kilburn, a district in northwest London.
Designed by George Coles and opened in 1937, the Gaumont State was one of the biggest auditoria in Europe, with seating for 4,004 people. The name State is said to come from the huge 120 feet (37 m) tower, inspired by the Empire State Building in New York City.[1][2] The exterior of the cinema is designed in an Art Deco Italian Renaissance style, covered in cream ceramic tiles. The tower, designed in the style of a 1930s New York skyscraper, can be seen for miles around, and bears the name "STATE" in large red neon letters. The interior was designed in the opulent style of cinemas of the day, and includes a Wurlitzer organ which is today one of the largest fully functioning Wurlitzer organs in Britain. It is also one of the few cinema organs remaining in their original locations.[3] Entertainers such as Gracie Fields, Larry Adler and George Formby performed at the official opening broadcast live on BBC Radio on December 20, 1937.[4] Since then, the Gaumont State has been one of the most popular music venues in London and hosted a number of historic performances. From the late 1980s until 2007 the building was run as a bingo hall by Mecca Bingo. In 2007 the bingo was closed, and the building and surrounding site were put up for sale. A campaign to Save the Kilburn State from unsympathetic property developers, and restore it as a cultural centre, was started in the same year by local residents.[5] The building was eventually acquired by Brixton-based Ruach Ministries, led by Bishop John Anthony Francis and Co-Pastor Penny Francis. The building was bought 70 years to the exact day that The Gaumont State was first opened on 20 December 1937.
[edit] Noteworthy performances
The former 3rd class entrance of the Gaumont State Cinema
- Django Reinhardt (July 23, 1938 & August 14, 1939)
- Dinah Shore (September 5, 1948)
- Nellie Lutcher (October 29, 1950)
- Deep River Boys (November 12, 1950)
- Petula Clark (November 12, 1950)
- Frank Sinatra (June 21, 1953)
- Lee Konitz (1957)
- Jerry Lee Lewis (May 25, 1958)
- Duke Ellington (October 25, 1958)
- Buddy Holly (1958)
- Count Basie
- Marilyn Monroe
- Louis Armstrong
- Sarah Vaughan
- Thelonious Monk (May 7, 1961)
- Art Blakey (May 7, 1961)
- Lee Morgan (May 7, 1961)
- Dizzy Gillespie (November 11, 1961)
- John Coltrane (November 11, 1961)
- Dave Brubeck (1963)
- The Beatles (April 9, 1963 & October 23, 1964)
- The Rolling Stones (November 19, 1963)
- Bill Haley & His Comets
- Harry Belafonte
- Jethro Tull (February 26–28, 1971)
- David Bowie (June 13, 1973)
- Ronnie Wood (July 14, 1974)
- The Faces (July 13–14, 1974 & December 21–22, 1974)
- Deep Purple (May 22, 1974)
- Black Sabbath (November 21, 1975)
- The Who (December 15, 1977)
- Tom Jones
[edit] See also
[edit] References
Coordinates: 51°32′29″N 0°11′51″W / 51.54130°N 0.19757°W / 51.54130; -0.19757
[edit] External links
