Portsmouth Guildhall

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Portsmouth Guildhall, as of August 2006

Portsmouth Guildhall is the biggest events venue in the Hampshire city of Portsmouth in England. It has a capacity of nearly 2000.^[1] It is located in the city centre of Portsmouth, very close to the Portsmouth and Southsea railway station.

In 2002, The Who played two shows at the venue as a warm-up to their Royal Albert Hall shows. The first of the shows is the last time to date that Pete Townshend has destroyed a guitar on stage in the UK. The second show is the last time John Entwistle ever played Magic Bus live.

Recent acts to have appeared live at the Guildhall have been French and Saunders The Mighty Boosh and the NME Awards Tour 2006, which featured Maxïmo Park and Arctic Monkeys.

Every year, the Be Your Best Rock Challenge inhabits the Guildhall for at least a week for the Southern Heats for the competition, and then returns at the start of June to hold the Grand Finals.