t’s no secret that the cost of living crisis has had may Londoners re-thinking their spending habits, with price rises impacting almost all areas of life.
Music is no different, with everything from your monthly Spotify bill to your favourite concert tickets creeping up in price.
London continues to attract some of the biggest music stars in the world, with Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour, Harry Styles’ Love on Tour and of course, Elton John’s final tour Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, all recently stopping off in the capital for multiple nights to meet the demand. But with standing tickets costing upwards of £100, for some, live music is becoming more of a luxury than ever.
Luckily, with a city as vibrant and bustling as London, there is something to meet the needs of music lovers on nearly every budget. A tenner can go a long way for a great gig, and you’ve got a high chance of finding a new artist you’ll love in the process. So, we’ve compiled a list of the most budget-friendly places to catch a great show.
Here are our top picks of live music in London for a tenner or less
Blues Kitchen
Blues Kitchen
/ Jack KirwinBlues Kitchen might be known as a tasty barbeque spot, but music is at the heart of the place. It’s spread across three London locations (Camden, Shoreditch and Brixton) as well as Manchester, and it’s no coincidence that the chain is popping up in some of the most musically prominent areas in the UK.
The restaurant and bar have hosted the likes of The Libertines and The Maccabees, and with regular free music nights (and tasty food, though there’s no obligation to eat if you want to come in for the music, they tell us), the venue makes for a great live music experience.
Our recommendation:
Live Soul – Every Thursday (Shoreditch)
Free Entry
Thursdays are the new Fridays, and what better way to spend your pre-weekend than with some free live soul music in Shoreditch. The house band performs every Thursday, performing the genre’s favourites including Aretha Franklin and Etta James, with food and drink flowing. Live music starts from 9pm, with DJs ready to take you into the early hours of the night once the band has finished.
Old Street Records
Old Street Records has made a name for itself by putting three things at the forefront of what they do – live music, cocktails, and food. All three are high quality, and the space itself is full of character.
The bar has attracted some top talents including Florence Joelle, Adam Ficek (ex-Babyshambles) and DJs including Nikki Beatnik, and The Smoking Guns. There’s also 2-4-1 cocktails, which is always a nice touch.
Our recommendation:
The Zealots – August 30
Free Entry
The Zealots are regulars at Old Street Records, cropping up there many times over, and with good reason. The band’s funky soul vibes have become popular, so much so that the band have their own brand of events, Superfly, where they perform two sets as a duo and two as a full band.
Slim Jim’s Liquor Store
Who doesn’t love a dive bar, right? Located in Islington, Slim Jim’s has an all-American vibe, with bare-brick walls and booth seats. The bar has made a name for itself due to its excellent cocktails and late-night closing times – but it’s the live music that takes centre stage here.
Though the dive-bar aesthetic suggests a rock n roll vibe, the stage caters to acts from a range of diverse musical styles, from rock to soul and blues and anything in-between.
Our recommendation:
AfroDiziac – August 4
Free Entry
AfroDiziac feels like the perfect act for a first visit to Slim Jim’s. The artist has a Lenny Kraviz-esque vibe and thumping rock tracks including Riot. This show promises to be a lively experience.
Hootananny Brixton
If you live south of the river, you might be familiar with this iconic little venue, which also does food. Hootananny has been a mainstay in the Brixton scene for many years, both as a backpackers’ hostel and a live music space with a diverse range of acts across multiple genres – from rock to reggae, hip-hop to ska and everything in between.
Our recommendations:
Parthenope – August 9
From £8, hootanannybrixton.co.uk
Singer-songwriter Parthenope brings her fusion of jazz and soul to Hootananny for a headline show, which will see her serenade the audience with not only her vocals, but her saxophone playing too. She has a Lianne La Havas-meets-Corinne Bailey Rae vibe, and at only £8, quality live music doesn’t come at better value.
Danny Chaska – August 24
From £11, hootanannybrixton.co.uk
Ok, this one is a little cheeky as it’s £1 over the tenner threshold, but if you fancy spoiling yourself, Bristol’s Danny Chaska is a great option. With a laidback style reminiscent of South London’s Loyle Carner, Chaska’s Hootananny appearance marks the rapper’s biggest headline show to date, and promises to be a special one. Break your budget if you can.
The Old Queens Head
Islington’s Old Queens Head has been a favourite of musicians and revellers alike, with the trendy north London pub playing host to some of the biggest indie rock acts of recent years, including Bombay Bicycle Club and Foals.
Our recommendation:
French Dogs – August 9
Tickets: from £7, £10 at the door, gotobeat.com
Check out breakthrough band French Dogs. They have a gritty, nostalgic indie-rock vibe to them, with some standout tracks, including A Day’s So Long.
New Cross Inn
The New Cross Inn is a music venue through and through, with live acts playing in the events space seven days a week. Whether touring bands, local bands or club nights, their only criterion is — good music.
With that said, you never really know what you’re going to get. It’s a standout place to find new talent, with many unsigned artists listed on their events programme.
Oh – and did I mention it stays open till 4am on weekends? In London? What a treat.
Our recommendation:
Plastics – August 4
From £8, newcrosslive.com
The Plastics headline a night packed full of hard punk and bounce; expect loud drums and ferocious head-bopping with searing guitars throughout. This is definitely one for those who like a more high-octane night, and for only £8, getting your rock on never seemed more appealing.
The Windmill Brixton
Brixton’s The Windmill is a live music venue and pub with heritage, playing host to some of the finest bands to frequent the capitals live music scene, including Bloc Party, Hot Chip and The Vaccines.
Recently, the pub has been linked to a resurgence of the guitar scene, with shows at the venue from bands including Black Country, New Road cementing the cultural importance of The Windmill to the live circuit.
Our recommendation:
Summer Weird Sin BBQ 2023 – August 12
From £10, windmillbrixton.co.uk
The Windmill’s legendary all-dayer returns this summer, with Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something topping the stacked-out bill. Did I mention the BBQ is included in the tenner entry?
The Jazz Café
The Jazz Café is one of the most iconic venues in the capital, and it has hosted some of the most iconic acts in jazz, funk, soul and disco, including Amy Winehouse, Jamiroquai and Evelyn “Champagne” King.
Many of the shows at the venue do go above the tenner threshold, but if you snap tickets up early, it is possible to grab yourself a bargain.
Our recommendation:
Roy Davis Jr – September 1
From £5, thejazzcafelondon.com
One of the finest acts to emerge from the 90s Chicago house scene, legendary DJ Roy Davis Jr is set to grace the stage at The Jazz Café, bringing his collection of soulful anthems with him for an intimate and unforgettable night. With tickets starting at just £5, it seems a no brainer to snap them up.
The Lexington
A stone’s throw away from Angel, The Lexington has been one of Islington’s popular pub and music spaces for some time now, with singer-songwriter Billy Bragg and A Thousand Miles singer Vanessa Carlton among the names that have appeared.
Though popular, the venue suffered substantially during the pandemic closures, and though it received some funding from Art Council England’s Cultural Recovery Fund, the pub is still under significant financial strain – so it’s a great place to support.
Our recommendation:
Chinese Football – August 14
From £6, dice.fm
Wuhan-formed four-piece band Chinese Football have a distinct indie sound that fits perfectly in London’s gigging circuit, inspired by Nineties emo rockers such as Jimmy Eat World. Their guitar-bass driven tracks, paired with mandarin lyrics, are a step into the unconventional for the UK’s indie scene, but have become popular with audiences, and there’s already huge demand for their London show.
Old Blue Last
One of Old Street’s finest pub and live music spaces, Shoreditch’s Old Blue Last has strong form in showcasing the most exciting up-and-coming talent.
The pub, an old haunt of William Shakespeare REALLY? HOW DO WE KNOW THIS? is now owned by media giant VICE News UK, which acquired the venue in 2004, and has hosted some memorable shows since, including Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse and Florence + The Machine.
Our recommendations:
Archways — August 4
From £9, dice.fm
East London group Archways are one of the capital’s hype-worthy breakthrough indie bands, having sold out a headline show at O2 Academy Islington earlier this year. The band have only been together just over a year, but have been gaining significant traction in the live music scene, and this is a great chance to catch them in an intimate setting.
The Lotts – August 18
Free Entry
Merseyside-based The Lotts bring their garage rock sounds from Warrington to the capital for a free night. The band’s sleek sound and indie-sleaze aesthetic have made them an attractive propect, with their high energy easy-listeners including You Need It! and I’ll Get Round To It. This one’s sure to bring the house down.