Where it’s at!
Selected listings of London venues that frequently feature vintage Black music events.
London clubs, music pubs, DJ bars, and other venues
The London Dossier website lists venues with a strong focus on non-electronic Black American, Afro-Latin, Afro-Caribbean, and African music genres: jazz, blues, soul, salsa, samba, reggae, ska, calypso, Afrobeat, highlife, etc.
100 Club, 100 Oxford Street, London W1D 1LL
The 100 Club
The 100 Club is a historic basement venue accessed via a staircase. There are no wheelchair accessible or gender neutral toilets. There is, however, a cloakroom, which costs £3 per item.
Flamingo Club Soho, Kingly Court, 49-51 Kingly Street, Carnaby, London W1F 9PY
The Flamingo Club
The Flamingo Club is a recently opened basement venue located just off Carnaby Street. It was inspired by the 1960s Flamingo club located on Wardour Street. As the venue is rather intimate in size, it is recommended you leave bags and coats in the cloakroom at the entrance.
Grow, Main Yard, 98C Wallis Road, London E9 5LN
Grow
Grow is a progressive venue in Hackney, that aims to be inclusive. The main event area is on the ground floor, which the venue's website states is "wheelchair accessible with an accessible gender-neutral toilet". It adds that "there is a wheelchair-accessible bar on the side with a height of 102 cm". The outside areas are not wheelchair accessible, however, and can only be reached via flights of stairs. Although Grow allows pets during the day, all animals not required for assistance must leave by 8pm, before evening events begin.
Helen of Troy, 20 Hanway Street, London W1T 1UG
The Helen of Troy
Formerly known as the Hanway Social Club, this is an atmospheric basement dive bar popular with late night drinkers. The venue has no cloakroom but does have a self-service coat rail near the ground-floor entrance.
Notting Hill Arts Club, 21 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JQ
Notting Hill Arts Club
West London's famous Notting Hill Arts Club is a basement venue with an "industrial chic" vibe. It is a cashless venue, holds around 200 people, and has a cloakroom but no lift. Note that admission requires a valid form of photo ID (e.g. passport).
Paper Dress Vintage, 352a Mare Street, London E8 1HR
Paper Dress Vintage
An inclusive nightclub in Hackney, that by day transforms into a vintage clothes shop. There is a ground floor bar but the DJs and dancefloor are up a flight of stairs (unfortunately there is no lift). A courtyard out back is available for smokers and a cloakroom is available at the entrance.
Phoenix, 37 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PP
The Phoenix
A cool basement club with separate dancefloor and bar areas. Access to the venue, which is situated beneath The Phoenix pub, is via a staircase.
Ridley Road Market Bar, 49 Ridley Road, London E8 2NP
Ridley Road Market Bar
Ridley Road Market Bar is a popular late-night DJ bar in Dalston. It is a ground-floor venue that aims to be socially responsible and trans+ inclusive.
Rivoli Ballroom, 350 Brockley Road, London SE4 2BY
The Rivoli Ballroom
The Rivoli is a stunning 1950s ballroom with large wooden dancefloor and red velvet decor. It is located in south east London opposite Crofton Park railway station.
Rolling Stock London - Shoreditch, 48 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DA
Rolling Stock
A ground floor cocktail bar that welcomes dogs. It has a large beer garden, which is used primarily as a smoking area.
Royal Sovereign, 64 Northwold Road, London E5 8RL
The Royal Sovereign
A cosy, ground-floor Clapton pub. Despite having no dancefloor per se, the venue hosts various DJ nights.
SJQ, 10A Bradbury Street, London N16 8JN
SJQ
Formerly known as Servant Jazz Quarters, SJQ is a two-floor a cashless venue. It has a ground floor bar and seating area, with the DJs, dancefloor, and toilets located in the basement (accessed via a staircase). There is no cloakroom, so travel light.
Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis Square, London W11 2AY
The Tabernacle
A legendary Notting Hill community venue with two separate events rooms.
Troy Bar, 10 Hoxton Street, London N1 6NG
Troy Bar
A ground-floor Shoreditch club with separate bar, dancefloor, and seating areas.
Upstairs at the Ritzy, Ritzy Cinema, Brixton Oval, London SW2 1JG
Upstairs at the Ritzy
The venue is above the Ritzy cinema on the top floor and there is no lift. There is no cloakroom either, but a coat rail with hangers is provided for hanging jackets.
Vout-O-Reenee's, The Crypt, 30 Prescot Street, London E1 8BB
Vout-O-Reenee's
Vout-O-Reenee's is an elegant basement venue accessed via a staircase (there is no lift). It operates as a private member's club, but members are able to hire the venue to hold events open to the public. Although known for hosting LGBTQ+ events, there are no gender neutral toilets.
Walthamstow Trades Hall, 61-63 Tower Hamlets Road, London E17 4RQ
Walthamstow Trades Hall
Walthamstow Trades Hall is an old-school social club with sensible drinks prices. It is known for hosting both queer and non-queer events, and has recently pledged to be a safe space for trans+ people. There are two floors, with the larger ground floor event space boasting pool tables, bar, and large dancefloor. The upstairs event space is much smaller. The venue has no cloakroom and pet dogs are sometimes to be found inside.