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
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