Despite being a major city in the UK, Leicester often gets overlooked by touring musicians; to help put the city back on the music map and cook up a culture fix for its residents, Athena Events Ltd have reopened the iconic Grade II listed building, Athena, as a music venue.
Musicians, performers, comedians, and any creative who can draw a crowd of 450+ are invited to perform at the city centre location, whether that be as part of a city-wide tour or a one-off event. The venue boasts a tiered 1,200 standing capacity on the ground floor, a 700 standing capacity balcony, a grand foyer, and three bar areas – all of which retain their original art deco features. Rest assured that the décor is the only thing quaintly dated about Athena and its 2000 square metres of floor space. All the audio and visual equipment are state-of-the-art and full technical support will be provided to ensure that every show goes without a hitch. Touring musicians will also be able to get their game faces on in style with the four en-suite dressing rooms backstage.
It may have been constructed as an Odeon Cinema in 1936, but the multi-level venue couldn’t be more fitting for a live music location. The largest music venue in the East Midlands has previously hosted an array of artists who are just as iconic as the décor, including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, S Club 7, Olly Murs, and Leicester’s very own homegrown luminaries, Kasabian. Now, the events team at Athena are on a mission to make this hidden gem in the live music world as revered as The Troxy in London. It already rivals the aesthetic. Now it can rival the acclaim.
In addition to the live music billings, Athena will continue to host corporate events for their loyal and prestigious clients, sporting events, exhibitions, weddings, conferences, and plenty more. The gig diary is expected to fill up fast, so get your bookings in now.
For more information, or to make a booking, contact events@athenacb.co.uk or call the office on 0116 262 6556.
Find Athena online at www.athenacb.co.uk, and on social media @athenaleicester.
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Article by Amelia Vandergast