Brixton Academy

If the Brazilian Pentecostal Church had its way there wouldn't be a Brixton Academy. Not because of any moral considerations - in 1995 they wanted to convert the venerable venue into a place of worship.

Fortunately for the fans of the Killers, Motorhead, Primal Scream, Dj Shadow, Pharrell Williams, Massive Attack, Nine Inch Nails, Panic! At The Disco, Maximo Park, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam, Jane's Addiction, Radiohead, N*E*R*D, Kings of Leon, the Foo Fighters, Richard Ashcroft, Fatboy Slim, Armand Van Helden, Orbital, the Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Underworld, the Chemical Brothers, Coldplay, Moby, PJ Harvey, Eminem, New Order, Queens Of The Stone Age, Missy Elliot, Faith No More, Marilyn Manson, REM, the Pixies, the Scissor Sisters, Razorlight, the Darkness, the Rapture, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand and countless others, the Church was halted by "planning issues". Score one to the devil then.

The Academy's most distinctive feature is the massive neon-ribbed dome out the front. There are nine bars to slake the thirst of the 5,000 who can be accommodated. The venue opened to the public in 1929.