New O2 Academy...

[indierich06]

...In Leicester! Hopefully this means we can actually start to get some decent bands to come to town!

http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/51027

The University Of Leicester has announced details of three new O2 Academy Leicester music venues set to open at its Students Union building this September.

The news follows the closure of one of the city's most popular and respected venues The Charlotte, which went into administration in January.

Each of the new venues are part of the O2 Academy group, and all three will operate together in the Percy Gee building of the campus, which is situated on University Road.

The biggest venue, called the O2 Academy Leicester has a capacity of 1,450 people, while O2 Academy2 Leicester holds 500 and O2 Academy3 holds 250.

Student Officer Max Cawthorn said that the development – part of a £1 billion framework plan for the university – will help both Leicester and the university to maintain their past as a live music hub.

"In years gone by, the Percy Gee building welcomed gigs from the likes of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Jam and The Smiths," he explained. "By working with Academy Music Group, we will once again attract top quality acts that music fans associate with O2 Academy venues nationwide."

The new venues will open this September, with Plan B among the first to confirm a date there, playing on October 28.

 

[drummindefender]

Is this linked in with the new music venue thats meant to be opening up near the market in one of the old buildings down there?

 

[Hazzman]

Is this linked in with the new music venue thats meant to be opening up near the market in one of the old buildings down there?

No but I bet they are thinking 'bollocks' cos an Academy is going to get names.

 

[Scarby]

fantastic if it happens

 

[muzzysgal]

Good stuff, and on my bus route too :icon_bigg

 

[indierich06]

fantastic if it happens

As far as I can tell it seems to be certain, they've even said it's opening in September and Plan B is booked to play there.

 

[MHS]

As far as I can tell it seems to be certain, they've even said it's opening in September and Plan B is booked to play there.

Fecking awful.

 

[indierich06]

Fecking awful.

Indeed, but a bit more high profile than anything we've had at Leicester Uni for a while.

 

[lazzer]

http://o2academyleicester.co.uk/

This is quality news. All that money saved on travelling to Birmingham Nottingham etc.

 

[LCFCmonkey]

Looking at the details of the venue, the Academy will hold 1,450, the Academy 2 will hold 500, and the Academy 3 will hold 250.

This is slightly smaller than the Academy in Bristol, but bigger than the ones in Liverpool, Islington, Oxford, the Glasgow ABC, and Bournemouth.

It is smaller than Rock City, but there are a lot of bands that tend to block-book the Academy venues, which could help Leicester get on par with Nottingham.

 

[lazzer]

Looking at the other venues for November i would say we would be getting James, Barenaked Ladies,Skunk Anansie, Imogen heap stevie wonder

 

[LCFCmonkey]

Looking at the other venues for November i would say we would be getting James, Barenaked Ladies,Skunk Anansie, Imogen heap stevie wonder

I still think we'd struggle to attract some of the larger bands who play at Birmingham, as their venue is about twice the size (3000, I think), and it still isn't too great of a distance away. Hopefully i'm proved wrong though.

 

[Boy Genius]

I still think we'd struggle to attract some of the larger bands who play at Birmingham, as their venue is about twice the size (3000, I think), and it still isn't too great of a distance away. Hopefully i'm proved wrong though.

and a lot of them still play to half a house, so I cannot see a problem there

 

[Real Sharapova]

Excuse me - 1 billion?????????

 

[LCFCmonkey]

and a lot of them still play to half a house, so I cannot see a problem there

True, some of them do. It's more the issue of "if they play at Birmingham, will they travel only 30 miles for another gig?"

You tend to see that when American (or other non-British) bands tour the UK, they play London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham. This is a chance to attract bands to Leicester instead of (or as well as) Nottingham. With Nottingham not having an Academy, it is a good chance.

 

[MHS]

Looking at the other venues for November i would say we would be getting James, Barenaked Ladies,Skunk Anansie, Imogen heap stevie wonder

Playing De Mont in December so I doubt it.