From Charlie Chaplin to Cardi B, Koko has hosted world-class performers since it opened its doors in 1900, as the Camden Theatre.
But the legendary north London venue is about to fall silent. For the rest of 2019, that is.
Panic not — no need to add Koko to the list of treasured destinations that have fallen into the nefarious clutches of gentrification (we're still not over losing The Water Poet). The Morning Crescent venue is set to reopen in spring 2020, and it'll look a million bucks. £40 million, actually. A major refurbishment is about to begin, with the acquisition of two adjacent buildings adding 20,000sqft of new space to Koko.
The spruced-up venue will boast six live performance areas, a radio station and broadcast studio, three new restaurants, a rooftop conservatory and terrace, an immersive retail experience and a penthouse space for rehearsal and recording. Not too shabby.
At the time of writing, you've got one more chance to say goodbye. On Tuesday 5 March (that's today), London rapper Wiley Wiley headlines one heck of a leaving do — and if you're quick about it, you can get your hands on tickets.
This isn't the first time Koko has shut up shop. After welcoming the likes of The Rolling Stones and The Clash, then becoming the beating heart of London's New Romantics scene, Koko (then known as the Camden Palace) closed in 1988, before a multimillion pound makeover in 2004 brought us its current incarnation.
So now, as it was then, it's not goodbye, but au revoir.
