The gig venue guide: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Capacity: 2,000

Who plays there: Big stars playing secret shows; teen pop acts on their way up; metallers, indie bands, folkies … everyone, really. Forthcoming attractions include hipsters Jungle, oldsters Asia, folksters the Levellers, popsters La Roux, rapper Joey Bada$$ … you get the picture. You get a lot of US acts here, which may not be unrelated to its proximity to the K West hotel, the current hotel of choice for the mid-level band, itself popular because of its proximity to Heathrow.

Cloakroom: Yes, but for stalls customers only.

Admission: With such a wide range of acts, prices are nothing if not variable. But £15-£20 is the commonest range.

Bar: The main bar is on the ground floor, serving all the usual, at the usual London gig prices, in the middle of the rear section, with bars at the side, too. There’s also a smaller bar on the first floor and one in the gods. The choice of drinks is functional, rather than inspired.

Food: No.

Toilets: Plenty, downstairs and up.

Wheelchair access: There are just four wheelchair spaces at the Empire, in a raised area three-quarters of the way back in the stalls. Access to the theatre is through a side door, on direction from security. Non-wheelchair disabled customers can get tickets for level one (to which there is a lift). There is a disabled toilet in the stalls. Companion/carer tickets are available directly from the venue.

Sound: As with most theatres, it varies, because of the height of the room. It’s narrow, which cuts down on some of the worst echoing, but your experience may well be dependent on the quality of the sound engineer. It’s rarely terrible – certainly not booming in the way Brixton Academy can be.

Where to stand: There is one place, and one place only, in Shepherd’s Bush Empire that is just about the best place in London from which to watch a band (though not so great if you want to jump about rather than sit and listen), and that’s the level one balcony. It’s low enough that you’re only just above the heads of the band, close enough that you feel part of the show, and it’s got a bar that rarely gets busy. It’s brilliant. It’s also the part of the venue for which labels often buy their guestlist tickets, so it’s not always easy to actually buy them as a member of the public, especially for hot acts. Everywhere else in the venue has problems. My honest advice would be to skip the gig if the only tickets left are for level three – you’re so high and steep above the stage you can see any bald patches among the performers. Level two isn’t great, either. As for the stalls … well, I’ve heard many people assert over the years that the floor of the Empire slopes up towards the stage. It doesn’t, but by God it can feel that way. Unless you are tall, the floor of the Empire offers shocking sightlines. It’s no good standing on the raised section at the back because that’s where the main bar is, and you’ll be distracted by chatter. The best answer is to get there early, and get as near the front as you can. There is no secret space or great trick to recommend with this venue.

Overall: You’ll have guessed from the preceding section that this venue is a mixed bag. It’s a prettier space than the similarly sized Forum, and it has a rich history, having been the BBC theatre for so many years. But, obviously, it wasn’t designed as a gig venue, and it’s far from perfect. It’s telling that the most dramatic photos of the Empire are the ones taken from the stage, with the tiers rising up and up and up, and fans on their feet in all of them. The reverse picture would reveal stick figures a long way below. That means the atmosphere – which can, in fairness, be fantastic on the ground floor and level one – rarely rises up the room. You’re simply too distant, and bands so rarely take the trouble to actually look up (though they’d probably crick their neck doing so). However, if you’re a regular gig goer in London, you’ll find this venue unavoidable.

Address: O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12 8TT.

Telephone: 020-8354 3300 (tickets: 0844-477 2000).

Website: o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk

Public transport: Shepherd’s Bush station, on the central line, is five minutes’ walk away at the other end of Shepherd’s Bush Green. Shepherd’s Bush Market station, on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines, is a five-minute walk away in the other direction, up the Uxbridge Road. There’s also the option of London Overground to Shepherd’s Bush, and scores of buses: 31, 49, 72, 94, 95, 148, 207, 237, 220, 228, 237, 260, 272, 283, 295, 316, 607, C1, N207.