Est. 1900
125 Years of KOKO
KOKO History
The story of how we got here
Camden Theatre opens
Ellen Terry (actress du jour) opens the venue
Renamed Camden Hippodrome
Charlie Chaplin performs
Post-war variety era begins
The venue becomes a hub for variety theatre and music hall acts
Converted to a cinema
The Hippodrome is transformed into a cinema serving the local community
BBC takes over
The BBC acquires the building, using it for television productions
Reopens as Music Machine
A new era begins as a music venue — The Clash and The Jam among early acts
Renamed Camden Palace
The venue evolves with the times, becoming central to London's club scene
Acid house and rave culture
Camden Palace becomes a landmark of London's underground club scene
Becomes KOKO
Rebranded as KOKO, the venue re-establishes itself as one of London's premier live music destinations
Club NME launches
Friday night residency becomes a defining moment for the venue's identity
Major restoration begins
A devastating fire accelerates a long-planned £70m restoration of the historic building
KOKO reopens
After two years of restoration, KOKO reopens with an expanded venue, rooftop bar, and recording studio