Music has the power and ability to stir the senses, bring people together, trigger emotions and transcend the boundaries of hearts and minds. London’s unique and glorious music scene is unlike any other city, from large concerts, intimate gigs, orchestral recitals and choir performances, there are plenty of places in the capital that provide incredible settings for live musical events. Here’s just a few of our amazing member venues that are perfect for live music, arts and entertainment.
Royal Albert Hall
With its beautiful architecture and legendary performance history, The Royal Albert Hall is an iconic and magical venue that hosts over 380 world-class events a year including classical concerts, rock and pop, ballet and opera. Home to the BBC Proms, the world’s leading artists from every genre have appeared on its iconic stage.
The exquisite auditorium provides breath-taking views of the performances and is located in one of London’s most sought-after areas, South Kensington.
LSO St Luke’s
LSO St Luke’s is a Grade I listed Hawksmoor church that blends beautiful 18th century architecture with contemporary features to create a stunning setting for a variety of events. The extensive restoration works undertaken in transforming the church makes LSO St Luke’s the building that it is today: an acoustic gem, designed to amplify and encourage flawless sound quality.
The classical, 18th-century architectural form gives the venue an elegant charm, which adds to the sense of occasion and the tailored acoustics means that the audience receive an immaculate quality of sound, regardless of where in the venue they are seated. As the home of the London Symphony Orchestra’s Music Education Centre, the venue is more than just a musical gem, it’s a tangible investment in the future of classical music.
Royal Opera House
With a theatre on this site since 1732, the Royal Opera House is intrinsically linked to the rich performing arts history of the capital. The famous cultural hub is renowned for providing world-class opera, classical music, theatre, ballet and dance.
Home to the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet, this performance heavyweight is famous for hosting the glitterati of the musical and ballet worlds in one of the capitals most grandiose spaces. Located a stone’s throw from Covent Garden and the renowned London theatre land, the venue really is a destination for performance of all kinds.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey needs little introduction as for 1000 years, it has hosted a fantastic variety of events; crowning of Kings and Queens, weddings, christenings and proclamations have all been held within this magnificent building.
Playing a leading part in the musical and cultural life of the nation, today and over the centuries some of Britain’s most illustrious organists, singers and composers have been closely associated with the Abbey. With a strong royal connection, Westminster Abbey’s stunningly preserved features also provide a mesmerising environment in which to savour live music. The venue’s striking gothic interiors and pin-drop acoustics make for a truly fantastic live music experience.
Enjoy a free concert in your lunch hour as some of the UK's finest brass bands take to the College Garden at Westminster Abbey to perform for central London. Donations are welcome, and homemade cakes, scones and drinks will be on sale. The performances will take place in St Margaret's Church if it's raining. Enjoy a free concert in your lunch hour as some of the UK's finest brass bands take to the College Garden at Westminster Abbey to perform for central London. Donations are welcome, and homemade cakes, scones and drinks will be on sale. The performances will take place in St Margaret's Church if it's raining.
St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul's, with its vast dome, is an iconic feature of the London skyline and is known across the world. Designed by renowned architect Christopher Wren, the cathedrals awe-inspiring interior and intricate mosaics provide a stunning setting for many live musical events.
A unique acoustic feature of the cathedral is the Whispering Gallery, where sound hugs the wall allowing it to move from one side of the circular gallery to the other without a loss of quality or volume. This undoubtedly makes for one of the most acoustically significant spaces in the capital and the wide range of musical events that take place at the venue are testament to its popularity with musicians and performers alike.
St-Martins-in-the-Fields
St Martins-in-the-Fields has a proud history of hosting outstanding live classical music events from free lunch time performances, to late-night gigs and educational shows. Audiences and performers come together to enjoy the wonderfully rich acoustics the venue has to offer whilst soaking up the beautiful Georgian architecture.
St-Martins-in-the-Fields is a diverse event space offering a whole host of musical events that appeal to everyone. Frequent shows are held down in the Crypt, where guests can listen to swing music, or dance to Dixieland performed by some of the UK’s finest jazz musicians.
Southbank Centre
Situated on the south bank of the River Thames, Southbank Centre is at the heart of a sprawling riverside arts quarter. Comprising three separate buildings - Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, and Hayward Gallery, the venue offers a number of event spaces suitable for a vast array of occasions.
As one of the largest arts centres in the world, it is home to a varied programmme of classical & world music, rock & pop, jazz, dance, literature and the visual arts. As well as performance titans, the venue champions young and undiscovered talent making it a forward thinking cultural hub, attracting one of the most diverse audiences in the UK.
Spitalfields Venue
Hawksmoor’s breathtaking Baroque masterpiece, Spitalfields Venue is a truly inspiring site for musical events. As the central part of the church, the magnificent Nave is a versatile space that exudes grandeur with clerestory windows, mezzanine galleries and a central hall accented with Tuscan columns.
Standing in stark contrast to the uber-modern buildings that dominate the nearby Square Mile and Liverpool Street, Spitalfields Venue offers an oasis of calm in the hustle and bustle of the City and is one of London’s hidden gems.
Southwark Cathedral
A surprising and unspoiled location, Southwark Cathedral is exceptionally well suited to hosting musical performances. Nestled amongst the bustling Borough Market, the cathedral has a rich and colourful connection to the capital’s live music scene, and offers a quiet corner in which to enjoy a range of events. Southwark Cathedral the venue is no stranger to live performances having been a functional place of worship and celebrations for generations. The venue boasts a significant musical past having hosted a great number of visiting choirs from all corners of the globe.
For more information on all of the fantastic Unique Venues of London member venues, click here.