O2 Academy Glasgow

O2 Academy Glasgow sits on Eglinton Street in the Gorbals, housed in what was once the New Bedford Cinema. The venue opened on 26 March 2003 with the band Deacon Blue, singer Bryan Ferry and girl group Sugababes, after 10 years of the building being closed and in disrepair. It took a £3 million refurbishment project to turn the old cinema into a 2,500 person music venue.

It's known for live rock, indie and comedy performances, though the current listings show a broader mix, taking in Afrobeats, electro and pop alongside rock. The autumn 2026 schedule includes full-band shows from Fat Freddy's Drop, Morcheeba and Chicane, plus late-night dance events such as PRTY x HSSH presents CADZOW and HSSH's Sub Zero Project and Dual Damage night.

Being one of Glasgow's larger touring venues, it's well set up for both seated gigs and standing club-style events, and its Halloween weekend brings an all-nighter alongside the more traditional One More Tune! show. With a capacity built for several thousand, it remains a regular stop for national and international acts passing through the city.