Shepherd's Bush Empire facts for kids
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 O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
Location in London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
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| Former names | Shepherd's Bush Empire (1903–53; 1994–2009) BBC Television Theatre (1953–94) |
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| Address | Shepherd's Bush Green London, W12 United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°30′13″N 0°13′28″W / 51.50349°N 0.22433°W |
| Public transit |  Goldhawk Road Shepherd's Bush  Shepherd's Bush |
| Owner | Academy Music Group |
| Operator | Academy Music Group |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 17 August 1903 |
| Renovated | 1993 |
| Architect | Frank Matcham |
| Project manager | Oswald Stoll |
The O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire is a famous music venue in Shepherd's Bush, West London. It's a place where many popular bands and artists perform live concerts. This building has a long and interesting history. It started as a music hall in 1903, where people watched variety shows. Later, it became a TV studio for the BBC, and since 1994, it has been a popular music venue. It's a special building, protected as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
History of the Empire
The Shepherd's Bush Empire was built in 1903. It was designed by a famous theatre architect named Frank Matcham. A man named Oswald Stoll helped make it happen.
Early Days as a Music Hall
When it first opened, the Empire was a "music hall." This was a type of theatre where people watched many different kinds of live shows. These shows included singing, dancing, comedy, and other acts. Famous performers like Charlie Chaplin even appeared there in 1906. The music hall shows were very popular until the early 1950s.
The Empire During World War II
During World War II, London was bombed a lot. In 1944, a special type of bomb called a "flying bomb" hit the building next door. Luckily, the Shepherd's Bush Empire was not directly hit. This meant it survived the war, even though the building next to it was badly damaged.
Becoming a TV Studio
In 1953, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) bought the Empire. They turned it into a television studio and called it the BBC Television Theatre. Many popular TV shows were filmed there.
Some of the famous shows included Crackerjack, The Old Grey Whistle Test, and The Generation Game. Many famous singers also performed there for TV shows. These included Cliff Richard, Lulu, Cilla Black, and Dusty Springfield. It was also where the UK chose its song for the Eurovision Song Contest.
From 1985, the theatre was mostly used for one popular talk show called Wogan. This show was broadcast three nights a week from the Empire.
Returning to Live Music
The BBC left the building in 1991. Then, in 1993, a businessman named Andrew Mahler took over. He spent a lot of money to fix up and improve the building.
In 1994, the building opened again as a music venue. It went back to its original name, the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Since then, it has been a popular place for live concerts and dance events.
The O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire Today
Today, the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire is still a very popular music venue. It can hold about 2,000 people. Many famous bands and artists have performed there.
Famous Performances
Some concerts filmed at the Empire have even been released on DVD. For example, Opeth recorded their live DVD Lamentations there in 2003. Amy Winehouse recorded her live album I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London in 2007.
The band Mumford & Sons recorded their album Live from Shepherd's Bush Empire at the venue. Even The Rolling Stones played a special "warm-up" concert there in 1999. They sometimes choose smaller venues like the Empire for these surprise shows.
Images for kids
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Queue for Pearl Jam at the Empire in August 2009
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Shepherd's Bush Empire
