Hammersmith Apollo
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA landmark live-entertainment venue in Hammersmith, London, known for its Art Deco architecture and extensive history of concerts, comedy, and recorded performances.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Hammersmith Apollo is a live-entertainment venue in Hammersmith, west London. The building opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace, a cinema designed by architect Robert Cromie in the Art Deco style. It later became widely associated with the name Hammersmith Odeon, which it adopted in 1962 and which remains a common name among performers, fans, and the music industry. The venue is now operated and marketed as Eventim Apollo under a sponsorship arrangement. The building is significant both architecturally and culturally. It was listed at Grade II in 1990 and its designation was upgraded to Grade II* in 2005, reflecting its special historic and architectural interest. Its original cinema configuration provided almost 3,500 seats. In the early twenty-first century, the stalls were modified so that seating could be removed for selected events. Depending on the event format, the venue can therefore operate as a seated theatre or as a standing concert hall with capacity of approximately 5,000. The Apollo has passed through several ownership and operating arrangements. Sponsorship agreements produced the names Labatt's Apollo in the 1990s, Carling Apollo from 2002, and HMV Apollo from 2009 to 2012. The HMV-era arrangement followed a joint venture involving HMV and the MAMA Group to operate a network of UK live-music venues. In 2012, the venue was sold by HMV Group to AEG Live and CTS Eventim. It subsequently underwent a substantial refurbishment led by architect Foster Wilson and reopened on 7 September 2013 under the Eventim Apollo name, with Selena Gomez performing at the reopening concert. A distinctive surviving feature is the original Compton theatre organ installed for the building's cinema era. The four-manual instrument, with approximately 1,200 pipes in chambers above the front stalls, fell into disrepair and was disconnected during the 1990s. Following pressure from English Heritage and the local authority, it was returned and restored. The restored organ was presented at a launch event on 25 July 2007, including a recital by organist Richard Hills. The venue's reputation rests chiefly on its performance history. The Beatles played 38 shows there over 21 nights in late 1964 and early 1965. Buddy Holly's two performances on 25 March 1958 were his final UK shows. David Bowie performed his final concert as Ziggy Stardust at the venue in July 1973, a performance later documented in D. A. Pennebaker's film. Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, The Who, Pink Floyd-associated performers, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Genesis, Dire Straits, Kate Bush, Frank Zappa, Rush, Depeche Mode, Kylie Minogue, and many other artists have performed or recorded there. The Hammersmith Apollo has also hosted filmed and broadcast concerts, comedy specials, benefit events, and appearances in popular culture. Recordings made at the venue have appeared in live albums, concert films, television programmes, and DVD releases by numerous artists. Its combination of heritage architecture, flexible capacity, central London location, and long association with major touring acts makes it one of the UK's best-known medium-to-large performance venues.
History
The building now known as Hammersmith Apollo opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace, a cinema with almost 3,500 seats. It was designed in the Art Deco style by Robert Cromie, who also worked on the Prince of Wales Theatre. The venue's original purpose is reflected in its surviving Compton pipe organ, installed with the cinema and later restored after decades of deterioration. In 1962, the building was renamed Hammersmith Odeon. That name became especially prominent during the venue's transformation into a major London stop for touring popular-music acts. American performers including Buddy Holly, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Woody Herman, and Johnny Cash appeared there. The Beatles played 38 concerts over 21 nights in late 1964 and early 1965. During the 1970s, the venue hosted major rock, pop, progressive, and punk performances, including David Bowie's final appearance as Ziggy Stardust, Queen's Christmas Eve concert in 1975, and the London performances of numerous artists whose live recordings later became commercially important. The building received Grade II listing in 1990. During the 1990s, a sponsorship deal with Labatt Brewing Company resulted in the name Labatt's Apollo. The organ was disconnected during this period after falling into disrepair, while its console was removed from the building. Its survival was secured through the intervention of English Heritage and the local council, which required its reinstatement as part of the building's heritage stewardship. A full restoration was completed in 2007, and the organ was demonstrated publicly at a launch event on 25 July of that year. Ownership and naming arrangements changed again in the 2000s. Clear Channel Entertainment, later associated with iHeartMedia, was involved when the venue adopted the Carling Apollo name in 2002. The stalls were altered in 2003 so seats could be removed, allowing the venue to support both seated shows and standing-floor concerts. Its heritage status was upgraded to Grade II* in 2005. In 2006, it returned to the Hammersmith Apollo name, and the property was subsequently acquired by MAMA Group. In 2009, HMV announced a share placing connected with a joint venture with MAMA Group to operate a portfolio of UK music venues. The Hammersmith venue became HMV Apollo, a name it retained until 2012. HMV Group sold it in May 2012 to AEG Live and CTS Eventim. The venue then closed for an extensive refurbishment designed by Foster Wilson. It reopened on 7 September 2013 as Eventim Apollo, with Selena Gomez providing the reopening concert. The Apollo's cultural importance extends beyond the events themselves. Concerts by Queen, Iron Maiden, Rush, Dire Straits, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Frank Zappa, Kate Bush, Bruce Springsteen, Kylie Minogue, Depeche Mode, David Gilmour, and many others were filmed, broadcast, or used as the basis for live releases. The venue also hosted benefit concerts, including the 1979 Concerts for the People of Kampuchea, and has appeared in films and other popular media. Its continuing use as a flexible concert and performance space, together with its protected Art Deco fabric, has preserved its role as both a working entertainment venue and a notable London landmark.
- 2013
Reopened as Eventim Apollo
[1]After refurbishment by Foster Wilson, the venue reopened with a Selena Gomez concert on 7 September.
- 2012
Sold to AEG Live and CTS Eventim
[1]The venue was sold by HMV Group to AEG Live and CTS Eventim.
- 2007
Compton organ restoration completed
[1]The original cinema organ was reinstated and restored to playing condition, with a public recital held on 25 July.
- 2005
Listing upgraded to Grade II*
[1]The building's protected status was upgraded to Grade II*, indicating a higher level of special architectural and historic interest.
- 2003
Stalls converted for flexible event formats
[1]Stalls seating was made removable, enabling both fully seated concerts and standing-floor configurations.
- 1990
Received Grade II listing
[1]The building was formally recognized for its architectural and historic importance.
- 1979
Hosted Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
[1]The venue hosted one of the benefit concerts organized to raise funds for people affected by the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia.
- 1973
David Bowie performed as Ziggy Stardust for the final time
[1]Bowie's final Ziggy Stardust concert took place at the Hammersmith Odeon and was later documented on film.
- 1964
The Beatles began a major run of performances
[1]The Beatles played 38 shows over 21 nights at the venue across late 1964 and early 1965.
- 1962
Renamed Hammersmith Odeon
[1]The venue adopted the Hammersmith Odeon name, which became its best-known historical identity.
Products and positioning
A historic London concert and entertainment venue positioned around architectural heritage, flexible event capacity, and its long association with internationally recognized touring artists.
Music events · 1932
Live concerts
The venue's principal offering is a programme of touring concerts across rock, pop, metal, jazz, electronic music, and other genres. Its history includes performances by the Beatles, Buddy Holly, David Bowie, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dire Straits, Kate Bush, Rush, and many other internationally known acts. The removable stalls allow promoters to present either conventional seated shows or standing-floor concerts.
Live entertainment
Comedy and spoken performance
The Apollo is also used for comedy, theatrical presentations, filmed specials, and other spoken or mixed-format entertainment. Its stage, auditorium, and London location make it suitable for established comedians and performance productions requiring a large indoor audience setting.
Media and live recording
Recorded and broadcast performances
Many events at the venue have been recorded for live albums, concert films, television broadcasts, music videos, and home-video releases. Examples include concert material associated with Queen, Dire Straits, Iron Maiden, Rush, Kate Bush, Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, and others. This recording history is a major part of the Apollo's cultural identity.
Marketing campaigns
- 1979Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
United Kingdom
The venue hosted part of the Concerts for the People of Kampuchea benefit series, organized to raise money for victims of the Pol Pot regime. Artists appearing across the event period included major British and international performers.
Outcome. The concerts became a notable benefit event and reinforced the venue's role in large-scale music and charitable programming.
Brand decisions
2013
Reopened after major refurbishmentStrategyBackground
After the 2012 sale to AEG Live and CTS Eventim, the venue closed for a substantial refurbishment.
Action taken
Foster Wilson led the refurbishment, and the venue reopened under the Eventim Apollo name.
Aftermath
The venue resumed live programming with a Selena Gomez concert on 7 September 2013.
2007
Restored the Compton pipe organOtherBackground
The original cinema organ had fallen into disrepair, been disconnected, and had its console removed during the 1990s.
Action taken
The organ was reinstated and fully restored with the involvement of English Heritage and the local council.
Aftermath
The historic instrument returned to playing condition and was presented publicly in a recital by Richard Hills.
2003
Introduced convertible stalls configurationGeneration changeBackground
The venue needed to serve both theatre-style seated performances and high-capacity standing concerts.
Action taken
Stalls seats were made removable, allowing promoters to change the floor plan by event.
Aftermath
The venue could accommodate approximately 5,000 people in a standing-floor configuration while retaining seated-show capability.
2002
Adopted the Carling Apollo nameStrategyBackground
Carling brewery reached a sponsorship agreement with the venue's then-owner, Clear Channel Entertainment.
Action taken
The venue was renamed Carling Apollo, with an AC/DC concert used to mark the change.
Aftermath
The venue returned to the Hammersmith Apollo name in 2006.
1993
Adopted the Labatt's Apollo sponsored nameStrategyBackground
A sponsorship agreement with Labatt Brewing Company introduced a commercial naming arrangement for the venue during the 1990s.
Action taken
The venue was marketed as Labatt's Apollo.
Aftermath
The name was later replaced by other sponsored and historical names.
Sources2 sources
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