London, United Kingdom

Free Monday-night stand-up room that grew into one of London's most respected clubs. Two venues, comedy nightly.

Purpose-built East London comedy club run by Lee Hurst, in operation around 20 years. Hosts touring stand-up plus a free new-act night on Tuesdays.

Long-running West End comedy club hosting professional stand-up multiple nights a week at the Arboretum venue near Leicester Square. Repeatedly voted Best London Comedy Club.

London's most famous stand-up room. King Gong on the last Sunday of the month is the most brutal new-act spot in the country.

Free-to-enter (donation-based) Covent Garden club running stand-up most nights of the week, with a second venue at 23 Kingsway. Highly rated as one of London's busiest comedy rooms.

Greenwich's old-school comedy room — heckle culture is alive and well. Acts cut their teeth here.

Open-access fringe across north London venues, running parallel to Edinburgh. A staple London preview circuit.

Long-running Monday-night blues jam at London's dedicated blues bar in Soho, off Carnaby Street. Bring an instrument and join the list. A second jam runs Sunday afternoons.

Weekly Sunday afternoon jazz jam in the basement of the Spice of Life pub in Soho, hosted by Different Planet. Open to instrumentalists and singers; food served all day.

Late-night Monday jam at the legendary Soho jazz club, running for decades. A different ensemble of British jazz players hosts each week, focused on bebop and hardbop standards. Tickets typically £10.

After the main show, the bandstand opens up. Iconic London late-night jam.

Long-running Sunday jazz jam in the heart of Soho. Sign up early, bring your axe, expect heavy hitters.

Weekly Sunday session at Dalston's long-running Vortex Jazz Club, hosted in rotation by Jas Kayser, Rick Simpson, Nick Costley-White, Sean Gibbs, Helena Kay and Riley Stone-Lonergan.

Weekly Wednesday acoustic open mic in Chiswick, hosted by Tom Lukas and presented by London Unplugged. Solo, duo and trio acoustic performers; full PA and monitors provided.

Weekly Tuesday-night open mic at this Caribbean bar in Hoxton, hosted by Hannah Khemoh with Oscar Stieler on keys and a backing band. Singers can perform with a full live band.

Historic Earls Court venue. Singer-songwriter friendly, attentive crowd.

Founded by Sir George Martin and based since 1992 in a converted Hampstead church hall. Known particularly for orchestral and film-score recording.

Iconic recording complex opened in 1931 and made famous by The Beatles. Studio One is one of the world's largest purpose-built recording rooms; offers in-person and remote sessions.

Independent west-London studio founded in 1980, known for vintage and modern equipment and a long history of indie and alternative records.

North London studio established in 1973 by Ray and Dave Davies of The Kinks. Recent work includes Little Simz's Mercury-winning "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert".

Independent four-studio complex founded in 1976 by Mickie Most in a converted Victorian schoolhouse. Long client list including Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and Amy Winehouse.

Boutique Richmond studio built around a vintage EMI TG-series desk from Pathé Marconi Paris. Originally producer Terry Britten's private studio; clients include Stereophonics and The Verve.

Shoreditch studio complex founded in 1984, with multiple rooms used by Nick Cave, The Prodigy, FKA twigs and Charli XCX. Shares a site with the long-standing Strongroom Bar.