London venue KOKO to reopen in April

North London music venue KOKO is set to reopen this April.

The venue, found on Camden High Street, has been closed since 2019 as it underwent a refurbishment that was initially due to take a year. Those plans were set back in 2020, however, following a fire in the building which led to significant structural and water damage, while the COVID-19 pandemic also affected the owners’ scheduling.

With the restoration and refurbishment of the venue now finally complete, KOKO will reopen as a “50,000-square foot state-of-the-art live music venue and broadcasting house”, as outlined by the venue’s owners last year. It has cost £70 million in total to redevelop the venue.

New additions to KOKO upon its reopening will include a 200-capacity Fly Tower ‘venue within a venue’, a new shop and DJ space (which will feature “exclusive merch drops and artist collaborations”), and a morning to late-night pizzeria and bar, which will also host intimate live performances.

Jorja Smith is among the artists lined up to play at the venue this year when it reopens. A new club night, KOKO Electronic, will also take place at the venue on Friday and Saturday night, with the likes of Jayda G, Todd Terje and 2ManyDJs among the DJs booked to play so far.

“It’s been a seven-year journey to bring this project to life and now, on the cusp of opening, I’m so happy to be paying homage to the cultural legacy of the building with a diverse mix of artists and contributing to arts and culture at a time when British live music needs it most,” Olly Bengough, CEO/Founder of KOKO, said in a statement.

You can find the venue’s full list of upcoming events here.