To help music lovers find the best gig hotspots near them, experts at the UK’s fastest growing live music marketplace, GigPig, have analysed the search interest and Google reviews for more than 300 venues across the UK, including bars and clubs, pubs and restaurants, and stand alone music venues, to find the favourites amongst fans.
Top 10 Music Venues
When looking at venues specifically dedicated to live music, London leads the charge as Grade II listed Alexandra Palace in North London takes the top spot, followed by the O2 Academy Brixton, and Koko in Camden Town. Other popular London venues O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, The Roundhouse and O2 Forum in Kentish Town also feature in the top ten.
With the most Google searches of all the venues analysed, iconic Ally Pally sees around 246,000 Google searches every month across the UK, and has earned itself more than 21,000 Google reviews from previous visitors to ‘The People’s Palace’, scoring a perfect 100.
Reviews of Ally Pally on Google include:
“What a special venue this is. The atmosphere at gigs is just electric. If your favourite band or artist is playing here then it is well worth travelling to see them.”
“Getting into the gig was efficient. Getting out of the gig even more so as there were courtesy buses to the nearest tube station. Would love to visit again.”
“Fabulous venue for a gig. Huge. Great atmosphere.”
South London’s O2 Academy Brixton has been hosting live music since the early 80s, and is still a firm favourite with gig-goers with 74,000 Google searches per month, and more than 10,000 Google reviews from past visitors.
Outside of the capital, Manchester’s O2 Apollo takes position five with 40,500 Google searches per month and 8,278 Google reviews while the O2 Academy in Birmingham sits in 6th place with more than 49,000 Google searches and 6,708 reviews.
Rock City in Nottingham and the O2 Academy Glasgow round out the top ten popular music venues in the UK.
Top 10 Bars & Clubs
Taking the top spot as the UK’s top bar or club for watching live music is none other than London’s own home of British jazz, Ronnie Scott’s.
The moody jazz bar has been showcasing the world’s finest musicians since 1959, and is clearly still a firm favourite amongst music lovers as evidenced by the more than 135,000 Google searches for the venue every month across the UK, and the almost 6,000 Google reviews for the establishment, giving it an overall score of 92/100 in the weighted ranking index.
Reviews of Ronnie Scott’s on Google include:
“What a fantastic jazz orchestra! The musicians and conductor looked like they were enjoying themselves as much as we were, and the M.C was charming and engaging. The atmosphere is incredible, and the waiting staff were friendly and attentive.”
“A must do! If you ever get the chance you have to visit Ronnie Scott's.”
“It's iconic, it's where some of the best musicians in the world hang out, it's Ronnie Scott's. The sound was incredible and that's from the side of the room! The atmosphere was great, a true experience.”
Albert’s Schloss in Manchester is the second-most popular bar for music fans, where visitors to the Bavarian-style beer cellar are also entertained by live performances, music and cabaret seven days a week.
The first of two branches of Albert’s Schloss, Manchester’s venue scored 91/100 thanks to the 110,000 monthly Google searches and more than 7,000 Google reviews from previous patrons. The second Albert’s Schloss venue, in Birmingham, sits in fourth place with a score of 26/100.
London is home to four of the top ten top bars and clubs in the index, with Pergola on the Wharf (Canary Wharf) taking 3rd place, Heaven (Charing Cross) in 7th place and Radio Rooftop (Embankment) in 8th place amongst music-lovers’ favourite music venues.
Up north, Manchester’s Peaky Blinders takes sixth place in the list overall with a score of 25/100 while Lost and Found Club (Leeds) scored 19/100, while down south, Boom Battle Bar Exeter and Komedia Brighton also feature in the list.
Top 10 Pubs & Restaurants
When it comes to gastropubs and restaurants that provide live music for patrons, The Ivy in Manchester takes the crown according to customers of the venue.
With more than 12,000 Google searches every month and over 5,000 Google reviews, the modern British restaurant earned a total of 62 out of a possible 100 in the weighted ranking. With an all-weather terrace with retractable roof, music fans can enjoy the sounds of the venue’s resident DJ seven days a week.
Manchester is home to five of the top ten pubs and restaurants for music lovers, including Sexy Fish (55/100) in second place, Dukes 92 in third place (46/100), Crazy Pedros Bridge Street (30/100) in ninth place, and Cain & Grain (29/100) in tenth place.
Three of the top ten venues are in London, with The Prince in West London scoring 40/100, Pizza Express Live in Soho scoring 37/100 and The Finsbury in North London scoring 30/100.