O2 Academy Glasgow

O₂ Academy Glasgow
	Academy main entrance
Location	Glasgow
Owner	Academy Music Group
Genre(s)	Rock, Indie music, comedy
Capacity	2,500
Opened	2003
Website
	www.o2academyglasgow.co.uk

The O₂ Academy Glasgow (formerly the Carling Academy Glasgow) is a music venue on Eglinton Street in the Gorbals (Laurieston) area of Glasgow. It holds 2,500 people. It was one of two Academy Music Group venues in Glasgow, until the O₂ ABC Glasgow closed due to fire damage in 2018. ^[2]

It was one of a group of music venues in Britain branded Carling Academy, the best known including the Brixton Academy and the O₂ Academy Birmingham. Since November 2008, the venue has been rebranded by network operator O₂ to its new name, following a new sponsorship deal with Live Nation.

History

The venue is housed in the former New Bedford Cinema which underwent a £3 million refurbishment project to turn it into a 2,500 person music venue. The venue opened on 26 March 2003 with the band Deacon Blue, Singer Bryan Ferry and girl group Sugababes^[3] after 10 years of the building being closed and in disrepair.

On 6 November 2008, it was announced that Telefónica Europe (owners of the O₂ Network in the UK) had become the new sponsor of all Academy venues, in a deal with music promoter Live Nation. The deal, which lasts for five years, sees all venues rebranded "The O₂ Academy", in line with Telefónica's purchase of the Millennium Dome (now The O2).^[4]

Events

Previous Events:

The Killers' 2006 gig at the venue sold out in a record three minutes. This led to the band announcing a date at Glasgow's SECC Arena the following night.
James Brown played his last UK gig at the venue on 25 October 2006.
The venue hosted a prestigious O₂ Wireless Festival workshop on 10 May 2008.
During the annual Glasgow International Comedy Festival, the venue is transformed into a comedy club with shows taking place every night. Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle have performed at the venue.
The venue played host to The Gigantour on 19 February 2008.^[5]
Frankie Boyle hosts the record for the most shows played at the venue - a total of 14 - including six during 2008's Glasgow Comedy Festival.

References

^ "Academy Music Group - The UK's leading owner and operator of live music and club venues".
^ Dingwall, by John; Updated (18 June 2018). "Glasgow O2 ABC boss devastated after seeing shocking fire damage at venue". Daily Record. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
^ "We Love Glasgow | O2 Academy Glasgow". academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
^ Sweney, Mark (6 November 2008). "O2 to sponsor Academy music venues". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
^ "GIGANTOUR.COM".

55°51′02″N 4°15′33″W / 55.85057°N 4.25912°W / 55.85057; -4.25912

[1] "Academy Music Group - The UK's leading owner and operator of live music and club venues".

[2] Dingwall, by John; Updated (18 June 2018). "Glasgow O2 ABC boss devastated after seeing shocking fire damage at venue". Daily Record. Retrieved 3 October 2022.

[3] "We Love Glasgow | O2 Academy Glasgow". academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 23 March 2017.

[Guardian_Rebrand-4] Sweney, Mark (6 November 2008). "O2 to sponsor Academy music venues". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 December 2008.

[5] "GIGANTOUR.COM".

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v t e Academy Music Group venues
Main venues	O2 Academy Birmingham O2 Academy Bournemouth O2 Academy Bristol O2 Academy Brixton O2 Academy Edinburgh O2 Academy Glasgow O2 Academy Islington O2 Academy Leeds O2 Academy Leicester O2 Academy Liverpool O2 Academy Oxford O2 Academy Sheffield O2 City Hall Newcastle O2 Forum Kentish Town O2 Institute Birmingham O2 Ritz Manchester O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire O2 Victoria Warehouse Manchester
Managed venues	Liverpool Guild of Students
Partner venues	O2 Guildhall Southampton O2 Apollo Manchester
Former venues	Arts Club Liverpool Forum Birmingham (O2 Academy Birmingham) NX Newcastle (O2 Academy Newcastle) O2 ABC Glasgow The Old Fire Station Bournemouth