Brixton Academy
Music venue in London, a former cinema / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Brixton Academy (originally known as the Astoria Variety Cinema, previously known as Carling Academy Brixton, currently named O2 Academy Brixton as part of a sponsorship deal with the O2 brand) is a mid-sized concert venue located in South West London, in the Lambeth district of Brixton.
Former names | Astoria Variety Cinema (1929–39) Odeon Astoria (1939–72) Sundown Centre (1972) Fair Deal (1982) Brixton Academy (1983–2004) Carling Academy (2004–09) |
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Address | 211 Stockwell Road London, UK |
Coordinates | 51.465107°N 0.114922°W / 51.465107; -0.114922 |
Public transit | |
Owner | Academy Music Group |
Capacity | 4,921 Detailed capacity[1]
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Construction | |
Opened | 19 August 1929 (1929-08-19) |
Renovated |
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Closed |
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Reopened |
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Construction cost | £250,000 (£14.5 million in 2019 pounds)[2] |
Architect |
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Website | |
Official website |
Opening in 1929 as a cinema, the venue was converted into a discotheque in 1972, then reborn as a concert hall in 1983. It is owned by the Academy Music Group (AMG), and has become one of London's leading music venues,[3] hosting over 50 live albums,[4] and winning the NME Best Venue 12 times since 1994.[5] It has been home to several notable performances, including The Smiths' last gig (December 1986),[6] Leftfield's June 1996 concert which set a decibel record for a live gig at 137db,[7] and Madonna's gig in 2000, which was watched by an online audience of 9 million.[8]
In December 2022, two people died and others were seriously injured following a crowd crush at the door. As a result the venue was closed, with reopening subject to meeting council licensing conditions. It reopened on 19 April 2024.