The 30 best music venues in London in 2026

This Grade I-listed gothic masterpiece, completed in 1877, is still a working church and a help centre for London’s homeless. Noble purposes, to be sure, but equally uplifting is the effect the environment has on performances – and performers. Put simply, bands raise their game when they’re playing the Union Chapel – it’d be sacrilege not to – and the spellbinding surroundings and acoustics mean it still beats the crap out of the most modern, purpose-built venues. Elton John, Björk, Amy Winehouse, Ed Sheeran, Mavis Staples and Nick Cave are just a few of the big names that have graced its stage. Only downside: because it’s a house of God, no alcoholic drinks are allowed in the performance space (though there is a bar). 

Capacity: 900 all-seated

Nearest station: Highbury and Islington Undeground and Overground

This aptly-named Grade II-listed circular venue and Camden landmark has decades of radical theatre and music history behind it: in the ‘60s it put on avante-garde plays, and its round brick walls have been rocked by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and The Doors. These days it still plays host to an eclectic range of big-name music acts with recent gigs coming from the likes of Alex G, Orville Peck and Imogen Heap. 

Capacity: 3,300 standing; 1,700 all-seated

Nearest station: Chalk Farm Underground 

Open since 1942, 100 Club is one of London’s most storied and legendary venues. Everyone from Louis Armstrong, Billie Holliday and Muddy Waters to the Kinks, the Sex Pistols and just about every notable Britpop band has walked the stage at this basement venue. It has long provided a home for trad jazz, pub blues, northern soul and punk, and now it hosts an eclectic mix of genres from dance pop to electronic and indie. These days it’s rare to go to a small gig in central London, but 100 Club – at 100 Oxford Street – is one of the few venues keeping live music alive in W1. 

Capacity: 350

Nearest station: Oxford Circus Underground

First opened in 1972, this former working men’s club was taken over in 2015 by local events agency LNZRT (behind Rich Mix and the Shacklewell Arms) who gave it it’s iconic glittery gold refurb that we all know and love today. Nowadays, you’ll find time-weathered regulars mixing with a hip young east London crowd, with the club playing host to an eclectic programme of live music, stand-up comedy, film screenings and club nights as well as all all of its former Moth and British Legion meetings.

Capacity: 300 

Nearest station: Hackney Central Overgrond

The Mall might not be where you’d expect to see experimental gigs from some of the hottest new artists around right now (it’s recently hosted James K, Arca and Crack Cloud), but despite the incongruous setting, the ICA hosts some of the city’s best live music spanning electronic, underground and alternative genres. The venue itself is a no-frills dark box with a top d&b Audiotechnik sound system, and if you’re early grab a cocktail at the arty whitewashed bar. 

Capacity: 350 standing; 186 all-seated

Nearest station: Charing Cross Underground; Piccadilly Circus Underground

Built in the 1920s as a cinema, this Grade II-listed building is a grand old dame, with a very showy stage design based on Venice’s Rialto bridge (for some reason). Brixton has played host to countless icons throughout its storied past; The Smiths played their final gig here, The Clash played some landmark shows at the venue, international acts from Bob Dylan to Madonna have stopped by, while Blur and Oasis were regulars at the height of Britpop. And it’s still a must on the touring schedules of some of the world’s biggest artists. More recently, it’s hosted several-night residencies by Chappell Roan, CMAT and indie icons LCD Soundsystem, as well as ceremonies for the NME Awards and Mercury Prize. 

Capacity: 5,000

Nearest station: Brixton underground 

The Great Hall at Alexandra Palace, or Ally Pally, is where you can go to see some of the biggest artists around in a more intimate setting than the likes of the O2 Arena. But it’s not just massive standing gigs. After decades out of action, in 2018 Ally Pally also re-opened it’s spacious theatre space, giving it a makeover that left its most picturesquely crumbling bits intact. In the years since, it's offered a mix of touring large-scale plays, seated gigs, and kids’ shows.

Capacity: Great Hall, 10,250; Theatre, up to 1,000

Nearest station: Alexandra Palace National Rail

This cute south London boozer is beloved by locals not only for its epic beer garden and delicious pizzas, but for its excellent selection of live music and DJ nights. With something on almost every night of the week, the programming is as eclectic as the décor inside. Here you’ll be able to see jazz jam sessions, folk bands, reggae, indie, punk and almost everything in between. 

Capacity: 600

Nearest station: Ladywell National Rail; Lewisham DLR 

Moments away from the overground station, Colour Factory is a Black-owned nightclub and live music venue in the heart of Hackney Wick. It’s known for spotlighting female, non-binary, and queer artists, and has an excellent programme of low-key nights and jam sessions during the week in addition to their sell-out weekend events. Expect everything from jazz to techno and experimental pop. 

Capacity: 700

Nearest station: Hackney Wick Overground

Opening in 2007, The O2 gave a second life to the ill-fated Millenium Dome that arrived in London in 2000. Since being transformed into the a multi-entertainment centre it’s seen people flock in their thousands to see one giant superstar after the next grace its stage. Everyone from Barbara Streisand, Prince and Madonna to Kendrick Lamar, Rosalia and Megan Thee Stallion have packed the house. 

Capacty: 20,000

Nearest station: North Greenwich Underground

Not only is this grassroots music venue an absolute stunner inside – it’s got gorgeous chandeliers and ornate cornicing – but it’s the perfect size for a gig: not so big that you feel alienated from the stage but not so small you turn into a claustrophobic, sweaty mess. Originally built as a dance hall in 1904, Bush Hall has been putting on independent gigs, which now also extend to club nights and podcast shows, of all genres since it was returned to its musical glory in 2001. 

Capacity: 450 standing; 280 all-seated

Nearest station: Shepherd's Bush Market Underground

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. While it’s generally not considered the best queer club in London these days, Heaven is a fantastic place to see some really exciting pop and electronic acts. Recently Shygirl, MUNA and Snow Strippers have graced the stage at the iconic venue. 

Capacity: 1,625

Nearest station: Charing Cross Underground 

Formerly known as Matchstick Piehouse, this gassroots music and arts venue near an old matchstick factory in Deptford has been hosting fringe theatre, live gigs, film screenings and more since 2018. It’s been through the ringer in the past few years, being threatened with permanent closure in 2023 after the pandemic left it with £36,000 of rent arrears. The community venue raised enough money to reopen in 2025 and is now back in business with a full calendar of independent arts events. The not-for-profit venue is fully accessible, offering wheelchair access and tiered pricing for all events. 

Capacity: 150

Nearest station: New Cross Overground

Launched in September 2018, this self-styled ‘multi-arts space for the 21st century’ is an ambitious restoration of the formerly derelict 1930s Savoy Cinema. Its slightly ungainly name is short for ‘Evolutionary Arts Hackney’, but the programming is trendy and accessible rather than too highfalutin. Featuring two atmospheric spaces, the venue is a popular destination for mid-level tours and nightlife events, hosting everything from Skepta’s club night Más Tiempo and Pitchfork London gigs to day festivals by Dialled In and regular nights by Deptford Northern Soul Club, Butch Please! and Dimitri From Paris.

Capacity: 680 all-seated theatre upstairs; 1,200 standing-only concert hall downstairs

Nearest station: Dalston Kingsland Overground 

Housed in an ornate Grade II-listed building, Koko has a long history and dazzling reputation as one of London's most iconic music venues and indie clubs. It's hosted everyone from Madonna to the Sex Pistols and Grace Jones to Prince. Now, after its recent £70 million restoration it’s entered its newest era, still hosting live music and then Koko Electronic on Fridays and Saturdays, featuring top DJs and open ‘til late. It’s also now home to Cafe Koko, a pizza and small plates resto. 

Read the hidden history of Camden’s cathedral of indie sleaze.

Capacity: 1,500

Nearest station: Mornington Crescent Underground

Cafe Oto is a charmingly ramshackle, no-frills café-cum-performance-space on a backstreet around the corner from Dalston Junction, and arguably the best venue in London for catching experimental music. Serving Persion-inspired food by day, by night it welcomes a loyal audience of discerning musos, gathered to watch a wildly eclectic line-up of maverick acts. On any night the pared-down stage might welcome spanning creeching saxophonists, maniacal white noise merchants, practitioners of musique concrète or global folk artists playing little-down traditional instruments. 

Capacity: 150

Nearest station: Dalston Junction Overground

The Outernet building is like an iceberg: there's a lot more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye. From ground level, it's all flashy projection screens amidst the buzz of the West End; underneath, it's an enormous subterranean multi-purpose entertainment venue, going four storeys deep. HERE at Outernet hosts live music, club nights, performances and more in its high-tech cavernous space. 

Capacity: 2,000

Nearest station: Tottenham Court Road Underground

Not only is it one of London’s longest-running (and most iconic) clubs, but this venue located in a former Victorian meatpacking warehouse is an amazing place to catch some live music, with the clubby atmosphere an added bonus. Fabric’s live events take place in all three of the club’s rooms, but Room 1, with its famous vibrating ‘bodysonic’ floor, is where you’re likely to see headline acts. While the Friday night Fabriclive series skews towards drum ‘n’ bass, grime, dubstep, UKG and bassline, on weeknights genres could span pop, indie and more.  

Capacity: Up to 1,500

Nearest station: Farringdon Underground 

The Eventim Apollo, formerly known as the Hammersmith Odeon, HMV Apollo and countless other names, is another live music emporium that began life as an art deco cinema. The 1930s building had a big refit in 2002 and another in 2013, but still features the original 1932 Compton pipe organ. The stage then got a big upgrade in 2022. Highlights from the Apollo's glittering history include 38 Beatles gigs from 1964-1965, David Bowie's last gig as Ziggy Stardust in 1973 and several concerts by Queen in 1979. It's also starred in various concert films from the likes of Bob Marlie, Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams In recent years its hosted everyone from Wolf Alice to David Byrne.

Capacity: 3,600 all-seated; 5,000 standing 

Nearest station: Hammersmith underground 

The gig room out back still smells bizarrely of mould, while the decor in its courtyard smoking area amounts to a broken fountain and several fading, crudely-painted murals, yet this down-at-heels gem is still one of London’s most beloved live music institutions, having played host to a plethora of big names during its indie heyday. Usually crowded, but generally convivial, the Shacklewell welcomes a hipster-ish crowd to gigs seven nights a week, plus club nights, magazine launches and after-show parties, all benefitting from a late licence. The studio next door ensures the patronage of a stream of local musicians and industry bods.

Capacity: 200

Nearest station: Dalston Kingsland Overground

Behind Scala’s art deco cinema façade is a brilliantly blank canvas venue that can accommodate huge, multi-floored club nights or gigs from bands on the cusp of real stardom in its banked main room. It’s programming is eclectic. Scala events span everything from the stalwart London pop night Club de Fromage, to reggaeton nights with Bad Bunny tribute acts, and gigs from the likes of Frank Turner, JMSN and edgy up-and-comers Bleech 9:3. 

Capacity: 1,145

Nearest station: King’s Cross Underground 

You can’t miss Village Underground thanks to the four brightly coloured, graffiti-covered tube carriages perched on its roof. But the main draw of this venue that opened as an affordable artists’ studio in 2009 is the renovated Victorian warehouse space inside. Set underneath some cavernous railway arches, Village Underground is one of the city’s most atmospheric gig and club venues, which often hosts top electronic DJs and exciting up-and-coming artists. 

Capacity: 700

Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street Overground; Old Street Underground

Over the years, this 1903-built music-hall has hosted everyone from Charlie Chaplin to David Bowie, Kylie Minogue and the Rolling Stones. The 120-year-old venue is still in good nick having undergone a major renovation that improved sound, lighting and seating in September 2025. It’s had a long, storied history, starting out as an Edwardian theatre and now operating as an acclaimed gig venue, though the most widely reported event took place on March 10 2003, when The Chicks (FKA Dixie Chicks) singer Natalie Maines caused uproar by declaring on stage that she was ‘ashamed the President of the United States [George W Bush] is from Texas’.

Capacity: 2,000 standing; 1,300 all-seated

Nearest station: Shepherd’s Bush underground

Since opening in 2016, Omeara has become one of London’s best venues for seeing live music. It’s also home to Feel It, one of the city’s best LGBTQ+ nights. This two-roomed venue has a fantastic arched main room, replete with exposed brick work. The bar room also doubles as a second room for club nights – and on the right night can feel like an absolute riot.

Capacity: 350 for gigs 

Nearest station: London Bridge Underground

The BBC Proms, contemporary gigs, jazz concerts and beloved films screened with live orchestras – the Royal Albert Hall has the lot. Built as a memorial to Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert in 1871, inside, the rotund hall’s splendid exterior is matched by the regal red and gold interior which is crowned by a domed stained-glass skylight. Aside from the world-famous BBC Proms, key events in the calendar include an annual residency from circus extravaganza Cirque du Soleil, the ‘In Concert’ series and a hugely eclectic season of Christmas concerts. 

Capacity: 5,272

Nearest station: South Kensington Underground

Known to many is ‘The Forum’, the O2 Kentish Town is another London gig venue in an old art deco cinema. Originally built in 1934, now the music venue hosts an eclectic array of indie bands, up-and-coming pop stars, electronic acts and more. It’s held shows from everyone from Oasis to Prince, while its current programming spans the likes of dance duo Fcukers, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne, and R&B singer Amber Mark. 

Capacity: 2,300

Nearest station: Kentish Town Underground

Probably the UK’s most famous jazz club, Ronnie Scott’s has been the site of many live album recordings by artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, and Jamie Cullum. It’s also welcomed huge names like Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga and was the location of Jimi Hendrix’s final public performance in 1970. Decades later, Ronnie’s continues to offer a packed calendar of jazz, soul and blues performers, with at least two shows a night, every night. With its dim lighting and velvet booth-style seats, the venue has that proper old school jazz club feel. In 2026 it opened a new 140-capacity live music venue above the main club. 

Capacity: 220

Nearest station: Tottenham Court Road Underground; Leicester Square Underground

The Underworld could be considered the quintissential Camden alternative, rock and metal venue. For decades, leather-clad punters have been gathering in basement of the World’s End pub to see gigs by the likes of Queens Of The Stone Age, Radiohead, Pulp, Enter Shikari and Foo Fighters. It's a dark and somewhat gloomy, wooden-floored space with a rather awkward layout that makes getting in early to bag a good viewing spot a smart move. The music programme is heavy on the mutant punk/screamo, emo, noise and metal hybrid fronts, but not exclusive.

Capacity: 500

Nearest station: Camden Town Underground

Once the bastion of London’s indie music scene, everyone from Arctic Monkeys to Amy Winehouse and IDLES have played the venue’s tiny stage. Although Shoreditch’s heyday has come and gone, the Old Blue Last lives on as a spot for new bands to cut their teeth, and is a great place to see some live music on the cheap (gigs range from free to £15). It also hosts free weekly jazz nights on Sundays. 

Capacity: 150

Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street Overground; Old Street Underground

For more than three decades, Jazz Cafe has brought some of the most respected names in the jazz and soul world – D’Angelo, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Roy Ayers, Marcos Valle and Bobby Womack, to name just a few – to Camden Town. Today it books a few more new and rising acts, but still with a focus on funk, soul, R&B and electronic music. It’s an intimate gig space, and the two-level layout offers you a choice: get sweaty in the downstairs standing area, or book an upstairs table for a bit of luxury and a guaranteed good view.

Capacity: 440

Nearest station: Camden Town Underground