Designed and built by Frank Matcham, the venue still retains the original grandeur of its early years. Situated on Shepherd's Bush Green, it opened on 17 August 1903 with its first performers - The Fred Karno Troupe - and continued to provide first-class entertainment with stars of the Music Hall and weekly variety performance and revues, until the 1950s. George Robey 'The Prime Minister of Mirth', Charles Penrose (of 'Laughing Policeman' fame) and George Formby all graced the Empire's stage.
It was sold to the BBC in 1953 and converted into a television theatre with classic shows such as Crackerjack, The Old Grey Whistle Test, That's Life, Hancock and Wogan all transmitted from the venue. (The clock in the foyer is permanently set at five minutes to five, the time that Crackerjack aired.)
The BBC later began to use it as a concert venue - a change of direction that didn't go entirely smoothly. In 1974, Hammersmith & Fulham council took legal action against the BBC after crazed Osmonds fans (you'd have to be a bit mad) caused pandemonium.
Since 1995, the venue has been owned by the McKenzie Group, and has frequently hit the headlines for its concerts featuring David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, The Who, Oasis, Elton John and Bon Jovi - the latter, the first band at the Empire to also simultaneously broadcast their show to 20 cinemas across Europe and to a global audience of more than 375,000 on the Internet. The Empire, which has won several venue awards in recent years, has also played host to major entertainment events, including the Mercury Music Prize and the MTV Five Night Stand, not to mention successful appearances by comedians such as Jo Brand and Eddie Izzard. In 1996 'Comic Relief' was broadcast live from the venue to millions.
One footnote: rumour has it that the Empire is haunted. At the turn of the century a young man who worked at the venue fell through the domed roof to his death and is said to roam the Level 1 balcony at night!
