The Eventim Apollo is among London's biggest live entertainment venues. Formerly called the Hammersmith Apollo, it sits in West London and is among the best-preserved original theatres in the UK.
The famous theatre architect Robert Cromie, renowned for designing the Prince of Wales Theatre, designed it in the Art Deco style. The venue opened as the Gaumont Palace cinema on 28th March 1932 and offered 3,487 seats! An alliance between Gaumont British Theatres and exhibitor Israel Davies commissioned the design.
The building featured a brilliant fan-shaped auditorium and a 35-foot deep stage, a Compton4Manual/15 Ranks theatre organ, 20 dressing rooms, and a café on the foyer area. In 1962, the venue's name changed to the Hammersmith Odeon. It started showing a range of remarkable acts like Bob Marley, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. The last film screened at the venue was Blue Thunder on 8th August 1984.
A sponsorship deal funded the refurbishment of the venue, and its name became the Labatt's Apollo. The legendary musical star Michael Ball, known for iconic roles in Hairspray, The Phantom Of The Opera and Les Misérables, shares a history with the venue. He was the last person to play here when they renamed it Odeon and the first to perform when it was renamed, Apollo.
The building reverted to the Hammersmith Apollo in the early 1990s. During that period, the English Heritage designated it a Grade II listed building; in 2005, it upgraded to Grade II status. Following another sponsorship deal, the venue became the Carling Apollo Hammersmith in 2003. Back then, an American company called Clear Channel Entertainment owned the building.
Through extensive modifications, removable seating in the stalls became a reality, facilitating both fully-seated and standing events – 3,632 sitting and 5,039 standing capacity. Popular acts including Paul Weller, Elton John, Oasis, Peter Kay, Stereophonics as well as REM performed here in recent years.
In 2006, it took its former name once more – the Hammersmith Apollo. The Cinema Theatre Association and Hammersmith & Fulham Council encouraged the owners to restore the original Compton organ console. The console, which was removed in the early 1990s, was back in the building, filling the void of silence that lasted for 25 years.
Currently the Eventim Apollo, AEG Live and Eventim joined hands to rebuild the venue's majestic Art Deco design. After a multi-million-pound investment, the refurbished venue opened on 7th September 2013. A sold-out show by the famous singing star Selena Gomez marked the occasion. The renovation was the work of the award-winning Foster Wilson Architects. Refurbished features include retaining the beautiful plasterwork and decoration to complement the original paintwork, and fittings and fixtures made to the original designs. The LED lighting of various colours on the façade also enhances the auditorium's fresh appearance.
