| The Fighting Cocks | |
| Address: | 57 Old London Rd |
| City: | Kingston upon Thames |
| Country: | England |
| Coordinates: | 51.4103°N -0.2995°W |
| Type: | Music hall |
| Yearsactive: | 1930 – present |
| Production: | rock and roll, punk, metal, ska, alternative, rockabilly, electro, comedy and cabaret performances |
| Website: | TheFightingCocks.co.uk |
| Built: | 1891 |
| Publictransit: | Kingston railway station – Travel Card Zone 6 |
The Fighting Cocks is a music venue built prior to 1890[1] [2] active since the 1930s and located in Kingston upon Thames, the administrative centre of the Royal Borough of Kingston, southwest London, England.[3] [4] [5] [6] It specializes in rock and roll, punk, metal, folk,[7] ska, alternative, rockabilly, electro, comedy, and cabaret performances.[8] It was conspicuous for hosting touring jazz acts[9] in the late 1930s and in the 1940s.[10] [11] [12] It is now a standard on the London live circuit.[13] It was a popular watering hole, and host to many jam sessions including such artists as Eric Clapton, Shirley Collins,[14] Frank Turner, Gallows, The Stupids,[15] June Tabor[16] and The Rolling Stones. Since 1992, it is also a live-audience training platform and term assessments venue for Kingston University's drama and music students.[17] [18] [19]
Unsigned, underground, as well as established artists have been invited to perform. The last management of the Cocks opened its doors in 2000. The Fighting Cocks is cooperating with Banquet Records promoters based a few minutes walk away in the town centre, formerly part of the Beggars Banquet Records retail chain. Banquet Records is also home to Gravity DIP music management.[20]
The music venue has a long history of comedy performers especially since it has transformed into the award-winning Outside the Box comedy night on Mondays.[21] Comedians who have performed there include:[22] Comedy couple Lucy Beaumont and Jon Richardson first met one another at the Kingston venue's weekly comedy night.[23]
Past performers include:
| Performers | Country | Performers | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Peacocks (band) | The Peacocks | |||
 : Canada | ||||
| Gay for Johnny Depp |  : United States | New Found Glory | : United States | |
| The Stupids | : England | The Flatliners | : Canada | |
| Frank Turner | : England | Hundred Reasons | : England | |
| Lower Than Atlantis | : England | Rolo Tomassi | : England | |
| Wargasm | : England | Therapy? | Northern Ireland |
The Fighting Cocks was featured as a filming location in Season 2 of Disney's Loki television series. In it, Hiddleston’s Loki catches up with his old star-crossed lover Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) to discuss a return to the Time Variance Agency. Regulars might be perplexed by the décor: the pub is actually standing in for a watering hole in 1980s Oklahoma – though the leopard print and pool table will ring some definite bells. The pub has put a plaque down to mark where the God of Mischief once propped up the bar and sipped a bourbon. [25]