Fresh campaign launched to save Brixton Academy

nme.com:

fatal crowd crush that occurred at an Asake concert. The event — which left two dead and one in critical condition — ultimately led to the academy having its licence suspended for three months.The Metropolitan Police have since claimed to have “lost confidence” in the safety of the venue and made a push for the location to close its doors for good.An online petition was then launched to counteract the closure while various artists and industry professionals also spoke out against the potential shutting down of the venue.

So far it has attracted over 103,000 signatures.Now, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) have launched a campaign alongside Save Our Scene and Brixton BID to keep the O2 Academy in Brixton open.

You can support their campaign here.The NTIA said the venue “has been part of the cultural tapestry of London” and “one of the most celebrated venues in the UK, hosting performance royalty from a hugely diverse internationally acclaimed pool of talent, including Eddie Izzard, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Groove Armada, Rema, Little Simz, Little Britain, Davido, Arctic Monkeys, Skrillex, Stormzy, Kylie Minogue, Ziggy Marley, Burnaboy, LCD Soundsystem, Rihanna, on top of the countless award ceremonies and ambassadorial moments representing the UK globally.”Despite the Metropolitan Police recently saying it had “lost confidence” in the venue’s operator AMG, the NTIA said: “For decades the Brixton Academy under Academy Music Group management has been a safe and inclusive space for people to enjoy a wide range of cultural activities, from awards, live and recorded music, comedy to corporate events and filming.