The Fighting Cocks is a music venue built prior to 1890[1][2] active since the 1930s and located in Kingston upon Thames, the administrative centre of the Royal Borough of Kingston, southwest London, England.[3][4][5][6] It specializes in rock and roll, punk, metal, folk,[7] ska, alternative, rockabilly, electro, comedy, and cabaret performances.[8] It was conspicuous for hosting touring jazz acts[9] in the late 1930s and in the 1940s.[10][11][12] It is now a standard on the London live circuit.[13] It was a popular watering hole, and host to many jam sessions including such artists as Eric Clapton, Shirley Collins,[14] Frank Turner, Gallows, The Stupids,[15] June Tabor[16] and The Rolling Stones. Since 1992, it is also a live-audience training platform and term assessments venue for Kingston University's drama and music students.[17][18][19]
Address | 57 Old London Rd Kingston upon Thames England |
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Coordinates | 51°24′37″N 0°17′58″W / 51.4103°N 0.2995°W |
Public transit | Kingston railway station – Travel Card Zone 6 |
Type | Music hall |
Production | rock and roll, punk, metal, ska, alternative, rockabilly, electro, comedy and cabaret performances |
Construction | |
Built | 1891 |
Years active | 1930 – present |
Website | |
TheFightingCocks.co.uk |
Unsigned, underground, as well as established artists have been invited to perform. The last management of the Cocks opened its doors in 2000. The Fighting Cocks is cooperating with Banquet Records promoters based a few minutes walk away in the town centre, formerly part of the Beggars Banquet Records retail chain. Banquet Records is also home to Gravity DIP music management.[20]
The music venue has a long history of comedy performers especially since it has transformed into the award-winning Outside the Box comedy night on Mondays.[21] Comedians who have performed there include:[22]
Comedy couple Lucy Beaumont and Jon Richardson first met one another at the Kingston venue's weekly comedy night.[26]
Past performers include:
The Fighting Cocks was featured as a filming location in Season 2 of Disney's Loki television series. In it, Hiddleston’s Loki catches up with his old star-crossed lover Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) to discuss a return to the Time Variance Agency. Regulars might be perplexed by the décor: the pub is actually standing in for a watering hole in 1980s Oklahoma – though the leopard print and pool table will ring some definite bells. The pub has put a plaque down to mark where the God of Mischief once propped up the bar and sipped a bourbon. [28]
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