Eventim Apollo

Eventim Apollo
Name	Eventim Apollo
Location	Hammersmith, London
Opened	1932
Capacity	5,000
Architect	Robert Cromie
Othernames	Hammersmith Apollo; Gaumont Palace; HMV Hammersmith Apollo

Eventim Apollo is an entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London, known for hosting concerts, comedy, film premieres and television recordings. The building has a long association with British and international popular culture, attracting performers and audiences linked to The Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, Madonna, and Adele. It occupies a prominent site on the north side of the River Thames corridor near Hammersmith Broadway and the Lyric, Hammersmith.

History

The venue opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace, part of the expansion of the Gaumont British Picture Corporation during the interwar period, when cinema palaces proliferated alongside venues such as the Odeon Leicester Square and the Trocadero. During World War II the theatre's programming adjusted alongside wartime entertainment efforts tied to Entertainments National Service Association and touring companies associated with Noël Coward and Ralph Richardson. In the postwar decades the site transitioned from grand cinema to mixed-use performance hall as television and rock music reshaped the entertainment industry, paralleling shifts at venues like the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena. Renovations in the 1960s and 1970s responded to changes introduced by promoters such as Harold Fielding and managers linked to Polydor Records and EMI Records. In the 2000s the building reopened under various sponsored names following restoration programs influenced by preservation campaigns similar to those for the Savoy Theatre and the London Palladium.

Architecture and design

Designed originally by architect Robert Cromie for the Gaumont British Picture Corporation, the structure blends Art Deco and Egyptian Revival elements comparable to contemporaneous cinemas such as the Marlow Theatre and the Astoria. The façade features stylized ornamentation and monumental proportions that align with the municipal ambitions of early 20th-century London planners associated with projects near King Street, Hammersmith and the Hammersmith Bridge precinct. Interior design incorporated a proscenium arch stage, stalls and circle seating arranged like other large-capacity theatres including the Apollo Victoria Theatre and the Prince of Wales Theatre. Conservation works referenced guidance employed at the Historic England listed-buildings framework and echoed restoration approaches used at the Dominion Theatre and Sadler's Wells Theatre.

Ownership and management

Ownership and operational control have passed among prominent corporate and cultural entities, reflecting consolidation trends involving companies such as Allied Films, Gaumont British Picture Corporation, and later media groups tied to HMV and major promoters like Live Nation Entertainment and AEG Presents. Management regimes have included regional venue operators that coordinate programming across London sites alongside managers active at The O2 Arena and Roundhouse, London. Sponsorship and naming rights deals involved commercial partners comparable to agreements negotiated for venues such as Barclaycard Arena and Royal Albert Hall sponsorship initiatives, while local authority planning consents engaged the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

Performances and notable events

The Apollo has hosted landmark performances and broadcasts by artists spanning multiple generations and genres, including concerts by The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Nirvana, and Kylie Minogue. Comedy residencies featured comics associated with The Edinburgh Festival Fringe such as Eddie Izzard and Michael McIntyre, while television recordings included specials produced by broadcasters like BBC Television and ITV. The theatre has been a venue for film premieres involving distributors such as Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and 20th Century Studios, with red-carpet events attended by figures from BAFTA circles and film festivals linked to BFI Southbank. Historic live recordings and televised concerts at the Apollo are part of discographies and filmographies for acts tied to labels including Virgin Records, Island Records, and Columbia Records.

Facilities and capacity

Configured to accommodate both standing and seated audiences, the Apollo's capacity of around 5,000 places it among mid-to-large London venues alongside the Roundhouse, Hammersmith Apollo contemporaries at similar scale such as Eventim Apollo-class auditoria. Facilities include a proscenium stage, orchestra pit adaptable for live bands and orchestras linked to ensembles like the London Philharmonic Orchestra and session musicians who have worked with producers from Abbey Road Studios. Backstage provisions include dressing rooms used by touring companies and production crews represented by agencies such as CAA and WME. Front-of-house amenities mirror those at commercial venues operating under ticketing partnerships with firms like Ticketmaster and Eventim.

Access and transport

Located in Hammersmith, the theatre is served by major transport interchanges including Hammersmith tube station with connections on the Piccadilly line, District line, and Hammersmith & City line, and by bus routes linking to central London locations such as King's Cross and Victoria Coach Station. Road access is facilitated by nearby arterial routes like the A4 road, while river travel options connect to services on the River Thames and piers serving commuter routes to Wimbledon and Greenwich. Cycle infrastructure and local taxi ranks reflect wider transport initiatives coordinated by Transport for London and planning frameworks of the Greater London Authority.

Category:Theatres in London