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O2 Apollo Manchester
Façade of O2 Apollo Manchester, 2015
Former namesApollo Theatre (1938–1962; 2010)
ABC Ardwick (1962–1977)
Manchester Apollo (1977–2003)
Carling Apollo Manchester (2003–2010)
AddressStockport Road, Ardwick Green,
Manchester, M12 6AP, England
OperatorLive Nation
Capacity3,500[1]
Construction
Opened29 August 1938 (1938-08-29)[2]
ArchitectPeter Cummings
Alex Irvine
R. Gillespie Williams
Website
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2apollomanchester/
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameApollo Theatre
Designated5 June 1994
Reference no.1254683

The O2 Apollo Manchester (known locally as The Apollo and formerly Manchester Apollo and ABC Ardwick) is a concert venue in Ardwick Green, Manchester, England. It is a Grade II listed building,[3] with a capacity of 3,500 (2,514 standing, 986 seats).[1][4]

History

The building was designed by architects Peter Cummings, Alex Irvine, and R. Gillespie Williams, in an Art Deco style.[5] The building's frontage consists of a glazed white terracotta façade. Its original purpose was as a multi-purpose cinema and variety hall and was opened on 29 August 1938 by actress Margaret Lockwood.[6]

It was taken over by Associated British Cinemas in 1943, but it began to host pop concerts in the 1960s.[6] The Beatles performed at two shows at the ABC Ardwick on 20 November 1963 which were filmed, in colour.[7] They performed here again on 7 December 1965.[8]

The Rolling Stones performed at the ABC Ardwick with Ike & Tina Turner, The Yardbirds, and Peter Jay & the New Jaywalkers on 28 September 1966.[9][10]

In the 1970s, it stopped presenting films and became solely a concert venue.[11]

It also hosts seated events to a capacity of 2,693.[12] Split into two levels, the upstairs contains permanently fitted seating, whereas the larger downstairs can be altered to suit the event; both levels view a single concert stage. The venue has no air-conditioning except in the "Whiteroom" hospitality area.

It was the biggest venue in Manchester before the 21,000-capacity NYNEX Arena, now Manchester Arena, opened in 1995.[6]

The venue hosts a large number of popular music-based concerts and other events throughout the year.[11]

Concert management and advertisement is handled by Live Nation, merchandise is sold by the permanent resident concession company CMI Ltd, and first aid cover for all events is provided by St. John Ambulance.

In September 2010, the venue was rebranded as the O2 Apollo Manchester, following a sponsorship deal with O2.[13][6]

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b "Venue amenities". O2 Apollo Manchester. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  2. ^ Rudyard & Wyke 1994, p. 27
  3. ^ "Apollo Theatre, Manchester". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Manchester Apollo". Carling. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  5. ^ Harwood, Elain (2019). "Apollo Cinema / O2 Apollo". Art Deco Britain: Buildings of the interwar years. Pavilion Books. pp. 200–201. ISBN 978-1849946537.
  6. ^ a b c d Scheerhout, John (29 August 2018). "Manchester's iconic Apollo Theatre is 80 years old". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Live: ABC Cinema, Manchester Wednesday 20 November 1963". The Beatles Bible. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Live: ABC Cinema, Manchester Tuesday 7 December 1965". The Beatles Bible. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Rolling Stones/Ike and Tina Turner/Yardbirds ABC Ardwick Concert Handbill (1966)". Heritage Auctions.
  10. ^ "ABC Ardwick - Wed, Sep 28 - The Rolling Stones (Advertisement)". Manchester Evening News. 16 September 1966. p. 2. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b "We Love Manchester | O2 Apollo Manchester". academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Venue website".
  13. ^ "Manchester Apollo gets O2 tag". CMU. 9 September 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
Bibliography
  • Rudyard, Nigel; Wyke, Terry (1994), Manchester Theatres, Bibliography of North West England, ISBN 0-947969-18-7

53°28′11″N 2°13′20″W / 53.46972°N 2.22222°W / 53.46972; -2.22222

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manchester Apollo.
Academy Music Group venues
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Buildings and structures in Manchester, England
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