Sir Colin Campbell / The Phoenix - Coventry Venue Closes.
by Pete Clemons
The times, and interests, they are a changing. And its quite clear that going to the pub and watching live bands are not on the social calendar quite as much as it once was. It is all still there but has somehow become more niche.
As another pub bites the dust, and whose to say it wont bounce back, here is a potted history of the Phoenix/Campbell. In terms of popular music culture the Phoenix/Campbell has an impressive one. This overview is not concise, it's far from complete, far from comprehensive, it's more of a summary.......
The Phoenix in Coventry (located at 122 Gosford Street) has officially announced its permanent closure on 6 September 2026. The building has stood since 1720, but its true musical roots took hold under its previous, legendary identity: The Colin Campbell (or simply "The Campbell").
The Sir Colin Campbell pub in Coventry—which was famously renamed The Phoenix before its final closing in September 2026—hosted hundreds of influential rock, punk, progressive, and alternative bands over its decades-long history as a staple of the city’s underground music scene.
Live music typically took place in the function room upstairs, which operated under various legendary club names over the decades.
1960s Music Scene and Performers
Folk and Acoustic: Local performers such as Ron Shuttleworth and Barry Skinner frequented the venue's acoustic and folk circles during the 1960s.
The Village Rock Club (1970 transition): Moving right at the turn of the decade into the 1970s, the upstairs function room hosted heavy/progressive rock bands like Indian Summer (who played a notable gig there in July 1970), April, Boots, and Flood, accompanied by progressive rock DJ Malv Preece.
The 1970s: "The Village" Prog & Heavy Rock Era
Between 1970 and 1975, the upstairs function room was home to The Village, a legendary rock night and progressive disco advertised in the historic Hobo Magazine:
Boots (also known as Gregorian Chant / Children): A heavy rock group that apparently featured Carl Palmer's brother, who headlined a historic "heavy evening" at the pub in December 1970.
Flood: A popular regional band out of Nuneaton that drew local rock crowds to the upstairs venue.
April: A well-known Coventry folk-rock outfit that played a legendary Boxing Day show at the pub in 1970.
Indian Summer: Performed several times live at the venue during their active early Gosford/local gig circuit days. The Coventry rock/blues band played at the venue in July and August 1970.
Wandering John: Band members like John Gravenor explicitly recalled playing gigs at the venue during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Asgard: Part of the active local Coventry underground and alternative scene tied to the pub and contemporaneous local spots like the Umbrella club. They performed at the venue in January 1971
Junkhouse: A local heavy rock band that frequently played the venue during the peak of the 1970 progressive scene.
Adrian Mitchell and George McBeth: Performed a lunchtime poetry and literary gig at the pub in February 1971
Local Folk and Acoustic Acts: The venue and upstairs spaces played host to local folk figures and club organizers like Pete Willow (who ran acoustic and folk sessions). In particular the Magic Lamp Folk Club alongside Bob Powell.
Posh Annie's (Silk's Graham Wood) above Colin Campbell October 1981/March 1982. Posh Annie's was in the upstairs room and had a short Friday night residency playing rock and progressive music on an in house DJ set up.
The 1980s: The Pilgrim Club Era
In the mid-1980s, the pub’s upstairs venue hosted The Pilgrim Club, which became a vital hub for early indie rock, space rock, and post-punk:
Spacemen 3: The legendary alternative rock band famously played some of their earliest gigs here. Recordings of their 1985 sets at the Sir Colin Campbell have circuited widely among fans.
Pop Will Eat Itself (PWEI): Before finding major chart success, the Stourbridge band (fronted by Coventry local Clint Mansell) played the venue numerous times under their early moniker, Wild and Wandering.
The Macc Lads: The irreverent punk rock band played notorious, high-energy shows at the venue.
The Pilgrims / Furious Apples: Local post-punk mainstays tightly tied to the curation of the Pilgrim Club.
The Long Range Weather Forecast: A notable local comedy rock band that performed there in 1985.
Popular Coventry folk blues singer songwriter - Rod Felton organised a folk club at the Colin Campbell c 1981 also.
The 1990s to Modern Era
In the 1990s and early 2000s (when it was known simply as The Campbell), the venue shifted focus toward punk, metal, indie rock, and student-centric nights. The 2000s marked a major transition for the venue. The official shift to The Phoenix in 2003 shifted its identity slightly more toward a modern student-and-sports bar, though it retained its alternative grit and live music spaces for years
Bridges (later The Enemy): Local indie musicians and upcoming university bands got their start here.
Local Dance & Techno Sound Systems: In the early 90s, the venue hosted side-room raves alongside underground DJ crews.
The Student Shift: Rebranded as The Phoenix in 2003, it shifted toward a lively student-centric music hub due to its close proximity to Coventry University. It blended late-night DJ sets, weekly student nights, and grass roots live entertainment.
The "Scream" Era: Rebranded under the "It's A Scream" student chain in the early 2000s, the pub combined cheap drink deals with raw talent, featuring a community-voted "rock hall of fame" feel.
Acoustic and Songwriter Hubs: In the later 2000s, the upstairs room regularly hosted acoustic music nights like Emma McGann's Songbird events and sessions by local artist Kristy Gallacher.
Underground Electronic and Reggae: Beyond guitars, the venue welcomed subgenres including the popular Dub Cave nights, providing a platform for Coventry's diverse sound systems.
The Wednesday Night Legends: Midweek student nights became part of Coventry folklore, acting as a crucial pre-club gathering for music fans heading to the Colosseum (now the Kasbah).
The 1990s to Modern Era
In the 1990s and early 2000s (when it was known simply as The Campbell), the venue shifted focus toward punk, metal, indie rock, and student-centric nights. The 2000s marked a major transition for the venue. The official shift to The Phoenix in 2003 shifted its identity slightly more toward a modern student-and-sports bar, though it retained its alternative grit and live music spaces for years
Bridges (later The Enemy): Local indie musicians and upcoming university bands got their start here.
Local Dance & Techno Sound Systems: In the early 90s, the venue hosted side-room raves alongside underground DJ crews.
The Student Shift: Rebranded as The Phoenix in 2003, it shifted toward a lively student-centric music hub due to its close proximity to Coventry University. It blended late-night DJ sets, weekly student nights, and grass roots live entertainment.
The "Scream" Era: Rebranded under the "It's A Scream" student chain in the early 2000s, the pub combined cheap drink deals with raw talent, featuring a community-voted "rock hall of fame" feel.
Acoustic and Songwriter Hubs: In the later 2000s, the upstairs room regularly hosted acoustic music nights like Emma McGann's Songbird events and sessions by local artist Kristy Gallacher.
Underground Electronic and Reggae: Beyond guitars, the venue welcomed subgenres including the popular Dub Cave nights, providing a platform for Coventry's diverse sound systems.
The Wednesday Night Legends: Midweek student nights became part of Coventry folklore, acting as a crucial pre-club gathering for music fans heading to the Colosseum (now the Kasbah).
Flyer for the Village Heavy Rock Club 1970
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Membership card 1970 Village Heavy Rock Club - Colin Campbell
The Village advertised in The Broadgate Gnome in 1970.
And by 1974 they had moved the Climax and advertised in Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine) - below
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