Shepherd's Bush Empire (currently known as O₂ Shepherd's Bush Empire for sponsorship reasons, and formerly known as the BBC Television Theatre) is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, West London, run by the Academy Music Group. It was originally built in 1903 as a

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

for impresario Oswald Stoll, designed by theatre architect Frank Matcham; among its early performers was

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

. In 1953 it became the BBC Television Theatre. Since 1994, it has operated as a music venue. It is a Grade II

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

History

Origins

The Shepherd's Bush Empire was built in 1903 for impresario Oswald Stoll, designed by

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

architect Frank Matcham.Denny, p.93 Ashly's Circus performed at Shepherd's Bush Empire and presented to George Strong a trophy for riding The Bucking Mule "Sloper' on 8 September 1905. The first performers at the new theatre were The Fred Karno Troupe including

(1906). The Empire staged music-hall entertainments, such as variety performances and revues, until the early 1950s, by which time the popularity of these forms of entertainment was declining.''Venue History''
(Official site) accessed 19 August 2008

Second World War

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the Shepherd's Bush Empire narrowly escaped being hit by a flying bomb, which in 1944 hit the neighbouring Shepherd's Bush Pavilion, destroying the original interior. The Pavilion did not re-open until 1955.Shepherd's Bush Blog
Retrieved December 2011Denny, p.101

Post war era

In 1953, the Empire was sold to the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

, which put it to use as a television studio–theatre, renaming it the BBC Television Theatre. Among the programmes produced there were '' Crackerjack'', ''

The Old Grey Whistle Test ''The Old Grey Whistle Test'' (sometimes abbreviated to ''Whistle Test'' or ''OGWT'') is a British television music series broadcast by the BBC. It was devised by producer Rowan Ayers, commissioned by David Attenborough, and aired on BBC2 from ...

'', '' That's Life!'', '' The Generation Game'', '' Juke Box Jury'', '' This Is Your Life'', '' Jim'll Fix It'', most of the BBC's light entertainment music shows, such as those starring

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...

Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...

, Cilla Black,

Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), better known by her stage name Dusty Springfield, was a British singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano voice, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop mus ...

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the James Bond music, theme songs to three James Bond films - the only artist to officially perform more than o ...

, Vera Lynn, Harry Secombe,

Petula Clark Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child actor, child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 y ...

, Val Doonican, and the UK's

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...

preliminary heat, ''

A Song for Europe A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''English alphabet#Letter names, a'' (pronounced ), plural ...

''. In 1985, the theatre was turned over for exclusive use by '' Wogan'', which was broadcast three nights a week from the theatre.''Unofficial History of Shepherds Bush Empire as BBC Television Theatre''
Retrieved 19 August 2008 The BBC vacated the building in 1991. In 1993, The Shepherd's Bush Empire was acquired by entrepreneur Andrew Mahler, who invested over £1 million in the building in improvements and refurbishments. In 1994, the building re-opened under its original name of The Shepherd's Bush Empire; since then it has hosted gigs and dance nights.

Shepherd's Bush Empire today

Live performances filmed at the venue and released on DVD include a

King Crimson King Crimson were an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald (musician), Ian McDonald and Peter Sinfield. Guitarist Fripp remained the only constant member throughout the ...

concert on 3 July 2000, presented on the two-disc set '' Eyes Wide Open'',

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...

' '' The Seven Year Itch'' album and DVD recorded over two nights In July 2002,

Frank Turner Francis Edward Turner (born 28 December 1981) is an English Punk rock, punk and Folk music, folk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Hampshire. He began his career as the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, then embarked upon a primaril ...

's "Take to the Road" DVD,

Opeth Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. The band incorporates folk music, folk, blues, classical music, classical, and jazz elements into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from deat ...

's first live DVD ( Lamentations) recorded at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on Thursday 25 September 2003, a November 2005 concert by indie band

The Wedding Present The Wedding Present are an English indie rock group formed in 1985 in Leeds, England, by members of The Lost Pandas. The band has been led by vocalist and guitarist David Gedge, the band's only constant member. Closely linked to the C86 scene ...

and The Only Ones comeback concert in June 2007. In November 2007,

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and businesswoman. With over 30 million records sold worldwide, she was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix ...

recorded '' I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London''. On 27, 28 and 29 February, and 1 March 2008, gothic rock pioneers The Mission recorded their farewell concerts, ''The Final Chapter'', for release on CD and DVD. In addition to this, Transatlantic's third live release, " Whirld Tour 2010: Live in London", was recorded and filmed at the venue. Nik Kershaw released a DVD of his September 2012 performance there, recorded as part of the tour promoting his album Ei8ht (album). Folk-rock band Mumford & Sons recorded their album ''Live from Shepherd's Bush Empire'' there. In 2015,

Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band formed by lead vocalist John Lydon (previously, as Johnny Rotten, lead vocalist of the Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene (a founding member of the Clash), bassi ...

recorded their album "Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire" there. The Empire has a capacity of 2,000, and has been chosen as a venue for small gigs or as a venue for 'surprise' warm-up gigs. For example, during their No Security Tour in 1999, the

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

put in a performance, with

Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She is noted for her Optimism, optimistic and Idealism, idealistic subject matter, and incorporation of genres including Rock music, rock, Po ...

as support, on 8 June.

References

* Denny, Barbara, ''Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush Past'', Historical Publications Ltd, London (1995),

Notes

{{Authority control Music venues in London Media and communications in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham BBC offices, studios and buildings Television studios in London History of television in the United Kingdom Former music hall venues in the United Kingdom Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Edwardian architecture in London Buildings and structures completed in 1903 Event venues established in 1903 1903 establishments in the United Kingdom O2 (UK) Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Shepherd's Bush