Profile

Academy Music Group (AMG) is the UK's leading owner and operator of nationwide live music and club venues, including South London's award winning concert venue, O2 Academy Brixton (NME Best Venue 2007) and O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (London) (Music Week Awards Best Venue 2005). In June 2006, Academy Music Group won The Sunday Times' Profit Track 'One To Watch' award, honoured for its profit growth and success as one of Britain's top private companies. Its shareholders include Live Nation, Metropolis Music and SJM Concerts, who are responsible for promoting many international acts on the touring circuit, as well as collectively owning and promoting some of the biggest outdoor music events, including the annual V Festival.

In November 2008, AMG and Live Nation announced a strategic partnership for 2009 with O2 to enhance the music experience for fans visiting the venues and boost support for future music talent.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Academy Music Group Limited, John Northcote is a founder Director of the company. John finds and negotiates agreements on sites as well as new business opportunities and headline partnership agreements for the Group. John was acknowledged in the Financial Times' Creative Business Top 50 industry executives of 2004.

He took over the running of the organisation in 2000 and his strategic plan to develop the 'Academy' brand included bringing in promoters SJM Concerts, Metropolis Music and more recently Live Nation and by opening Academy venues in Birmingham (November 2000), Bristol (October 2001), Glasgow (March 2003), Liverpool (September 2003), Islington (London) (September 2003), Newcastle (October 2005), Oxford (September 2007), Sheffield (April 2008) and more recently, Leeds (October 2008).

AMG venues are famous for offering unrivalled live events and are now an integral part of the UK's live music scene in several regional cities, as well as owning and operating four venues in the Capital; which range from a capacity of 250 to up to 5,000.

O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire was hailed 'Best Venue' for the fifth time at the Music Week Awards 2005 and was shortlisted in 2008. The Empire has been a live entertainment venue for over 100 years and is a favourite within the industry, often chosen by artists for its extraordinary level of intimacy and historic importance on the touring circuit. With a capacity of 2,000, performers can get up close and personal with their most dedicated fans. Architecturally the venue is stunning, still retaining its original design with the grandeur of its early years.

O2 Academy Brixton has long been hailed London's flagship venue and 2009 is its centenary year. It has scooped the NME "Best Venue" award on an incredible twelve occasions between 1994 and 2007, proving its popularity with music fans and the media alike. In 2004, Brixton received the Time Out Award for Live Venue of the Year and in January 2006, once again became the production industry's "Favourite Venue" as voted for by readers of Total Production Magazine and again nominated in 2008 and is in the running for 2009. Its 4,921 capacity makes it one of a kind on the circuit and combines the feeling of an electrifying arena size atmosphere, with great views because of its sloping floor and incredible capabilities for production. Anyone who has waited for their favourite band to walk on stage at the South London venue will testify to its unbeatable atmosphere. Its magnificent art deco interior has been preserved and it houses Europe's largest fixed stage, framed by an elaborate proscenium arch that is based on the design of the Rialto Bridge.

O2 Academy Birmingham, previously the infamous Hummingbird in Dale End opened in November 2000. It has a capacity of 3,000 plus extra rooms and bars, which allows for numerous flexible configurations and venue formats. Gigs are brimful of hype and excitement and it has an impressive back catalogue of shows bringing back old favourites, the stars of tomorrow, as well as proactively supporting up and coming new talent. In 2005, O2 Academy Birmingham was voted 'Best Concert Venue (over 500)' and 'Best Club/Club Night' by Evening Mail (Birmingham) readers. The Academy was also nominated in the 'Best Venue' category at both the 2005 and 2004 NME Awards and the industry's 2004 BEDA Awards also nominated it in it's "Best Venue" category; all incredible achievements. With two additional venues, various configurations are available for upgrades and developing emerging talent.

Packed full of atmosphere from floor to ceiling, O2 Academy Bristol caters for the wide and varied musical demands of its demographic; from clubbers wanting hip hop, deep house and drum 'n' bass, to students wanting cutting edge UK and US indie/alternative,. Since October 2001, gig lovers young and old have flocked through its doors for fantastic live performance and is the perfect focal point for the South West's exceptionally creative cultural scene.

O2 Academy Glasgow opened in March 2003 with a one-off performance by Deacon Blue - "an inspired decision" - Daily Mail Scotland (Friday 28th March '03). The £3m refurbishment undertaken by AMG presents top quality front-of-house and backstage facilities, and the venue's beautiful original art deco features have been lovingly restored. Well received by both the industry and public alike, O2 Academy Glasgow was hailed a welcome addition, with a vibrant diary of rock, pop, dance and seated comedy events, as well as credible club nights.

In September 2003, two more O2 Academy venues opened simultaneously in Liverpool and Islington (London), as well as a further O2 Academy 2 Islington venue next door to the main site in N1. O2 Academy Liverpool launched with local heroes Shack and the venue has made a fantastic name for itself thanks to its unique warehouse feel and secondary stand-alone venue, O2 Academy 2 Liverpool, that not only offers great diversity for club nights but also acts as a showcase forum for unsigned talent from the surrounding areas and a platform for new bands on national tours. Since opening, fans have got up close and personal with artists on their rise to the top.

O2 Academy Islington saw AMG's venue estate in London reach four incredible spaces. Since opening in September 2003, the intimate venue has welcomed some of today's biggest international artists to the smaller stage, including American hip-hop legend, Eminem.

AMG's venue assets in the Capital covers the perfect range of sites to facilitate any event from the 250 capacity O2 Academy 2 Islington, the 800 capacity O2 Academy Islington, 2,000 capacity O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire to the 4,921 capacity O2 Academy Brixton, assuring promoters that AMG can present bands at all levels of success, genre, vibe and orientation to music lovers in London.

In October 2005, AMG opened O2 Academy Newcastle, a 2,000 capacity historic venue. An extensive £4m refurbishment of the former City Centre bingo hall on Westgate Road opened with an exclusive show by the North East's finest, The Futureheads. The venue also houses a secondary O2 Academy 2 Newcastle space with a production-complete capacity of 400 for showcasing new talent from the local area and breaking new acts on the touring circuit. In just over a year of opening, O2 Academy Newcastle was nominated for 'Best Venue' awards at both Total Production and BEDA Awards ceremonies in 2006.

In November 2006, Academy Music Group Ltd announced the successful purchase The Zodiac live music and club venue in Oxford. The Zodiac was a much respected venue on the live circuit and AMG traded it for eight months before closing it for a £2m 16-week refurbishment. O2 Academy Oxford opened on 20th September 2007 with New Young Pony Club. An immediate success, the three room operation has a high quality technical specification and is one of the busiest sites in the Group.

In November 2007, AMG concluded negotiations on two more landmark buildings in Sheffield and Leeds. AMG chose the former Roxy Nightclub on Arundel Gate, Sheffield. A large purpose built entertainment venue, the Roxy had various incarnations since the 1970's and 1980's and featured high profile gigs from The Clash and David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Tour (1972). A prime city centre location, O2 Academy Sheffield opened in April 2008 with local heroes, Reverend and The Makers, with a legendary after-party courtesy of Jarvis Cocker. O2 Academy Sheffield has already won 'Best Live Venue 2008' at Sheffield's Exposed Magazine Awards, with several other category nominations. O2 Academy Leeds opened on Wednesday 8th October 2008 with the most successful band from the City, Kaiser Chiefs. This launch was one of the most exciting and ambitious £4.5m projects for AMG, retaining as many original features and grandeur of its former years, converting back to the theatre format, but adding up to the minute artist and customer facilities and production values. The Leeds venue on Cookridge Street is the site of the former Town and Country Club. A secondary club space, Underground has a 400 capacity and state of the art PA, lighting rid, DJ booth and A/V equipment and is perfectly positioned to host the very best specialist clubs and function as an additional area, pre and post events in the main room.

Adding to the ever expanding venue portfolio, AMG has also announced the acquisition of the Hippodrome on Middle Street in Brighton. An outstanding Grade II listed building, the Hippodrome dates back to 1897 as Brighton Ice-Rink, before being converted in 1901 by renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham and renamed the Hippodrome. The following year it became one of Brighton's principle variety theatres offering high quality entertainment to all. By the 1960's, the venue welcomed performances by both The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, along with many other stars. More recently, the site operated as the Mecca Bingo Hall since 1967, before closing in 2006. AMG's latest development is in Birmingham, a second venue in the City for the Group, on the site of the former Dome Nightclub on Bristol Street, due for completion in 2009.

Over twelve years since the beginnings of the Group, John Northcote and the AMG team have firmly stamped their mark on venue ownership in the UK. AMG will continue to play a key role in live entertainment, developing its long-term partnership with O2 and the exceptional production of music events, embracing technologies including mobile ticketing and other benefits for artists and customers.

Academy Music Group Limited currently owns and operates:

• O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Capacity 2,000)
• O2 Academy Brixton (Capacity 4,921)
• O2 Academy Birmingham (Capacity 3,000)
• O2 Academy 2 Birmingham (2 Configurations: Capacity 600/400)
• O2 Academy 3 Birmingham (Capacity 200)
• O2 Academy Bristol (Capacity 1,900 clubs/1,600 gigs)
• O2 Academy 2 Bristol (Capacity 350)
• O2 Academy Glasgow (Capacity 2,500)
• O2 Academy Liverpool (Capacity 1,200)
• O2 Academy 2 Liverpool (Capacity 500)
• O2 Academy Islington (Capacity 800)
• O2 Academy 2 Islington (Capacity 250)
• O2 Academy Newcastle (Capacity 1,921)
• O2 Academy 2 Newcastle (Capacity 400)
• O2 Academy Oxford (Capacity 1,350)
• O2 Academy 2 Oxford (Capacity 436)
• O2 Academy 3 Oxford (Capacity 200)
• O2 Academy Sheffield (2,300)
• O2 Academy 2 Sheffield (500)
• O2 Academy Leeds (Capacity 2,300)
• Underground, Leeds (Capacity 400)