The Fighting Cocks

The Fighting Cocks is a music venue built prior to 1890 active since the 1930s and located in Kingston upon Thames, the administrative centre of the Royal Borough of Kingston, southwest London, England. It specializes in rock and roll, punk, metal, folk, ska, alternative, rockabilly, electro, comedy, and cabaret performances. It was conspicuous for hosting touring jazz acts in the late 1930s and in the 1940s. It is now a standard on the London live circuit. It was a popular watering hole, and host to many jam sessions including such artists as Eric Clapton, Shirley Collins, Frank Turner, Gallows, The Stupids, June Tabor 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.

History

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.

Comedy performers

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. Comedians who have performed there include:

Comedy couple Lucy Beaumont and Jon Richardson first met one another at the Kingston venue's weekly comedy night.

Music performers

Past performers include:

The Fighting Cocks on film

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. 

Sources

External links

• The Fighting Cocks website
• The Fighting Cocks on Instagram.
• The Fighting Cocks at Time Out.
• The Fighting Cocks at Mayor of London's 'Visit London'.