Independent Venue Week Spotlight: Village Underground

Here's a look at one of the best independent venues in London, Village Underground.

Date published: 17th Jan 2023

From the 30th of January to February 5th, Independent Venue Week will be taking place this year. An annual reminder of the key role that these places have in our local communities and culture, fantastic gigs are put on across the UK. We thought we'd take a closer look at some of the venues in London and this time around we're focussing on Village Underground.

Village Underground can be found in the heart of East London in the Shoreditch area. A dead giveaway for spotting it is the four tube carriages you can spot on top of the building which makes it one of the most unique music venues in the city when it comes to standing out from the crowd.

The venue was formed in 2006 as it looked to build affordable studios for creative people who were struggling to gain a foothold in London. Located at the top of an old railway viaduct, the building was in disrepair before a full clear-out began and the space was renovated into what we now recognise as Village Underground.

It opened fully in 2007 and has been a mainstay within the city's music scene ever since. One of the most distinctive parts of the venue is the wall on Holywell Lane which is constantly being sprayed with new street art. Every three months they invite a new artist to come down and imprint their own style on the wall.

(Find tickets for Channel One Soundsystem- Sunday Session here)

The venue space itself is bigger than you would think from the outside and able to hold 700 people standing and 250 seated. Able to host both club nights and gigs, it has a bustling and busy schedule and has hosted many famous names in the past including Father John Misty, Foals, Mura Masa and many more.

On the roof where you find those four tube carriages, you'll find a series of creative platforms, which the carriages have also been converted into. Allowing spaces for artists, playwrights, filmmakers, architects photographers and more, Village Underground is all about empowering creative people to thrive.

It's something that makes Village Underground stand out as not only is it dedicated to bringing special talents to London but it also provides a space for them to work. Nights here are never boring and they have an eclectic amount of events happening. If you want to find out more click here. Find tickets for Critical Sound presents Systematic below:

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.