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Fri Jun 1, Emirates StadiumGalaxy-conquering popsters, gimpy dancers (well, one of them) and mates ...
Fri Jun 8, Alexandra PalaceFelix, Hugo, Rupert and Orlando join the less-toff sounding Sam for this...
Thu May 31, The O2Axl Rose and his merry crew of nobodies - that's right, there's no word ...
Tue Jul 17, Hyde ParkThe Queen of Pop celebrates her Pearl Jubilee with a new tour, promising...
Fri Jun 1, Alexandra PalaceFrench producer and superstar DJ Guetta makes Ally Pally his house for t...
Amy Winehouse had an extraordinary voice and a unique presence. Hopefully these will be the qualities for which she's remembered. Everyon...
They'd have you believe, would Take That, that this is all normal, run of the mill. Just a group of friends, backstage, about to play a c...
How did you start down the singer-songwriter road? 'I'd taken up acoustic guitar when I was about 16 and songwriting seemed cool to me be...
The Old Blue Last - the place to see 'secret' gigs from high-profile bands - © Daniel Knott
Metal-head, emo enthusiast, alt.rocker, punk fan or indie popster? Here's our pick of London's most reliable rock venues, invaluable whatever your tribe.
Madame JoJo's specialises in – but by no means limits itself to – showcases from emerging major label acts, or successful overseas artists hoping to crack the UK. It's home (every Tuesday) to popular and reliably hip, live alternative music night White Heat.
When it opened its doors in 1979, Heaven was revolutionary. London's first gay superclub, it was the birthplace of Hi-NRG and acid house, a magnet for gay celebrities and mounted the most spectacular stage shows seen in clubland. It's not all a gay fiesta, however, the roomy Heaven also lays on live indie nights.
It's no exaggeration to describe this corner venue as an institution, since it's welcomed across the threshold of its rather shabby upstairs room Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand and The Futureheads – just a few of the many bands who played very early London gigs here. It retains its reputation for seven-day championing of cool and upcoming talent, making it a destination venue for serious music fans and partygoers alike.
Located literally next door to Highbury & Islington tube station, underneath the Famous Cock Tavern, this veteran basement venue – its 'cosy' 150 capacity providing barely enough room to swing a microphone lead – is probably best known for its long-running club nights all of which run along alt.rock/pop, electro and mutant punk lines and attract dedicated crowds.
The doors of this north London institution first opened in 1973 and countless illustrious bands have since passed through them – the Sex Pistols, Blondie and the Ramones included. It's a punter-friendly venue with decent sight lines afforded by graduated platforms in front of the stage and plenty of standing/chatting area at the back bar. Its list of alumni includes Inspiral Carpets and the second London gig by The White Stripes.
Located right next door to Camden Town tube station, the Ballroom is still dining out on its (admittedly impressive) history, hosting as it has gigs by the likes of The Smiths, U2 and The Clash. Gigs run the stylistic gamut, while regular club nights on Friday and Saturday roll on until the small hours.
Billing itself as 'the one and only true pub left in Camden', this warm (there's a fire in winter) and cheerful, dark-wood, shabbily chic place is frequently packed, due to its tirelessly enthusiastic support of largely unknown indie/alternative bands – which it puts on seven days a week – its regular club nights (eg Bloody Awful Poetry) and its late licence on Friday and Saturday (until 1am).
The capacity of this north London venue's main room is around 600, while its sibling venue, Upstairs at The Garage – with its own entrance, the next door down – holds around 150 and saw the very first London gig by Jeff Buckley, no less. Adjacent to the Garage is the aptly named Mini Bar, which has a late licence and takes overspill from the main room.
With its colossal mirror ball as the ceiling centrepiece, its painted gargoyles and steep tiered balconies, Koko remains one of London's most atmospheric music venues...
If you're after a mixture of underground sounds and a lounge space where you can actually hear what your mates are saying, you can't do much better than 'The Lex'. It's a good place to both hear live music of an alternative variety (upstairs) and hang out (street level) until late. Further diversity is offered by regular club nights, a weekly pub quiz (conducted by Rough Trade), swing dance classes and a rock 'n' roll bingo night.
A one-time railway turntable shed, the Roundhouse was used for experimental theatre and hippie happenings in the 1960s before becoming a rock venue in the '70s. After years of dormancy, the venue reopened a few years ago, and now mixes arty rock gigs with dance, theatre, circus, multimedia events and the odd bout of Mexican wrestling. Sightlines can be poor, but acoustics are good.
Housed in the basement of the World's End pub, the aptly named Underworld has seen a serious amount of alternative rock action in its time. The music programme is heavy on the mutant punk/screamo, emo, noise and metal hybrid fronts, but not exclusive. Saturday night indie- rock club Silver, launched in 1993, is still running.
The booking policy of this venue – which took its name from an old surveying plaque on the perimeter of the property – is rampantly eclectic, ranging from alt.rock and electro to psych-pop and all points in between. Friday nights and Monday nights are free.
This venue occupying a former Chinese restaurant stands for the City Arts and Music Project, boasts a (basement) live music/art/performance space as well as a bar and cafe and is open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. Its music programme is admirably forward-thinking, with gigs of the decidedly hip and happening variety and underground parties a regular occurrence.
One of east London's few purpose-built venues, Cargo launched with very much a clubbing profile, but has since radically expanded its live remit, which now ranges from art punk through dubstep to psychedelic prog and wonk-pop. Its programme also includes plenty of underground artists building themselves a profile, provides intimate showcases to big-name artists ahead of their record releases and hosts label parties.
One of the Hoxton originals, Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen has seen plenty of action in its time. Still hip, the bar and diner now touts itself as something of a gig venue with complete listings featuring album launches and gigs proper.
Tumbledown old boozer with a roof 'garden' (read: smoking/breathing space) dedicated to giving young, new bands a stage on which to strut their (still developing) stuff. A handy staggering distance from Old Street, it's a seven-day-a-week destination venue for all sounds fresh and (at least potentially) happening.
Opened in October 2010, The Nest now boasts an industrial chic look and (mercifully) more salubrious toilets, but its music programme remains the same. 'We will strive to showcase the very best in new, fresh, cutting-edge talent,' the organisers claim. 'We are not interested in promoting acts that have 'made it'; we want to promote acts that will make it.' They seem to be holding hard to their stated intent.
Owned and operated by über-cool magazine Vice this corner venue was in the not too distant past a traditional East End boozer. The upstairs room is where the cultish, groovily attired live action (much of it free) happens, including occasional 'secret' gigs (word invariably leaks out) from high-profile bands.
Like its sister store in W11, the newest addition to the RT stable welcomes live performers of pretty much every persuasion but this easterly offshoot boasts not only vastly more space and a café, but also – far more importantly – a purpose-built stage, with standing room in front sensibly factored into the planning. Gigs happen early in the evening (usually 7pm) and admission is free, by previously obtained wrist band.
The main performance area (capacity around 800) is downstairs and features a high ceiling, three bars and – most importantly for a basement room – a great soundsystem. The street-level room is almost as large and boasts a smoking terrace. XOYO has a stylistically wide-ranging, but decidedly leftfield live music policy and is also home to such well-loved club nights as Durrr and Bugged Out.
'We didn't set out to be a venue as such, but live music at the Windmill just kinda evolved,' claims this small (capacity 150), low-down and eccentric, but perfectly well-formed venue in a back street off Brixton Hill. It's a good encapsulation of the ethos that seems to keep the place going strong and has earned respect for its (seven-night-a-week) bills of all things cultish, underground and generally leftfield.
Spread over two rooms and with around 600 capacity, this air-conditioned venue was a welcome addition to south London's live music scene when it first opened and worships in an extremely broad church, hosting DJ/club nights, comedy and jam sessions, as well as community-based events. It's a popular venue for after-show parties from the Brixton Academy around the corner and local lads Alabama 3 host a regular club night here.
Ginglik and Fighting Cocks would be up there for West London, had West London been included of course...
You really should include The Wilmington Arms in Clerkenwell. In particular the monthly Bam Thwok night.
Hi, I need just to know where are the best rock places or pubs in London for going to play with my stoner-rock band.
Thanks a lot
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