Knightsbridge
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
SW7 2AP
020 7589 8212, bookings 020 7907 7071
Tours run daily 10.30am-4.30pm (Apr-Oct), 10.30am-3.30pm (Nov-Mar)
Tube: South Kensington
Indie rock
These Mancunian lads play catchy-like-the-clap, vaguely indie pop-rock that sounds like Luke from The Kooks jamming with The Big Pink and U2's The Edge. They've been phenomenally successful, gigging hard and playing increasingly huge venues – despite...
Blues, Mainstream jazz, Pop, Swing
Enduringly successful Basildon belle Moyet is still perhaps best known for her work as one half of Yazoo, despite 30 impressive years as a solo artist. She’s actually much better live than on record, with her blues influences spurring her on, and the...
World, Folk
Renowned duo Spiers and Boden and their excellent and exhilarating folk big band (there are 11 of them!) present an uproarious, brass-fuelled, funk-jazz-folk extravaganza. They're growing more popular every year, so join them tonight for a big old si...
Vintage and oldies, Swing
As well as having released more than a hundred records since the early ’50s –he got his first break supporting Édith Piaf – octogenarian French-Armenian singer-songwriter Aznavour is the current Armenian ambassador to Switzerland. Tonight he'll be conducting...
Categories, Pop and rock
The Rockney singalong duo celebrate 50 years in the business with a big gig. They'll play all the hits – 'Margate', 'Rabbit', 'Gertcha' and more – as well as tracks from their brand new album 'That's What Happens'.
Alternative rock, Pop, New wave and post-punk
Robert Smith's seminal gloom-pop combo play one of their sporadic London gigs, which generally last upwards of two hours. True, they're not known for being a dynamic live act, but the quality of their material – 'Boys Don't Cry', 'The Love Cats', 'Friday...
Alternative rock, Pop, New wave and post-punk
Robert Smith's seminal gloom-pop combo play one of their sporadic London gigs, which generally last upwards of two hours. True, they're not known for being a dynamic live act, but the quality of their material – 'Boys Don't Cry', 'The Love Cats', 'Friday...
Singer-songwriter, Chart pop
The hugely popular carrot-topped pop-folk maestro returns for his first tour since 2012, mixing up loop-pedalled acoustica and hip hop beats for a swooning, shrieking audience. His tearjerking single 'The A-Team' catapulted him into the mainstream, his...
Alternative rock, Indie rock
Mark Everett’s long-running alt rock project combines existential angst and melancholy with a catchy and intriguingly odd mix of alt pop, Waitsian blues, funky Beckisms and exploratory soundscaping. They’re here to play from their latest album ‘Wonderful,...
Show tunes, Pop
The award-winning musical theatre actress and singer does a 'farewell tour' – don't worry, she's only retiring. With 22 albums under her belt – the latest being last year's 'Elaine Paige and Friends' – and plenty of West End classics up her sleeve, she's...
Pop
The Barlow renaissance continues with another run of huge dates. Having taken the place of music meanie Simon Cowell at the 'X Factor' judges' table, the dapper Take That crooner returned to solo performances in 2011 and has since picked up an OBE after...
Jazz and experimental, Disco, Pop, Soul
Both a wondrous jazz guitarist – formerly axeman to Miles Davis amongst others – and a jazz fusion and disco icon in his own right, Benson loads up on smooth classics like 'Never Give Up On a Good Thing' and 'Give Me the Night'.
Things to do
For two nights only, relive the epic drama of Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator' in the stunning setting of the Royal Albert Hall with a live score. The circular structure of the venue, which opened in 1871, was based on ancient Roman amphitheatres – the setting...
Pop, Singer-songwriter
The impossibly posh military officer turned singer-songwriter brings his acoustic guitar and self-consciously 'sensitive' lyrics (that mention of blow jobs on his second album rarely gets mentioned) to a London stage. Despite being widely slagged-off...
Classic rock, Folk, Singer-songwriter
The singer-songwriter and Laurel Canyon scenester returns to London with his band, performing his smash-hit 'Fire and Rain' and more of some of the hippy era's most beautiful songs.
Blues, Classic rock
British guitar ledge Beck drops in for his first London gig in yonks, mixing funk and jazz into the usual blues-rock melange with help from his four-piece backing band. You can bet safely on interminable wig-outs aplenty.
Stand-up, Solo shows, Big-name talent
Joan Rivers – the grande dame of stand-up – is a true living comedy legend. At 79 years old (she doesn't look it, does she? Do you think she's had some work done?), she's showing no sign of old age and her bitchy machine-gun-paced attacks on celebrity...
Big band, Mainstream jazz, Soul
Jools's guests tonight are Soft Cell man Almond and Devon soul singer Joss Stone.
Big band, Mainstream jazz, Soul
Jools's guests tonight are Soft Cell man Almond and Devon soul singer Joss Stone.
Pop, Latin music
Lock up your mothers – the veteran Latin crooner, father of Enrique and former Real Madrid reserve goalkeeper is back in town. Things could get steamy as he airs such hits such as 'To All the Girls I've Loved Before', 'Yours' (he sings it 'Jaws') and...
Categories, Pop and rock
Slap-bass master Mark King leads the latest incarnation of the blue-eyed funk boys, still featuring keyboardist Mike Lindup and nowadays with King's brother Nathan on guitar. They'll be cranking out '80s hits like 'Lessons In Love' and 'Running In The...
Pop, Soul
The demulleted ’80s belter drops into London to plug his latest album, a collection of Motown covers called 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville'. He will, of course, be dropping some of his own past hits too, including 'How Am I Supposed...
Pop and rock
Veteran hitmaker Neil Sedaka hits London: prepare to revel in nostalgia and sing along to 'Oh! Carol' and 'Calendar Girl'. You never know, he might even play a couple from his 2009 kids' album, 'Waking Up is Hard to Do' – but then he's got a huge back...
Jazz and experimental, Asian music, Folk
Musical multi-tasker extraordinaire Sawhney returns to the stage, presenting tracks from his new concept album 'Dystopian Dream'. He's an accomplished jazz pianist, flamenco guitarist, tabla player and orchestral composer, with a long-term tendency to...
The Coldplayish pop-rockers from Colorado with one of the worst band names around – seriously, it makes them sound like they should be manufacturing and selling crap T-shirts and pre-distressed denim – headline another big London show.
5 / 5
I agee the AH is not the best for sound although its better than it used to be before the hanging baffles were installed . However nothing in london has the same atmosphere as the Albert Hall it seems to have a buzz all its own with a unique feel of closeness to the action that no concert hall i have been can match. Imho the greatest concert venue in the world dispite any accustic failings.
It was a dark Halloween night last Thursday that I found myself sat at the Albert Hall waiting for the emergence of former Led Zeppelin front-man Robert Plant. The audience were excitable in anticipation, and thankfully there was nothing gloomy about the performance. Rivalling Brain May for the best hair in rock, Plant appeared ready to have a fine time. The wonderfully gifted voice that Plant has possessed since the ‘60s was in fine form, having matured with age and showcasing rich tones that blended so well with the mix of rock, blues and African rhythms vibrating around the hall to much applause. The appearance of the Gambian musician Juldeh Camara added to the layers of high quality musicianship that the band (which featured musicians from Bristol and Liverpool) had in droves. A friend had told me that he had seen Plant play on tour with Alison Krauss last year and that he looked tired and thought that he may be finding it hard to keep up. I have to say the opposite was true here; it is possible that Plant’s decision to not make another album with Krauss after all their success (winning 5 Grammys for their album ‘Raising Sand’ as well as much acclaim)and instead pursue working on something different to keep music fresh and interesting for him seemed to be paying off. While a lot of his peers look tired and worn with their best days behind them, he looked fitter and stronger than he has in the last few years and he was flying around the stage, throwing the microphone around with ease and prowling around with an unbelievably menacing presence; and who wouldn’t feel 10 feet tall with such a remarkable voice? I could have closed my eyes and believed that the man on stage was the Plant of old not a man of pensionable age. He seems to be enjoying the aging process (‘I can travel for free now’) as well as the music more than ever. ‘This is an invigorating time for me’. Quite. The quality of the band was obviously helping to keep him on his toes and he looked to be having the time of his life, and wonderfully, so were we. With the music ranging from old blues classics to Led Zeppelin numbers (which were met with roars of approval), it all blended in together beautifully. ‘Whole Lotta Love’ , ‘What Is and What Should Never Be’ and other classics went down a storm and Plant looked like he could continue all night. Despite finishing at 10 minutes past midnight (leaving most struggling to make the last tube home) I think we would have all quite happily stayed all night for a lock in. Greedy yes, but it truly would have been heavenly. Trick or treat? Treat definitely. A really thrilling night out. Rating; 10/10
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