As a city renowned for its rich musical heritage, London boasts an incredible array of music venues that have witnessed the rise of legendary artists and hosted iconic performances. In this blog, we will share the 5 best music venues that London has to offer, from historic theatres to intimate halls that make it a global mecca for music lovers.
Hammersmith Apollo
Originally built as a cinema called the Gaumont Palace, the Hammersmith Apollo is an iconic music venue that has hosted gigs by the biggest names in music like The Beatles, Queen, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie. The venue hosts a lot of comedy gigs too but for live music the stall seats are removed to allow for standing and it can fit up to 5,000 people. It’s located in West London by the river and it’s a direct 30-minute tube journey from our school.
What’s on at The Hammersmith Apollo
Royal Albert Hall
Opened in 1871 by Queen Victoria and built in memory of her late husband, Prince Albert, the Royal Albert Hall is a historic theatre in Central London. You can’t miss its spectacular dome opposite to the golden statue of Prince Albert in Hyde Park. Now it’s over 150 years old and hosts around 400 performances every year, including the BBC Proms, which is a series of classical music concerts attended by big names, celebrities and royalty. Aside from hosting world-famous artists over the last century, the Royal Albert Hall has seen momentous events like speeches from Churchill and Einstein as well as Muhammad Ali fights back in the day.
What’s on at The Royal Albert Hall
O2 Arena
London’s biggest music venue, which can host up to 20,000 spectators, was built in 2007 and is in the heart of Greenwich. The biggest names in music from across the world always include the O2 Arena on their world tour, like Prince, Arianna Grande, Little Mix, you name it! Did you know that in 2017 it was the world’s busiest arena selling over 1.4 million tickets in just one year? WOW! The astronomical white dome also has endless bars, restaurants and shops for music lovers to enjoy before or after each gig.
The Roundhouse
Considered a hidden gem by Londoners, The Roundhouse is a little less known than places like the O2 and Albert Hall. It was previously an old train shed before being transformed into the quaint music venue it is today. The Roundhouse has played an important role in London’s music history for 60s psyche rock, punk and illegal 90s raves. Nowadays, it hosts up-and-coming artists and runs workshops for youngsters wanting to get into music, but in recent times The Roundhouse features a free gig for NHS workers by George Michael, a tour by the iconic Bob Dylan and Ellie Goulding is performing here later in the year.
Did you know that we have a student residence in Tufnell Park just around the corner from The Roundhouse? Find out more here:
Alexandra Palace
Like the Royal Albert Hall, Alexandra Palace was built in the 1800s and celebrates its 150th birthday this summer. Did you know that it has been devastated by fire TWICE in its history? The first time only 16 days after it first opened in 1873 and then again in 1980. Despite the damage and setbacks, Alexandra Palace, lovingly known as “Ally Pally”, has a fascinating history from the Victorian era and is the location where the BBC launched the world’s first television service in 1936. Ally Pally continues to host exhibitions, sporting and community events, not to mention gigs in its famous grand hall, which includes The Who, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Stone Roses, Blur and more recently Jay-Z, Bjork, and Florence and the Machine.
Music from the UK
In our latest English Conversation episode of The PALLATT podcast, Alex talks about his favourite British artists and songs as well as the best music venues and festivals in the UK. Listen to the episode on Spotify:
Check out our Social Programme, where students can get discounted tickets to events, take part in social activities with other students and explore London.