The Vaults - underneath Waterloo Station!

Set in a maze of railway arches The Vaults is the spiritual home to the unusual, the daring and the unknown, embracing artists from all walks of life to come together, share their inspirations and mutate their art. It’s challenging, it’s imaginative and it’s accessible. Expect the unexpected.

The Hidden Jazz Club

Completely run by the artists who perform, Hidden Jazz Club has been blowing the socks off Londoners for the past three years. It’s contemporary, it’s in a great setting, and the talent on show has to be seen to be believed.   Click here to read more about the Hidden Jazz Club or below for The Vaults 

The Golden Hinde near London Bridge - monthly music on the iconic sailing ship!

Kicking off with The Salts on Friday 3rd September, read more about them below:

Sir Francis Drake may be turning in his grave at the thought of giving over his flagship to a night of music and revelry. Then again, he probably enjoyed a sea shanty or two so the choice of traditional folk and maritime band The Salts, a younger and more concept driven hipster version of Fisherman’s Friends, to kick off the autumn season on September 3^rd may well have had him splicing the mainbrace and jigging from the Crows Nest. Great venue, great location.

Wilton's Music Hall in the City by Tower Hill

Somewhere around 1859 (and we don’t mean one minute to seven!) Victorian gentlemen and their ladies flocked to London’s Music Halls in their droves. Now only the Grade II listed building built by John Wilton a short stroll from Tower Bridge remains. Lovingly conserved it puts on over 300 performances every year. That’s what we call entertainment.

The Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zedel - PIccadilly Circus

It’s not easy to hide away in Piccadilly Circus, but this cabaret and music venue is part of the French Brasserie Zedel. The acts are a mix of music, comedy and occasional magic shows. So, nothing too edgy or loud and a good place to take your mum or your niece, or just have a romantic middle-aged night out.

Ain't Nothin' But - world class blues in central London

Tucked away in Kingly Street, just behind Liberty's, Ain’t Nothin’ But…has been a mecca for the blues music cognoscenti for over 20 years. Live music every evening Monday thru’ Friday and from 3.30 in the afternoon at weekends. They’ve recently reopened and are revamping the website so for the time being you’re taking pot luck as to who’s appearing.   Regarded as the best blues bar this side of the Atlantic!

Boisdale - iconic live music and dining venues - Belgravia, Mayfair, Bishopsgate and Canary Wharf

The fact that Jules Holland is ‘Patron of Music’ for Boisdale speaks volumes about the quality of live music you can expect at their two supper clubs. The original venue in Belgravia is straight down the road jazz, swing and blues. The Canary Wharf venue mixes things up a little more. The food is highly recommended although, with the Evening Standard giving it the soubriquet ‘Carnivores Delight’, might not quite cut the mustard for vegetarians and vegans.

Jazz after Dark - Soho

A cocktail bar that pretty much does what it says on the tin, JAD has the rep of being Soho’s leading intimate cocktail bar, restaurant and live music venue. You’ll find a mixture of jazz, funk, soul and old style R&B with a £10 ticket price during the week and £20 at the weekend.

The Spice of Life - Soho

Whilst the name could be easily mistaken for an Indian take-away, Soho venue The Spice of Life has, in various life-stage iterations, hosted artists such as Bob Dylan, Sandy Denny, Cat Stevens and later punk acts like The Sex Pistols. Since the ‘90’s it has settled down into a notable and much respected jazz club.

The Jazz Cafe - Camden

19 August 2021

Top venue on the Camden music scene for some years The Jazz Café offers a much more eclectic music mix than its name implies. Expect everything from flamenco through reggae to top jazz acts, plus a regular Saturday night house and soul disco. Plus a few surprises. If you like your music to surprise you then subscribe to their list.

Brunel Museum and Thames Tunnel - Rotherhithe

CONCERTS, FILMS, OPERA AND THEATRE

Museums are places to be entertained and inspired, and we try to make learning fun and our events unusual. The Brunels did not just build bridges and tunnels, they organised concert parties, dance events, underwater banquets, fairgrounds and shopping arcades. Brunel was not just an engineer, he was an impresario and showman.

606 Club - between Chelsea and Fulham

A traditional basement jazz club with a ‘Speakeasy’ feel to it, the 606 entertains up to 120 guests with top level artists every evening of the week and Sunday lunchtimes. It’s located in Lots Road between Fulham and Chelsea and has a wonderful creative vibe. Food is good and reasonably priced. If you can’t get there the 606 offers a live streaming service so you can watch the shows.

The Pheasantry - Kings Road, Chelsea

Long-time popular Kings Road eaterie now under the auspices of Pizza Express who have a long pedigree in serving up live jazz with your Sloppy Giuseppe. There’s a great mix of talent on show with regular bands and feature acts.

Under the Bridge - at Stamford Bridge football ground, Fulham

UTB as it’s known to afficionados is a large and stylish venue under the Chelsea Football stadium at Stamford Bridge. It’s a weekend sort of place open on Fridays and Saturdays – best to check out the website to see who’s playing as some of the dates have been carried forward from postponed 2020 Covid disrupted gigs. Easy to get to on the tube.

Half Moon - iconic music venue and pub in Putney

A music mecca that seems to have been there since God’s dog was a puppy, the Half Moon has been rocking and rollin’ since the swinging 60’s. It’s been a great launch pad for the careers of a Pantheon of artists including U2, kd lang, Kate Bush and dozens of others. These days the vibe is heavily geared towards top tribute bands – nothing wrong with that, most of the original acts are no longer around.

The Troubadour - Earls Court

One of the all-time great London music venues, luminaries such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Jimi Hendrix (to name a scant few) all played here. In these days of stadium tours it doesn’t quite have the clout still to pull that sort of act. But even if only for the sense of history (Private Eye started here too) it’s worth a visit.

Nells - live jazz and blues venue in West Kensington

Large enough to attract a crowd, small enough to get up close, Nell’s is a 500m stroll from West Ken station. It showcases a cross-section of music from old folkies like LIndisfarne and Al Stewart, thru’ tribute bands to breaking acts with an emphasis on quality. Many of the acts sell out quickly so it’s worth getting on their list.