KOKO (music venue)

The Camden Theatre opened on Boxing Day 1900.[8][9] With a capacity of 2,434 it was one of the largest theatres in London outside the West End. The theatre was designed by the prolific theatre architect W. G. R. Sprague.[10] Ellen Terry opened the theatre, then the most celebrated actress in England, who had lived in nearby Stanhope Street as a child.[11]

The St Pancras Gazette, a local newspaper, commented as follows in a review of the theatre's production of an opera called The Geisha in 1901:[12]

It is a matter of special gratification that the opera was presented at our beautiful local theatre on a scale of magnificence and completeness which would do credit to a West End theatre, but this is nothing new at the Camden Theatre, being rather a continuation of the policy with which the proprietors started their enterprise, viz. to offer nothing to their patrons but standard work, which has received the unmistakable approval of critics and public.

On 6 December 1909 it reopened as a variety theatre and became the Camden Hippodrome Theatre.[13] By 1911 films were being presented as part of the variety programme and in January 1913 it became a cinema known as the Camden Hippodrome Picture Theatre. In January 1928, the theatre was bought by the Gaumont British cinema circuit.[11]

Blue plaque at KOKO

Closed during World War II, it outlived many similar buildings, including Camden Town's other theatre, the Bedford Theatre, because the BBC took it over to be used a radio and recording studio in 1945. They continued to use the former theatre until the early 1970s.[14] Among the first weekly series to be broadcast live from here was The Richard Tauber Programme, from 1945 to 1947. Later recorded at the theatre were The Goon Show and the first Monty Python's Flying Circus album (2 May 1970).[15]

After the BBC left in 1972, the building remained empty for a number of years. It was even the subject of demolition proposals until it was Grade II architecturally listed in late 1972.[16]

However, in 1977 it re-opened as a live music venue named The Music Machine. The venue was the central location for the 1979 Disco Dance film The Music Machine.[11] The venue was particularly popular with new wave and punk bands, hosting concerts by groups including The Boomtown Rats, The Clash, and The Jam .[13] It was the last venue AC/DC's Bon Scott was seen drinking at before his death in 1980.

In 1982 the venue was renamed Camden Palace. During this period, it hosted the weekly rock night "Feet First", each Tuesday. The nights were hosted by Jonathon and Eko of Feet First.[11] Camden Palace was the location of Madonna's first UK performance.[13][17][18]

After the early 1980s New Romantic scene, for which both the club and Steve Strange and Rusty Egan became world famous, the Camden Palace featured as a home for early 1980s dance and new wave club music imported from NYC, as well as pioneering early house music night "Delerium", which was run by Robin King in 1987 and featured resident DJs Colin Faver of Kiss FM and Eddie Richards. Famously Prince performed at the Camden Palace in 1988 on his Lovesexy Tour with Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones as guest guitarist, he later that evening held an invite only after party in the club and performed a couple of further impromptu numbers that night. Prince appeared and performed further full concerts at the club in later decades. Hüsker Dü played their first show outside of the US at the venue in 1985.

The early 1990s saw "Delerium" leave the Camden Palace club, and as rave music took hold Camden Palace became a mecca for the burgeoning rave music scene from 1989 to 1992. The DJs during this period were DMC DJ John Saunderson and Chris Paul. Early PA performances included both The Prodigy and N-Joi. Appearances from live bands continued, however, including Blur and Cardiacs.

Later in the 1990s, the venue was famous for holding weekly rave events and was illuminated with UV lights, state of the art sound system and décor of the rave scene. During this time the legendary weekly house/acid house event, "Clockwork Orange" was held on a Saturday with Andy Manston and Danny Gould running until 2001, "Frantic" (hard house/trance) and the iconic house/trance event "Peach" with Graham Gold, Pele, Darren Pearce and Dave Lambert running until the Camden Palace closed in 2004.

Eliza and the Bear performing in 2015

By 2004 the Camden Palace was rundown and in a state of disuse.[9][13][19] That year the theatre was purchased by Oliver Bengough and his company Mint Entertainment.[1][9] Bengough saw the potential of the theatre and embarked on a multimillion-pound restoration process lasting more than six months.[2][13] The restoration process included all new technical facilities, enabling the scope of operations to be broadened to include live concert performances, club nights, corporate events and television production.[20] The Daily Telegraph described the modern interior amenities and the building's historic facade as "lend[ing] a sense of grandeur to any gig".[2][4][21]

In the 2010s, some events held at the Camden Palace returned to the venue, including reunions of "Peach" and "Clockwork Orange".[22][23]

A large fire at the building during renovation work was reported at 8:56 pm on 6 January 2020; eight fire engines and about 60 firefighters attended, and the blaze was declared under control at 2:37 am. The cause of the fire is not known as of 7 January 2020, but the damage appears to have been contained to the roof of the building.[24][25]

Following a multimillion-pound refurbishment, KOKO reopened in April 2022.[26] The inaugural concert featured Arcade Fire, marking the release of their sixth studio album We.[27][28]