[2] Designed by Robert Cromie, who also renovated the Prince of Wales Theatre,[1] in the Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace, with a seating capacity of nearly 3,500 people, being renamed the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962.

Other venues purchased include The Forum in London's Kentish Town, the Birmingham Institute and Aberdeen's Moshulu.

[1][8] The original 1932 Compton pipe organ remains installed at the Apollo and was fully restored to playing condition in 2007.

[9] It has a four-manual console which rises through the stage on a new lift and about 1,200 organ pipes housed in large chambers above the front stalls ceiling.

At a launch party, on 25 July 2007, an invited audience and media representatives witnessed a recital by Richard Hills.

[10] Many bands have released live albums, videos or DVDs of concerts held at the Apollo, such as Queen, Black Sabbath, Rush, DIO, Hawkwind, Iron Maiden, Celtic Frost, Kings of Leon, Tears for Fears, Bananarama, Dire Straits, Frank Zappa, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Japan, Erasure, Spear of Destiny, Motörhead, and Robbie Williams.

Melodic death metal band In Flames also released a DVD that featured footage of a December 2004 performance there.

American musician Tori Amos released a series of six live albums in 2005 known as The Original Bootlegs, one of which was recorded at the Apollo.

These shows are of note as Roy Harper guested on "Short and Sweet" and Gilmour's Pink Floyd bandmate Nick Mason played drums on "Comfortably Numb".

In 1984 the London-based band Iron Maiden recorded side 4 of their double live album 'Live After Death' at the venue.