O2 Academy Brixton

O2 Academy Brixton stands in Brixton, a lively district of South London. Built in 1929 as the Astoria Variety Cinema, it later became a discotheque in 1972 before reopening as a concert hall in 1983. The venue is owned by the Academy Music Group and has hosted over fifty live albums. It has won the NME Best Venue award twelve times since 1994. Notable performances include The Smiths’ final gig in 1986, Leftfield’s 1996 concert that set a world decibel record, and Madonna’s 2000 show watched by nine million online viewers. The building itself is a Grade II listed Art Deco structure designed by Thomas Somerford and E. A. Stone. It originally seated nearly three thousand people, though publicity claimed four thousand five hundred. After years as a cinema, it briefly operated as a club called the Sundown Centre before being saved from demolition in 1974. In 1983, Simon Parkes bought the venue for one pound and reopened it as Brixton Academy. The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Dire Straits rehearsed here in the 1980s. Inside, the venue combines historic architecture with modern facilities. The frontage was restored to its original grandeur in 1995 during a £500,000 refurbishment. Capacity now reaches just under five thousand. The interior hosts a range of live acts and club nights under Academy Music Group management. Safety improvements followed a 2022 incident that led to a temporary licence suspension. The venue reopened in April 2024 after meeting new licensing conditions.