Iconic London venue KOKO celebrates 125th anniversary

Iconic London music venue KOKO is celebrating its 125th anniversary. The Camden Town concert venue and former theatre has announced an anniversary video and new additions to the site in commemoration of the milestone year. 

Image credit: Taran Wilkhu

Opening as The Camden Theatre at the turn of the 20th century, the venue underwent many name changes and functions throughout the years, spending life as cinema Camden Hippodrome Picture Theatre, ownership by the BBC in the years following World War II, and as live music venue The Music Machine - later renamed The Camden Palace - where it gained a reputation for its weekly rave nights in the 90s. The run down venue underwent significant restoration in 2004, before closing once again after a fire in 2020. 

Since its reopening as KOKO in 2022 following years of restoration and redevelopment, the Camden site now features four stages for live music - which has welcomed the likes of Liam Gallagher, Arcade Fire, Jungle, Cleo Sol, and Loyle Carner in the years since - seven stages for DJs, and sixteen backstage rooms hosting curated music and cultural programming. KOKO marks the start of its anniversary celebrations with a video, ‘If These Walls Could Talk’, directed by Ned Botwood, which chronicles the venue’s storied history from its 1901 through to the days of grime, indie, punk, and garage. 

In addition to the anniversary video, KOKO has announced a new recording studio within the venue’s penthouse, featuring the same mixing desk used for Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. A new Miraval Members’ Balcony within the Theatre allows members of the venue’s private club The House of KOKO complimentary access to over 150 live shows each year in addition to its private bar. 

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Header image credit: Oakley Moffatt