London has been an historic bastion of the arts for centuries, its West End theatres, movie industry and homegrown popstars capturing the imaginations of the globe. But one aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked during your stay at 5 star hotels in London is its affinity for live music. The city has birthed the UK’s “Britpop invasion”, housed classical musicians and set a precedent for live performance the world over.
This is unsurprising, London has existed as the capital city of England for more than a thousand years and so has had more than enough time to develop its music venues, many of which have been putting on shows in their current iteration since the Victorian era. Below you’ll find some of the most iconic. Guests of the Chiswell Street dining rooms can easily reach the below venues via tube connections from Liverpool Street Station.
100 Club
The 100 Club on Oxford Street is renowned for ushering in the UK punk movement, having hosted the International Punk Festival in 1976 where Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees, The Clash and The Sex Pistols all played. However, the venue’s history dates back far further than that, opening as a restaurant in 1942 called Macks that hosted swing and jazz nights. From then on, its role as a music venue only grew and introduced music styles like Jitterbug to London. Easy to reach from the Crescent Restaurant and Lounge, the 100 Club still hosts live music today, regularly programming alternative and soul acts.
Camden Roundhouse
The Camden Roundhouse was named after its building’s former role as a railway turntable during the mid 19th century. Now a Grade II listed building, the Camden Roundhouse has become a popular music and arts venue that has hosted the likes of The Doors on one of their only UK appearances, and has a standing capacity of 3300 people.
O2 Arena
The go to arena venue in London, the O2 Arena is located in Greenwich and has hosted the likes of Beyonce, Harry Styles and many more megastars since its opening in 2007. With a capacity of 20,000 people, the O2 Arena is situated on the banks of the Thames in North Greenwich, and was formerly known as the Millennium Dome.
Ronnie Scott’s
Located in Soho, Ronnie Scott’s jazz club has been operating since 1959 and has been operating from its Soho location on Frith Street since the mid-60s. With its house band consisting of world-renowned jazz musicians and a repertoire of touring bands playing there, this late night jazz club is the go-to for laid back evenings and top-tier cocktails.
Royal Albert Hall
This renowned Victorian music hall was opened in 1871 at the behest of Prince Albert, late husband to Queen Victoria. The crowning jewel of his South Kensington based “Albertopolis”, the Royal Albert Hall began life as an orchestra hall but has since shifted shape from a drama school into a more than 5000 capacity venue. The domed shape and exterior friezes are striking features as you walk past from Kensington Gardens, whilst its repertoire of iconic performers have included David Bowie, Paul McCartney and many of the world’s greatest musicians.
