The Brixton Academy has unveiled its plan to reopen and announced the details of the first few gigs since closing its doors in December 2022, following a tragic crowd crush that took the lives of two music fans. The reopening marks life returning to normal after the venues darkest hour. The O2 venue was shut down just after Asake’s concert, which saw the deaths of two women Gabrielle Hutchinson (23) and Rebecca Ikumelo (33) and left one person in critical condition.
The Brixton Academy faced an uncertain future after the incident, but its license was renewed subject to meeting ‘robust’ safety rules. After months of deliberation, the venue has now opened its doors to the public with two upcoming tribute performances featuring Nirvana UK and The Smyths on Friday, April 19, and Definitely Mightbe and UK Foo Fighters on Friday, April 26.
Tickets for the two gigs will go on sale this Friday, March 8, at 9 am GMT, with a presale scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, at 10 am GMT. The Music Venue Trust said in a statement that they welcomed the reopening and that the venue had enormous cultural significance to its local community, music fans, and the wider live music ecosystem.
Lambeth Council had suspended the venue’s license following the tragedy, and it faced indefinite closure after the Metropolitan Police pushed for it. However, after plans were presented and the evidence was examined, the council announced that Academy Music Group could run the venue again. Amy Lamé, DJ, and London Night Czar, praised the decision and expressed happiness at the Council being satisfied that O2 Brixton Academy could be safely reopened.
The reopening has been greeted with anticipation and excitement from the music community. Many artists and industry professionals had spoken out against the potential shutdown of the venue, and an online petition was launched to save it after its closure. The reopening of the Brixton Academy means that music fans around the UK and worldwide can once again look forward to performances at an iconic venue that has provided countless unforgettable memories to music lovers
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