Best Live Music Venues in London
Where to hear London live, from jazz rooms to stadium nights
London throws 437 gigs across 77 venues every month, rotating through genres as the nights get shorter. The circuit splits cleanly: arenas for the stadium acts, mid-sized theatres for the touring bands, and basement clubs where you'll first hear the names that matter. The scale matters as much as the sound—a 450-person room feels different at three thousand, and the programming reflects it. This list runs largest to smallest within their lanes. Gig calendars refresh constantly, so check Songkick for broad coverage, Resident Advisor for electronic nights, and Jazz FM for jazz. Most venues load their own sites by Tuesday for Friday bookings, so weekly checking beats monthly guides.
O2 Arena
North Greenwich · Arena pop, rock, R&B · Daily, 6:30pm doors typical
One of London's biggest and most famous live music venues, located in North Greenwich, it hosts major international tours, pop stars, rock bands, arena shows, and large-scale live productions. Hilary Duff plays September 15. Book early; nearly 20,000 people leave the venue at the same time after shows, so plan transport accordingly.
Roundhouse
Chalk Farm, Camden · Rock, alternative, theatre · Doors 7pm typical
A 3,300 capacity venue in Chalk Farm, North London, the space plays host to a vast range of music and arts events throughout the year. A host of artists, including The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and The Doors, played during the 60s and 70s. There is a seated area upstairs and a large main standing space downstairs.
Troxy
Stepney, East London · Rock, electronic, indie · Doors 7pm typical
East London venue Troxy has announced it will increase its capacity to 3,600 as part of a major transformation project, expanding from its previous 3,100 capacity. The works deliver "a fully upgraded guest experience, blending the venue's 1930s Art Deco heritage with modern, audience-first design." New York's Geese, one of the world's most exciting rock bands, fronted by Cameron Winter (who one journalist dubbed 'the next Leonard Cohen'), played their Troxy takeover this month.
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore, South Kensington · Classical, rock, pop · Doors 7pm typical
This iconic, dome-topped venue offers over 350 events each year in the main auditorium and is known for its fantastic variety of concerts covering different music genres. Snow Patrol plays September 21, 22 and 24; First Aid Kit plays September 29 and 30. The room's size means even mid-tier acts feel major—worth booking ahead to secure seats.
Islington Assembly Hall
Upper Street, Islington · Indie, rock, pop · Doors 7pm
The flexible space has a capacity of 950, made up of 732 standing downstairs and 218 seating/standing in the balcony. Recent shows include Ed Sheeran, TV On The Radio, Skepta, Snow Patrol, Rag N Bone Man, Doechii, Tom Odell, The Black Keys, Laura Mvula, and Foo Fighters. Doors normally open at 7pm and the venue curfew is 11pm.
Jazz Cafe
Parkway, Camden Town · Jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, R&B · Nightly 7pm
The venue holds 450 people across both floors. Running for over 25 years, The Jazz Cafe has earned its reputation as one of London's most iconic music venues and has played host to names in Jazz and Soul such as Bobby Womack, Amy Whinehouse, Adele, and D'Angelo. London's famous live music venue presents some of the world's biggest acts alongside local talents and rising stars seven nights a week and you can expect to hear the finest live jazz, funk, soul, Latin, hip hop, reggae and more every night.
Village Underground
Holywell Lane, Shoreditch · Electronic, indie, hip-hop, experimental · Doors 7pm–11pm
A multi-purpose events space in Shoreditch, east London that hosts everything from concerts and club nights to exhibitions, theatre, live art and other performances, the main Village Underground centre is housed in a renovated turn-of-the-century warehouse and has a capacity of around 1,000. Music-wise, indie, electronic, experimental, hip-hop and much more besides could potentially feature on any given night. The venue is the perfect setting for artists blending punk, hip-hop, and electronic music.
The Old Blue Last
Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch · Indie, rock, punk · 7:30pm start
Find a new favourite band at The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch. This bar has live music and DJs, usually on seven nights a week, and many shows are free to see. A stripped-down room above a pub, it's where you catch touring acts before they graduate to the next tier up—and where London's indie circuit still has actual elbowroom.
The Green Note
Camden Passage, Islington · Folk, acoustic, world music · 8pm start
A tiny, 50-capacity venue in Camden Passage that programmes folk, acoustic, and world music. There is no bar chatter here—audiences come to listen. It regularly appears in "best small venue" lists and has a devoted following. Sightlines are impossible to botch at this size, and the intimacy forces performers to commit.
The Troubadour
Earl's Court · Folk, jazz, world music · 7:30pm typical
Enjoy live music at The Troubadour, a long-standing bar in Earl's Court that's seen the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Elton John and Bob Dylan grace its stage. The events calendar includes free and ticketed performances from folk, jazz and world music artists. Book a table upstairs for sightlines, or stand downstairs where the room's old-pub warmth works in your favour.
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