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In November 2007, Academy Music Group completed the leasehold acquisition of the former Roxy nightclub on Arundel Gate in Sheffield. A large, purpose built entertainment venue, the Roxy had various incarnations from the Top Rank Suite in the 1970s and 1980s, famed for gigs from The Police, The Clash, The Jam and David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Tour in 1972.
Legendary DJ Don Letts was a resident at Roxy's nightclub, representing its cutting edge status as a cult venue in the North of England and in the late 1980s it was known as 'Barry Noble's Roxy'. Sheffield welcomed its chart nights, such as TV's 'Hit Man And Her' (1989) and hit makers of the day including Kylie Minogue.
Consistently reported for demolition since the 1990s, Academy Music Group was delighted to acquire a prime City Centre location and a landmark building. It opened on Friday 11th April 2008, with a sell-out gig from local heroes Reverend and The Makers and an after-party courtesy of Jarvis Cocker.
The £3.5m development includes a large auditorium with a capacity of 2,350 and a secondary smaller room, emulating the success of its multi-room format at other AMG venues across the country, to hold 500.
Over the years, Academy Music Group has built a successful model of venues with varying capacities and as a company is totally committed to supporting new music and emerging talent. The roll-out of smaller rooms, with capacities of 400-600, in regions such as Sheffield is important to the development the Group, the industry and new artists, who need to play in professionally run, production-complete venues in the early stages of their careers.
Academy Music Group invested a further £750,000 in PA, lighting and A/V to create one of its most dynamic and advanced live music venue to date.
Its flexibility ensures an outstanding club space and is home to Pet Sounds, a weekly dose of high octane and indie classics in the main room, with specialist promoters in session in Room 2. Other leading club brands including Gatecrasher, and Brighton Beach also have residencies.
A major gig for touring artists, Ian Brown, The Kooks and Pendulum have all graced its stage, alongside Sheffield's finest Human League, Little Man Tate and Milburn, playing their farewell gig to a sell-out crowd.
O2 Academy Sheffield won 'Best Live Venue 2008' at Sheffield's Exposed Magazine Awards, with several other category nominations.
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