In the 1960s it was home to the standard-bearers of the musical revolution, from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds. Now the Royal Albert Hall, today better known for classical music and pricey turns from some of those same artists, has launched a new drive to re-establish itself as a venue for young, up and coming new bands.
The Liverpudlian indie pop three-piece the Wombats will this week become the first act to take advantage of the venue's Albert Sessions initiative. Under the scheme selected acts will benefit from a 50% cut in the normal rental fee for the hall. In return, bands agree to cap ticket prices.
The plan is to encourage fans who would not normally go to the Royal Albert Hall. Bands will also take part in day-long sessions with local children.
Pupils will get a chance to talk to the Wombats, whose debut album, A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation, reached number 11 in the charts, before watching them make their sound checks and play the gig this Friday.
"We want to reach out to children in the local area who wouldn't otherwise come to the hall and might even feel a bit intimidated by it," said Lucy Noble, head of programming for the 5,200-capacity Royal Albert Hall.
Artists will be encouraged to make their night at the Albert Hall stand out. The Wombats, who are two Liverpudlians and one Norwegian, met at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and are best known for hits such as Backfire at the Disco, and Let's Dance to Joy Division.
Noble said the Albert Sessions were an attempt to bring in a new audience that might be more used to venues such as the London Astoria and Brixton Academy. Ticket prices would be pegged at between £14 and £17.50 apiece.
The deal was signed five months ago. "We want to be a place for young artists again," she added, also pointing to a recent project transforming the Albert Hall's Elgar Room, a 200-capacity space unused for music since the 1950s, into a venue for unsigned artists.
The Sessions programme will not be confined to indie rock bands. Young world music and jazz artists were also to be considered, said Noble.
