Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

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Procol Harum at The Dominion Theatre, London

Monday 24 November 2014 • Gathering before the gig


BtP has arranged the use of a function room with private bar for Procol Harum fans before and after the Dominion Theatre gig: pictures below. This will be free of charge but will require you to sign up in advance. It won't be possible to get in on the door unless you've already given us your name. Details of how to do this are further down the page.

Photo showing the frontages of The Tottenham – where fans will foregather – and of the Dominion Theatre, just 70 paces apart

The Tottenham – 6 Oxford Street, London, W1D 1AN – is easily found: next door to the 'M' of a well known fast-food emporium

Here's an evening shot, shewing the traditional London pub lights and etched glass. It's the last remaining alehouse in Oxford Street, and can be dated
at least as far back as 1790. It used to be known as 'The Flying Horse'. Whether or not it relays its messages by Morse awaits to be seen

Just inside, the characteristic, well-stocked bar. Though it does get extremely crowded on this floor, our visitors can order from here if they like, as well as from the BtP-only
bar downstairs. Upstairs, you can get crisps, nuts and so on, and carry them downstairs to devour in the relative peace and quiet of the Procol party

You enter under some unusual ceiling art depicting the four seasons

Further in, a magnificent octagonal ceiling-light lends a warm atmosphere to the public area of the pub

Looking back from under the octagon, towards the street entrance. This is typically heaving with public in the evenings

Close to where the last shot was taken, thirteen stairs down (with handrail) to the private room reserved for Procol Harum fans

This small private bar is to the left at the foot of the stairs: here is the barperson's view of the room. Here it's just drinks: the bar nibbles
are available upstairs but may of course be brought down to the BtP gathering

Of course we cannot guarantee that you will meet these beautiful people, whose image hangs on the wall. And we know that sensible readers will understand
that you do need to buy your own ticket for the Procol Harum concert. It may not seem worth saying, but recent experience suggests
we should spell it out: signing up for our pre-show drinks gathering doesn't entitle you to a place at the gig itself

An annex the public doesn't see, now a little storage area for barrels, was a cell for criminals in the early 1800s 

There is some fixed seating round the walls (dimly visible)
 


The photos could be better, but the atmosphere could not, once it is full of Procol Harum fans looking forward
to the band's most prestigious excursion in the homeland for many years.


Booking: if you’d like to socialise with fellow-fans before and/or after the Procol concert, please add your name to the Door List by
signing up for the ‘Dominion Party’ mailing list. All arrangements for the pre- and post-show gathering will be handled through this list (which will be active until 25 November, and will then be deleted). Check your inbox for the automated mailing that confirms that your e-address is working. Only when you’ve responded to this will your name be on the door. There’s no charge for admission to the party, where there is a cash bar (note that food isn’t available, but there are ‘outlets’ very nearby).

 

As the photographs show, comfortable capacity is not high (this is Central London, after all); as demand has greatly exceeded expectation we have also arranged some reserved tables in the upper part of the pub. Newcomers will get a mail saying they'e on the 'waiting list' but in practice this means that there will be room for you at the party, which will have expanded to embrace two floors of the pub.


 Procol dates in 2014

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