The iconic Essex live music venue that hosted music legends Coldplay, George Ezra, Kaiser Chiefs and Blur

Chris Martin and co playing songs from their debut album in 2000
-Credit: (Image: Harlow Star)


Once the beating heart of live music in Harlow, The Square, was beloved among the gig scene. Not only was the iconic venue a hub for local musicians, it was a place which drew a lot of attention from bands, and solo artists, across the country.

A magnet for those wanting to enjoy an evening out, listening to up and coming artists as well as some big names in the comedy circuit, The Square, which was closed in 2017 and demolished a year later, has a whole range of legendary acts that once graced the stage. Incredibly, only two years before it was permanently closed, The Square had been shortlisted for NME Magazine’s “Britain’s best small venue”competition.

Over the years, the venue welcomed music lovers from all over, and had some pretty notable guests grace its stage. Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris played at The Square during its farewell gig, but that is not all. George Ezra played at The Square, as well as Enter Shikari, Kaiser Chiefs, then known as Parva, Muse, U2, Buzzcocks, and The Libertines.

READ MORE:
The Busted hit song that was created after a night out in an Essex club

READ MORE: The tiny Essex parish with no pub or shops where only 50 people live

Some of the big names even have recordings of their performances at the iconic venue. A band called Seymour played at the gig venue in the 80s, and went on to become one of the biggest bands of the 90s and early 2000s, Blur. A live recording of the band playing at The Square even made it onto their Blur 21 box set. Coldplay was also broadcast live from the venue in the 2000s by BBC Radio DJ, Steve Lamacq.

Recognisable names in the comedy scene also made their way to the venue, which was ideally located close to the London Liverpool Street overground train line. Phil Jupitus, Eddy Izzard, now Suzy, Jack Dee and Jo Brand all gigged at the venue before its closure.

The Square, formerly known as Square One, had been run by Essex County Council, until funding stopped in 2008, forcing the venue to close after 35 years of serving the music and comedy scene. Saved by SquareOne Entertainment LLP, in 2008, the venue was shut again briefly in 2015, before closing permanently in 2017.