O2 Academy Oxford

Music wise it’s a great venue, every band I've wanted to see has been great, and I look forward to seeing some bands again and again. Most gigs end at roughly 22:30 which is perfect for me because the last 280 bus passes St Clements at roughly 23:00.

However beer does seem a little overpriced at £3.70 for a pint of Carlsberg. But what really annoys me is the exterior of the building. Bands playing, written in large letters, seems a little tacky but that doesn't bother me as much as the queues. In theory it seems simple door on the left for major gigs downstairs, door on the right to go upstairs for the smaller gigs and in the middle is the booking office/ticket collection. In reality it doesn't work: people can't work out which floor they're on till they get there and queues end up in different directions, to the point where last night I was collecting my ticket with people standing either side of me. If ordering online, it's not worth paying £1.50 to collect from box office, it’s slightly simpler to pay £2.25 and print them yourself.

If they could make it slightly clearer on posters which floor your band is playing on when the building is double booked it would be slightly less confusing. Also if security could monitor queue directions a little better it would be running more smoothly.

The Dancingman (DI User), 19/04/10

As a regular visitor to The Zodiac some 10-15 years ago when Supergrass were singing in a higher octave and I was still required to show ID, I was excited to be going again. The first band I saw (Mr. Hudson and the Library) were performing in the upstairs venue and were supported by not one but two bands and a resident DJ, who gently built the anticipation for the main event. A perfect size for a lesser-known act, the venue was snugly full without being a scrum and the more vertically-challenged of us were still able to see the band without resorting to climbing on the sound desk. Sound levels were excellent and we were able to hear every vocal and riff without them reverberating all the next day as well.

My second visit to The Carling Academy was to the main venue downstairs to see the tribute band, The Complete Stone Roses, (which really gives away my age!) This larger area, though less intimate, is able to accommodate audiences for the top up-and-coming bands, who are now regularly visiting Oxford on their UK tours. The staff and facilities are excellent and the street-front bar (with yet more live music and a great DJ on the night I was there) is a perfect place to adjourn to if you aren't quite ready to go home after the main gig.

I am pleased to say that I am now a regular visitor again!

Claire Wright (Unverified), 16/12/07