The Best Places to See Free Live Music in London
There’s no escaping the cost of living in a big city like London, but for the cash-strapped live music lover, there are a few upsides to being in a bustling cultural capital, chief among them the abundance of free gigs dotted around the city’s bars and venues. From jazz to classical, world music to pop, if you know where to look, you can find a great live gig without spending a penny.
Knowing these gigs are out there is one thing, but finding the best ones is a different matter altogether. So today, we’re sharing a few of our favourite spots where you can find regular, free live music in London. Read on for our picks.
UNION CHAPEL
A stunning Islington venue that plays host to all manner of big name acts, Union Chapel is also a great spot to catch a free gig. Whether it’s the venue’s long-running ‘Daylight Music’ series, the Union Chapel Singers concerts, or the weekly Culture Cafe sessions, Union Chapel remains committed to providing free music and events that everyone can enjoy. Keep an eye on their upcoming events to see which ones are free for entry, and look out for their Organ Tour events where you can have the chance to play their one-of-a-kind Henry Willis Organ.
SOUTHBANK CENTRE
If you find yourself down by the river with a burning urge to see some live music, there are few better spots than the Southbank Centre. Across three main venues, Southbank offers a staggering amount of free live music events alongside a fascinating programme of talks, workshops, screenings and more. With classical, jazz, hip hop, folk and world music on regular rotation, you’re sure to find something that tickles your fancy on the venue’s jam-packed events page. There are also weekly free events, Friday Lunch and Friday Tonic, that deliver eclectic performances in the Central Bar.
HOUSE OF VANS
With the lofty goal of creating a space that embodied the culture and creativity of their brand, skateboarding fanatics Vans took up residence in the Old Vic Tunnels to build a skatepark/events space that, as you might expect, is heavily influenced by skate culture. House of Vans sports a concrete bowl and ramp designed by pro skaters as well as a music stage where they host regular live gigs, and their programme of events features plenty of free things to do and see over the coming months… things like their upcoming (and absolutely free) Metallica Exhibition, Hardwired… And Early Dayz traces the veteran rockers’ first steps in the music business with demos, covers, artwork and more.
ROUGH TRADE EAST
With a purpose-built stage and more space than its sister store in West London, Rough Trade East is the perfect spot to catch the hottest acts as they promote their new releases. With performances starting early and often shorter than your average gig, there’s plenty of time after the show to enjoy some of the sights and sounds of the Old Truman Brewery where the store is situated. Entry to gigs is often free, and even when it isn’t, you can usually get in for free so long as you’ve purchased the latest album by the performing artist… and really, if you liked them so much in the first place, you’d probably have bought that anyway, right?
ST JAMES’ PICCADILLY
Ever felt like there might be a better way to spend your lunch hour than forcing down a £5 Pret sandwich, scrolling Twitter at your desk, and watching the minutes count down? It turns out there is, and it’s literally anything other than the desk/sandwich/Twitter combo. But if you’re serious about making the most of your lunch hour, you could do much worse than taking in some classical music at St James’ Piccadilly’s regular lunchtime recitals. These 50-minute performances pack in some of classical music’s greatest composers alongside some more contemporary pieces, all in the beautiful surrounds of the Sir Christopher Wren-designed church. Entry is free, but a £3.50 donation is suggested, which is less than you would have paid for that sandwich.
ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC
As the country’s oldest conservatoire training nearly 700 students a year, there’s no shortage of talent at the Royal Academy of Music. Thankfully, rather than hoarding it all to themselves, this venerable institution makes sure to put on a rich and varied programme of music throughout the year, and best of all, much of their events schedule is completely free. It’s an excellent opportunity to see some world-class performances, from some of the UK’s most exciting and talented young musicians. With a programme covering jazz, classical, opera and more, there’s something to suit most tastes and plenty more waiting to be discovered.
Those are our picks for some of the best places to see free live music in London, but we’re keen to know yours too! If you have any surefire spots for a free gig, be sure to let us know in the comments, and for more news and info on the latest live music events in London, be sure to follow HUM on Facebook and Instagram.
