London

Nick Mason, Pink Floyd drummer
'There was no stage, but there was an old cart that was used as a platform. Our entire combination of instruments, amps and light show was being run off a single 13-amp lead, which would barely have supported the power supply for the average kitchen. Torches and candles supplied most of the light. Feature continues

Joe Boyd, promoter of UFO Club
‘When we moved the UFO Club from a small venue in the West End to the Roundhouse, we didn’t figure on the security concerns. Skinheads hadn’t had too much contact with hippies up to then, but they could smell a natural enemy. The minute our audience arrived in the neighbourhood they were under attack. Bells were snatched from around necks, handbags stolen, eyes blacked. A group of skins charged through the fire door and started hitting anyone they found, myself included. A few police came, but they seemed to enjoy seeing the hippies get a kicking.’

John Cumming, gig promoter
'It’s important to remember the Roundhouse, when revived in the early ’60s, was a theatrical venue. At the all-nighters you’d get theatrical performances, light shows, circus acts and so on. It was, as they used to say, a “happening”. The audience were part of the interactive show – heckling, shouting, changing the very nature of events. I think it was a unique atmosphere.’

Caroline Coon, radical artist
‘The radical architecture always put you in the mood to be receptive to unusual ideas. I was promoting bands like Led Zeppelin, The Doors and Jefferson Airplane, and for me to see Grace Slick, there in the flesh, was one of the highlights of the ’60s.’

Jonathan Green, author
‘There was a man called General Wastemoreland – named after General Westmoreland in the Vietnam War – who was always to be seen at the concerts there. He was always dressed up like an over-the-top American general, with his hat and military jacket covered in plastic rockets, fighter planes and guns.’

Mark Williams, former editor of International Times magazine
‘There was a constant fog of incense and dope, and the strong smell of patchouli oil. I remember very strongly being there when The Soft Machine played with the Jimi Hendrix Experience in the spring of 1967. It was extremely psychedelic; I can attest to this because I was on acid at the time.’

David Smye, reader
'I saw Elvis Costello there in 1996 with my new girlfriend, as I watched the great man do a fantastic set whilst I stood on a chair, my girlfriend watched me and realised how much she was in love with me!'

Federico Chaplin, reader
'Vanessa Redgrave playing The Lady from the Sea and Ian Dury & the Blockheads.'

Malcolm Gray, reader
'Eddie & the Hot Rods gig in in December 1996 was unbelievably good.'

Linda, reader
'I went to The Roundhouse a lot in the early 70s when I lived in London. One memorable concert was The Rolling Stones in March 1971. It was a great show and it was good seeing them after a few years.'

Anne Reyersbach, reader
'I attended an all night concert by The Doors and Jefferson Airplane. Jim Morrison was amazing. It was crowded, sexy, dirty, druggy and wonderful. I also saw Vanessa Redgrave in The Lady from the Sea.'

Chris Hoskins, reader
'I remember seeing Fairport Convention there one Saturday or Sunday in the early 70s. Dave Swarbrick was in the line-up, playing his violin with a cigarette stick in the end where the tuning pegs are.'