Mojo Magazine reports that a place for live music since 1942, last September's announcement that West End rock'n'roll omphalos the 100 Club was closing was grave indeed. And in December, it seemed the game really was up when a public campaign to buy it fell short of the £500,000 required. Even pleas by Macca, Mick Jagger and Beady Eye fell on deaf ears.
But the Converse shoe company - which, it should be remembered, has made special edition plimsolls featuring The Ramones, AC/DC, The Clash and Nirvana - has stepped up to keep it open, meaning that stretching ahead once more is a full programme of rock, jazz, punk and more (Sick On The Bus and Drongos For Europe play a double-header there on March 24!).
"Converse and the 100 Club both share a love for music and this partnership is a great opportunity to reunite the 100 Club with a generation who experienced history inside its walls," said Converse in a statement, "as well as introduce it to a new generation with a vow to bring the best in music to its legendary stage."
Owner Jeff Horton has assured London radio station XFM that the shoe company's corporate presence will be discreet. But MOJO wonders, will the new partnership keep the Working Men's Club décor - unchanged since 1973.
We will just have to wait and see what happens!
