Opened on Boxing Day 1900 as the Camden Theatre, in 1909 the theatre was renamed The Camden Hippodrome and was a variety theatre where Charlie Chaplin regularly performed. The venue became a proper cinema in 1913 and later a BBC Theatre for some 20 years (since the 40’s). On 19 March 1964, The Rolling Stones performed at the venue.
It went under many names, such as The Music Machine (from 1977, when it was pretty popular with new wave and first wave punk bands), Camden Palace (from 1982; in the 15th of October 1983 Madonna played here her first gig in the UK), and more recently (2004) KOKO. To mention all the bands who played the venue is an impossible feat, but it’s worth mentioning the likes of The Clash, Prince, The Jam, The Damned, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, and Einsturzende Neubauten, I suppose.
This was also the place where AC/DC‘s Bon Scott was last seen drinking at before his death in 1980.
Koko was one of the best live music venues in London until its temporary closure for renovation works (due to structural damage) at the end of 2018. Unfortunately, when it was almost ready to re-open in the spring, on the 6th of January of the current year the dome on the roof was destroyed by fire. Then the pandemic started…who knows when it’ll open again!
Address: 1A Camden High St, London NW1 7JE
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