This week Verge Magazine had an exclusive sneak peek of London’s Hard Rock Cafe on a VIP Hard Hat Tour with Matt Spracklen. Hard Rock International unveiled a first glimpse of the memorabilia that will adorn the walls of the new flagship restaurant arriving at London’s Piccadilly Circus. In a modern twist for the brand, the restaurant will display never-before-seen memorabilia from contemporary UK artists, alongside items from classic rock stars that fans have come to know and love as part of the dining experience.
While visiting, notable artifacts from artists like Charlie XCX, Nicki Minaj, David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Lorde, Rita Ora, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, Shakira, Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams and more were decorating the rooms. One of our favorites has to be the Lady Gaga’s patent leather boots from when she appeared in Newcastle on November 22nd, 2014.
Rita Gilligan also made an appearance at the event. Rita, a.k.a. “Lovely Rita” after The Beatles track, took on the role of “Goodwill Ambassador” for the Hard Rock in 1988. Rita’s been working at the original Hard Rock Cafe in London since day one.
The restaurant has a beautiful layout including a amazing light display which would be the perfect background for any music lovers Instagram. Hard Rock will also be featuring brand new menu items that will only be available at the Piccadilly Circus location. We are excited to try their 24K gold burger they have debuting.
Other standout pieces at Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus will include a phone booth used by One Direction on the band’s 2012 ‘Take Me Home’ album cover, and a white tank top worn on stage by the late singer Amy Winehouse. Gracing the central feature wall will be a guitar used by the 1975’s Matt Healey on tour and a costume worn by Ed Sheeran in his ‘Thinking Out Loud’ music video. Memorabilia also comes from other UK favourites including Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora, Charlie XCX, Jessie J, Robbie Williams and Marcus Mumford.
In addition to the craveable menu offerings, dining guests can also feast their eyes on pieces from contemporary stars across the pond, including:
- An outfit worn by Rihanna during her live performance at the 2012 Brit Awards
- Thigh high boots from Lady Gaga at her ArtRave concert in Newcastle
- Hot pants worn by Nicki Minaj whilst promoting her debut album ‘Pink Friday’ in London 2011
A crowning jewel sure to delight old school Hard Rock Cafe fans includes a costume worn by David Bowie during his last performance as Ziggy Stardust, at the Marquee Club in London in 1973. Pieces from a who’s who of rock music will also be displayed in Hard Rock’s Hall of Fame area, including the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Freddie Mercuryand more.
With over 81,000 pieces, Hard Rock International is the world’s original curator of music memorabilia, but many people will think of this collection as being made up of classic rock and roll items. The decision to showcase memorabilia from contemporary artists not only embodies a modern evolution of our restaurants, but also ensures that artists we know and love today will be archived and remembered for years to come.”
Giovanni Taliaferro, Director of Design and Memorabilia, comments:
There’s a lot of magic when it comes to music memorabilia. That feeling fans get when they gaze upon an item that unleashes a flood of admiration, brings them back to a certain time and place, or simply reverence for the music they love is truly special. Art is very subjective and everyone can celebrate the genres and artists that relate to them. Curating this specific collection for our new Piccadilly flagship has been a dream come true, and I’m so excited to bring that magical feeling to new and wider audiences.
Will you be visiting the Hard Rock Piccadilly Circus when it opens? Which artist’s memorabilia are you excited to see? Let us know on Twitter @VergeMagOnline. Find out more information about the Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus on Facebook and Instagram @HRCPiccadillyCircus.
