Astoria / Rainbow Theatre and Sir George Robey pub, Finsbury Park, 5 July 1981

The Finsbury Park Astoria was launched with an opening night on September 29, 1930. It remained principally a cinema with occasional shows until 1956. Then with the UK stage debut for Tommy Steele and The Cavemen in December of that year, it began the transition to a music venue. From 1971 for the next decade it became one of London's leading live music venues. From November of 1971 it operated as The Rainbow Theatre.

1981 was the Rainbow's last years of operation and the end if the building's half century as an entertainment venue.

The last show to be stage there was on December 23-24, when Elvis Costello and The Attractions took to the stage.

In January 1982 during the rehearsals for UFO, the theatre closed for the last time as a music venue. The lease was put up for sale by the owners who blamed the GLC. for insisting on unreasonable works on the building and the increase in annual music licence from £500 to £6,000. The G.L.C. stated that they only ordered the replacement of missing light bulbs, the installation of self-closers on the fire doors and the securing of loose seating and extra handrails at a total cost of approximately £2,000.

Having been Grade II listed in 1974, the building became something of a white elephant for the owners and spent more than decade of use as an occasional rehearsal space and backdrop for adverts and music videos.

In 1995, it ws taken over by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

In 2002 Harringay Online I managed to arrange a rare visit for a group or Harringay residents to see the amazing interior.

Thanks to Fandom.com's Concert's Wikifor most of the above info.