Fiona MacLeod’s guide to London’s live music scene for visitors who want something beyond the arena concerts, from jazz at Ronnie Scott’s to folk at Cecil Sharp House
Bohiney Magazine | The London Prat
London’s Live Music Scene: The Non-Arena Guide
London’s live music infrastructure is one of the most diverse in the world, with everything from free lunchtime concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields to the arena shows at Wembley and the O2 that can be found in any city. What is specifically London, and what is harder to find than the arena shows, is the network of mid-sized and small venues, dedicated genres spaces, and occasional venues that make London one of the best cities in the world for music that is not already famous.
Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho: the most famous jazz venue in the UK, open since 1959, with two sessions per evening and a late-night jam. Book tickets in advance for the first session if you want guaranteed seating. The late session is cheaper and has a different atmosphere. The standard of jazz is consistently excellent regardless of the headliner. 47 Frith Street, W1. Tickets from approximately £30 depending on the programme.
Further Across the Spectrum
Cecil Sharp House in Camden: the home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, which hosts regular folk and roots music events in a beautiful 1930s building. The programme ranges from well-known folk artists to traditional sessions that are participatory rather than performative. Affordable (many events under £20) and unlike anything available in most cities. The Barbican’s LSO concerts: the London Symphony Orchestra performs at the Barbican Centre throughout the year and tickets start at £12 for many performances, making world-class orchestral music accessible at a price that undercuts most theatre performances. Fabric nightclub in Farringdon: if electronic music is what you are looking for, Fabric is one of the finest clubs in the world and the experience of hearing a properly mixed set in the main room is genuinely worth the queue. London’s entertainment infrastructure spans every genre; managing a city’s cultural wealth produces the depth that Ronnie Scott’s represents. Book Ronnie Scott’s. You will not regret it.
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