In a city inspired by The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Amy Winehouse, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Adele, Queen, The Pet Shop Boys, and many other musicians and bands, it’s no wonder London is home. to some of the best live music venues in the world. Whether you like folk, pop, rock, soul or not, there is a concert venue in London that will be music to your ears.
Academia O2 Brixton
This legendary venue in Brixton, South London, originally opened as a theater in 1929, but has hosted top acts including The Clash, Amy Winehouse, Madonna and The Smiths since 1983. The stage area is based on the Rialto Bridge in Venice and it is home. to the largest fixed stage in Europe. You can enjoy great views from wherever you choose to stand here thanks to an innovative sloped floor design.
Venue Capacity: 4,921
Venue Facilities: There are two main bars in the main lobby area and four small bars in the stalls. There is a cloakroom and a small shop that serves fast food. Unreserved seating is available upstairs.
How to get there: The closest tube station is Brixton, on the Victoria line.
Royal Albert Hall
This large concert hall facing Hyde Park was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 in honor of her husband Albert, who died six years earlier. The impressive circular structure features a vaulted glass and wrought iron ceiling and a stained glass skylight. Interiors are decorated in royal hues of red and gold, and acoustics benefit from sound-diffusing fiberglass discs hanging from the ceiling. Acts like the Beatles and Frank Sinatra raved about going on stage here and the dramatic venue only enhances every performance.
Venue Capacity: 5,272
Venue Facilities: There are no less than 12 places to drink and eat throughout the venue, including laid-back Italian cuisine and a champagne bar. There is a gift shop at the box office and merchandise is available before and after each show. Guided tours are available most days.
How to get there: The nearest tube station is Knightsbridge, on the Piccadilly line.
Chapel of the Union
This beautiful place is a church that works during the day and an intimate concert hall at night. The chapel was built in the Gothic style in the late 19th century and the octagonal building features impressive stained glass windows, granite columns, and an organ chamber behind a wrought iron screen. The acoustics are impressive and there are few places in London that are as atmospheric as this one. In addition to live music, you can also watch comedy events and movie screenings. All tickets are for unreserved seating on the original wooden benches.
Venue Capacity: 900
Venue Facilities: The Union Chapel Bar is located in the original chapel conference room. It is open before, during and after the performances. Please note that drinks cannot be brought to the venue itself. Margins Cafe serves main meals and light snacks with all proceeds going to the church’s homeless charity, The Margins Project. There is a cloakroom in the vestibule of the chapel.
How to get there: The nearest tube station is Highbury & Islington, on the Victoria line.
The powerhouse
This multipurpose performing arts center in Camden began life as a steam engine repair shed in 1846. It is now one of London’s most beloved venues for live music, having been completely renovated in 2006 and equipped with seating flexible and state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems The bare brick circular auditorium is reminiscent of a Victorian department store, but modern technology ensures that the acoustics are top-notch.
Venue Capacity: 1,700
Venue Facilities: There is a lively bar for pre-show drinks and snacks on the ground floor and a selection of bars within the venue. A terrace opens in the summer months. There is a cloakroom in the lobby and a merchandise stand on the first floor. Seating is available for all concerts on level 2.
How to get there: The nearest tube station is Chalk Farm, on the Northern Line.
Barbican Room
The Barbican is Europe’s largest multi-arts venue and its impressive wood-paneled concert hall is home to both the London Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The venue attracts classic stars, world music heavyweights, and contemporary acts who want to take advantage of the auditorium’s incredible acoustics. It can hold about 2,000 people, but it feels unusually intimate.
Venue Capacity: 1,943
Venue Facilities: The vast Barbican Center houses cinemas, a theater, exhibition halls and six places to drink and eat, including several bars and cafes in the lobby. There is a lot to do here before and after the concerts. A free cloakroom service is available before the performances.
How to get there: The closest tube station is Barbican, on the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith and City lines.
Size
This former theater and cinema dates back to 1900 and has played host to iconic British acts such as The Rolling Stones, The Clash and Amy Winehouse. It’s where Madonna played her first UK performance and Prince took the stage for a series of secret concerts in 2015. There are regular club nights on Fridays and Saturdays when the venue is open until 4am.
Venue Capacity: 1,410
Venue Facilities: There are several balconies in this venue and bars scattered around the venue at all levels. There are two identical wardrobes (make a note of where you deposited your outer layers when you leave them).
How to get there: The closest tube station is Mornington Crescent, on the Northern Line.
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