Concerts in London/UK: buy pop/rock/jazz/classical/opera tickets

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UK concerts


Sections:	Introduction
	Free outdoor concerts in London
	Free indoor concerts in London
	Pop/rock
	Jazz
	Classical music
	Opera
	Further information
	Links

INTRODUCTION

Watch concert performances in the UK.

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FREE OUTDOOR CONCERTS IN LONDON: 2012

Below is a list of some of the free outdoor concerts in London's parks and open spaces during summer 2012.
For events in parks, people often bring a rug and a picnic. Deckchairs are available at some locations (a fee may be charged).
Make sure that you wear suncream if sitting out in the sun. For safety reasons do not carry bottles or other glass objects.
Please make sure that you check the website link shown to check the location and times (sometimes concerts may be cancelled or the performance changed).
Further details about some of the larger events and about some concerts for which you need to pay entrance charges can be found in the Ideas/Events section.

Regent's Park bandstand

Concert in Regent's Park

Deckchairs

JUNE 2012
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sat 23 Jun 2012	11am-6pm	Trafalgar Square	West End Live	click here
Sat 23 Jun 2012	12-7pm	Bruce Castle Park	Tottenham Carnival	click here
Sun 24 Jun 2012	12-6pm	Trafalgar Square	West End Live	click here

Rise 2007: The Noisettes ...

... and Jamelia

JULY 2012
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sat 28 Jul 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Sun 29 Jul 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Mon 30 Jul 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Tue 31 Jul 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here

Paprika Balkanicus (from the Balkans) ...

Fuerza Vallenata (Colombia)

... at Diaspora London Music Village 2007

AUGUST 2012
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Wed 1 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Thu 2 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Fri 3 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Sat 4 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Sun 5 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Mon 6 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Tue 7 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Wed 8 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Thu 9 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Fri 10 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Sat 11 Aug 2012	5:30pm & 9pm	Hyde Park (Parade Ground)	(London Live concert)	click here
Sun 19 Aug 2012	3-9pm	Brockwell Park/Herne Hill	Carnaval del Pueblo (Latin American)	click here

Sumaya perform gypsy music near Richmond Bridge

... and Brecha play Cuban-style music at On The Edge 2007

SEPTEMBER 2012
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sat 8 Sep 2012	12-10pm	South Bank	Thames Festival	click here
Sun 9 Sep 2012	12-10pm	South Bank	Thames Festival	click here

These London venues also sometimes have free outdoor concerts (or other forms of entertainment) during the summer:
The Scoop: http://www.morelondon.co.uk/events_details.asp?ID=71
Victoria Embankment Gardens: http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/environment/landandpremises/parksandopenspaces/veg
Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf: http://www.mycanarywharf.com/whats-on
Battersea Square, Wandsworth: http://flavors.me/musicinthesquare
Theatre Square (outside the National Theatre), South Bank: http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/wts
City of London Festival (various locations in the City of London): http://www.colf.org

Marching military bands can be seen during events such as:
Changing the Guards at Buckingham Palace (daily during the spring/summer, every other day during autumn/winter)
Trooping the Colour (see: Ideas/Album/TroopingTheColour)
The Lord Mayor's Show (see: Ideas/Album/LordMayorsShow)
Remembrance Sunday (see: Ideas/Album/RemembranceSunday).

Buskers often perform on the streets around Leicester Square, Covent Garden and on the South Bank, and in Tube stations. You can watch them for free, but they will ask for voluntary donations.

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FREE OUTDOOR CONCERTS IN LONDON: 2011

Below is a list of some of the free outdoor concerts in London's parks and open spaces at weekends during summer 2011.

MAY 2011
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sun 29 May	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	London Gay Symphonic Winds (Wind)	click here
Sun 29 May	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Tucker Finlayson Band (Jazz)	click here
Mon 30 May	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Jacques Café Band (French)	click here
Mon 30 May	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Andalus (Flamenco)	click here

JUNE 2011
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sun 5 Jun	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Grimsdyke Brass (Brass)	click here
Sun 5 Jun	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Steel All Stars (Steel)	click here
Sun 12 Jun	1-5pm	Whittington Park	Big Day Out in Whittington Park (Holloway Arts Festival)	click here
Sun 12 Jun	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Life on Venus (Pop/Jazz)	click here
Sun 12 Jun	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	London Saxophone Choir (Sax)	click here
Sat 18 Jun	11am-6pm	Trafalgar Square	West End Live	click here
Sat 18 Jun	12-7pm	Bruce Castle Park	Tottenham Carnival	click here
Sun 19 Jun	10am-10pm	South Kensington	Exhibition Road Music Day	click here
Sun 19 Jun	12-6pm	Trafalgar Square	West End Live	click here
Sun 19 Jun	2-7pm	Bernie Spain Gardens	Celebrating Sanctuary 2011	click here
Sun 19 Jun	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	The Flying Chaucers (Folk)	click here
Sun 19 Jun	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Candide (Pop)	click here
Sun 26 Jun	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Andy Cooper’s Top Six (Jazz)	click here
Sun 26 Jun	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	The Goodman in the Jungle (Jazz)	click here

JULY 2011
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sat 2 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	Sandhurst Silver Band	click here
Sun 3 Jul	12 noon – 7pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Origins Family Day (City of London Festival)	click here
Sun 3 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	East Sussex Concert Band	click here
Sat 9 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	Friary Guildford Band	click here
Sun 10 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	RAF Wyton Band	click here
Sun 10 Jul	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Crystal Palace Brass Band (Brass)	click here
Sun 10 Jul	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	The Blues Engineers (R&B/Swing)	click here
Fri 15 Jul	7pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Sinatra Under the Stars (Swing)	click here
Sat 16 Jul	11am-7pm	Brockwell Park	Lambeth Country Show	click here
Sat 16 Jul	1-10pm	Regent's Canal	Shoreditch Festival	click here
Sat 16 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	Ipswich & Norwich Brass Band	click here
Sun 17 Jul	11am-7pm	Brockwell Park	Lambeth Country Show	click here
Sun 17 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	Redbridge Brass	click here
Sun 17 Jul	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Harrow Concert Band (Wind)	click here
Sun 17 Jul	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	TJ Johnson and his Band (Jazz/Blues)	click here
Fri 22 Jul	7pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	USA Night with the legendary ‘Elvis’ and Chris Beck Band (Rock 'n' Roll)	click here
Sat 23 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	A.D. Concert Band	click here
Sun 24 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	Averly & Newman Band	click here
Sun 24 Jul	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Miguel’s Steel Band (Steel)	click here
Sun 24 Jul	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	The Flying Chaucers (Folk)	click here
Sat 30 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	Adur Concert Band	click here
Sun 31 Jul	3pm	St. James's Park	Second Wind Concert Band	click here
Sun 31 Jul	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Undercover (Rock)	click here
Sun 31 Jul	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Harrow Concert Band (Wind)	click here
Sun 31 Jul	3-9pm	Brockwell Park/Herne Hill	Carnaval del Pueblo (Latin American)	click here

AUGUST 2011
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sat 6 Aug	3pm	St. James's Park	The Jaguar & Land Rover Brass Band	click here
Sun 7 Aug	3pm	St. James's Park	Lofthouse 2000 Brass Band	click here
Sun 7 Aug	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Jimmy Beckley Trio (Jazz)	click here
Sun 7 Aug	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	East London Brass Band (Brass)	click here
Fri 12 Aug	7-10pm	Canada Square Park	Canary Wharf Jazz Festival	click here
Sat 13 Aug	3pm	St. James's Park	East London Brass	click here
Sat 13 Aug	1:30-10pm	Canada Square Park	Canary Wharf Jazz Festival	click here
Sun 14 Aug	1:30-8:15pm	Canada Square Park	Canary Wharf Jazz Festival	click here
Sun 14 Aug	3pm	St. James's Park	Staines Brass	click here
Sun 14 Aug	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	DB Infusion (Jazz/Latin/World)	click here
Sun 14 Aug	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Tziganka (Russian/Gypsy)	click here
Sat 20 Aug	12-8pm	Richmond Riverside	On The Edge	click here
Sat 20 Aug	3pm	St. James's Park	Beckenham Concert Band	click here
Sun 21 Aug	3pm	St. James's Park	Becontree Brass Band	click here
Sun 21 Aug	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	The New York Café Band (Jazz)	click here
Sun 21 Aug	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	'Celli Babies (Classical)	click here
Fri 26 Aug	7pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Latin American Night with Gui Tavres (Latin/Salsa)	click here
Sat 27 Aug	3pm	St. James's Park	City Wind Orchestra	click here
Sun 28 Aug	12-7pm	Notting Hill	Notting Hill Carnival (Caribbean)	click here
Sun 28 Aug	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Five Go Jiving (Jive)	click here
Sun 28 Aug	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Jacques Café Band (French)	click here
Mon 29 Aug	12-7pm	Notting Hill	Notting Hill Carnival (Caribbean)	click here
Mon 29 Aug	3pm	Parliament Hill Bandstand	Ginny Brown Band and guest (Country)	click here
Mon 29 Aug	3pm	Golders Hill Park Bandstand	Covent Garden String Quartet (Classical)	click here

SEPTEMBER 2011
Date	Time	Location	Description	Website
Sun 4 Sep	1-8pm	Gunnersbury Park	London Mela (Indian/South Asian)	click here
Sat 10 Sep	12-10pm	South Bank	Thames Festival	click here
Sun 11 Sep	12-10pm	South Bank	Thames Festival	click here

FREE INDOOR CONCERTS IN LONDON

Royal Academy of Music: http://www.ram.ac.uk/events. Students sometimes give free concerts in the college buildings on Marylebone Road, near to Baker Street underground station (map).

Royal College of Music: http://www.rcm.ac.uk/Events/Chamber+Music+Series. Students sometimes perform free chamber music concerts.

There are free concerts in the Café Consort of the Royal Albert Hall during the summer (often on Friday lunchtimes): http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/ignite-summer-2011.aspx

Free lunchtime music (usually jazz or classical concerts) is often played in the Central Bar of the Royal Festival Hall on Fridays and Sundays: http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/venues/royal-festival-hall

There is often live music at the National Theatre in the foyer before plays: http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/1821/music/foyer-music.html

There are some free lunchtime concerts at Cadogan Hall (near Sloane Square) in a summer programme of events called "Out to Lunch": http://www.cadoganhall.com/outtolunch

Free concerts sometimes take place in the foyer of the Barbican: http://www.barbican.org.uk
[If you are aged 16-25 you can join "FreeB", providing access to free or discounted tickets to some events at the Barbican: http://www.barbican.org.uk/free_b]

Free events at the Rich Mix Centre: http://www.richmix.org.uk/free.htm

Lunchtime recitals are also sometimes performed inside churches. These are often free (there may be a suggested voluntary donation). For example:
St James' Church, Piccadilly: http://www.st-james-piccadilly.org/LunchtimeRecitals.html (see: map)
St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square: http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/page/music/lunchtime.html
LSO St Luke's: http://lso.co.uk/page/3266/Friday-Lunchtime-Concerts
If you enjoy listening to choirs or organ music, you may wish to attend an evensong service or an organ recital in a church or cathedral. At Christmas you can enjoy carol services.

Many pubs put on free concerts on certain evenings.

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POP/ROCK

You can use the following links to book tickets for UK pop/rock concerts (gigs):
- Ticketmaster (pop/rock)

In London some of the main rock venues are:
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Arena
Apollo Hammersmith
Shepherd's Bush Empire
Brixton Academy
The O2 Arena

For more information about British pop/rock music, see: Britain/Music/Pop

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JAZZ

You can use the following links to book tickets for UK jazz concerts:
- Ticketmaster (jazz)

In London well-known venues for jazz concerts include:
Ronnie Scotts
Pizza Express Jazz Club
A monthly listing of jazz events in London can be downloaded from this link: http://www.jazzinlondon.net

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CLASSICAL MUSIC

You can use the following links to book tickets for UK classical music concerts:
- Ticketmaster (classical music)

In Central London some of the classical music venues are:
Barbican Hall
Cadogan Hall
Kings Place
Purcell Room
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Royal Albert Hall
Royal Festival Hall
St James's Piccadilly
St John's Smith Square
St Martin-in-the-Fields
Wigmore Hall

Websites of some London-based orchestras:
- Academy of St Martin in the Fields: http://www.asmf.org
- BBC Concert Orchestra: http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/concertorchestra
- BBC Symphony Orchestra: http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/so
- City of London Sinfonia: http://www.cityoflondonsinfonia.co.uk
- London Mozart Players: http://www.lmp.org
- London Sinfonietta: http://www.londonsinfonietta.org.uk
- London Symphony Orchestra: http://www.lso.co.uk
- New London Orchestra: http://www.nlo.co.uk
- Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment: http://www.oae.co.uk
- Philharmonia Orchestra: http://www.philharmonia.co.uk
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: http://www.rpo.co.uk

For a list of classical concerts, see: http://www.concert-diary.com or http://www.bachtrack.com/event-calendar

The Royal Albert Hall (near Knightsbridge)

(c) BBC Proms. Photo: Chris Christodoulou

Inside the Royal Albert Hall

The BBC Proms are a series of classical music concerts each evening between mid-July and mid-September at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Some of the concerts are shown on BBC television (BBC1 or BBC2) and most are broadcast on the radio (BBC Radio 3). You can also listen online even if you are not in the UK. These concerts have taken place since 1895 and have become a popular British tradition. The most famous concert is the Last Night of the Proms in mid-September. The traditional ending of these concerts includes Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D major", Wood's "Fantasia on British Sea-Songs", Elgar's arrangement of the hymn "Jerusalem" and Britten's arrangement of "The National Anthem". It is an occasion famous for its patriotic atmosphere. For full details, see the BBC's Proms website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms or the Royal Albert Hall's website: http://www.royalalberthall.com

To be able to apply for tickets for the Last Night you usually need to buy tickets for 6 or more tickets for other Proms concerts. It is easier to buy tickets for a similar concert at the same time known as Proms in the Park. This takes place in Hyde Park (opposite the Royal Albert Hall) and in some other parks across the UK.

The Proms are so called because some of the audience stands in the 'promenade' area of the hall. Over 500 cheap standing tickets are sold each day in the Arena (directly in front of the orchestra), and high up in the Gallery - there are different queues for these. In 2011 these standing tickets cost 5 pounds each (payable in cash only). They can be bought by anyone (not just students).

Last Night of the Proms (2 CDs)
Artist: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Date: July 2007

Last Night Of The Proms 2000 (DVD)
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Chorus
Studio: Opus Arte Media Productions
Date: July 2001

OPERA

You can use the following links to book tickets for opera in the UK:
- Ticketmaster (opera)

The main locations for or opera (or ballet) in London are:
Royal Opera House (there is a Student Standby scheme: http://www.roh.org.uk/studentstandby)
Sadler's Wells
London Coliseum
English National Opera (there is a discount scheme for students or people under 30: http://www.eno.org/explore/access-all-arias/access-all-arias.php)

The most famous annual opera festival in the UK is at Glyndebourne (near Lewes, East Sussex BN8 5UU; map)

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FURTHER INFORMATION

"Time Out" is a detailed weekly guide to what's on in London.
Click here to subscribe online to: Time Out magazine

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LINKS

Monthly guide to events: Ideas/Events
Proms concerts: Ideas/Album/Proms
British music: Britain/Music

Home page: Home

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