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Apple gets the nod for live gigs until 11pm
THERE is a new tribe at the Apple Store in Regent Street but you won’t catch them starting a stampede for an iPhone or talking pixel sizes in any troubleshooting workshop.
They are Glastonbury-going music afficionados, who are clamouring to be in the crowd at London’s latest addition to the gig circuit. It may not yet have the caché of the Astoria or the capacity of the Brixton Academy, but the gadget mecca is fast making a name for itself as one of the best places to catch a live set in the capital.
The flagship store has already hosted a handful of intimate gigs for the likes of REM and Duffy under its iTunes Live in London banner, but licensing chiefs at Westminster Council have just given the nod to extended opening until 11pm, so there could be a whole lot more in the pipeline.
Previously the store closed for business on weekdays at 9pm and on Sunday’s at 6pm, but shrewd bosses have realised there’s a buck or two to be made from getting a piece of what critics are touting as London’s live music renaissance.
Bosses are keeping plans close to their chest but a spokesman told us retail was still the priority. He said: “I guess it is quite novel but we have had quite a few bands in the store since we opened. It’s not a radical departure from what we were doing, I think the idea is just more of the same. Obviously with gigs, 11pm is a lot better than 9pm. It makes sense.”
Although not everyone thinks it’s such a good idea. Both the environmental health department and Westminster police objected to the extension on the grounds it would cause a public nuisance and there was no specific area for dancing.
The Fratellis will be the first band to take advantage of the later opening. They will be playing a special gig on Monday August 18. |
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