KoKo

KOKO is a historic theatre-turned-nightclub that essentially encapsulates contemporary Camden Town. Marrying the lavish glamour of London eras past with the modern hipster attitude of Camden, this is a one-of-a-kind club that will unfailingly provide an exciting night out in Camden. The building itself is like a shining beacon at the end of Camden High Street, just across from Mornington Crescent, with purple lighting casting a dreamy modern glow over the old fashioned yet gorgeous exterior pillars. Inside, it is evident that the club has been converted from a theatre, with carpeting, multiple floors, and intricate balconies overlooking a large and vibrant dance floor. Coat check is easily accessible and directly to your right upon entry. A large stage above the main dance floor houses both famous performers and up-and-coming acts, always keeping the crowd entertained and diverse as a glittering disco ball spins overhead. PRO TIP: Skip the line by joining the Camden Pub Crawl -- a relatively cheap Friday night out that gives you access to several Camden hotspots, free shots, and direct entry to KOKO at the end of the night; a definitive plus as this place gets packed and the queues can be extensive.

Formerly the Camden Palace Theatre, KoKo is a historic live music venue nestled in the heart of Camden. This grade II listed building began its life in the year 1900, when it opened as a lavish Victorian theatre – one of the largest of its kind at the time. After reaching a state of dereliction in the late 90s, the restoration of the venue began in 2004, when it quickly became an iconic addition to London’s nightlife scene. KoKo’s dazzling façade brings a touch of glamour to bohemian Camden. The signature purple lighting and whitewash pillars of its exterior stand in striking contrast to the surrounding buildings, luring in a slightly different crowd to that of its neighbouring competitors. Inside, the Victorian charm is successfully retained, with many of its original features restored to their former grandeur. Its layout is comprised of numerous tiered balconies, each of which is equipped with its own bar and a clear view overlooking the stage and the swarm of music lovers below. If one area becomes too crowded, go for a wander and you’ll soon spot another hidden room or unfilled space to dance the night away in. Previous musicians to play KoKo include Coldplay, Madonna, Prince and Elton John, along with a whole string of top performers and stars from the entertainment world. Owing to its status, entry queues can be long, and concerts often reach sell-out point, therefore buying tickets in advance is strongly recommended.

Walking into KoKo was like taking a step back in time where men stood in lounge rooms surrounded by decadent, jewel-draped mistresses, drinking bourbon and puffing on smoking pipes. Considering that I was about to experience one of the greater electro-pop concerts I've seen in the Big Smoke, the decor of KoKo seems to have played it's role perfectly. The venue is deceptively large where the balconies give the space a feel of a much larger, coverted-theatre rather than the popular gig-venue that it has become just outside of Camden's infamous party strip. The venue boasts an all important smoking terrace, which one envisions as the center of the venue in warmer weather. Unfortunately, because the majority of the social areas are on the tiered balconies the bar areas are cramped and almost impossible to navigate. Despite this however, the central floor area is a perfect size for a gig, offering ample room for boogying and hell-grinding. A feature which can make or break a gig venue. Topped off with an enormous disco ball, one can't help but feel a little special when seeing an act in this venue. Add reasonably priced drinks to this occasion and a smoking area that is safe from the obnoxiousness of the London streets, and I'd definitely recommend that anyone visit this venue for a first-class party.

Located in one of the hippest areas of London, KoKo Camden is the place to be on any night of the week. If you like a good time, live music, DJ sets, convenient drinks, and endless possibilities then this is the place for you. Often times it is one of the last stops on the Camden pub crawl, because patrons want to stay there all night. The once-upon-a-time historic theatre building allows for endless possibilities and new scenes all around. With easy access to multiple bars on multiple floors, and hundreds of twenty-somethings dancing around everywhere you are bound to have a good time at KoKo. Don't want to go home early? Not a problem, you can party at KoKo until the sun comes up. My friends and I went on a Wednesday and it was still a hopping place the whole night through. For an authentic experience where modern day night life meets the historic theatre frame KoKo Camden parties hard. One of my favorite nightclubs in London by far!

It was the quintessential mix of old meets new. As my flat mates and I are walking around camden clueless as to our destination, our pub crawl guide stops us and says that we are at KoKo. At the time we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Being part of the Camden pub crawl, we walked straight through the line as if we were well-known regulars. Being slightly intoxicated at the time, my first priority was to find the bar. I made my way down the stairs to the giant bar on the first level. After getting my drink, I turned around in amazement to find a massive space fitted out in theatre chic and a dance floor filled with drunk, partying twenty-somethings. The ceilings were high, there were multiple levels with lookouts and seating/standing space, and the once historic theatre was decked out in red and gold accents. An indie band took the stage and the crowd went off. This was KoKo. A few drinks and a lot of sweat later, the band left the stage and two DJs came on. They are know as Joe and Will Ask. During this transition from rock to electro, the club began to take shape. This is where it turned into a true late-night clubbing experience. Tones of bass began to vibrate the floors and the crowd started moving. This is when I found the true greatness in KoKo. The night went into the early morning and the party didn't slow down a beat. By the time I left KoKo, the sun was coming up. It was an incredible time that everyone needs to experience.

KoKo quickly became my flat’s most frequented night spot. After our first night there, which we went in with no expectations, we quickly fell in love with the place. We ended up there at least six times during our stay in London. It really had the best of everything. The live music is its selling point and I got to see some great bands there before they became popular in the states. I can say that I saw Young the Giant and The Shoes without really knowing who they were at the time. Every time I went, I was able to buy tickets at the door, but if there is someone really popular playing it would be in your best interest to pre-order tickets on their website. After the bands play it becomes a typical nightclub with DJs spinning Britain’s top hits. The place itself is a grandeur old theater that gets packed with sweaty, intoxicated kids from all over. I met so many people while going there. It is one of those places that gives out great vibes that everyone is automatically in a good mood and seem to be more outgoing and friendly. You can find a random dance partner or a new drinking buddy. The drinks were typically priced for the area, but the bar staff was great at supplying us with our vices. The venue is massive and there are multiple bars so if one bar is packed just head up stairs where you will likely find an open spot at the bar. The outside rooftop deck is also a prime spot. It’s a great place to take a breather or two from dancing your ass off on the dance floor. It’s also the perfect spot to get a feel for Londoners and pick up a few more friends. Just be aware, this is a place where people get very drunk and sloppy so you have to be laid-back to enjoy being constantly bumped into. But,that’s totally my scene and it was the perfect place to go out to. To sum it up, it’s like living in a hipster’s paradise.

I'm pretty sure I'm just cursed when it comes to club KoKo. The first time I went with a group of friends, we had all bought tickets to a Steve Aoki show that night. Unfortunately, I never even made it into the club. A friend of mine was throwing up in line so I decided to take her home - let me just say, I don't think friends should ever put one drunk person in charge of another, even drunker person, it doesn't end well - long story short, I spent the night in the emergency room with said friend. All of my other friends seemed to have had a lot of fun, although I know some of them had trouble getting passed the bouncers who told them they needed to go sober up before going back in but the line was HUGE so I think they just somehow cut in line and got back in. The second time I went, was when my boyfriend was visiting me and we went on a pub crawl. By the time we got into the club we realized that my camera had been pick pocketed so I really wasn't in the mood to party, not to mention I'm not a huge techno person and the incessant synthesizer sounds were the last thing I needed at the moment. I went one last time with friends and I had an alright time... all in all I just didn't think it was anything special. I think it really depends on what event is going on at the club cause they had a couple cool shows that I missed but wish I could have gone to. I would check the website and find something worthwhile before going. Or just get really drunk but don't let the bouncers see you.