KOKO is a hot venue - hot in the sense that it plays host to some of the hottest new bands around, and also that it can get obscenely hot in there! I have been to venue for club nights, gigs and TV show tapings, and on all occassions I have ended up being very very warm - if taking a jacket bring change for the cloakroom! Quite a lot of the clubnights lure you in with cheap or free entry fees - but you pay for it with the expensive drinks prices. If going out for drinks with friends on a budget I would reccomend heading to the Ice Wharf first before heading for some dances at KOKO! The venue is huge, with lots of floors and stairs, so be prepared for a lot of trekking! The venue is right across from Mornington Crescent Tube, and there are a lot of night buses that depart along Camden High Street. Be wary of people trying to tempt you into illegal cabs. read more

Yeah I mostly love Koko! The thing I love the most? Midweek gigs. Flippin great venue. You can choose from floor level with good views, balcony with good views and if you're lucky you might go for the VIP voyeur balcony with, you've guessed it, good bloody views. It's got more bars than you shake a cocktail stirrer at and it's just so bloody interesting! I've been lost in here on a number of occasions! The other thing I *like*? The nights out in here. Be it NME night or Buttoned Down Disco, you're always going to have fun. It's in Camden too so it's in a very useful part of town. Why don't I *love* the nights here? Well I used to until the masses found out about it and every tom dick and harry creates a line round the corner. Little buggers, I was here first! Sorry, rant over. I still love it really. read more

Fun club! Especially when you dress up and there is no theme. (Clearly you can do that sort of thing in London town). Went here last Friday - £4 special for students, which was great - and saw 2 bands (that I swore I saw play in my friend's garage in 1994), a DJ and lots of crazy lights and projected video. Wish the DJ played more, or just the hard core chick band played much less. The layout is very similar to RubySkye, but the cliente is much more chill and a surprisingly few amount of striped shirts. Drinks are average and it's big enough to get lost, if you want to. Would love to see a good band play here - from the listings seems like there are plenty of opportunities. read more

Saw the lumineers last night, and my faith in Koko was renewed :) They have 2.50 Bulmers and Becks before 8PM, which was quite nice. The sound quality was fantastic for the show, and the crowd was great. Take a look at the theatre from the top floor balcony, it is truly beautiful! read more

Went to Koko with a group of friends for my birthday and had one of the bests night! The admission queue was a bit daunting as it went all the way around the corner. Not one for queueing (especially in the cold) I made my way to the guest list area and blagged my way in. Inside the venue was packed with other clubbers keen to have a good time and dance to some house music. The music was so good I only stopped dancing to get a drink. There were no attitudes and everyone was enjoying the music. I haven't been back since as the house might has been moved to another venue. It;s a shame because I love this venue but I guess not enough to go there and listen to 'alternative' music. read more

If you ever hear of a gig that is playing at Koko, I would advise you to hot foot over, even if you are not that fussed about who is playing. Koko is a lavish treat, a perfect venue setting. I had always written it off as some kind of sticky, indie venue for teens - how wrong I was. There is something beautifully careworn about Koko, but it still clearly has a lot of money put into it. I could hardly see as I navigated my way to the bar last night; the lights are so low, but what I could make out was deep red walls, dark carpets, thick drapes around the balcony boxes. It was like a baroque fantasy come to life. I came here to see Stereolab last night. The gig was amazing. We were standing up high, but the acoustics were still crystal clear, and even when you are three floors up you don't feel like you are in The Gods - it is all very well designed. I can't wait to Koko again! read more

Like many others, this is a love/hate relationship. Shite acoustics, shite beers, high prices, but you may get good talent. It's lovely when you come in and look 'round, then you notice that it's been done up by a couple of guys from a camper van-- spray paint done poorly. Surly staff, etc. But you can still have a good time, depending on the act. read more

Crowd-wise, Koko is good for midweek gigs and the venue itself has a great interior with its multiple balconies and bars. Booking is strong and bands with a theatrical bent (eg Of Montreal, Fischerspooner) are better suited to this venue than most others in London. I've found that the bouncers and staff are pleasant and friendly (at least midweek) and as long as you avoid the ground floor bar, you can get served fairly expediently. Having a daytime box office that you can purchase advance tickets with booking fees is also a major plus. However the venue gets three stars knocked off for their bar policy. No draught beer? Cans for £4.20? A stab in the heart to any regular gig-goer. It's a sufficient deterrent for me to reconsider seeing a band if they're booked to play Koko. read more

I have to say Koko disappointed me a little bit. We went there on 1 November, Halloween Ball. It was so crowded that you couldn't even dance!! We queued for 30min for the coatroom. But they continued let people in!! Me and my friends had to end it up earlier like about 2 in the morning, not too much fun tho. Maybe we picked a "wrong time". read more

KOKO - Halloween Ball - Dance Clubs Near Me - London, XGL

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My friends and I came here a couple of years ago while staying in London. Since we had a hook-up here, we were able to skip the cover and the line -- major plus. Inside, it reminds me of the Avalon (former Palace) here in Los Angeles. I think the crowd is dependent on the band(s) playing. The night I was there, the music was awesome and so were the people. We hung out upstairs most of the night in order to skip the larger crowd downstairs. The only downfall is the coat check. At the end of the night, it can take forever with hundreds of people attempting to check out at the same time. Another major plus though for the danger dog vendors outside of the club. After a night of drinking, those bacon wrapped street dogs become little snacks of heaven! read more

My friends and I could not get enough of Koko while in London! I loved the inside, multiple bars and levels. If I did not want to dance anymore there were balconies were I could drink and hang out with friends while watching below. I am in love with the theater turn venue, it is so beautiful! I have met some of the greatest people here and have the best memories from this club. I have also enjoyed a concert at Koko. It was a french band and they were fantastic, even if I had never heard of them before. For the smokers there is an outdoor balcony for smoking which was awesome, I was glad I didnt have to go back onto the sidewalk. When I plan on going out and having a fun time Koko is on the top of my list. I am constantly checking what is going on for the weekends there. Be sure to remember to get there early because otherwise a long line awaits you, but for this venue I will wait in the line :) read more

The venue itself is really stunning. Yet, the sound is way way too loud!! I was literally half death for a day after spending a night in this club. I wonder if they were ever controlled on this but this should be forbidden. The music is just okay, too electro for me sometimes. There is only one dance floor so not much choice, and it's completely packed. Otherwise entrance is really affordable between 5 and 10 pounds. And they are very nice balconies to chat outside. read more

Koko is a great stop for youngsters between 18 and 20 during a night out in Camden. The don't have any beers on tap, and the liquors are more expensive than elsewhere in Camden. Though, you don't come here to drink. You go to Koko to dance and listen to great live music. I've seen artists such as Now, Now and Club Smith for only £5. I also like that after their sets, the musicians personally sell their merchandise which is a great way to meet the people behind the music. read more

This may be my favorite music venue in London. It's absolutely the perfect size, with not one, not two, but THREE balcony tiers that provide refuge from the ground-floor moshers. The red and gold gilded walls and ceilings make you feel like you're in some ancient gothic palace, and there's a cute little smoking roof on the first floor for air. I love that Koko draws such awesome acts, but in the event that I'm looking for something utterly ordinary to do I almost always check out the club night here. They are bound to have some sick drum and bass/dubstep act for a fairly reasonable price. read more

Ups: - Cool atmosphere -- as reviewers below me have mentioned, it's an old theatre turned into a dance club/concert venue, so there are lots of great vestibules and balcony overlooks from which to watch the shows - Trendy crowd - Talented performers/good gigs - Kebab and burger places right around the corner...they're open late - Affordable entry (usually less than £20 for a gig, and you can either buy tickets online or at the door. trick of the trade: email and ask to be put on the guest list for Club NME on Friday nights, and get there before midnight to avoid paying cover) Downs: - Drink prices = extortion. Drink (copiously) beforehand (and try not to slip on the dance floor/ on the balconies...there's no railing to hold onto and you will fall on your bum) - Slippery floors (seriously, I'm not kidding, I can tell you from too many personal experiences that it's a dangerous hazard...) - Very strange and labyrinthine girl's toilet. Not conducive to appropriate levels of drunkenness for such a venue - Slightly creepy foreign men who like to frequent this place. I guess that's any club in London, though... read more

On my first visit to Koko I'd arranged with my friends that we'd all meet 'upstairs'. Little did I know that 'upstairs' went on forever! This mega-club has used every wing of its old theatre facade and with every set of stairs climbed and every bar discovered, there is always another. So my advice, if you're heading here to meet friends, arrange a better meeting place than I did. After a whole nights of texting we were only reunited in the coat queue... I've mostly visited Koko on its famous Friday NME night. Often they start this evening with a couple of live performances. Sometimes these acts can be great and sometimes just mediocre. Occasionally, the best thing about these sets can be the comments posted on the text wall behind the stage. Following an awful performance by some metal/emo band the other week all that this wall displayed was abuse. I think the politest text read, 'I would rather listen to my parents have sex than hear another song by this band'. When the DJ starts Koko really gets going and the dance floor gets mobbed. Dancing away under the biggest disco ball in the world (it must be!) is a lot of fun and I rate this as the best part about the club. If only Koko's drinks were a little cheaper I would have given this place four stars! Alas... read more

I went to see Frankmusik play at Koko yesterday. Not exactly my taste in music, but it was a friend's idea, and I really wanted to see the much lauded "Koko"! The performance itself was pretty good, a very diverse mix of talents from playing the keyboard to beat boxing with just the mic. I can't say much for his taste of clothes though, he was wearing a shirt with a big muppet face on it (at least that's what I decided it was after being on the fence between a muppet and sponge bob square pants!). But, more importantly, on to the venue. Wow! What a venue! The red walls complemented by a huge disco ball and the mythological looking statues make it feel as if you're really in the depths of hell, having the party to end the world in the flagship den of inequity. I felt like I could be in that well known blood party scene from the movie Blade....or trying to appropriate an illegal kidney from a nefarious hooded and cloaked all in black character sitting by himself in the corner. The acoustics of the place are also amazing, I think helped by the fact it's fairly cozy (you could feel the base in your chest, not just your feet...a useful test of good sound :)). Definitely worth a look. read more

Best club I've ever been to! (I haven't been to that many clubs though). Super fun environment, reasonable door fee. Every night is themed and some of the themes are super fun (guilty pleasures is my favorite)! Sometimes it's cash only though, which sucks. Never bought a drink there so I can't comment on the prices. read more

Back in the days of Peach at Camden Palace, I would adorn my cyber gear and party like a madman till the early hours of the morning. When Camden Palace closed I was one of many who were saddened. Who would have guessed that the revamped site would be even better? The cyber kids may of left but Koko's is still a blast. The interior was always stunning and the old theoretical vibe is still there. The gigs that are held there are top notch. I watched Alphabeat and had an excellent time sitting in one of the VIP balconies. I've been spending most of my time going to concerts. I'll let you know soon how the club nights are. I've heard the NME parties are fun. Students get in cheap... YEAAAHHHH!! read more

Koko club was the last stop at a pub crawl I did. It's beautiful inside and it was fun.

Koko is one of those venues that you really want more of. With a visionary redesign like this one wants some visionary programming. Koko, in that regard, is steadfastly Uni. And what a shame that really is. A good deal of history has passed itself here. The Camden Theatre was apparently opened at the turn of the century, the bleary day after Christmas, no less, and by no less a personality than Ellen Terry herself. As with most high-toned venue of the sort it ended up in the duldrums as a cinema, cut up, cut down, degraded into some object abjectly awaiting condemnation. And thanks to the commercial vision of a few deep pockets it is open once again as a place of popular entertainment. And this is what we get? I don't avoid it outright, but when I end up leaving early I wonder why not. I am an aging man. I am under 30, certainly, but there's a kind of sadness to these parts, made all the more sad by the patina of history, stuck all around. But then London never does seem to do very well by nostalgia. Better to move on and forget about it. read more

Koko to me, is the gateway to Camden (geographically, not metaphysically - I know it's a state of mind too). It's always been a renowned venue for bigger acts rather than the ones that are trying to break in on the scene. There's no hiding it's a converted theatre and as such there are a number of vantage spots that you can take up overlooking the moshpit, or indeed in it. There's a fair bit of stage for the band to work with, so you can get some decent light shows to go with yer music. Decor veers towards opium chic and prices towards the overdraft limit - so come prepared. I particualry enjoyed seeing The Orb here. read more

This is a beautiful club, and was formerly the Camden Palace. After being renovated it reopened a couple of years ago and I must say it looks brilliant. It's a great large venue and one that Camden needed. However, everytime I've been there I've found the punters to be the problem. It seems to be full of teenagers who are off their face, running about like lunatics. This may be a generalisation. If you're heading down it's Mornington Crescent tube you want, not Drinks are pretty expensive, but if you like red, and the best glitterball you've ever seen, apart from the gigantic one in Blackpool. read more

Last night, I was lucky enough to bag tickets to the iTunes festival. The Pretenders were awesome last night. Really really brilliant. I'm a bit in awe of Chrissie Hynde to be honest. And I've vowed that I will learn to play my guitar. I can't be a cool guitar chick if I only know 6 chords. But back to the venue. I love it here. It's perfect. The old fashioned glamour of the place seems strange when it's got a whole load of spiky haired rockers all over the place. But it works. You can see the bands from pretty much anywhere in the venue. Brilliant. They had a bit of a weird thing a while ago where they were fingerprinting smokers, but now they've come to their senses so all is OK again. Last night the staff were friendly and happy and everyone was on a bit of a high. My friend Chris also has a resident DJ slot (Buttoned Down Disco since you ask) and the parties they throw are brilliant. Everyone is friendly. You don't always get that in Camden. And, if you happen to stumble out at three in the morning, they've got a registered cab service to make sure you get home all safely. Very handy. Indie thumbs up to Koko. Yay. read more

I was here once before years and years ago and, although the general layout has not changed (multi-level bars, etc), I do remember that the little niches on the lower ground level used to have proper seats in them - now there is either nothing or those lean-on seats that you find at some bus stops. I would have liked to check out what used to be called the champagne bar (the bar on the upper level) but only the lower level was open when I recently visited. I might go here again for the right event, it kind of has a charm of its own, but it will not become a regular haunt. read more

Oh dear, what to say about Koko that hasn't already been said? It really is the place to go if you're in Camden, especially if you're from out of town, to get a taste for tacky English culture. Not necessarily a club, much more than a bar, and without the pompous crap that comes with a concert venue, Koko's is a thing of its own. It's enormous, first of all -- four stories, and holding some million trillions of people. They are primarily a music venue, with live music acts most night of the week. I was there the first time to see a fabulous band called Six Nation State, who really rocked my socks off. When outside getting some "fresh air", I met a group from Australia, two chaps from Italy, and 8 girls from Spain out on a Hen Night (at Koko's???). A very diverse and interesting crowd most nights. Unfortunately, it does seem to be a haven for spotty youths looking for a sugar mama (no means no, sausage head), but it's all easily avoided enough. My favourite thing about Koko's is that the stage can be seen, and seen well, from any vantage point at Koko's because of the tiered balcony seating. There are dozens of little balconies where one can sit in relative peace on any number of dirty, yet comfy couches. Unfortunately, the drinks are unduly expensive, and served in plastic cups, which I suppose is to be expected for a gig venue. The decor is all plush red gothic 60s, with faux red velvet battened walls and black painted fixtures every where. You'll spend most of your time going up and down one of thousands of staircases. The dance floor down at the very bottom can be quite chaotic, and unless you're ok being trampled or leaving a gig with cauliflower ear, it's best avoided. If you're 18 and just looking for the most ludicrous time you can have, go for it. Either way, Koko's is a must see and do. read more

I was another lucky winner of a pair of tickets from iTunes - I saw McFLY (for my friend, honest) and really loved the venue. Its small and intimate, but even though the gig was being filmed and broadcast to Vue cinemas, it didn't feel crowded. Its a beautiful building, and in a great location. The only problem I would say there was is that the prices of drinks were just mad - £9 for a pint and a Malibu and coke? (I'm from the north, thats a round of drinks, not two!) read more

I won tickets for James Baxter and Royworld at the iTunes Festival, and I love this place! I've never gone clubbing in it (only saw it when it was being used as a gig venue), but what made it a thumbs up in my book was a simple thing: AIR CONDITIONING. You know how hot these places can get, and I would've probably fainted if the air con wasn't on. Aah, bliss. The whole of the decor reminds me of an old theatre, and there seems to be a touch of nostalgia about the place. The price of drinks is fairly steep, but hey, what can you do? read more

Koko is a converted theatre in Camden which is now a relatively large venue for music performances and other events. The recent upgrades mean that the seating right at the back is a relly long distance from the stage so remember that when booking tickets. It does, however, retain the feel of an old theatre. Drinks were reasonably priced at the Buttoned Down Disco I went to although I understand thay can be overpriced at some events helt there. read more

KoKo is an amazing venue and the most beautiful club ever! It is an old theatre, trendy atmosphere, cheap tickets for the gigs. I saw Sneaky Sound System there a few months ago; it was awesome! read more

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Great place man, many good times here. You're never waiting too long for a drink. The majority of staff are quite keen to talk to punters too which is great. For a theatre, it makes a great night club! I used to go here all the time but i set the fire alarm off once by accident and i haven't been back! The door staff were really freindly though and understood. The only downside to the venue is that its so easy to get lost in the back corridors. Its like a maze! But it you manage to stay together as a group, its truely an amazing club! read more

Only actually made it in here once - for a Cut Copy gig which saw the roof nearly come off as thousands of antipodeans jumped and rocked the place big time. It's really nicely decked out, with a velveteen feel that makes you think you are in some sumptuous palace at times. Club nights i'm sure rock as well. i must find a reason to go back... read more

Located in Camden Town (my favourite place in the world-slight exaggeration!), Koko is the hype place: Guilty Pleasures- the great dance makers- have a residency there, and the Friday Club NME night is where I had one of the best ever nites out last year): If you queue up early enough (i.e. anytime between 10pm and midnight), you could get in for a fiver or even for free (that is if, unlike many, you make good use of these valuable TimeOut vouchers) Koko is also the best indie gig venue (I saw the Lemonheads and the Brian Jonestown Massacre there, and that was memorable!) read more

Koko is one of my favourite music venues because (1) it's beautiful and (2) it's the right size to get maximum band quality with minimum distance. The place (in)famously used to be student pulling spot the Camden Palace. A few years back, some bright spark renovated it and made it a classy, mid-range club/music venue. I've not been on the club nights (I'm a little past that), though I've heard they are good. I have seen a lot of musical acts perform there, though. They get some secret gigs by big names (e.g., Madonna), but most of the acts they book are to be spotted on the hipster indie radar. I've seen !!!, Broken Social Scene, Neko Case, A Silver Mt. Zion, Spoon, and Sleater-Kinney here. The fact that the building is an old theatre is enhanced, not hidden. The deep reds and golds are lush even in the dark. The three tiered levels rise steeply above the floor. Carved features and old lights cover the walls. Downstairs is a futuristic glass bar with coloured lights, an interesting contrast with the period bits of the theatre. There are bars on the upper tiers as well. The beverages are a bit pricey, so don't plan on having your big drinking session here. Come for the tunes, or the dancing, or just to admire the room itself. read more

Went to the NME show with The Mouth Headlining which was great. the mosh pit is a bit scary and can get a bit out of control, but if this isnt the place that you want to be there is always the upper levels which are calmer and you can still get a brilliant view of the stage!! read more

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Koko on the Camden Highstreet is a great place for a night out! they are known for there constant gigs over the summer and for specialist nights! the drinks are pricey but the place is huge i love it! make sure you visit the famous photobooth while your there read more

KOKO is the classic place that everyone hears about when they think of London. Pretty much everyone I know has been there at some point. Firstly as a music venue - its awesome. You can get right up close to the band and can have a great view even if your further to the back. As a club - its overpriced. The music is not great - I prefer going on the club nme night and with all the bands constantly interrupting the music its not much fun. If you have never been before its worth going just to check out the venue. The crowd inside is very friendly and I always find it very easy to start chatting to people and often they start chatting to me so for that its great. read more

Eclectic is the word I would use to describe Koko, its definitely unique and very different to most places you will see live music. Multiple floors, it was hard to work out how many, balconies, seating, rails, more seating, more steps, and side rooms to everywhere. Lots of good vantage points to see the stage if you are up high. Drinks were pretty expensive, and I really don't enjoy a drink in a plastic cup that much either. The sound and lighting were pretty good and it definitely was loud. I could see the roof terrace from outside, but never did find it inside, and the odd shapen toilets were a nightmare, you can't escape if someone goes to the urinal next to you! read more

Occasionaly, this club is a good visit but i wouldnt go here as my regular place to party! The venue sort of reeks of old theatre style as its smothered in red and gold - not that this is a bad thing. Its a nice change to the blandness of a lot of clubs. Drinks are pretty expensive and you can wait to be served for a little longer than i like too. Quing is a big part of the night here as you will almost certainly have to que to get in. I think i qued the best part of two hours here once before i made friends with the manager! lol! Although primarily a cllub they do occasionally do live music and gigs in the week so its worth looking out for them too. If you want to go somewhere that will definately be packed then this is a very safe bet! read more

Koko is a pretty good venue for its size. I can't comment on its club nights as I've only been there to see live music, so I'll comment on that. The décor is in pretty good nick for a live music venue, with the red, boudoir theme punctuated by a giant mirror ball from the ceiling. There are four floors from which you can watch the music. The pit, where the pillars tend to create artificial lines of activity, motion and dancing from the crowd. The street level, where unless you're the first through the door and can get a good balcony space near the sound desk, you might as well not bother with. The balcony with its separate bar and bar area which help destroy any atmosphere from the gig itself, but is nice enough if you don't really like the band that much in the first place. The nosebleeds where you can barely make out the band and end up just staring at that giant mirror ball instead of enjoying the show. I've never seen people in the top left balcony, and the top right tends to be reserved for well some people who aren't me. The first time I went here I got lost through all the walkways and stair cases and ended up in this reserved area unknowingly. The bar prices here are horrendous though, I'd wager some of the worst in a live music venue in London. A regular sized can of Kronenburg will set you back just under £4. This will also be poured out of the can into the plastic cup by the bar person who will probably get bored and throw the can away before all the lager has poured out. Not great for the budget conscious. read more