London’s Garage Venue will be rechristened the Relentless Garage when it re-opens on June 26, following a partnership between operators the Mama Group and Relentless Energy Drink.
Mama Group says the brand partnership is for “the next three years and beyond” and that Relentless will also be a strategic partner.
“This is the first of a double venue partnership to be announced with the Relentless Energy brand in which Mama Group will co-promote activity across live and festival channels,” said a Mama Group statement.
“Relentless will become our energy drink partner across the Mean Fiddler and Barfly venue estates. They are also working with Lovebox in London in an exciting major festival execution and have sponsored the Relentless Street Gigs at the Great Escape this year in Brighton.”
Following a pre-launch charity show by Bloc Party on June 25, the official opening of the venue will take place on June 26 with a show by Peter, Bjorn and John.
The Garage has been closed for three years and was acquired by Mama Group in 2007. A refurbishment has increased the capacity of the main space from 350 to 600 (250 seated), with room for a further 150 upstairs and 50 in the mini bar.
“Relentless has a very different approach to business, and so do we, so this has been an extremely satisfying and fruitful relationship,” said Rory Bett, managing director of Music & Media Solutions (a Mama Group division), in a statement. “This is just the beginning of what we believe will be a very enthusiastic and collaborative partnership with a variety benefits for music.”
“The flexibility of the three-room operation is, we believe, unrivalled in any London venue of this size,” added Steve Forster, managing director of Mama Group’s live division. “The level of interest to date has been phenomenal and it only remains to officially open so that the venue can go from strength to strength.”
Acts who have played there include Arctic Monkeys, the Killers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Modest Mouse and Cypress Hill.
The venue comes under the January 2009 deal between Mama Group and U.K. entertainment retailer HMV, which created a new joint venture Mean Fiddler Group and gave HMV 50% ownership of 11 of Mama Group’s venues. While the Garage has been partnered with Relentless for branding, HMV has taken naming rights options on London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo and HMV Forum as well as HMV Picture House, Edinburgh and HMV Institute, Birmingham, which opens later this year.
