In November 2007, Academy Music Group completed the leasehold acquisition of the former Roxy nightclub on Arundel Gate in Sheffield. A large, purpose built entertainment venue, the Roxy has had various incarnations from the Top Rank Suite in the 1970s and 1980s, famed for gigs from The Police and The Jam, David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Tour in 1972, to The Clash, Killing Joke and Elvis Costello.
Legendary DJ Don Letts was a resident at Roxy's nightclub, representing its cutting edge status as a cult venue in the North of England and in the late 1980s it was known as 'Barry Noble's Roxy'. Sheffield welcomed its chart nights, such as TV's 'Hit Man And Her' (1989) and hit makers of the day including Kylie Minogue.
Consistently reported for demolition since the 1990s, Academy Music Group is delighted to acquire the venue, in a prime City Centre location and a landmark building in the City and the venue is currently in development to open as Carling Academy Sheffield on Friday 11tht April 2008, with a sell-out gig from local heroes Reverend and The Makers.
Plans for the £3,000,000 development include a large main auditorium with a capacity of 2,350 and a secondary smaller room, emulating the success of its multi-room format at other AMG venues across the country, to hold 600.
Over the years, Academy Music Group has built a successful model of venues with varying capacities and as a company AMG is totally committed to supporting new music and emerging talent. The roll-out of smaller rooms, with capacities of 400-600, in regions such as Sheffield is important to the development the Group, the industry and new artists, who need to play in professionally run, production-complete venues in the early stages of their careers.
Academy Music Group is investing a further £750,000 in PA, lighting and A/V to create its most dynamic and advanced live music venue to date.
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