The Usher Hall celebrates 100th birthday today

Edinburgh’s iconic Usher Hall celebrates its 100^th birthday today and The Royal Scottish National Orchestra will tonight perform a replica of the opening night concert to mark the occasion.

The hall was built after whisky distiller Andrew Usher donated £100,000 for a music hall in 1896.When it eventually opened on March 6^th 1914, it was used to recruit young men for the First World War with Prime Minister Asquith making a speech to the all male audience.

Since then numerous pop, rock and classical musicians have graced the stage including Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones Fleetwood Mac and Cliff Richard.

In 1972, the Eurovision contest was held at the hall with the UK entry The New Seekers finishing second with ‘Beg Steal or Borrow.’

In 1986, the building hosted the boxing for the Commonwealth Games and four years later, the Hands off Hibs campaign held a fundraising concert.

The hall remained unchanged for over 80 years until part of the roof fell in during a Tony Bennett concert in 1996. An £18m refurbishment began, with the final building reopening in 2010.