KOKO is a concert venue in Camden Town, London, housed in a Grade II listed building that first opened its doors on Boxing Day 1900 as the Camden Theatre. Designed by architect W.G.R. Sprague, the building has cycled through lives as a variety theatre, a cinema, a BBC recording studio, and the legendary 1980s nightclub Camden Palace before being restored and rebranded as KOKO in 2004.
Over more than a century, the venue has hosted an extraordinary run of performers, from The Rolling Stones in 1964 to Madonna, Prince, and Coldplay, who used it to launch album releases in the 2000s. A serious fire during renovation work in January 2020 severely damaged the roof, but KOKO reopened in April 2022 following an extensive rebuild, with Arcade Fire playing the venue’s comeback show.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Camden Town, London, England
- Type: Concert venue (former theatre)
- Opened: 1900 (as Camden Theatre); reopened as KOKO in 2004
- Capacity: About 1,500
- Architect: W.G.R. Sprague
- Famous for: Album launch shows by Madonna and Coldplay; post-fire reopening with Arcade Fire
From Edwardian Theatre to Music Landmark
Before it became a byword for London’s live music scene, the building spent decades as the Camden Theatre, then a cinema, and later a BBC studio used for radio recordings including The Goon Show. It found a second life as a nightclub and gig venue in the late 1970s under the name The Music Machine, then as Camden Palace through the 1980s and 90s, hosting early performances from punk and new wave acts.
The venue was renamed KOKO after a multimillion-pound restoration completed in 2004, which restored much of its ornate Edwardian interior, including tiered balconies and a domed ceiling, while keeping it functioning as a working concert hall.
The 2020 Fire and Rebuild
On the evening of 6 January 2020, a large fire broke out at KOKO during roof renovation work, drawing around 60 firefighters and eight fire engines to Camden High Street. The blaze significantly damaged the building’s roof and dome, forcing an extended closure.
Owner Mint Entertainment used the closure to carry out a larger renovation, adding new performance and event spaces around the historic auditorium. KOKO reopened in April 2022, with Arcade Fire performing the venue’s first show back.
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KOKO FAQs
What is KOKO’s capacity?
KOKO holds about 1,500 people, making it a mid-sized venue between London’s small clubs and its large arenas.
Was KOKO always a music venue?
No. It opened in 1900 as the Camden Theatre and has also operated as a cinema, a BBC studio, and the nightclub Camden Palace before becoming KOKO in 2004.
Did KOKO close after the 2020 fire?
Yes. A fire in January 2020 damaged the roof during renovation work, closing the venue until it reopened in April 2022 with a concert by Arcade Fire.
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Photo: APK / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.