Live music on stage: a band under the lights

London Venues

Grassroots Venues in London

Q: How many grassroots music venues are in London?

GigXchange lists 274 grassroots music venues in London, from small pub back rooms to mid-size standing rooms. Each listing includes capacity, backline provision, genres booked, and verification status. Browse the full national directory at UK Venue Directory.

Q: Which London venues provide full backline?

28 of 274 London venues offer full backline (drums, guitar amp, bass amp, PA). 106 provide at least a PA system. 27 include an in-house sound engineer. Use the filters above to show only venues with backline.

Q: What size are London's grassroots venues?

Of the 169 London venues with known capacity: 51 are small (under 150), 75 are medium (150–499), and 43 are large (500+). The majority of London’s grassroots scene is mid-size standing rooms.

274 grassroots music venues across London. Capacity, backline, genres, booking info. Updated weekly.

London Grassroots Venue Score

0 /100

Solid — healthy choice, building on coverage. A dependable circuit for touring acts.

0Venues

0With PA

0Full Backline

0Engineer

Capacity, backline and booking info for every London venue

274 venues, from back rooms to big stages
106 provide a PA in-house
28 offer full backline
27 include a sound engineer
Booking contact for signed-up artists
Verified and updated weekly

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London's upcoming grass-roots gigs, sorted by date

One-off gigs at indie venues and community stages
Sorted by date, refreshed continuously
Free and ticketed shows
Every gig links its venue

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Weekly open mic nights across London — verified and mapped

Filter by night of the week
Sign-up times, slot lengths and fees
Most are free entry
Re-verified on a rolling cycle

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Everything the London scene has beyond the venue list

City guide: venues, promoters and bookers
Local rate benchmarks before you quote
How to get gigs in the city
Members near you on GigXchange

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Reach artists actively looking for London stages

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Last updated: 29 September 2026

274 Venues in London

274

grassroots venues hosting live music in London

106 provide a PA system · 28 offer full backline
27 have an in-house sound engineer included
Booking contact, fee range and submission process available to signed-up artists

London has 274 grassroots music venues listed on GigXchange. 106 provide a PA system, 28 offer full backline, and 27 include an in-house sound engineer. See what these rooms have on over the next four weeks. Sign up free to view booking contacts and fee ranges.

274 Venues 106 With PA 28 Full Backline 27 In-House Engineer Updated 29 Sept 2026

What’s on in London this week — or see what’s on across the UK.

London Venue Scene in Numbers

Live statistics from 274 grassroots venues across London. Updated daily.

274

Total Venues

Across London

39%

PA Provided

106 venues provide a PA system

10%

Full Backline

28 venues offer full backline

10%

In-House Engineer

27 venues include an engineer

Capacity Breakdown

Small

30%

Medium

44%

Large

25%

Equipment Provision

BYO

168

61%

PA Only

28%

Full BL

10%

How many grassroots music venues are in London? GigXchange lists 274 grassroots music venues across London. 39% provide a PA system and 10% offer full backline (drums, guitar amp, bass amp, PA).

Do London venues provide equipment? 27 venues include an in-house sound engineer. The majority of London venues are medium (150–500). Data from GigXchange’s verified London venue directory, updated daily.

Browse London Venues

Filter all 274 venues by capacity, backline or area

Showing 24 of 274 venues

London › Camden Town★★★★★ (—)

Camden's Monday-night free open mic at 94 Parkway, NW1 7AN — full backline, in-house sound engineer, walk-in sign-up from 7pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.

Backline5 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–02:00
Tue12:00–02:00
Wed12:00–02:00
Thu12:00–02:00
Fri12:00–02:00
Sat12:00–02:00
Sun12:00–02:00

London › Brixton★★★★★ (—)

Ex-Conservative-Club turned Brixton nightlife venue with free monthly live-instrument open mic.

Backline6 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–00:00
Fri12:00–01:00
Sat12:00–01:00
Sun12:00–23:00

The Factory Bar And Grill

London › Gillingham, Kent★★★★★ (—)

Bar and grill with country entertainment.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon07:30–22:00
Tue07:30–23:00
Wed07:30–23:00
Thu07:30–23:00
Fri07:30–22:00
SatClosed
SunClosed

The Fiddler's Elbow - Music Venue

London › Chalk Farm★★★★★ (—)

Camden pub with live music every night.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon17:00–00:00
Tue17:00–00:00
Wed17:00–00:00
Thu17:00–00:00
Fri17:00–02:00
Sat13:00–02:00
Sun17:00–00:00

London › Manor House / Finsbury Park★★★★★ (—)

Live music pub.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon14:00–00:00
Tue14:00–00:00
Wed14:00–00:00
Thu14:00–00:00
Fri14:00–02:00
Sat12:00–02:00
Sun12:00–00:00

London › Sunderland★★★★★ (—)

Waterloo pub with Celtic and world music.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–23:00
Tue09:00–23:00
Wed09:00–23:00
Thu09:00–23:00
Fri09:00–00:00
Sat09:00–00:00
Sun09:00–22:30

London › Walthamstow★★★★★ (—)

Rock and folk pub venue.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–23:00
Sat12:00–23:00
Sun12:00–22:00

The Foundry Collective

London › North Acton★★★★★ (—)

North Acton creative collective.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
Tue09:00–23:00
Wed09:00–23:00
Thu09:00–23:00
Fri09:00–00:00
Sat09:00–22:30
SunClosed

London › Shoreditch★★★★★ (—)

Three-floor East End corner pub in Shoreditch — world beers, London gins, a roof terrace, resident Friday DJ and a private karaoke den.

Backline3 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–23:00
Sat12:00–23:00
SunClosed

London › Lewisham★★★★★ (—)

Lewisham's home of live underground music — reggae, swing, open mic and DJs across the week at 316 Lewisham High Street.

Backline6 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

London › Highbury & Islington★★★★★ (—)

Highbury & Islington, 600-cap rock venue.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

London › Stepney★★★★★ (—)

Stepney's Tuesday-night free open mic at 373 Commercial Road, E1 0LA — Grade II listed venue, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

Backline6 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

London › Gillespie Rd★★★★★ (—)

Islington ecology centre with events.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

London › Lant St★★★★★ (—)

Intimate SE1 folk-and-blues pub with craft beer and Indian food.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

London › Highbury Corner, Islington★★★★★ (—)

Live music venue.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon17:00–02:00
Tue19:30–02:00
Wed17:00–02:00
Thu17:00–02:00
Fri17:00–04:00
Sat17:00–04:00
SunClosed

London › Kentish Town★★★★★ (—)

Kentish Town's Tuesday-night free open mic at 20 Prince of Wales Road, NW5 3LG — gastropub with stage, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

Backline6 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat12:00–00:00
Sun12:00–22:30

London › Greenwich★★★★★ (—)

Greenwich's Thursday-night free open mic at 1 King William Walk, SE10 9HU — historic pub by Greenwich Park, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.

Backline3 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–22:00
Tue11:00–22:00
Wed11:00–22:00
Thu11:00–22:00
Fri11:00–23:00
Sat11:00–23:00
Sun11:00–22:00

London › Putney★★★★★ (—)

Putney's Sunday-night free open mic at 93 Lower Richmond Road, SW15 1EU — full backline including keys, in-house engineer, 15-minute slots.

Backline7 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
4 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat11:00–00:00
Sun12:00–23:00

London › Camden Town★★★★★ (—)

Camden Town's Sunday-night free acoustic open mic at 2 Castlehaven Road, NW1 8QU — Amy Winehouse's old local, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.

Backline3 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–00:00
Tue12:00–00:00
Wed12:00–00:00
Thu12:00–00:00
Fri12:00–01:00
Sat12:00–01:00
Sun12:00–00:00

London › Islington★★★★★ (—)

Historic Islington pub-rock and punk basement venue, music 7 nights a week

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–01:00
Sat12:00–01:00
Sun12:00–23:00

London › Dalston★★★★★ (—)

Live music venue.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed18:00–01:00
Thu18:00–01:00
Fri18:00–03:30
Sat18:00–03:30
Sun18:00–01:00

London › Islington / King's Cross★★★★★ (—)

Pentonville Road bar and live room.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon15:00–02:00
Tue15:00–02:00
Wed15:00–02:00
Thu15:00–03:00
Fri15:00–04:00
Sat15:00–04:00
Sun15:00–02:00

London › Saltaire★★★★★ (—)

Stoke Newington venue under Three Crowns.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon19:00–23:00
Tue19:00–23:00
Wed19:00–23:00
Thu19:00–02:30
Fri19:00–03:30
Sat19:00–03:30
Sun19:00–23:00

London › Rhayader★★★★★ (—)

Battersea bar with disco brunch events.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
Thu16:00–23:00
Fri16:00–02:00
Sat11:00–02:00
Sun12:00–00:00

View venue›

London Venue FAQs

How many grassroots music venues are in London?

GigXchange lists 274 grassroots music venues in London, from small pub back rooms to mid-size standing rooms. Each listing includes capacity, backline provision, genres booked, and verification status. Browse the full national directory at UK Venue Directory.

Which London venues provide full backline?

28 of 274 London venues offer full backline (drums, guitar amp, bass amp, PA). 106 provide at least a PA system. 27 include an in-house sound engineer. Use the filters above to show only venues with backline.

What size are London's grassroots venues?

Of the 169 London venues with known capacity: 51 are small (under 150), 75 are medium (150–499), and 43 are large (500+). The majority of London’s grassroots scene is mid-size standing rooms.

How do I book a gig at a London venue?

Sign up free on GigXchange to view booking contacts, fee ranges, and submission processes for every London venue. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music, EPK, or social profiles. Check current UK fee benchmarks before quoting.

Are there open mics in London?

Yes. GigXchange also runs the UK Open Mic Finder for London, which lists weekly open mic nights with backline, day, and fee filters. Open mics are the main pathway from bedroom to stage for most grassroots artists. See also our guide on getting gigs in the UK.

What's on at London venues this month?

The What’s On in London page lists every gig we hold across these 274 venues over the next four weeks — dates, times, entry and ticket links, refreshed daily. For everything beyond that window, browse the London gig directory.

What genres do London venues book?

The most commonly booked genres across London’s 274 grassroots venues are Rock, jazz, Pop, folk, indie. Many venues accept both original music and covers. Browse artist profiles by genre to find acts for your venue.

What are typical fees at London venues?

Fees vary by venue size and event type. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current percentiles for London by band size and venue type. Door splits are common at smaller venues; flat fees are more typical at mid-size rooms. The Musicians’ Union publishes recommended minimums.

Can I list my London venue for free?

Yes. Submissions are free, take 2 minutes, and are verified within 48 hours. Once approved, claim your listing to self-edit your profile and manage bookings. Venues with a PRS licence can also list their music policy.

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