Live Music

Live music is the driving force behind the music industry. If you ask any band what they enjoy the most, the answer will always be performing to their fans. To hear good live music, you would be hard pushed to find a better city than London. This capital city is a vibrant metropolis where artists travel to try and make a name for themselves by delivering a new and exciting live shows. Here is a list of some of the top venues where you can catch some great live performances.

1. The Old Blue Last, Shoreditch - A favourite for all who have entered its doors, the Old Blue Last has received wide praise from NME to the Times. With its unique décor and air of cool it is a must for live music in London. A DJ or band will play every night, with the majority of gigs being free or £5 at the most. Despite this you can still see some of the biggest bands around. Performances have included the Young Knives, Diplo, Lilly Allen and the Arctic Monkeys.
2. The Dublin Castle, Camden – This venue has been renowned since the 70s, following the trends in Camden music from rock through to its current Indie scene. Any successful band with roots in London will have played this bar on their way up. Big names still return on the annual Camden Crawl each year. You’re guaranteed to see a decent band any night of the week for less than £6.
3. Half Moon, Putney – This bar opened back in the 1960s and since this time has played host to some of the biggest names in music including Elvis Costello, the Rolling Stones, Kate Bush as well as U2’s first sell-out performance. It still puts on live music every night, ranging from unsigned acts to some of the most popular acts around.
4. The Black Sheep, Croydon – While it provides the stable rock and indie nights, the Black Sheep also dares to put on dubstep, drum and bass and techno events as well as live hip-hop and break-dancers. This small bar is a refreshing change from the rest of bland surrounding of Croydon. Be warned it’s a members club, but is free to joining and allows free entry before 9pm.
5. Filthy McNasty’s Whiskey Café, Angel – Despite being an Irish Pub and regularly hosting Irish folk musicians, this bar has a history of having some of the best is the business playing on its stage. The Libertines played some of their first gigs when Pete Doherty worked behind the bar. The walls are covered with memorabilia from numerous bands including Primal Scream.

To find venues near you with live music, simply visit woMAPP.com and you can see the wealth of gigs happening in your area. If you find a bar or club with some great gig please log on and let everyone else know about it.