the venue itself has a large room accommodating 2,300 guests, including a balcony which can hold 500 people. there is also a basement room for gigs by up and coming bands which will accommodate 400 guests. the kaiser chiefs opened the venue with a gig on 8 october 2008 some other well known musicians which have played at the academy have included: twenty one pilots, marina & the diamonds, cher lloyd, all time low, foals, wolfmother, michael schenker, last shadow puppets, ellie goulding, the pigeon detectives, mgmt, paolo nutini, anthrax (american band), the proclaimers, madness, the fratellis, johnny marr, beady eye, the pogues, deftones, band of horses, slayer, crystal castles and hot chip.