The Brixton Academy, officially called O2 Academy, Brixton, is one of London's
leading music venues, nightclubs and theatres. Situated in Brixton, south
London, England, the building has hosted a range of leading rock acts since
becoming a music venue in 1983. The maximum capacity is 4,921, alternatively
the all-seated capacity is 2,391. History
= The Astoria= The venue started life as a cinema and
theatre in 1929 on the site of a private garden in Stockwell Road. Designed by
the architects Thomas Somerford and E A Stone, it was built at a cost of
£250,000 as an "Astoria" theatre. The opening show was the Al Jolson film The
Singing Fool, followed by a variety act, including Heddle Nash and Derek Oldham
which was broadcast by the BBC. The building still retains many of its
original features, including the proscenium arch and Art Deco interior.
= Sundown Centre= The Astoria eventually closed its doors
as a cinema on 29 July 1972. It was then converted into the Sundown Centre rock
venue in September 1972, but was not a success and the Sundown closed down some
four months later. In May 1974 planning permission was sought to demolish the
Grade II listed building and replace it with a motor showroom and petrol
station. However the redevelopment scheme was scrapped. The building was
kept heated after it closed, and was used as an equipment store by the Rank
Organisation. = Brixton Academy=
In 1981, The Astoria, remodelled by Sean Treacy, who later ran the entire site
services, was re-opened as a rock venue called "The Fair Deal" with a concert by
UB40 and an interior restoration. The Clash played the venue in 1982 on their
Casbah Club tour but the venue closed later that year due to debt. In 1983,
Simon Parkes bought the venue for £1, and re-opened it as the Brixton Academy.
The Academy's success steadily grew throughout the 1980s with numerous
reggae productions and it was hired out to major rock and pop acts such as Eric
Clapton, Dire Straits & The Police for rehearsal. The venue was also used for
video shoots for Wham and Culture Club. In 1995 Parkes sold the Brixton Academy
to Break For The Border. Under its new ownership, reinvestment started
immediately, with a complete £500,000 refurbishment of the Art Deco building
frontage to its original grandeur, additional facilities both front of
house and backstage and a capacity increase to just under 5,000.
The venue is currently run by the Academy Music Group after a re-branding
in August 2004, and hosts a range of live acts and club nights.
Music venue Being one of the biggest non-arena
venues in London, the Brixton Academy has been used by many very successful
acts. The venue has also been voted venue of the year twelve times since
1994 in the annual NME Awards. In addition the venue has won the Music
Week Award for Venue of the Year several times including 2009.
The Smiths played their last ever gig here in December 1986 which was an
Anti-Apartheid benefit scheduled for the Royal Albert Hall but rearranged to the
Brixton Academy due to Johnny Marr being involved in a car accident.
Madonna played a special performance at the venue in 2000, to promote the
release of her album, Music. The concert was broadcast live online and was
watched by a record-breaking audience of 9 million.
Rammstein, Iron Maiden, The Clash, Deborah Harry, The Prodigy, Arcade Fire,
Nine Inch Nails, Bob Dylan, HARD-Fi and Sex Pistols have all played five
consecutive nights at the venue. The Mighty Boosh broke this record in 2008,
with their second live show Boosh Live, playing seven consecutive nights.
Leftfield set the venue's decibel record in 1996. They were summarily banned from
using the same sound system at the venue after the high bass levels started
disintegrating the ceiling, resulting in showers of dust and plaster. They
returned in 2000 using a different sound system.
Albums recorded at Brixton Space Ritual Alive, a 1972 live album by
Hawkwind, recorded in 1972 at Brixton Sundown and Liverpool.
Live at the Academy, Brixton, an album by Gregory Isaacs, recorded in May 1984.
Academy, a 1989 VHS video by New Order was recorded live at the Brixton Academy
on 4 April 1987 as part of the International AIDS Day fund-raising
season See You Up There, a 1989 live album by
Stiff Little Fingers, recorded 17 March 1988.
Live at the Brixton Academy, a 1991 live album by Faith No More, recorded in
1990. Weird's Bar & Grill, a 1993 live album
from the band Pop Will Eat Itself, recorded in 1992.
Live at the Brixton Academy, a 1994 live album by The Brian May Band.
Hole recorded their 1995 MTV Unplugged sessions there.
Live at Brixton Academy, a 1999 live album by Atari Teenage Riot.
Live at the Brixton Academy, a live album released by Sizzla on 29 August
2000 David Gray recorded his concert on 16
December 2000 as the album Live At Brixton Academy December 2000.
Motörhead recorded their 25th Anniversary concert on 20 October 2000
at Brixton Academy entitled 25 & Alive Boneshaker, released as DVD music video
in 2001 and as an audio album later in 2003 under the Live at Brixton Academy
title, the latter featuring the façade of Carling Academy Brixton on the cover.
Conflict Turning Rebellion Into Money. Recorded April 18, 1987, during The
Gathering Of The 5000. Under a Pale Grey Sky, 2002 live album
by Sepultura but recorded in 1996. Last show featuring Max Cavalera.
Machine Head recorded their live CD Hellalive at the Brixton Academy on 8
December 2001. This CD was released on 11 March 2003.
Scarred: Live at Brixton Academy, a 2003 live album by Gary Numan, recorded in
2001. Live at Brixton Academy, a 2003 live DVD
by the Inspiral Carpets. Live in London, a 2003 live album by
Judas Priest, recorded in 2001. A live album was released immediately
after all four Pixies 2004 concerts. Franz Ferdinand recorded part of their
self-titled live DVD at Brixton Academy in 2004.
The Death in Vegas album Satan's Circus was released as a limited edition double
pack including a live CD recorded at Brixton Academy.
Rumble In Brixton, a 2004 live album and DVD by Stray Cats.
Live at Brixton Academy, a 2004 live album and DVD by Dido.
Good Charlotte Live at Brixton Academy, a 2004 DVD by Good Charlotte
Live at Brixton Academy, a Limited Edition DVD recorded in 2004 for Groove
Armada's album Lovebox, released for their Best Of album.
Part of Rammstein's DVD Völkerball was recorded at the venue between 3 and 5
February 2005. Moby recorded his concert on 19 May 2005
and a double CD of the recording was available to buy at the venue after the
show. The Poison: Live At Brixton, a 2006 live
DVD by Bullet For My Valentine Damian Marley recorded the album Damian
Marley, Live at the Brixton Academy in 2006
Live at Brixton Academy London, UK 1107, a Limited Edition CD recorded by Concert
Live for Alexisonfire, and distributed after the show
Live In The UK 2008 at Brixton Academy 1 February 2008, a Limited Edition CD
recorded by Concert Live for Paramore, and distributed immediately after the
show Edgy In Brixton, a 2007 live DVD by The
Fratellis Live In The UK at Brixton Academy 3 May
2008, a Limited Edition CD recorded by Concert Live for The Wombats, and
distributed after the show Live from Brixton Academy, a live
recording from the band Kasabian, available only from some digital
download services and encumbered with DRM. It was recorded at Brixton Academy
on 15 December 2004. This was the band’s final show of their momentous
breakthrough year, and band member Sergio Pizzorno’s birthday.
There Will Always Be an England, a live DVD and documentary recorded in 2007 for
Sex Pistols. Jimmy Eat World recorded their concert
on 18 February 2008 and a double CD of the recording was available to buy at
the venue after the show and also online. The show was a sell-out despite
not having a major hit in the UK. Pendulum recorded a live DVD in Brixton
on 4 December 2008. Dave Matthews Band released a DVD of a
26 June 2009 concert entitled Across the Pond as a part of a box-set Europe 2009
on 22 December 2009. Jamie T recorded his concert on 5
February 2010, which was sold at the venue the next day.
Chase and Status recorded live album Live at Brixton Academy in 2012
Faithless recorded their "Passing The Baton" album live at Brixton Academy in
2012. Two Door Cinema Club recorded a live
album as part of a two-disc deluxe set for the 2012 album Beacon.
Asking Alexandria recorded their show at Brixton Academy in January 2013, it was
released in December 2014 in DVD format on Live From Brixton And Beyond.
Carter USM recorded their show at Brixton Academy On 14 November 2009.
This recording was released as part of the two disc ' The Drum Machine Years'
release which also included a recording of the previous night's gig at London
Forum. Carter USM "The Final Comedown" Live CD
& DVD was recorded in November 2014. Said to be as the best live film & audio
recording of the band that has ever been made & a fitting end to the bands live
career. Videos recorded at Brixton
The ITV Pantomime for 1999 was Cinderella, which was filmed at the
Brixton Academy. This was not released on DVD or VHS.
Queen guitarist Brian May performed at the venue in 1993
Tenacious D has the entire performance from 3 November 2002 at the Brixton
Academy on the second disc of their DVD, The Complete Masterworks.
Iron Maiden recorded three videos here: "Women in Uniform", "Run to the Hills"
and "The Trooper" Faith No More had their performance
filmed at The Brixton Academy in 1990. The performance was released on VHS and
subsequently to DVD and is titled You Fat Bastards: Live at the Brixton
Academy. In Bed With Carter was filmed at Brixton
Academy. It features a live gig of Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine.
The movie 9 Songs features numerous performances all shot at Brixton
Academy. Suede's VHS/DVD Love and Poison,
originally released in 1993, was filmed at Brixton Academy.
In 1990, AC/DC filmed the music video for their song "Thunderstruck" at the
Academy. Boy George and Culture Club filmed the
video for their 1986 top-ten hit "Move Away" at the Brixton Academy. The video
has extensive footage of the venue, including the entrance hall, the
staircase and the circle. The band is also seen as silent film-stars racing
cars across the venues former film-screen.
Video shoots for Wham! were held at the venue. Billy Ocean's video for "When The
Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" on the soundtrack for The Jewel of the
Nile was shot in Brixton Academy. Elegies, the 2005 DVD from Machine Head
featured material record at the Brixton Academy while on tour the previous year.
The Sex Pistols are due to bring out a DVD of their five gigs in 2007. It is
mostly based on the 10 November 2007 gig.
The Mighty Boosh Live DVD was recorded at the Brixton Academy in 2006.
The video for "Who's Got A Match?" by Biffy Clyro was recorded at Brixton
Academy in October 2007. Moloko recorded a live DVD: 11,000
Clicks at The Brixton Academy on 22 November 2003. It was the last show of a
long tour for Moloko and was likely their final performance as a band.
N.E.R.D. recorded their second single "Spaz" from third album Seeing Sounds at
The Brixton Academy on 14 June 2008. Bullet For My Valentine recorded their
gig for the DVD The Poison: Live at Brixton at Brixton on 28 January 2006.
Alanis Morissette Flavor Of Entanglement tour was televised in the UK.
On 26 June 2009, Dave Matthews Band filmed the music video for their second
single, "Why I Am". Placebo filmed the video for their 1999
single "Every You Every Me" during a gig at the Academy.
A concert in 1992 by Ride at Brixton Academy was recorded for the VHS Going
Blank Again – Live at Brixton Academy. You Me At Six, filmed the music video
for their song "Underdog" and "Reckless" at Brixton Academy.
Gabriella Cilmi filmed the video for her 2010 single Hearts Don't Lie at the
venue. Queens of the Stone Age's Over the Years
and Through the Woods DVD was partly recorded at Brixton Academy. It also
features a live CD. Deadmau5 recorded 5 videos off 2010
album 4×4=12 DJ Shadow, In Tune and On Time.
Placebo – We Come In Pieces. Groove Armada - Brixton Academy -
available with The Best of Groove Armada: Limited Edition CD+DVD set
Steel Panther recorded their live DVD British Invasion at the Brixton Academy
in 2010, and was released in late 2012. The Smashing Pumpkins recorded their
performance in 1996, selective songs from the performance appears on DVD
which is on their recent reissue of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
The music video for the song "Run Free" by Asking Alexandria was filmed at
Brixton. "Les Enfants Sauvages" – Gojira –
Recorded March 2013, released March 2014 Asking Alexandria's performance at
Brixton in January 2013 was recorded and is set to be released as a live DVD with
bonus extras on December 15, 2014. BABYMETAL – Live in London – Includes
performance recorded 8 November 2014. Released 20 May 2015.
References External links
Official website Carling Academy Brixton page
Live At The Brixton Academy Book