Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Encyclopedia
Wolverhampton Civic Hall is a music venue in Wolverhampton
, West Midlands
, England
. It has been one of the most important live music venues in the county for several decades. It is part of a complex also including Wulfrun Hall and the newer Little Civic. The complex is owned and managed by Wolverhampton City Council and is a Grade II listed building.
The original halls were refitted and reorganised in 2001 to increase the capacity to over 3,000 and provide new backstage areas and public facilities. In 2001, a third, smaller venue, The Little Civic, was created.
was specially designed for the Civic Hall and it is believed that the console was designed by the architects. The organ was made up of over 5,500 pipes and contained an early electronic division known as a Melotone. G. D. Cunningham
, then Birmingham City Organist
, had the distinction of being the first musician to play there. Two Borough Organists have served Wolverhampton at the Civic Hall, Arnold Richardson (1938–1973) and Steve Tovey (1991–present), the latter becoming City Organist in 2001.
The Organ was also re-built and enlarged in 2001, and is now capable of being played as a cathedral organ or theatre organ
. Regular classical and theatre organ concerts are still held.
Steve Tovey gives a brief demonstration of the civic hall organ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PgoD5bvfxw
The first concert was performed on the evening of May 16, 1938, by the Old Royals Association, with Anne Ziegler
, Webster Booth
and several other soloists.
The hall has hosted a variety of events since its opening, although they are now mostly popular music based. In recent years the venue has been in competition for many of the bigger acts with Birmingham
's o2 Academy, among others.
Despite this, the venue has attracted many mid-sized acts that have stopped at the venue on UK tours.
Comedians, such as Ken Dodd
, Peter Kay
and Jim Davidson
, have appeared at the hall, which has also staged televised darts tournaments including the Grand Slam
. Throughout much of the 1980s professional wrestling
was broadcast live from the venue on Saturday afternoons. This became a noted part of English culture until American wrestling became more popular in the 1990s. British Wrestling returned to the venue in the 2000s.
Two long running club nights, 'Cheeky Monkey' and 'Blast Off' are held on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Friday afternoons see one of the largest ballroom and sequence dances in the UK. The hall has hosted dances since 1938, originally on Saturday evenings, when many top dance bands and orchestras have played to capacity audiences.
played his first solo performance at the Civic Hall on 22 December 1988. Admission was said to be free to anyone wearing a The Smiths
T shirt. Nearly 20,000 fans were reported to attempt to gain entry to the show many of which had queued for days.
Slipknot
's performance at the Civic Hall in 2000 was noted for turntablist Sid Wilson
stagediving from the 20 ft high balcony onto the crowd, as per his trademark. This injured a young woman breaking her leg, she later recovered.
Mott the Hoople
, Ned's Atomic Dustbin
, McFly
, Morrissey
, The Specials
and Space
have all released live DVDs or videos of concerts filmed at the venue.
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has been one of the most important live music venues in the county for several decades. It is part of a complex also including Wulfrun Hall and the newer Little Civic. The complex is owned and managed by Wolverhampton City Council and is a Grade II listed building.
Construction and development
The hall was built in 1938 following a design competition in 1934 won by Lyons and Israel to build a large concert hall and the smaller Wulfrun Hall, for theatre and chamber performances. Construction commenced in April 1936 and the Halls were officially opened on 12 May 1938.The original halls were refitted and reorganised in 2001 to increase the capacity to over 3,000 and provide new backstage areas and public facilities. In 2001, a third, smaller venue, The Little Civic, was created.
Organ
A Compton OrganJohn Compton (organ builder)
John Compton , born in Newton Burgoland, Leicestershire, was a pipe organ builder. His business based in Nottingham and London flourished between 1902 and 1965.-Life:...
was specially designed for the Civic Hall and it is believed that the console was designed by the architects. The organ was made up of over 5,500 pipes and contained an early electronic division known as a Melotone. G. D. Cunningham
G. D. Cunningham
George Dorrington Cunningham was an important concert organist. Born of musical parents, Cunningham studied piano with his mother, subsequently switching to organ at the Guildhall School of Music. Upon graduation he studied with Josiah Booth at Park Chapel, Crouch End, North London...
, then Birmingham City Organist
Birmingham City Organist
Birmingham City Organist is an appointment made by the City of Birmingham. The purpose of the appointment is to have an organist for civic occasions and who will provide a series of free public organ recitals....
, had the distinction of being the first musician to play there. Two Borough Organists have served Wolverhampton at the Civic Hall, Arnold Richardson (1938–1973) and Steve Tovey (1991–present), the latter becoming City Organist in 2001.
The Organ was also re-built and enlarged in 2001, and is now capable of being played as a cathedral organ or theatre organ
Theatre organ
A theatre organ is a pipe organ originally designed specifically for imitation of an orchestra. New designs have tended to be around some of the sounds and blends unique to the instrument itself....
. Regular classical and theatre organ concerts are still held.
Steve Tovey gives a brief demonstration of the civic hall organ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PgoD5bvfxw
Events
Anne Ziegler
Anne Ziegler was an English singer, known for her light operatic duets with her husband Webster Booth. The pair were known as the "Sweethearts in Song" and were among the most famous and popular British musical acts of the 1940s.-Life and career:She was born Irené Frances Eastwood in the Sefton...
, Webster Booth
Webster Booth
Leslie Webster Booth , better known by his stage name, Webster Booth, was a British tenor. He is largely remembered today as the duettist partner of Anne Ziegler, but he was also one of the finest British tenors of his generation and was a distinguished oratorio soloist.He was a chorister at...
and several other soloists.
The hall has hosted a variety of events since its opening, although they are now mostly popular music based. In recent years the venue has been in competition for many of the bigger acts with Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
's o2 Academy, among others.
Despite this, the venue has attracted many mid-sized acts that have stopped at the venue on UK tours.
Comedians, such as Ken Dodd
Ken Dodd
Kenneth Arthur Dodd OBE is a British comedian and singer songwriter, famous for his frizzy hair or “fluff dom” and buck teeth or “denchers”, his favourite cleaner, the feather duster and his greeting "How tickled I am!", as well as his send-off “Lots and Lots of Happiness!”...
, Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
and Jim Davidson
Jim Davidson (comedian)
Jim Davidson OBE is a British comedian, actor and television presenter. He has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment, particularly of British service personnel in conflict zones.- Biography :The son of a Glaswegian father, Davidson was born in...
, have appeared at the hall, which has also staged televised darts tournaments including the Grand Slam
Grand Slam of Darts
The Grand Slam of Darts is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation and is known as the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts for sponsorship purposes. The PDC also invites the best performing players from its rival the British Darts Organisation...
. Throughout much of the 1980s professional wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
was broadcast live from the venue on Saturday afternoons. This became a noted part of English culture until American wrestling became more popular in the 1990s. British Wrestling returned to the venue in the 2000s.
Two long running club nights, 'Cheeky Monkey' and 'Blast Off' are held on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Friday afternoons see one of the largest ballroom and sequence dances in the UK. The hall has hosted dances since 1938, originally on Saturday evenings, when many top dance bands and orchestras have played to capacity audiences.
Notable concerts
MorrisseyMorrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
played his first solo performance at the Civic Hall on 22 December 1988. Admission was said to be free to anyone wearing a The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
T shirt. Nearly 20,000 fans were reported to attempt to gain entry to the show many of which had queued for days.
Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
's performance at the Civic Hall in 2000 was noted for turntablist Sid Wilson
Sid Wilson
Sidney George Wilson also known as Ratboy or DJ Sid, #0 , is an American disc jockey known as the turntablist of the Grammy Award winning band Slipknot. He is the youngest member of the band.-Biography:...
stagediving from the 20 ft high balcony onto the crowd, as per his trademark. This injured a young woman breaking her leg, she later recovered.
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
, Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin are an English rock band formed in Stourbridge in West Midlands in November 1987. The band took their name from an episode of The Goon Show. The band were unusual for using two bass players in their lineup: Alex Griffin played melody lines high up on one bass, and Mat Cheslin...
, McFly
McFly
McFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
, Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
and Space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
have all released live DVDs or videos of concerts filmed at the venue.