Caird Hall

{{Infobox building

| name = Caird Hall

| awards =

| image = 260px

| alt = Caird Hall exterior

| caption = Caird Hall facade from the City Square

| address = City Square
Dundee

| location_country = United Kingdom

| altitude =

| start_date = 1914

| completion_date = 1923

| inauguration_date = {{Nowrap|{{start date and age|df=y|1923|10|26}}}}

| architect = James Thomson

| landlord =

| owner = Leisure and Culture Dundee

| cost =

| floor_area =

| floor_count =

| references =

| building_type = Concert hall

| architectural_style =

| structural_system =

| client =

| current_tenants =

| height = {{convert|135|ft|m}}

| other_dimensions =

| capacity = 2,300

| architecture_firm =

| structural_engineer =

| services_engineer =

| civil_engineer =

| other_designers =

| quantity_surveyor =

| main_contractor =

| renovation_date = 1992

| logo =

| logo_caption =

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| website = http://www.cairdhall.co.uk

| coordinates = {{Coord|56.4599|-2.9687|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

}}

The Caird Hall is a concert auditorium located in Dundee, Scotland. It is a Category A listed building.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB25258|desc=11-13 (Inclusive Nos) City Square, 20-24 (Even Nos) Crichton Street, 1-7 (Inclusive Nos) Shore Terrace and Return to 35 Castle Street, Caird Hall|cat=A|access-date=16 April 2020}}

History

The site currently occupied by the building was occupied by a series of closes and tenements.{{cite web|url=http://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/culture/caird-hall/history|title=Caird Hall: History|publisher=Leisure and Culture, Dundee|access-date=24 November 2021}} The foundation stone for the building was laid by King George V and Queen Mary on 10 July 1914.{{cite web|url=https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/dundeecity/uploaded_publications/publication_69.pdf |title=Dundee's Heraldic Past |access-date=2020-04-16}} It was designed by the town architect James Thomson, assisted by Vernon Constable,{{cite web|author=David Goold |url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=100316 |title=Dictionary of Scottish Architects - DSA Architect Biography Report (April 16, 2020, 5:45 pm) |publisher=Scottisharchitects.org.uk |access-date=2020-04-16}} while the decorative plaster work was produced by H. H. Martyn & Company of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, holders of the royal warrant. The building, which was named after its benefactor, the jute baron, Sir James Caird, was officially opened by the Prince of Wales on 26 October 1923.{{cite web|url=https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/dundees-civic-history/city-square|title=City Square|publisher=Dundee City Council|access-date=16 April 2020}} The hall's pipe organ was built in 1923 by Harrison & Harrison, who also completed a restoration in 1992.{{cite web|url=http://www.harrisonorgans.com/organs-2/some-well-known-harrison-organs/ |title=H&H Organs – Harrison & Harrison Ltd |publisher=Harrisonorgans.com |access-date=2020-04-16}}

= 20th century =

Throughout the 20th century, the Caird Hall hosted an impressive array of concerts that cemented its place in Scotland's live music scene. One of the Caird Hall's most notable performances came from The Beatles who performed at the venue in 1963 and 1964. The Beatles' 1963 concert in Dundee at the Caird Hall was where the term "Beatlemania" was coined by promotor Andi Lothian.{{Cite web |title=BBC Scotland - BBC Scotland - Did you know that Beatlemania’s official birthplace was Dundee? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2HbBXNV4xk4v8NZkXCCm27w/did-you-know-that-beatlemania-s-official-birthplace-was-dundee |access-date=2024-10-05 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Throughout the 1970s, Deep Purple, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Iron Maiden, The Who, Queen, The Clash and AC/DC were some of the notable acts that performed at the hall.{{Cite web |title=Dundee Caird Hall Concerts (1963-2022) |url=https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/dundee-caird-hall?page=4#concert-table |access-date=5 October 2024 |website=Concert Archives}}

The 1980s saw Ozzy Osbourne, Thin Lizzy, UB40, Duran Duran, Simple Minds and U2 all perform at the Caird Hall, whilst Morrissey, The Stranglers, Bjork, Radiohead and Travis took to the stage in the 1990s.

= 21st century =

Acts who have performed at the Caird Hall throughout the 21st century include Bryan Adams, Kasabian, Stereophonics, Royal Blood, as well as home acts such as The View and DJ Hannah Laing who performed sell out shows in 2023.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-09-27 |title=Doof in the Park: 10,000 tickets have been sold for Hannah Laing's Dundee dance event |url=https://www.dundeeculture.com/post/doof-in-the-park-10-000-tickets-have-been-sold-for-hannah-laing-s-dundee-dance-event |access-date=2024-10-05 |website=Dundee Culture |language=en}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caird Hall was used as mass vaccination centre operated by NHS Tayside. It opened on 2 February 2021 and closed on 20 September 2021, completing 135,000 vaccinations.{{Cite web|last=Clark|first=Alasdair|title=Jab done at Caird Hall as staff bid farewell after 135,000 Covid vaccines|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/dundee/2548007/jab-done-at-caird-hall-as-staff-bid-farewell-after-135000-covid-vaccines/|access-date=2021-11-24|website=The Courier|language=en-GB}}

The Hall celebrated the 100th anniversary of its opening in October 2023 with an exhibition celebrating its history.{{cite news |last1=Ogston |first1=Graeme |title=From The Beatles to Dalai Lama: 100 years of Caird Hall |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-67127370 |access-date=2 December 2023 |work=BBC News |agency=BBC |date=26 October 2023}}

Annual events

The venue has a capacity of 2,300 fully seated, but can be subdivided or converted to standing where required. The hall is used for graduation ceremonies from the University of Dundee, the University of Abertay Dundee and Dundee and Angus College, as well as other significant university events.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/1010264/graduation-ceremony-to-mark-student-achievement-at-dundee-and-angus-college/|title=Graduation ceremony to mark student achievement at Dundee and Angus College|publisher=The Courier|date=31 October 2019}} The Royal Scottish National Orchestra opened its 2019/20 season at the Caird Hall in October 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsno.org.uk/rsno-to-open-concert-season-in-dundee/|title=RSNO to open Concert Season in Dundee|date=2 October 2019|publisher=Royal Scottish National Orchestra|access-date=2020-04-16}}

In popular culture

The exterior of Caird Hall was used as a location during the filming of the Alan Bennett scripted An Englishman Abroad in 1983. It was decorated with placards of communist leaders, to take the part of a theatre in Moscow.