Hammersmith Apollo

The Hammersmith Apollo, located in Hammersmith, London, England, has been a rock venue for decades, first opened in 1932, and known as “Gaumont Palace Hammersmith” until 1962. It is now a Grade 2* Listed Building. It houses a fine 4 manual Compton theatre organ which is currently undergoing extensive overhaul.

It is in this earlier incarnation that the venue is best known internationally, especially since Motorhead’s 1981 live album No Sleep ’til Hammersmith. Many legends of rock have performed at the Hammersmith Odeon, including The Cult, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, The Cure, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Iggy and the Stooges, Metallica, The Who, Rush, Dire Straits, Duran Duran and Queen.

David Bowie also performed his final concert as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon in July 1973. Not to forget Bruce Springsteen’s legendary performances in 1975. Neil Young also famously gigged there in the same year, actually setting part of it on fire.

In 2002 the venue was again re-named, this time to the Carling Apollo after another brewery struck a deal with the owners, US-based Clear Channel Entertainment.

Many bands have released live CDs or DVDs of concerts held at the Apollo. Kylie Minogue & Girls Aloud released DVDs of their concerts at the Apollo in 2004 and 2005 respectively, and a DVD of a Bruce Springsteen concert held there in 1975 was released as part of the Born to Run 30th Anniversary Edition package, and later was released the CD Hammersmith Odeon London ’75. Melodic death metal band In Flames also released a DVD that featured footage of a December 2004 performance here. Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard performed his show Glorious here, also on DVD.