What links Pink Floyd, Einstein, boxing, Sue Barker and the Women’s Institute?

Answer: the Royal Albert Hall. The nation’s favourite ‘village hall’ has hosted the great, the good and the extremely unlikely. David Lister looks back over its 150-year history

Pink Floyd were banned for life in 1969 after shooting cannons and having a man in a gorilla suit roam the audience (Christie Goodwin)

It styles itself “the nation’s village hall”, although I doubt anyone in the nation thinks of it as such. Rather they think of it as the scene of so many quintessential British memories. Be it the Last Night of the Proms (and all the other nights) or, as happened in September 1963, the very rare sight of The Beatles and the Stones on the same bill, (it only ever happened twice), the annual residencies of Eric Clapton, or by way of major contrast the annual general meetings of the Women’s Institute. 

And yes, of course, there are so many examples of artists from beyond these shores. Bob Dylan showing a stunned London his new electric style; John McEnroe providing the anticipated histrionics on cue in the yearly ATP tennis tournaments; film screenings with live orchestral accompaniment from the days of the silent movies to the present; charity banquets; and the dazzling acrobatics and ambient music of what might be termed arthouse circus in the evergreen troupe Cirque du Soleil. 

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