The Brixton Academy, Stockwell, London

Fantastic for music,

seen lots of bands here,

no as good as the atoria or mean fiddler,

lacks an intimate feel.

bizaare but amazing interior design!!

Think it’s now named the O2 Brixton Academy but it’s one of the coolest venues to see a gig. It’s in the grundgy heart of Brixton and usually if you just follow the crew of goths and punks you’ll get there. It’s a large venue but not too big to feel overwhelmed. The best bit about it is that the standing area has a sloped floor - no more getting stuck behind Lurch and missing half the act. I don’t get why all concert venues don’t catch on. Otherwise little bit grubby around the edges and queues can fold around the block depending on who’s playing but the sloping floor gets it my vote for sure.

I was going to give it a 5 but just remembered it was hell trying to get a drink :(
Saw 2ManyDjs who absolutely rocked the house! Brilliant set (on the 1st night) Perfect venue - we got right down the front & had heaps of room to dance. Great Night Out!

I went there about 2 years ago and it’ s still one of my best memories. This is one of the best concert hall in UK.

Over the years i’ve been lucky enough to attend a hoast of varied gigs at 'The Academy’ and it has never failed to deliver (unfortunately the same cannot be said of some of the bands on stage). The main reason I love it so is that it bridges the gap between the smaller venues (where artists learn the ropes) and the arenas (where you have to fght tirelessly to get a view of the chart topping 'it’ bands). As a result its calendar of events is populated by one of two sorts of artists. The first category are artists whose ascent to festival headliners is all but assured and a gig at the academy cements this fact further. The second class is those who are on the other side, bands who have lived the high life but tragically fallen out of fashion (see Gomez, The Bluetones, etc) however thnks to the academy and those who frequent it these icons get to relve the 'glory days gone by’ once again. Brixton Academy really is as big a part of british music folklore as Oasis, Blur and The Chemical Brothers and should be cherished by all who love music.

While I’ve had some amazing nights out at Brixton Academy, I have some mixed feelings about it as a venue. I love the art deco feel to the place and the sloping floor (as I’m short and usually can’t see over the heads of anybody at gigs!). However, I don’t rate the sound system - the higher registers can often be so sharp they’re painful. In spite of this, I’ve attended some great gigs here, Goldfrapp, The Prodigy (who were awesome!), Mylo (bit of a letdown), Chemical Brothers, amongst others. One thing I can say about Brixton Academy is that the atmosphere is always fantastic and the light shows impressive. Tonight, I’ll be there to see Pendulum - can’t wait!

I have been going to gigs at Brixton academy for years and I love it. It has to be one of the best music venues, not just in London, but in the south of England. It is a lovely old building, converted from a cinema, and has some beautiful Art Deco decor inside.

I have seen so many bands here including Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pink, Ash and The Levellers.

The auditorium itself has a standing area downstairs and seating upstairs (usually it’s over 14s only downstairs). I have only ever been in the downstairs part but it’s great as the floor slopes down towards the stage making it a bit easier to see over other people. The acoustics are great and it’s easy to get to by walking from Brixton tube station.

Funnily enough I went to see Razorlight there last night. It was my first time there and it was an amazing venue. I thought it was superbly laid out as there were different barriers so you could be near the front and not pushed about as you could hold onto the barriers at different points of the standing. The set was brilliant. The atmosphere was great. I loved it!

The Carling Brixton Academy is amonst the best music venues in London and has always attracted and impressive rostrum of contemporary musical talent. I personally have seen the futureheads, the pogues and the kings of leon here and have enjoyed each event, not only for the music (which of course was good on each occasion) but the very audience friendly layout of the venue. Check it out if any of your favourite bands ever play here.

Built in 1929 and has been voted music venue of the year many times, the Brixton Carling academy can hold up to 6,000 people. I ventured here to see The Stray Cats in 2008 and was interested to see if it lived up to the hype…I wasn’t disappointed. I was thoroughly impressed with this venue, the staff and stewards were patient and well mannered, it didn’t take too long to get served at the bar (there is a smallish one in the auditorium and a larger one at the back of the stage, even between song breaks. The best thing about the Academy for me was the sloping floor, which meant that you could see the stage from wherever you were standing. All in all a well managed and looked after venue.
I will also have fond memories of the gig because Mick Jones from The Clash walked past and I got my picture taken with him..but I did miss the drummer fall off stage and break his wrist!!

Brixton Academy has to be one of London’s top music venues - if not for the building itself, then for the host of amazing musicians and performers it attracts. A stones throw from the Brixton tube (the end of the Victoria line), the location is easy to get to and home from and Brixton offers great pre gig eating and drinking. Don’t bother with the coat check, and turn up early (the gigs normally always start on time) and you’ll be set for a great night. It’ll be interesting to see how the recent deal done with O2 will affect this classic venue - hopefully any changes will be for the better!

Possibly London’s biggest dedicated gig venue Brixton Academy is the place that all bands aspire to play. 'Cause if your selling out Brixton on a regular basis you can start to worry less about those money woes.

Anyhow I digress. Brixton Academy is huuuuge at about a 5,000 person capacity venue. The main arena type area is split into the downstairs standing area and the upstairs seated area. So if your ordering tickets for it make sure you get the section you want. The downstairs area has a slopping floor which means there’s less chance of you missing out on the act because of the tall guy a few people infront of you.

There’s plenty of bars around, though they do get busy quiet quickly, so get a few drinks in at a time if you can otherwise you’ll be stuck in a perpetual bar/toilet loop and miss out on the music. As for the toilets themselves the mens for the standing section are sighted at the very bottom on the right, and generally start out alright but can end up in a state by the end of evening.

Acts wise your looking at the upper tiers of the indie and rock scene. Acts such as Elbow, Bloc Party and Razorlight have all played their recently. Though it has to be said that the sound can sometimes lose it’s oomph in such a big venue, and you lose a lot of the intimacy. There’s also the occasional XFM style night which mixes live acts with Djs and cheap drinks. Last time I went Carling was only £1 a go, as opposed to the normal £3 for a warm plastic cup.

This is one of the best venues i’ve been to it’s got a sloping floor so that everyone can see the bands, it has also retained the more thetrical atmosphere of it’s routes by retaining certain props like various suits of armour which really adds to the feel of the place.

As others have mentioned there are other drinks available apart from Carling (at a premium) and the bars are within the performance area meaning you can see the stage still while getting your drink.

It is quite easy to find for people who aren’t local being clearly signposted from the nearby tube station.

On the downside it isn’t in the best part of town to be honest, when me and my friend went there for the first time and we accidently walked down some of the side streets the appearance of the area dropped and it did feel quite a threatening place.

Also the security are without doubt very strict, they dont take any nonsense or jokes at all and search everyone, although from recent experience I think this may be a London wide as this also happened at Earls court.

Tickets and drinks are of course expensive but thats London for you.

Still a fantastic place for live music.

Love Brixton Academy. It’s a lovely intimate venue which I much prefer to the big arenas, and I much prefer the atmosphere to Hammersmith Apollo. The floor is sloped to allow decent views for all and the acoustics are good.

Within walking distance of the tube station so very accessible from all over London.

Only niggle I have with the academy is its situation. Brixton isn’t a great area - I don’t feel very safe there at night. Despite this, I would still choose Brixton Academy over Hammersmith Apollo.

Overall, would definitely recommend but just be careful around Brixton, especially late at night.

The Brixton Academy in itself is a very good venue for both live music and comedy gigs; the acoustics are good, the atmosphere is electric and the floor is sloped so that it is easier to see the stage regardless of the large crowd capacity. The Academy maintains an intimate atmosphere, as it is possible to get quite close to the stage and artists performing, but still part of the environment even if you are further away.

When seats are in place, it also serves very well as a theatre for performances, in which you can see the stage from more or less any seat without restrictions.

The surrounding area of Brixton can be somewhat unpleasant, particularly late at night after events have finished, but if you are alert and aware throughout travel this should hopefully not present a problem.

The area around Brixton Academy is not very nice. I’ve had a few bad experiences prior to concerts. I have noticed more policing around the outside of the venue more recently though. If you arrive too early you can always have a meal at the Nandos opposite (sometimes I have even seen the bands playing in here!).
The venue has great transport links. A bus stop which has night buses is right opposite the venue. You can get a bus from here to Clapham Junction. Brixton Academy Underground is a short walk from the venue which connects to the Victoria Line.

Have enjoyed many a gig at the Brixton Academy. Is located close enough to the tube station, so although in a bit of a dodgy area, it’s still in zone 2 & usually has hordes of other people all heading in same direction to & from the venue to not feel out of place. Once inside has an averagely sized entrance / bar area with cloakroom & toilets (not many for females either it must be said) then another main entrance into stage area….....with a bitumenised sloping floor - not as weird as it sounds, cos it makes it easier to see the stage ulitmately. There’s another bar located in here at the back, but it does get rammed tight with people making it hard to get to or even leave the spot you’ve picked to pop to the loos etc….....otherwise most of the gigs I’ve seen have had a great sound system set up which makes it all worthwhile!

I like this Venue saw the Manic street preachers here. Its ok once your inside but the area around the venue is a little dodgy at night

Wow, the best music venue in the UK. This place is huge with a capacity of around 4,000 but yet still feels very intimate. I have seen many great bands here including The Prodigy, Placebo, No Doubt and Garbage. I’ve never had a bad concert experience here, each show has been fantastic and memorable! The crowd atmosphere is part of what makes this place so special. The people who come here are music die-hards and are soley here for the bands.
The bar is very packed at all times. Even the VIP bar on the top floor is packed!

Without doubt the best live venue for bigger bands in South London. For atmosphere and vibe it’s only rivalled by Shepherd’s Bush or the Astoria, actually probably pips them both. Have seen lots of different bands and artists there and they all come across well and the sound is usually excellent, depending on soundmix of course. Would get five stars but drinks are way pricey and security can be heavyhanded.

One of the best (if not the best) live music venues in London. Large capacity but can still feel intimate and has a sloping floor which is very handy for short people! Seating on the balcony and standing room downstairs.

I came across this venue whilst surfing the net for gigs and I am so glad I happened upon it.

We had a brilliant time at a gig, and will be going back!

If you want a good atmosphere, fantastic sounds at a great price its the Brixton Academy for you !!!

It’s a vast venue with balcony seats as well as a massive standing open area.

I came here to see Garbage a couple of years ago and had a great time. The usual queues apply leading up to the gig so try and get there ahead of schedule.

The sound is great and the views from upstairs are fantastic.

It’s quite far out if you are wanting to get connections home via the tube so you have to be careful with planning your time.

Seen some fantastic gigs at Brixton! and look forward to seeing many more. :)

Great live music venue, its big but not so big that if you’re at the back you cant see anything. The sitting area is comfy but I definitely prefer standing, the sloped floor makes it easy to get a great view no matter where you are. Sound wise its pretty good but can be a little echoey.There are also plenty of bars so you don’t have to wait long to get a drink. All the gigs I’ve been to here seem to end at 11pm so never a problem getting the tube home!

Brixton Academy always has the best live acts and atmosphere. Often I do find the music can be a tad too loud which makes it hard to actually listen to the music properly. The bar can be very crowded and expensive though. Some of the best gigs I have ever seen were here.

This is one of my favourite live music venues in London! I always have a fantastic night and end up absolutely loving every band or artist I see there. The layout of the venue is great. You can get seating tickets which mean you are upstairs but the view is completely unrestricted or you can get standing in the stalls which makes you feel like you are closer to the stage and the atmosphere is a bit better but despite the sloped flooring the view is not as good as upstairs. It depends if you want a good view (upstairs) or a good dance (downstairs) as to what ticket you go for. The door staff are not the friendliest in the world so just make sure you give them a big smile and dont be cheeky because they will have you out in a flash.

Famous music venue in London. The Brixton Academy is only a short walk from the station, but most gigs end later than the last tube, so you have to get on a very crowded bus or really battle for a taxi.

Nice venue, expensive drinks. Very strict security.

I have seen many a gigs in this venue and still believe it’s one of the best places to see any band play live!
I love how the floor is sloped - it means you can see the stage perfectly from any angle.
What I don’t like about this venue is the metal rails they have in the middle of the floor. These are frankly dangerous when it comes to having a 'mosh pit’ in front of the stage.

Of course once you get in there drinks are expensive, but this is the same wherever you go. Toilets aren’t nice but they are located in good positions - at the front of the stage as well as in the bar area.

Many bands play here, and as long as you go to the stage as soon as you get in you are almost guaranteed front row standing!

Downside is that Brixton is a ruff area!

I love this venue. Great atmosphere. Large but still feels intimate. =D