I went to Hammersmith Apollo on the 20th march to see David Gray there and he was amazing!
Was standing and we could see him really good!
Great atmosphere and had just an amazing night!
Would definetly go there again!

Great venue for a gig! I’ve seen Radiohead and most recently Neil Young here, both great gigs. Standing downstairs for Radiohead was great. You can get really close to the stage and see everything. For Neil I had circle tickets that Rhodri had somehow managed to score from cancellations (tip - it’s well worth ringing the venue to check, it was sold out months ago!)

The circle is also a great view and the acoustics are spot on - you can hear everything.

The only downside is the abysmal beer situation. Yet again a Carling sponsor deal wrecks what otherwise would be a 5 star venue.

The Apollo in Hammersmith is a lot like the Brixton Academy. Comparable size, a very cool old building. The interior is nicer than Brixton, with a nice benched upstairs bar area that overlooks the lobby. The fixtures in the hall are nicer too, with some ornate detailing.

They have stalls/standing downstairs and seats upstairs (and upstairs is reserved seating). If the act is a milder one, then they can put in seats downstairs, too, but they keep them out for the lively ones. Sound is good. It’s easy to get close to the soundboard area, which is in the middle of the floor near the back.

It’s wide, so you can pack a lot of people in relatively closely. The floor slopes downwards to the stage, making it easier to see (not so much that someone really tall right in front won’t block you, though). There are railings in the middle of the floor that mean that surging mosh crowds up front are kept separate from the majority of people who want to just stand or jump or dance.

They serve hot dogs and some other food in the lobby, though I wouldn’t recommend them.
They have toilets upstairs, and at the front sides of the hall.
There are a couple of long bars in the lobby and upstairs. There are bars inside the concert hall, but these aren’t always opened. Not cheap, of course.

I rate the Brixton Academy just slightly higher than here, though I’d be hard-pressed to describe exactly why. The live excitement vibe just seems more palpable at Brixton, somehow. There’s really not much between, them, though, and they’re both excellent places to see bands.

Capacity is around 4000. I’ve seen bands like Primal Scream, The Flaming Lips, Robert Plant, Jimmie Vaughan, Motorhead, Sarah Maclachlan, Oasis, Tool, Sigur Ros, Guns ‘n’ Roses, and Henry Rollins there.

This is a great venue, saw Nelly Furtado here and the sound was really good, only downside was the queue for the toilets (as usual, why r the ladies loos always queued up??) Nice bar area for pre-show drinks too.

This venue is physically average. Not too big, not too small, nicely sloping towards the stage to allow the shorter among us to see. I saw the Flaming Lips here, and I'm not sure who to credit, the band for devising such a spectacular show, or the venue for managing to support it. The show ended in confetti pouring down on the crowd, the screen behind the band was playing constant ambient images. So like I said, I'm sure the Flaming Lips deserve credit for devising such antics, but it would take a special venue to handle these antics.
If you want to see a band who's live shows include more than just music, see them here.

BEST NIGHT EVER!!! I saw 'Live At The Apollo' here and it was absolutely amazing!! One of the best nights I have had for a long time. I dont think I have ever laughed so much!! Definately going to see if I can go again!