KOKO Launches New Recording Studio as Venue Celebrates 125 Years

KOKO is marking its 125th anniversary with the launch of a new recording studio, adding another layer to the venue’s evolution from historic theatre and nightclub into a broader creative and production hub.

The new studio, located inside the venue’s House of KOKO penthouse space, forms part of a wider expansion that continues to position the Camden institution as more than a traditional live venue. Alongside the studio launch, KOKO is also introducing a new members’ balcony overlooking the main theatre and expanding its in-house electronic programme, KOKO Electronic, which has become a growing part of the venue’s identity since its 2022 reopening.

For KOKO, the move reflects a wider trend across premium live music spaces, where venues are increasingly building integrated ecosystems around artists and audiences rather than operating solely as performance locations. Recording, broadcasting, hospitality, content capture and live performance are now being brought together under one roof as venues compete to become year-round cultural destinations.

The studio itself has been designed as a fully connected production space integrated throughout the building, allowing artists to record, livestream and capture performances directly from different areas of the venue. According to KOKO leadership, the goal is to create an environment where artists can move fluidly between live performance, collaboration and studio work while remaining inside the same creative setting.

Creative director and CEO Olly Bengough has framed the expansion around artist experience and long-term creative use of the building, particularly as the venue continues investing in emerging talent alongside established acts. KOKO has increasingly leaned into that positioning in recent years, hosting intimate performances and early showcases from artists before they moved into larger touring cycles.

The anniversary also arrives at a moment when KOKO is continuing to build on the momentum generated by its £70 million redevelopment and reopening in 2022, which transformed the site into a 50,000 square foot multi-space venue combining live music, club programming, restaurants, members areas and production facilities. Since reopening, the venue has hosted performances and residencies from artists including Little Simz, RAYE, Loyle Carner and Burna Boy, while continuing to expand its late-night electronic programming.

KOKO’s wider cultural significance has long extended beyond its role as a concert venue. Since first opening in 1901 as the Camden Theatre, the building has passed through multiple identities, including a BBC recording space, the legendary Camden Palace nightclub and later one of London’s defining mid-sized live venues. Across different eras it has hosted performances from artists including Madonna, Prince, Amy Winehouse and Coldplay.

The addition of a permanent recording studio suggests KOKO is now pushing further into the overlap between venue culture, artist development and content production, an area that is becoming increasingly valuable as live brands seek new ways to extend relevance beyond ticket sales alone.