Mama’s Cooking In Hoxton

MAMA & Company is growing its venue portfolio and its chances of growing new talent with the purchase of London’s 450-capacity Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen.

The Shoreditch venue, which has a bar, restaurant and live music room, has hosted shows by the likes of Mumford & Sons, Paloma Faith, Vampire Weekend, Jessie J, and Laura Marling.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

MAMA also has club venue The Barfly in Camden, which gave early London shows to Coldplay and Muse.

“Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen is one of the premier venues in London for showcasing new talent,” said MAMA chief exec Dean James, who in December led the company’s $11.7 million buyback from HMV.

“The axis of London’s music scene has definitely shifted east over the years and we have long coveted a space where we could do what we do best – promote up and coming artists. With Hoxton we think we have got the best site in East London,” he explained.

Upcoming shows at Hoxton include Bleech, Story Books, CSS, Ewert & The Two Dragons, and Akron/Family.

James sold MAMA to HMV for $72.5 million at the end of 2009, but at the end of last year bought it back as the troubled entertainment retailer tried to claw in some cash.

Private equity house LDC helped James come up with the money.

HMV had already raised $52 million by selling London’s Hammersmith Apollo, originally part of the MAMA package, to a partnership between AEG and German ticketing giant CTS Eventim.

MAMA’s network of UK music venues also includes London’s Forum, Jazz Café and The Borderline and regionally Edinburgh Picture House, Manchester Ritz and Birmingham Institute.

It also has festivals including Lovebox, Global Gathering, The Great Escape and Wilderness.

Last November it announced it had purchased half of worldwide concert and festival promoter All Tomorrow’s Parties.