Brixton Academy open date and first concerts announced 16 months after deadly crush

Historic London venue Brixton Academy will reopen in April, 16 months after a deadly crush during a concert left two people dead.

Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, were killed when fans without tickets tried to force their way into a performance by Nigerian artist Asake on 15 December 2022.

The venue was under threat of permanent closure after the Met Police pushed for Lambeth Council to remove its licence, after finding “large-scale disorder” had taken place with a thousand-strong crowd managing to push the doors open and storm inside.

However, after a two-day hearing in September last year, a licensing sub-committee voted to allow it to reopen provided that it met 77 “extensive and robust new conditions”.

The venue has spent £1.2 million on maintenance and improvements in 2023, despite being closed, a hearing was told.

Responding to the decision at the time, Brixton Academy said it was “immensely grateful” to Lambeth Council and would reopen at first with test events.

A statement posted from the venue’s social media accounts has now said that the first shows to be held there since its closure will feature tribute acts to famous rock bands, including Nirvana UK and The Smyths.

Those performances on 19 April will be followed by a show on Friday 26 April starring Definitely Mightbe (a tribute act to Oasis) and UK Foo Fighters (a Foo Fighters tribute band).

The company which owns the Brixton Academy, Academy Music Group (AMG), told the committee in September that it had developed new safety measures in an effort to have its licence restored, including stronger doors, a better queuing system and more secure ticketing.

“We continue to be devastated by the events of last December,” AMG’s statement said. “Our heartfelt condolences remain with the family and friends of Rebecca Ikumelo and Gaby Hutchinson. What happened was and is a tragedy and we are committed to ensuring that it can never be repeated.”

The statement continued: “Over the past nine months, the venue’s importance to the local community and the live music scene in the UK has been made clear. Academy Music Group is determined to learn all appropriate lessons from the night of December 15 2022.

“As the Licensing Sub Committee knows, the venue must implement all the new conditions and will reopen at first with test events. The commitment we give to work in close partnership with all the responsible authorities as we reopen is a serious and sincere one.”

Representatives added that they looked forward to welcoming music fans back “to this iconic venue”.