London
Live music and gigs in London
The big London gigs sell through the big ticket sites months ahead. The ones you hear about the week of are smaller. A jazz session in a basement bar, a band's first headline show in a room for 150, an album played front to back before it's out. Those are the gigs that go on the map, each with its area, its time and how you get in.
Gigs coming up
Updated 6 Oct, 17:20
Small gigs, and where to find them
London has hundreds of rooms that put on live music, and most of them are small. The best way to catch a band early, or a jazz player you've never heard of, is to go to the small rooms on a weeknight. Tickets are cheap or free, and you're close enough to see the hands.
East London has the most grassroots venues, from Dalston's basements to the pubs of Hackney and Bethnal Green. See Dalston. North London has Camden's rooms and Kentish Town's bigger halls. See Camden. South London has Brixton, Peckham and Deptford, each with their own scenes. Soho has the jazz clubs. See Soho.
Jazz bars and sessions
London's jazz scene is young and busy. Late-night jam sessions, where the house band plays a set and then opens the stage, run most nights of the week somewhere in the city. They're usually free or a few pounds on the door, start late and get better after midnight.
Listening parties
A listening party plays a record, usually before it's out, to a room of people who care about it. Sometimes the artist is there, sometimes there's a Q&A. They're almost never listed on the ticket sites, they're usually RSVP and free, and they're one of the formats SendMeTheDrop was built for.
Getting the most out of it
- Follow the organisers and venues you like on the app. You'll hear about their next one first.
- For small rooms, get there for the support act. Headliners in small venues often go on later than you think, but the room fills early.
- Check whether a walk-in gig is first come first served. Small rooms close the door when they're full.
Across the UK
Questions
Where can I find live music in London tonight?
London tonight lists everything on the map from now until 4am. For gigs this week, the list above is filtered to gigs only.
What are the best jazz bars in London?
Soho has the famous clubs, and east and south London have the late jam sessions. The best night changes with who's playing, so look at what's on rather than where.
Are there free gigs in London?
Yes. Lots of small gigs, jazz sessions and listening parties are free or pay what you like. On the map, walk-in, RSVP and guestlist drops are free.
Questions people ask AI
Are there album listening parties in London?
Yes. Labels, artists, record shops and collectives run them, often before a release, and they're usually free with an RSVP. They're rarely on the big ticket sites. SendMeTheDrop lists them on its London map as RSVP drops, at sendmethedrop.com/london/live-music.
Catch the small ones
Gigs and listening parties go on the map as organisers drop them. The app tells you when one goes on near you.
