Musical history is being made in Oxford this week with the opening of a landmark new concert venue.

Rising from the rubble of the much-loved Zodiac, the Carling Academy Oxford promises to be more than just a spectacular addition to the city's arts scene. It has been hailed as the best new venue of its size in the country.

Its doors opened for the first time last night, giving gig-goers a chance to inspect its gleaming interior. And to those more accustomed to the homely, if grungy, charms of the old Zodiac, the contrast is stark - as music-lovers turning up for tonight's show by the Magic Numbers, will discover.

The most striking change is that the Academy is not one, but three venues. And, it is huge - with a maximum capacity of 1,350.

A £2m rebuilding and refurbishment project has seen the ground floor extended to accommodate up to 1,020 in its main room. The Zodiac's memory lives on, meanwhile, giving its name to a smaller upstairs venue, capable of holding 436 punters.

There is also the option of a separate front bar, modelled on AMG's successful Bar Academy in Islington, north London, which is expected to host emerging talent.

"It's amazing!" says Louise Kovacs, AMG's PR & sponsorship manager.

"The whole place looks incredible - and there is a definite wow' factor. It is a totally new venue, and is equipped with some state-of-the-art stuff. There are 13 screens around the building, a brand new PA system and lighting, with a rig right in the middle of the main room for some serious dancefloor action."

"The whole thing is geared towards giving the customer a great experience," adds Louise - a passionate music fan, who was shortlisted for a Special Achievement Award at last year's Woman Of The Year Awards.

"There are accessible bars, a large cloakroom and 36 brand new toilets."

But the biggest advantage, for most gig-goers, is the quality of the line-up, much of it booked by The Zodiac's old promoter Alan Day, and the club's former manager Nick Moorbath, who together run East Oxford-based TCT Music.

Louise agrees: "There are lots of acts coming who wouldn't have come here if we hadn't increased the capacity of the main room to more than 1,000.

"The whole venue can also be set up in different ways for varying functions - with a more intimate area for new artists and bigger spaces for international acts. We even have the choice of making the venues all-seated to attract artists that want to create a particular vibe."

And she is keen to remind punters that the Academy is not just a great new gig venue. The place will also continue The Zodiac's role as the destination of choice for serious clubbers.

Some great club nights are in store. These include two big student nights: Zoo on Mondays, and Wednesday's Fuzzy Ducks (once declared by a well-known lad's mag as the easiest place to pull in Britain).

But Louise adds: "Saturday is the big one, with the return of Transformation downstairs, Trashy upstairs in The Zodiac, and Room 101 in the Bar Academy - which will be full-on total rock!

"There will also be live acts on the two big stages, and a lot of special nights including Republica, and nights for lovers of hard house, and drum & bass."

She insists the £2m thrown at the building has been money well spent. "It's a huge investment; one of our biggest to date. We have gone to town on production and facilities and are extremely proud of it. Oxford is at the high end of what we do, in terms of what artists and customers want.

"Oxford is a key city and has a big music scene. And we are keen to work with people like Alan Day to continue to develop local music.

"The venue speaks for itself. Its heritage is strong - which is why we have kept The Zodiac's name. But it is not The Zodiac! You can walk in and see the difference!

"We have a strong season, which shows that Oxford is the place to play, and that people here don't have to go to London. We are giving people what they want."