KOKO

Always have a blast at Koko. Went there last weekend and am going again for a friends birthday tonight. The great thing about Koko is the live music and vast array of cool trendy people. Not pretentious at all. They also have a cool roof terrace — not great in the winter but perfect on those summer nights!

Been here many times and I’ve always had a fantastic night. Koko has a constant billing of top-​class artists and nights that mean I find myself there more often than not.
The building itself is gorgeous, originally being an old theatre. However, I think that sometimes this kind of venue is not well equipped to cater for big bands and loud noise. When standing, I often find my view obstructed or I feel squashed, even at the back.
The bar is typical for a concert hall: overpriced, generic.
The building itself is a bit confusing, I found myself searching for the bathroom longer than was ideal my first night there. There is a lovely smoking area on the balcony just above the KOKO sign over the door though.
I would say if you are coming here for a gig you are guaranteed to have a good time, but not for the venue itself.

Apparently, this place runs club nights and I’m incredibly intrigued by these; especially the Ultimate Power one, as I’m a huge fan of power ballads and can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday or Saturday night than air grabbing while spilling a beer everywhere along to Heart.
In any case, my raison d’être for attending KOKO on a regular basis is for gigs. Don’t let the dingy entrance way and dark decline down to the stage area fool you; this venue is GORGEOUS. Make a point of taking in the décor before the lights dim, as it’s absolutely beautiful. The venue itself is actually quite small, but manages to fit a fair few people inside, with both standing room upstairs on the balcony and downstairs on the floor. I’ve watched shows from both perspectives and enjoyed them equally. The sound system in KOKO is wondrous, I’ve watched everything from avant-​garde to experimental pop to stoner metal here and the acoustics have never once faltered.
My only gripe is that the stairs to get downstairs to the bar and stage are STEEP and spiralled, and navigating your way up and down these in the dark is a huge pain in the butt. Ideally, you’ll only be doing this twice throughout the night though; once as you go in and once as you go out, so it won’t ruin your night — just make sure you watch your step. Possibly one of my favourite venues in London. I will doubtless be back.

Something really important I forgot to mention earlier and kept noticing the two times we went back: the music is too loud. When you are close to the scene you basically can’t speak with your friends even in their ears! I guess a good advice would be to bring earplugs with you!
Make it classy with a flashy colour matching your tee-​shirt!

I’ve been here a few times for concerts.
Perhaps it’s a chronic problem for concert venues, but there just doesn’t seem to be adequate standing room. Lots of people end up with obscured views (or no views at all).
The beer range is dire. There are about five breweries in the area surrounding this venue, and yet Koko only stocks the blandest of macro industrial lagers, and one Theakston beer. Camden Town Brewery, whose volume output is more than adequate to meet the needs of a concert venue, is within walking distance. It boggles my mind how venues will put so much time into bringing in world-​class musical acts and then only offer their patrons garbage beer.
I wouldn’t come to Koko unless it’s an act I really want to see.

I really like this place. I’ve been coming here for years. It used to be called The Camden Palace. It’s also where Madonna made her first Uk performance. Prince also did some gigs here last year.
Last night I went to see Hunter Hayes, which wa sold out. Unlike the other two similar venues that I’ve been to recently (O2 Brixton and O2 Sheperds Bush), I fouind that the access in and out of the venue was much easier, with a less formal security system.
Although this concert was sold out, it was easy to move around the standing area in the stalls. The bar at the rear was also easy to access and I did not have to wait to be served.
This is a great venue and not too large. It’s an old building, which has kept it’s charm. Yay! I’m a fan.

I came here for the first time to see Jay Electronica which was INTENSE. I had the most mixed experience but the negatives were not the fault of the staff here or the event hosters, so I cannot hold them accountable. I have a few comments/​observations that I think are important, however.
The security at the gig were put under horrendous conditions and expectations. They have a responsibility to ensure the safety or the audience and also of the artist. But at this gig the security team had no chance to do their job properly.
1. Jay consistently wanted to wander into the hyped crowd, which meant the security team had to wade into the crowd with him and surround him. It was absolutely nuts. Fans were reaching for him and jumping everywhere and the bouncers were having to fight just to stay in control. I saw one get hit in the mouth as he was doing his job.
2. Jay handed a massive bottle of Hennessey and let the crowd pass it around and drink. Then Jay Electronica told everybody to get on stage with him.
3. The whole purpose of the security at the front was to stop people from jumping over but Jay and his NOI men told them to let them up, so there were over 100+ people on stage now. The security couldn’t do anything and I felt bad for them. I really hope they get compensated for their work and dedication.
So my review is mainly based on what the security staff were willing to do against all odds to ensure a safe gig for everyone. I will be back to Koko soon and had an amazing night (apart from my phone being stolen at the gig, but that is not Koko’s fault in the end).

Amazing music venue, two levels to stand on so you have a greater chance of having a great view. Lovely building and even a seated bar area slightly rised off the ground so good views from all locations.

It was a really good venue and was a lovely evening

Partying hard at an old, incredibly beautiful and huge theatre, how does that sound? This is pretty much how I can sum up my experience at Koko. I came here for a Halloween party this year and I was totally amazed by the actual building. I couldn’t help but wonder «how can this really be a night club?». I mean, the theatre is so pretty and it looks so special that I thought it was a bit crazy to allow all those drunken kids to party in it!
That being said, I quite enjoyed the place, with all of its different floors and doors and dancing areas. The music was nice and smokers will find themselves contemplated with a very spacious outside area. What I did not enjoy was the crowd, a bit too young and crazy for me, and the drinks, that cost 5 pounds each but had so little alcohol in them that you might as well be drinking soda. Seriously, are you kidding me? They really have to start serving real drinks here!
As it was Halloween night, there was also a huge line to get in, and I mean HUGE. I didn’t even think my friends and I were gonna make the cut, but once I saw how big the place is on the inside I understood why some people remained in line even though they were miles away from the entrance.
All in all, I didn’t have a great night to be honest, but I do think the place is worth the visit. I heard there are great concerts here, so I’d probably come back for one of those as opposed to a regular club night.

Brilliant! Koko should be on the London ‘must do’ list! Fantastic music venue in a great location. Camden is buzzing with pubs, clubs and basically whatever sort of evening you are after you can find it within a stones throw of Koko. The acoustics within the building itself are fab and drinks are not cheap but reasonable. Book yourself tickets to a gig here — you wont be disappointed.

Had a really good night out at the Koko club. The security was easy to get through, no major hassles, very kind security guards searching you and made the process super painless and easy.
Once in, the place is HUGE! I tried to stay on the first floor to avoid getting lost.
I went on Frantic night. Great sound system. Great lasers. The talent was magnificent.
The only issue I have was the drinks started off reasonable 4 jäger bombs for £16, then I tried ordering another one and the bartender told me 1 jäger bomb was £8.50, I felt she was trying to price gouge me. I don’t know if it was because I am female and dressed quite sexy, she wanted to be catty or what? I don’t remember any of the other bartenders trying to charge me that amount. I opted for a cheaper drink she quoted me, and she still charged me over £16 for two jack and cokes. I don’t know if the drinks get pricier as the night goes on, or what, but this will be something that I will investigate.
Other then that it was a great night out. Just wished drinks weren’t so expensive.

KOKO ! J’y suis allée pour une soirée Buttoned Down Disco: top ! L’ambiance était géniale, l’endroit super sympa et le tout très abordable (£6 le verre).
On est très loin des lieux guindés, tout le monde est là pour s’amuser. Si vous êtes dans le coin, je né peux donc que vous conseillez d’y passer un moment.
A prendre en compte cependant, la clientèle est plutôt jeune !

I LOVE seeing bands at former fancy theatres like this. The Koko looks trashed from the outside, but is gloriously redone on the inside, with layers of floors (that is the only way to describe how the floors fold together and overlap and look out over each other), balconies, chandeliers, velour curtains, an outdoor upper-​floor terrace, little tables tucked into corners and crevices, sofas on the basement level and multiple bars for your enjoyment.
I saw Haim here last summer and I recall the sound being pretty good. It was a sold out show and it felt like it – we stuffed ourselves on a stair landing, but a layer of people back from the railing so saw absolutely nothing (get there early if you want a good view and you’re a shorty!).
Cash only bar, and super close to Mornington Crescent or a bit of a walk from Camden Town.
Despite the enormous crowd, the side balconies were not being used, which seemed ridiculous. I imagine they’re set aside and sold at a premium as a sort of VIP section, but if those tickets aren’t sold, they should just open them up instead of having loads of wasted space :/

Koko is not closed today. Usually it is in a Sunday, I think. But today the venue has Prince! I’m queuing with about 800 people (currently) to see one of his 3 gigs here. It all feels a little mad, Creative and funky, like Prince himself.
I generally love Koko for gigs. I’ve seen lots of live bands here from Fun lovin’ criminals, kaiser chiefs, pop acts too. The venue used to be Camden Palace and is an old theatre. It has a great vibe for electric gigs and overall I prefer it to Hammersmith Appollo, which is a similar size (koko is slightly smaller and more intimate).
On weekends it can be a club (well it was 4 years ago) but it doesn’t lend itself to clubbing I would say, much better as a live music venue.
Koko is great, very purple and funky, so really looking forward to seeing Prince here tonight.

Era uma vez quando o Koko não era uma balada/​casa de shows mas sim um teatro. Ele abriu as portas em 1900 como The Camden Theater (por causa de sua localização). Durante seus anos como teatro recebeu muitos artistas famosos e consagrados como o queridinho do cinema, Charles Chaplin. De teatro se tornou cinema e logo foi fechado em 1940.
Depois de muitas reformas, re-​aberturas e transformações o local virou Koko em 2005 e desde então já recebeu grandes nomes da música britânica como: Noël Gallagher, Kasabian, Coldplay e muitos outros.
Hoje você pode vir ao Koko para um show ou simplesmente para andar por todos os corredores e escadarias do labirinto que há ali dentro. Enquanto escuta uma boa música e dança até o amanhecer.
Os drinks são (relativamente) baratos a galera é animada e a noite vai ser inesquecível — se você não beber demais!
Pode vir de tube tranquilamente, está quase em frente da estação Mornington Crescent da Northern Line, ou se preferir os ônibus para Camden High Street são vários, inclusive pode pegar o nightbus de volta para casa por lá.

Oh hai, labrynth.
This place is seriously cool. Like, seriously. Showcasing everything from DJ nights to rock bands to their own Club NME night, you’ve got everything under one roof.
The architecture is more like a ye olde theatre than a nightclub or live music venue. It reminds me of the Hammersmith Apollo a little or the Royal Theatre on Drury Lane. That kind of posh box with plush velvet seating and little nooks and crannies everywhere. So hip.
We went on just a basic club night, no special event or anything and it was still amazing. It was like stepping into a time vortex. Old architecture clashing with live rock. Old fashioned cocktails mixed with techy gadgets and quirky names. It was intense.
Once we’d got our drinks at the bar, who knows where, we took a look over the balcony and decided to head down to the dance floor. Now, here’s where it got tricky. We navigated a set of staircases that we thought by our crude drunken calculations should put us on the dance floor but somehow found ourselves even higher up. Go figure?
The view was incredible and we’d managed to find an empty part of Koko (trust me, it’s an achievement) with loads of sofas, quieter acoustics due to the height and a chance to chill out a bit. Bliss. The problem with this place is that if you were to ask me to find it again, I couldn’t. I don’t even know how we managed to go up instead of down. Gah.
Once we’d finally somehow made it down to the ground floor, the party atmosphere was crazy. Everyone dancing, no one caring and although there was a healthy dose of hipster, it was genuinely hella fun.
After what felt like half an hour, we left to discover it was nearly 5am. We were facing a loonnnggg ride home but you know what? Who cares. Worth it.

Now that my favourite London gig venue has been smashed to dust in favour of a new choo-​choo line (I was referring to The Astoria, in case my bitter reference went unnoticed) I am definitely on the lookout for the new contender for the title.
I had been to Koko well over a decade ago, so my memory of the place was outdated and somewhat hazy. It is really a typical theatre come cinema come gig venue for London standards. However, I would say that the ornate balconies outdo rivals like the Shepherd’s Bush Empire and the Clapham Grand. I am not sure how long ago this place was last renovated but it was maintained to a really lovely standard.
The design of the building allows great views of the stage from many of the vantage points. The staircases that are in place do however restrict your view if you are a fairly tall guy like me from standing at the rear bar and seeing the action on stage.
Although it is not my cup of tea, I do not drink pints nor draft beer but my friends were pretty disappointed that all they sell cans and bottles here. Especially for the astronomical prices that they charge. It really does turn a night out to see live music into a painfully expensive ordeal. Especially for just can of beer costing £72 million.
As a point of note I was here with a fellow drummer friend to see the astoundingly good Red Paintings with Mindless Self Indulgence. The expensive drinks can be somewhat forgiven with amazing music performed by tremendous musicians. But not totally.

I have to say Koko disappointed me a little bit. We went there on 1 November, Halloween Ball. It was so crowded that you couldn’t even dance! We queued for 30min for the coatroom. But they continued let people in! Me and my friends had to end it up earlier like about 2 in the morning, not too much fun tho. Maybe we picked a «wrong time».

Koko, koko koko… une soirée et c’est bon je suis tombée amoureuse de toi !
J’y suis allée pour Halloween.
On était plus de 1000 lors de la soirée mais l’organisation et la sécurité a bien fait son travail.
On pouvait bouger sur la fosse comme être sur les balcons ou l’énorme terrasse (et de sa vue de la place).
La sono était bien que ce soit pour le groupe qui a joué ou pour le DJ !
A refaire si j’en aurais l’occasion ! C’est aussi une salle de concert donc je pense aussi que ça vaut le coup d’ aller !

L’emblématique Koko dans le quartier de Camden vaut toujours le détour…
Parce que cet ancien opéra est un cadre impressionnant qui vous inspire pour cet établissement mi-​boîte de nuit/​mi-​salle de concert!
Parce que pour sortir à Londres, selon la soirée, ce n’est pas forcément si cher *places prises sur le net à environ 4£* (Attention, ça se rattrape sur le vestiaire — non obligatoire heureusement — ainsi que sur la boisson hors de prix, préchauffe ailleurs recommandée).
Parce que souvent des bons groupes rock indépendants, mais checkez la programmation si vous né voulez pas être déçu…
Puis, quitte à né pas être blasées par la musique, les fashionistas (comme moi) pourront admirer les tenues vintage et décalées des sujettes de Sa Majesté.
Les modèles de ce défilé vivant sont un peu bourrées, mais vous les aimerez…
Car oui, ces suzettes vous taperont facilement la causette.
Girls, soyez donc prêtes à aller faire la fête!
PS: Oui, j’assume mes rimes pourries de cette fin d’avis, tant pis!

You ever have one of those experiences where the universe is telling you to go to a spot? Or not just telling… demanding!
I was at work and a colleague asked me if I had been to Koko. No, I had not, tell me more about it. Apparently it’s this cool event space/​club/​live music venue that sort of looks and feels like an old red church. Ok, that sounds cool.
The next day, I was meeting with someone and they brought up that they were at Koko the night before. Really? I just heard about this space. Ok, that’s weird.
And then two days later, I get an invite from a friend working for Movember. «Want to come to Koko tomorrow for the launch party? It’s going to be great.»
FINE! UNIVERSE! I’LL GO TO KOKO! What the hell!
And of course I’m happy that I did. Located right across from the Morningtown Crescent Tube Station, Koko has the TARDIS effect going on where it’s way bigger on the inside than it looks on the out. Multiple floors, multiple bars, giant stage, lots of room on the floor for dancing or hanging out, a good space.
And woah the acoustics. They had a hard rock band playing and you could feel the bass in your chest wherever you went (even three floor up.) That night they also had a smoke machine and lazer lights and it was just a very cool experience with great vantage points to catch it all.
The only issue I ran into was layout of the space which is sometimes maze like (we had trouble finding out way out once in) and sometimes poorly done (there’s a bar on the third floor but it’s so cramped if there’s anyone standing in front of it, because it’s right up against the railing. Really miserable trying to get a drink from here.) But overall, a cool place to hang out for the evening.
Ok Universe, you win, I went. You happy now?

Y étant allée dans le cadre du Camden Pub Crawl (sortie organisée sous forme de tour, qui fait enchaîner 5 lieux de sortie avec des shots offerts) je n’ai pas payé l’entrée. Donc je né peux pas argumenter sur les prix de l’endroit. Par contre. Le lieu en lui même vaut très nettement le déplacement. Au moins une fois. C’est splendide, immense, le son et les projections sont de très bonne qualité. Après, la prog, on aime ou on aime pas, et en ce qui me concerne, ce n’est pas vraiment ma tasse de thé. Mais j’ai adoré y passer quelques heures, et y retournerai avec joie, certainement pour faire découvrir la salle à des amis.

Décor magistral et programmation surprenante !
Ancien théâtre des années 1900, le Koko Club est un des lieux incontournables de Londres. Il reçoit des chanteurs connus comme les Red Hot, Coldplay, Madonna, The Killers, Lady Gaga… mais aussi de jeunes groupes cherchant à percer dans le milieu. Acoustique au top. La salle a beaucoup de cachet cependant il né faut pas avoir peur des escaliers si vous voulez monter sur la terrasse ou dans la salle dite Rn’B. A refaire pour de nouvelles découvertes musicales !

Koko is a quirky London gig venue along similar lines to Brixton Academy. It has an eclectic layout with lots of nooks and crannies for you to hang out in. Easy enough to get to via tube (Northern Line Mornington Crescent) or bus and in an area with lots of good pubs and eateries to hand should you want to fuel up before you go in.
We were here to see The Airborne Toxic Event, an ideal band for a venue this size and they were, as always, superb. The set was a mix of songs from all of their albums and they had the house bouncing from the off. I like this place and will return.
For a sell out gig best to get in early as once it fills up there are some areas where the view and, more importantly, the acoustics, can be a bit ropey. Mosh pit is big enough but getting up alongside the balcony bar is probably best as you will be handy for drinks & the loo’s and from the balcony you will have a view directly on to centre stage. It is also adjacent to the first floor outside terrace with a brilliant view along Camden High Street, good area to go between sets. The terrace also has a bar and wide screen TV’s giving live feedback from the stage and the sound quality in this area is superb. Once the drink prices come down or the happy hour is extended then they will get their 5^th star

Saw the lumineers last night, and my faith in Koko was renewed :) They have 2.50 Bulmers and Becks before 8PM, which was quite nice. The sound quality was fantastic for the show, and the crowd was great.
Take a look at the theatre from the top floor balcony, it is truly beautiful!

GEILE location! Das Koko ist ein altes Theater (oder Oper?) auf jeden Fall sehenswert! Die Musik ist auch nicht schlecht. Ich war öfter dort als ich Au pair in London war. Waren manchmal auf Konzerten von unbekannteren Bands oder bei der Buttoned down disco, letzteres echt zu empfehlen! Die Getränkepreise sind nicht unbedingt günstig, aber naja, das Ambiente macht das wett. Beim Eintritt bekommt man mit Schüler– oder Studentenausweis Vergünstigung.

Das Koko ist mein absoluter Lieblingsclub in London!
Allein die Location ist einen Besuch wert. Das Koko ist nämlich in einem ehemaligen Theater. Ränge, Bühne und Wandschmuck sind wirklich grandios.
Ich gehe am liebsten Freitags hin. Da kostet der Eintritt vor 12 nur 5 Pfund und es gibt meist noch 1 – 2 Live-​Bands. Gespielt wird vom DJ Indie, Pop, Electro, Rock, etc.
Es gibt neben dem Mainfloor noch weitere kleinere Floors, die auch einen Besuch wert sind.
Allerdings würde ich es empfehlen vorzuglühen (2 meter weiter ist direkt ein Sainsburys), weil die Getränke doch relativ teuer sind.

Peut etre pas le meilleur endroit pour sortir a Londres, mais jepense que cette boîte vaut ledetour né serait-​ce que pour son originalite. J’ai bien aime le principe du concert dans ce décor magistral. Si vous aimez la musique rock le Koko est unendroit incontournable de vos nuits Londonnienes. Cependant meme si le theatre ajoute un cachet non negligeable a cette boîte, il né faut pas avoir peur des escaliers…

En principe, je n’aime pas les boîtes de nuit, mais ici le contexte est original, on se rentre dans une salle d’opéra avec un bar à chaque étage!
Les meilleures soirées sont celles intitulées Button Down, où est vraiment sympa, et des ballons géants jonchent la salle.

Einer der geilsten Clubs, in denen ich war!
Das Gebäude ist ein altes Theater und hat mehrere Ränge.
Auf jedem Rang ist eine Bar und ein kleiner Floor mit anderer Musik als auf dem Mainfloor ganz unten.
Die Inneneinrichtung ist sehr elegant (Kronleuchter und vergoldete Zierleisten), das bietet genau den richtigen Kontrast zu der Musik, die dort läuft. Von Britpop bis zu feinsten Alternative!
Die Preise sind für Londoner Verhältnisse echt ok:
Eintritt waren damals 12Pfund und ein Bier kostete 3,50Pfund.
Das Publikum ist typisch für Camden viele durchgeknallte Freaks– im positiven Sinn versteht sich.
Ich kann diesen Club auf jeden Fall jedem empfehlen, der einmal in London ist und abseits von der Touri-​Piccadilly-​Circus-​Partymeile etwas Aufregendes erleben möchte.

Tout le monde adore cet endroit et dit que les soirées là bas sont géniales, qu’on s’y amuse trop, que la musique est bonne bonne bonne!
Bah moi j’aime pas. J’aime pas payer £7 pour rentrer, écouter un concert de rock pas original, avec de la musique qu’on entend déjà partout, des nanas complètement bourrées qui vous marchent dessus (ça encore ça me dérange pas je suis habituée) mais aussi qui né s’excusent pas, né vous sourient même pas et finissent par vider leur bière (plate) dans votre sac! Faut pas le garder me direz vous, mais à £2 le cloakroom, c’etait soit le manteau soit le sac.
La seule chose ou j’admet que le koko se démarque est l’endroit. La salle. Ca tient de l’opera italien et du club funky. C’est a voir mais pas pour ce prix la.
Né nous méprenons pas, j’adore faire la fête et suis une inconditionnelle du walkabout du lundi soir. Mais là, franchement je voyais pas l’intéret d’y aller. Donc j’irai plus.