O2 Academy Bournemouth facts for kids
| Location | 570 Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, BH1 4BH |
|---|---|
| Owner | Academy Music Group |
| Opened | September 2009 |
| Capacity | 1,800 |
The O2 Academy Bournemouth is a cool place in Bournemouth, England. It's a live music venue where you can see your favorite bands and artists. This building is very old and special. It's called a "Grade II listed building" because of its important history.
Contents
A Long History of Entertainment
The O2 Academy building has been around for a long time. It first opened its doors on May 17, 1895. Back then, it was a theatre called the Boscombe Grand Theatre.
From Theatre to Music Hall
In 1902, the theatre changed. It became a music hall named the Boscombe Hippodrome. Music halls were popular places for people to watch different kinds of shows. These included singing, dancing, and comedy acts.
Rock and Roll Years
By the 1960s, the building changed again. It became a music venue called Starkers Royal Arcade Ballrooms. Many famous bands played here during this time. Imagine seeing Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and David Bowie on stage! Other big names included Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Hawkwind, and The Faces.
Becoming a Nightclub
In 1982, the building got a huge makeover. Millions of pounds were spent to turn it into the Academy Nightclub. This new club was very modern for its time. It even had one of the first water-cooled lasers! It also had the first Karaoke bar in the UK.
Many more popular bands and artists performed here. These included The Sisters of Mercy, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Deep Purple, and Slade.
The Opera House Era
In the 1990s, new music styles like "rave" became popular. The club hosted special dance nights with names like Fantasia and Wild Turkey. From 1997 to 2009, the venue was known as the Opera House nightclub. A very successful dance night called Slinky started here in 1997. It was popular for many years.
The Opera House closed for a big renovation between 2006 and 2007. It was officially reopened by a famous radio DJ named Jo Whiley.
Today's O2 Academy
In July 2009, the building was sold to a company called AMG Group. They renamed it the O2 Academy Bournemouth in September. Today, it's still a top spot for live music. You can see all kinds of bands and artists perform here. It also continues to host dance music events, just like it did in the past.
Many well-known acts have played at the O2 Academy Bournemouth. For example, Steve Harley has performed there with his acoustic band.
Images for kids
-
Image of the O2 Academy Bournemouth
