Hattie Lloyd 16/01/23
Shepherd’s Bush Empire | Grand Live Music Venue on the Green
Charlie Chaplin and The Rolling Stones don’t have a lot in common.
After all, one was famous for making no sound, and the others kind of relied on it.
They have both, however – among many other big names including Shirley Bassey, Vera Lynn and Amy Winehouse – graced the stage at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire; a historic, Grade II listed music venue at the top of Shepherd’s Bush Green.
First opening in 1903, the Empire was originally a music hall for vaudeville and comedy acts, and when that fell out of fashion it became a filming theatre for the BBC – the Old Grey Whistle Test, Crackerjack and The Generation Game were all filmed here. But since the early 90s, the Shepherd’s Bush Empire has been reinstated as a live performance venue, playing host to a range of bands, comedians and talks every week.
Jacob Banks
Genre-wise, anything goes here – in any given month you might find anything from Americana to UK grime. And aside from what your ears will be experiencing, the Shepherd’s Bush Empire is quite a treat for the eyes, too – the original Edwardian features have been lovingly restored, and the gilded balcony seating and ornate plaster ceilings sit side-by-side with state-of-the-art lighting & sound systems. And as with any decent live music venue in London, you’ll also find plenty of bars to keep you hydrated (serving drinks in 80% recycled cups, which is nice), and a cloakroom (though you can’t bring in any bag larger than an A4 piece of paper, even if you’re planning to check it in).
So travel light… like a rolling stone.
NOTE: You can see who’s playing at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, and book tickets, HERE.
Shepherd’s Bush Empire | 211 Shepherd’s Bush Green, London W12 8TT
Love music? Check out the best London restaurants with live music
211 Shepherd's Bush Green, Shepherd's Bush, W12 8TT View On Map
020 8354 3300
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