London

Opened as a cinema shortly after World War I, the Scala was used briefly to show adult films in the '70s before becoming a live music venue where Iggy Pop and Hawkwind both strutted their stuff. Now one of London's best-loved gig venues, this multi-floored monolith is surprisingly spacious, spread out over four floors with three bars, two dance rooms and a stage for live performance with space for 1,145 people. Scala stages a laudably broad range of indie, electronica, avant hip hop and folk and is a relatively intimate space to catch fast rising acts such as Glasvegas as well as established stars (Stereophonics, Chemical Brothers). Make sure you don't miss the upstairs bar, with its glass windows and panoramic views of the dance floor: it's the perfect place for spotting lost mates in the seething mass below.