Amazing venue for many types of music. I never fail to be entranced by the beauty of the architecture and the awe factor the building inspires. Lots of the classical or Proms shows have cheap seats available (£10 - 12) so you don't have to shell out loads of cash to experience it. The acoustics are of course great and the lighting of the interior simply beautiful. Tip: Order your interval refreshments in advance at the bar. It's much more fabulous to sashay up to your set of drinks awaiting on a table than to wait in a queue. read more

Royal Albert Hall - Moet bar, v nice - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

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What can I say? It's the Royal Albert Hall. Grand shows, rock concerts, lectures, graduations, all are hosted in a lovely auditorium with good acoustics and nice decor. The snack bars aren't bad all things considered, and they have some neat options like chocolate coated strawberries with champagne. If you want to impress on your first date or please any other visitor to London, take them here! read more

The Royal Albert Hall must surely be the most impressive place to watch classical music in London. The programme is probably politely called varied but I would say patchy, although there is bound to be something for everyone over the course of a year. And besides, it's not the sort of place you need to go on a frequent basis. Absolutely huge, it is the venue for most major musical events including the Proms each summer. A huge circular building, it is incredibly impressive from the outside, nicely accentuated by its position across the road from the hilariously gaudy Albert Memorial. The concert space is breathtaking with seating for over 5,000 people and space-age red mushroom lights hovering down from the ceiling, giving it an up-to-date but not incongruous look. read more

Royal Albert Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

Classical music isn't my type of concert, but I love concerts and it's hard to pass on saying I went to one here. My trip was during the Proms which I did not know anything about until I looked it up online. So I will discuss my experience with that. I first came on Sunday evening because I was nearby and just wanted to see the building. After walking around awhile, I noticed signs for where to wait for day tickets for £6. I had no idea this was even a thing. I got in line about an hour before the concert and ended up with #395 for the arena (floor) and was told we may not get in. Just before the concert was going to start we were notified the arena was full and we could try the galley (balcony). But soon after we rushed to that line, it was full too. If I had picked galley from the start I'm pretty sure I would have gotten in as it's less popular. So you can also pre purchase day tickets in the morning starting at 9am online for £7. Which I did a couple days later with no issues finding availability. This guarantees you get in that evening. I arrived about 90 minutes early for the concert and was #58. Because you can pick up your number any time and come back before doors open, go early if you can. They'll line you up by number. As we go in, they also let the day £6 tickets go in. So you could also go in the morning and grab a ticket for that line. There seemed to be people I will call Prommers. They know each other and the staff and seemed to go to a lot of these. When we got inside they rushed to the barricade at the stage which I didn't know was a thing for classical concerts. For my show, the arena was full but the galley very empty. The sound was amazing and the venue looks incredible. They said no food or drinks inside so I ate before the concert, but as soon as we got inside everyone pulled food and drinks out of their bags like a picnic. Even if you don't like classical music like me you'll still enjoy an evening at this beautiful venue. read more

Royal Albert Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

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The Royal Albert Hall opened in 1871 and seats 5,272. The landmark Victorian venue has had performances by the world's leading artists of all genres. It is a beautiful building and you can feel the history of this distinctive building as soon as you walk in the doors. I have heard criticism of the acoustics. I found it hard to find seating maps of where my ticketed seat was located. Leaving the building was very frustrating. There is no designated taxi que (like Italy.) The drivers select the passengers which they want to drive. If you are staying near or in Kensington they will tell you to walk while they search for a longer drive. Uber is horrible in London and pickup points are difficult in the area by Hyde Park off of Kensington High Street. Tube stops and bus stops are located nearby. Make reservations with restaurants if you want to eat at the venue prior to the event. I was sent my ticket via email the day before the event. You have to have it scanned every time you go in and out of the restaurants, bars, and bookshops. So, have it handy. I had a great seat for viewing but the chairs are not comfortable. read more

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A truly stunning venue with great acoustics and an organ that will shake the skin from your bones. Whether you are attending a classical concert, a prom or something more contemporary, the Royal Albert Hall is a great place to witness it. The events calendar is very varied and it seems that the hall can mould itself to whatever and whoever is on stage. Tony Bennett performed live there in 2006 and it truly was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Never have I witnessed a modern artist perform with no mics or amplifiers (for two numbers) and yet thanks to it's design and his great voice, he managed to fill the hall with sound. Don't be surprised if the interior feels much smaller than it looks on TV! For a different experience, go to the Proms and attend in the gods. You rarley get the chance to go to the top and you're offered the unique opportunity of walking around or laying down to enjoy the music. What other arena offers that? read more

Royal Albert Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

The Royal Albert Hall is one of the best venues in London to see live music because of the amazing acoustics. I was lucky enough to get tickets to see the legend that is BB King and his band perform. Little did I know what I was in store for! Not only were they recording the whole concert live for a DVD and album but there was some great surprises in store which included Ronnie Wood and Slash jamming with the King on stage. The music was everything I hoped it would be and more but what I didn't expect was how charming and funny BB King was. At the age of 85 he had plenty of funny stories to tell and advice to give out. After two whole hours of playing and entertaining I was happy but ready for my bed. Mr King however left the stage as fresh as the moment he had entered it. A truly amazing man as well as a blues master. The BB King concert at The Royal Albert Hall has to be the highlight of my year so far and a night I will never forget. http://www.itsnosmallthing.weebly.com read more

Royal Albert Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

This is a beautiful venue for concerts. Its quite sophisticated and the acoustics are great. It's a bit of a trek from the nearest tube station though so get there early. I watched the BUTA festival opening here and it was fantastic! read more

Royal Albert Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

London is a concert town without truly outstanding classical concert venues (Barbican & Royal Festival Hall are mediocre in comparison to e.g. The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester or the Cologne Philharmonic Hall, etc) - which makes Royal Albert Hall your best option for a great evening out at the classics (or shows or pop concerts, RAH offers them all, all year round). The 7,000+ seats historic venue has an atmosphere unequalled by *any* other I have visited in the past 30 years, especially at the annual Proms Concerts, when the hall is packed to capacity more often than not. At the Proms, cheap tickets (UKP 6 a pop) for standing in the Arena or high up on the Gallery (I recommend the Arena for better sound & view) are available on the day. The acoustics of the RAH cannot rival the modern, smaller concert halls, but the sound will reach every corner - eventually. It's the style and atmosphere that truly impress. That said, some of the amendments could really be improved, especially concerning the sparse, small toilet facilities. During a concert interval, especially if you're a woman, you should run for the loos as fast you can, for there will be queues! There are bars and restaurants on every level, ranging from posh to practical. The basement bars for the Arena IMHO are the nicest for drinks, as they are a bit chintzy and old-fashioned. Also, the North Circle Bar on the Rausing Circle level is recommended for its efficient service. You can always book drinks ahead for the interval but even if you don't, usually you will your get your drink after 5 minutes of queuing at most. The range of drinks is fairly limited at the bars, and prices are elevated (a pint of Stella or Old Speckled Hen will cost you UKP 6). Whether you book the stalls, the Loggia Boxes, the Grand Tier or the Rausing Circle, the sonics are much the same. Only in the Gallery you might expect the volume to be notably decreased, which can be an issue for classical concerts. So, for "Promming", always choose the Arena! read more

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Incredible place as usual. Second time back and still in love with this place :). Harry Potter concert was definitely amazing. read more

Royal Albert Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

All Hail Adele! As anyone who regularly follows my blog knows, I initially started the blog to chart my notoriously pants lovelife. Realising quite quickly that I wasn't half as amusing or interesting as Carrie Bradshaw and her pals, I expanded it to the more general content about my life, friends, family and other stuff ! The soundtrack to my blog which I write to, used to be just be pop, jazz and soul music, usually accompanied or interrupted by girlie gossip and food or the heartbreak diet depending on the state of my lovelife !New favourites were pretty rare, until Adele sang her way into my heart. Tonight I finally saw her in concert with Aisha. Adele was in her own potty mouthed way 'freaking amazing'! Appearing first as a backlit silhouette singing Hometown Glory, her actual appearance onstage practically blew the roof off the Royal Albert Hall, with mass applause from a very appreciative audience. I have to admit I just about made it through Turning Tables (arguably my favourite track off '21'), without turning into a tear puddle, due to some hilarious pre-song banter from Adele regarding her ex partner who she wrote the song about. Between song banter is a talent sadly lacking in some of the world's biggest music stars, which means when you come across gold star quality banter, which is exactly what Adele has in spades,you can't help but lap it up. She is side splittingly funny, without being crude, nasty or harsh. Refreshingly honest about her mistakes in life and in particular with men. We loved it. Nodding in agreement at those 'crappy' empathetic romantic moments that we've all experienced and laughing with her, about her mock diva outbursts. For someone who's known for singing sad songs, this lady is anything but that. She sang all her hits - Chasing Pavements,Don't You Remember, Rumour Has It to name a few,and a few covers - Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me and the Cure's Lovesong, all of which were interwoven with her infectious personality and funny stories. Her tone was beautiful, rich,warm and effortless. Her pitch was unbelievable, especially as she explained that she was recently recovered from a respiratory problem. She gave it her all, even restarting one song, because she felt she hadn't nailed the beginning of it correctly. Poignantly she paid tribute to Amy Winehouse by dedicating Make You Feel My Love, to her. Her beautiful rendition was heightened by the lights being dimmed, everyone switching their phone lights on at her request, while a blanket of lit stars spiralled around the hall, bouncing off a huge mirrored ball in the centre of it. She saved Someone Like You, until the end and was just as electrifying as her now famous Brit Awards performance. We sang the chorus back to her twice and just like she did at the Brits, the love in the hall for her, moved both her and quite a lot of us to tears. Fortunately, she came back out for an encore of Rolling In the Deep, which had everyone on their feet dancing and clapping. Adele left the stage, exactly as she arrived, to the sound of an audience, besotted by her voice, now in love with her humour and humility. If you get the chance to go and see her, take my advice and do it ! read more

The Royal Albert Hall is one of my favourite buildings in London. It's an impressive architectural landmark located just across the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park I've been here for many musical events and the acoustics are excellent. I'm not sure if the dome helps to amplify and clarify the sound but music does sound more vibrant than the Royal Festival Hall for example. Access by public transport is good with South Kensington Tube station being only 15 minutes walk away and there are lots of eating options nearby for a meal before or after performances I've heard everything from classical music at the Proms to watching a Cirque du Soleil performance to seeing the stage transformed to a large steam paddler in water for a performance of Show Boat to performing Verdi's Requiem as part of an audience participation event My graduation ceremony from the University of London was also held here Worth a look whatever the performance read more

Just breathtaking on the inside. A stunning building with a great lineup of events throughout the year. However, I've only visited during the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts that have taken place over a long weekend in March for the past 9 years. They put on a great series of shows for a great cause in one of the most famous venues in the world -- what's not to love? Get some culture in you and visit the RAH at some point in your life. read more

i can't believe i never rated this place until now. RAH really takes your breath away. i came here twice last year, once to see a broadway retrospective w/ various singers when my parents came to visit, and once to see jools holland when the hubby and a friend came to visit. both were great, even when we sat super high up for jools holland. the acoustics in the bldg are such that no seat is a bad seat. coming here is like going to the fillmore in sf, b/c they have pix of all the famous performers who have played at RAH. definitely a must-do if you find yourself in london. read more

How can I really like the Albert Hall when Frank Zappa was (or possibly even in death still is) banned from playing there for "obscenity" in 1971? He is the only genius whose life has overlapped mine. Good one Albert..ban the genius. I have however been to some great gigs there over the years. Experiences had. Heroes met. New heroes made. If I do look at the place objectively, I can however point out some classic examples of prime English stupidity and classic "stuffiness"... My dad going to the bar, asking "if I buy a white wine, can I take it in with me?" We walk ten paces from the bar to the seating door. "Oh no - you can't take that in, sir" says the old fruit usher and continues his discourse with his colleague about what Diana Krall was late on stage in a kinda "How dare she do that - does she know where she is?" kind of way. Which is kind of the problem with the Albert Hall - the staff think that they own the place. The bars all shut way too early. Yes indeed, a shut bar is ALWAYS a problem, but even more so when you have to wait in the hallway for 30 minutes twiddling your thumbs if you have VIP passes while they open the Artist's Bar after the show. It seems it has been like this since coming here as a boy... I once got "told off" for talking to my friend during a gig there. Not a quiet gig - it was Toto, rocking out in their AOR splendor. I get moaned at for saying all of ten words to my friend. Stuffy old fuds. The temperature of the place is more suited to the geriatrics who work there (or lizards, but I did not see any there last night) than humans of childbearing age. Stuffier than the staff's attitude. Warm / Stuffy + Jazz = Drowsy Chris. *I know!...I'll go get a Diet Coke to wake...oh...the bar is closed isn't it?* Also, acoustically, the Albert Hall favours classical music. I have spent time at sound-checks at rock gigs while engineers have toiled for half an hour to get the kick drums to stop encountering weird slap-back echo effects that the design of the building throws into the mix. Last night's Diana Krall performance was too quiet at first, and then too harsh and aggressive a sound to match Krall's smooth delivery. It occurred to me last night that I clearly don't have enough fat on my arse. After half an hour of the gig, it went to sleep due to the under-padded chairs. Hand me that pizza! read more

I've seen more classical performances in Royal Albert Hall than any other music venues, and it's not even slightly close to my home. Why? They constantly have such great performances that keeps luring me back! Either it's for a 2 hour symphony or a small quartet over Sunday morning coffee, Royal Albert Hall is my must visit place whenever I go to London. Location: The closest tube stop is South Kensington, which is still about 7-10 minute walk after you exit from the tunnel(which could take another 7 minutes from the actual tube station). I have also managed to get there from Gloucester Rd station within 10 minutes (which I don't recommend because it involves a lot of running and sweating). So plan ahead and arrive early. If you are not a last minute person like me, this could be quite a pleasant walk. Since South Kensington is the museum district, you get to see all the interesting posters of all ongoing or upcoming exhibitions across the city(in the tunnel). Once you go out of the tunnel, you get to walk on the beautiful and spacious Exhibition road. Architecture: The building itself is very spectacular. Built during Victoria era and has been renovated many times since. I especially like the comprehensive lighting design they have over the ceiling, even the acoustic diffusing discs are very decorative. Events: Even though Royal Albert Hall may seem to be a venue for classical music, it actually hosts a great variety of other events such as ballet, opera, ceremonies, circus, rock concert and even tennis matches. Shows I've seen: - Classical Coffee Mornings This may be my favourite thing on Sunday mornings. Every Sunday at 10 am there's a small concert hosted in the airy Elgar room, could be a piano recital, or soprano singing, guitar solo, French horn solo or Clarinet. For £10 only you can enjoy world class music in a intimate atmosphere with some coffee and pastry. Surely the coffee and pastry are a bit below par but people don't really come here for those do they? The first concert I went to was a trio of piano, violin and cello played by award winning students from Royal Academy of Music (conveniently located just across the street). The size of this room was perfect for this performance and everyone loved it. A fun fact: the red baby grand piano in this room was donated by Elton John (he played it during one of his world tours). - Best of Broadway (with royal philanthropic orchestra) Lots of singing and dancing. The crowd may seem a few decades above my age but how can it not be fun when you get to hear favorites from West Side Story and sing along with some Abba? - Classical Spectacular This is a regularly hosted concert (annually or bi-annually) which combines well known classical pieces, world famous soloist, opera singers, comedy interaction with audiences and a great light show all in one. While it may seem a bit flashy for classical enthusiast, it's great fun to take newbies(like me) or children as an introductory to classical concerts. Even people with little interest in classical music would find this very enjoyable, both acoustically and visually. - Lang Lang's recital: Mozart and Chopin in-the-round Lang Lang must be very popular in the UK that tickets for this show were sold out months ahead of time. Luckily he is a regular at Royal Albert Hall so you can book your tickets in advance. Although the artist is frequently criticized for being "showy"(and I can see why), he pulled off a great show with some of the most complicated pieces from Chopin with impeccable technique and great passion (he had to wipe off sweat from the piano keys after each piece). With 3 encores I'd say he's won himself over a huge crowd. - BBC proms: Mahler 2 BBC proms is a 8-week long daily concert event held every summer in Royal Albert Hall since the 40s. It's called proms because unlike usual classical music concert, there's more than 1000 standing places available for each concert for a price as low as £5 (So consider it a 8 week long classical music festival). Proms stands for Promenade Concerts (apparently when it first started back in late 1800s it was hosted in outdoor gardens, and people can walk around it). It was started as an effort to train public to appreciate classical music with minimum bar to entry. The humble price doesn't indicate low quality. Quite the opposite, every year world famous orchestras put on more than 70 high class concerts, on top of other pre-show talks and late night Jazz performances, it's truly a festival for music lovers. During the concert I went to, I was surprised to see how many people actually stood through the full convert (many of them are seniors). I felt ashamed for sheepishly buying regular seating tickets and sitting comfortably in a box, but am still glad that I didn't have to stand for 2 hour straight... read more

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Last Night of the Proms review.. Woke up at the crack of Dawn to queue up for the Last Night of the Proms and worth every moment!! Last Night of the Proms at Royal Albert Hall was definitely one of my best London life experiences to date! When I heard about this event, three years ago I knew I had to go. Finally, living in London this summer granted me the chance to realize my dream. When I got there, about 63 people were queued in front of me (I was number 64) and around 10am we were given our tickets. We were allowed to leave the line for no more than 45 minutes at a time (although the queue checkers were lenient) and had to be there for the mandatory checks throughout the day. The people at the front of the line were Aussies who camped overnight and even brought out a cooker for brekky. Most people brought blankets and picnic and lots of wine and bubbly to enjoy in the queue. Once there, the first half was quite formal and the second half was a riot. Yes, it was definitely exhausting standing for hours but once everyone started singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" and a Liverpool Flag was flying, I quickly forgot any foot pains. After learning all the words to God Save the Queen (which the yanks have turned into another song, sincerely appalled to realize that) and Rule Britannia, I felt like an adopted Brit and was singing all the way to the Tube waving my Union Flag. The atmosphere was just magic and getting caught up with all the singing made me understand why my Danish and German Queue-mates told me that the Brits were known for singing well. To top it off, during one of the song, members of Team GB came out on stage to celebrate and sign. I nearly wanted to cry I was so swept up with happiness by then! I had a stupendous time, seriously and majorly TOTES BRILL to the full extent! Can't wait to go back! read more

The other night a friend of mine sent me a text saying there's a gig at the Albert hall... I jumped at the chance to go, so when I meet up with them I asked who were to see.... When they eventually told me I was really not excited, turns out I gone to a "James" gig, you know! That great band that had a number hits including "sit down" and... So, feeling like an outcast, I to tried and fit in and get into the spirit of things and I started miming to song I didn't know, feeling like a complete donkey this soon stopped. As a younger gentlemen I had the chance on two occasions to perform in the Albert Hall and I loved the spectacle it is truly a beautiful building, although could have done with a few more seats... thankfully the gig wasn't too long and watching the woman standing in front of me who was doing the same swaying dance for 2 hours was just about as entertaining as the prospect of getting the bus home. One thing though, the bar!!! It's some kind of port-a-pub where the staff don't know how to serve a drink, along with sort of makeshift steel kitchen work surfaces that are meant to actually be the bar. Alex read more

I pretty much freaked out when I came here with my friend a couple of years ago during the Classical Spectacular. My friend and I were both music majors and we decided to go see some popular classical performance because we were doing papers on theater in London. Let me just say that we had an amazing time. We're Americans so it was an absolute blast to see so much British pride! I'm not sure Americans would have little flags in a venue and start waving them around during one of our traditional songs. Every booklet came with a mini British flag and once God Saved the Queen and a few other British classics came on, everyone started to wave their flags around. I can't tell you how happy we were to see so many dedicated citizens! :) Audience aside, the actual venue was truly breathtaking. The stage was gargantuan and didn't look like anyone was uncomfortable on it. There were so many different groups on the stage, it was hard for me to believe it! They really know how to put on a show. If people are familiar with the Classical Spectacular show, they know that there are laser lights that shine all over the venue. This wasn't as exciting as I was expecting, but still thrilling none the less. I really didn't have anything to complain about. Zadok the Priest, Bolero, Nessun Dorma, Mars from the Planets are just a few pieces that the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performed during the show. Zadok the Priest is already one of my favorite pieces so that was great. But honestly, the best performance of the night was the 1812 Overture. I would hate to ruin it for people who haven't seen this show, but they really do a great surprise at the end of it. I just about leapt out of my seat due to the mind-blowing performance. The acoustics of the theater were great. No complaints from my end. We had high seats but we saw absolutely everything and I remember telling my friend how there couldn't have been a bad seat in the house. Amazing performance, a very participating and enthusiastic audience and beautiful music making. If there was one performance I could see again in London, it would be this one at the Royal Albert Hall. Don't miss a chance to see something like this here! read more

Never will the building ceases to take my breath away. Majestically placed in South Kensington, the Royal Albert Hall plays (and has played) host to everything from the Royal National Ballet to our very own Chatty Man, Alan Carr. Erected in the 19th century and opened by Her majesty Queen Victoria in the March of 1872. What a absolute pleasure it is to behold the architecture and the distinctive red brick and terracotta ornamental finishing. I have had the pleasure of visiting my beloved a number of times but still each time is like the first! Fond memories. Fond times. read more

Very very disappointing afternoon tea...need to book 3 days in advance so had to postpone. Well, this afternoon I went and I am wondering why the advanced tickets. It wasn't full of people and the food was terrible and not crafted as if someone stilly cares what they are serving. Service is unbelievably slow. Water is difficult to obtain. Venue was hot and stuffy even on a gorgeous spring day due to poor ventilation. I understand there is no AC in an old historic building; so open some windows! Get some fans! Was very uncomfortable. Bathrooms are disgusting. Tea arrived AFTER the food tray. As for the food: the finger sandwiches were very blah. I didn't think cucumber, cream cheese and mint could taste like absolutely nothing. The smoked salmon was ok. The scones are tiny, rock hard, and despite being wrapped in a tea towel as if being kept warm, were served cold. The clotted cream was nice but would have been so much better on a warm scone! The desserts were absolutely disgusting. Flavors being put together that have no business being together and were either sickeningly sweet and overly rich or downright bitter. I have been to plenty of lovely afternoon teas and was expecting this to be a real treat. However, it was overpriced and disappointing. Bottom line: AVOID FOR TEA. Plenty of other places to chose from in London! read more

What an absolute GEM in the crown of London's culture. I went to an evening of Steve Reich at the Proms. The 5 pound tickets are probably one of the greatest deals i've ever come across for concert tickets. I still have good eyesight so I opted to sit up in the gallery! The cavernous space and volume of mental space it affords you to absorb and take in the music is heaven. I was a little less than impressed with the bar staff, who I almost had to jump behind the bar to help him find my drink. Prices were what you'd expect for a venue like this and the plastic cups give it that festival feel... which I happen to enjoy. I want to throw something in the mix here though.... i dont understand this QUIET appreciation of classical music. Where are the cheers and the whoops, our expression of enjoyment happens in many ways, mine certainly is not always in the plain of silent judgement. I find it terrifying. I urge you all to whistle and whoop at the next classical gig you are at! read more

Sang the Anvil Chorus here back when I was 13 with the San Diego Children's Choir. Ohhhh my gaaaaaad, we sounded so good. and Ohhhhhhh wow was it packed with people and gorgeous architecture. We were so impressed with ourselves, sounding insanely damn good. Fantastic memories!!! read more

Fabulous facility, considering its age. We were actually on a tour of the facility, which I highly recommend. Lots of excellent historic information during the hour long visit, and some interesting and seldom seen rooms. If you're lucky (as we were) you'll see a lot of activity going on as the stage and seating are set up and the lighting and sound tested. read more

My husband and I went here for date night. It was during Proms and we went for free. Yup, for free. I was browsing their website and saw that they had a late performance (10PM is late for me, I'm old, yo!) for free. We got the tickets and decided to make a whole affair of it. We booked a hotel room nearby (no late bus for us, we're old...) and had dinner at one of their restaurants on site. The food was meh but the performance was wonderful. Definitely a place worth returning to. There really isn't a bad seat in the place. The accustics are wonderful and hopefully I will return again to see another performance. read more

Time to put on my sophisticated hat (a metaphysical top hat if you will) and prepare to dive into the cultural world of classical music. Now in this case I'm a total water baby, can't get enough of the stuff! So surprise surprise for me that I went to my first of the year's outing at The Proms! Just too much going on in my calendar obviously to go to many of these amazing concerts this year. If I had to pick one prom to see, this was a good choice. Highlights included some stunning playing of Elgar's Enigma Variations and a mesmerising (new to my ears) piece by Bantock based around Celtic music. This was played by strings with 6 harps in the background and was absolutely gorgeous. Nectar for the ears. And in the Royal Albert Hall, one of the most beautifully constructed buildings in London. How can a night get better? With good company that's how and I went with some of the best :) Also, if you want to explore the proms at low cost, do what I did this time and go promming. It costs £5 to get in, first come first served (they have ~500 tickets) and you normally queue for about an hour maximum to get in. What. A. Bargain! read more

I came here mere hours upon my arrival into the UK and I am ashamed to say that I was having trouble holding my head upright from my fearful jetlag. I do not even remember what I heard here, but I do remember being ever more gently lulled into circadian-rhythm induced sleep by the orchestra. Next time I come to London I will definitely take in another symphony here, albeit once I have adapted to the time difference :) read more

Such a stunning venue. The acoustics are incredible as is the giant organ built into the back wall. I got a front row seat in the rake stage right (for free I might add) which swiveled 45 degrees so I could look at the stage without straining my neck. I also got to go backstage, right into the bowels of this historic venue. The semi circular corridor that goes past the dressing rooms to the artists bar is adorned with photos of previous greats onstage. It's inspiring to the point of intimidating! Frank Sinatra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra.. There's even a picture of Mohammed Ali back in the days they staged high profile boxing matches. Big city's need beautiful building like this one to make their mark and even the view from outside when you see it all lit up at night is breath taking! Was it worth missing the Yelp Karaoke night? ...The jury's still out! read more

My 4th visit to the Hall and this place just gets more magical each time. The architecture is amazing and the auditorium is awe-inspiring. It is a huge venue and it can get a bit overcrowded in bars if you want to get a drink, but this time they'd introduced an app that allows you to browse the menu and place orders from your phone and have your drinks waiting for you at your selected bar! I was also able to just print out my ticket that was emailed to me, saving me a lot of hassle around ticket pick up, which I hated in the past. I would also recommend the Moet & Chandon bar - easy to spend a lot of money there, but it looks great (and champagne is amazing!) All in all, they are managing to keep the historic character of the building while modernising some of the things that used to really affect the customer experience. You must visit Royal Albert Hall at least once before you die! read more

Royal Albert Hall - You can now place orders from your phone and skip queues in the bar - what a great idea! - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

Yes, Royal Albert Hall is a VERY impressive venue, especially with the jovial atmosphere of Proms. I love coming here. I love sitting in the boxes and looking down on the whole spectacle of the evening. No question, it's a wonderful evening out and a great experience. But folks, the acoustics here are abysmal. The Royal Albert Hall is a BARN. I don't care what they have done to try to improve the acoustics, music still gets swallowed by the size of this place. I was here for Mahler's 3rd Symphony last night, and while that's got to be one of the most beautiful pieces of music written in the last 150 years, and the performance was spot on, things got lost and swallowed. It's a shame, because on all other accounts, the Proms are one of my favourite things about living in London. read more

Absolutely stunning venue, from both the outside and in. This circular building is both beautiful on the outside, dotted with murals and ornate stonework and stunning on the inside, hosting period features, snaking columns, and lined with opulent red theatre seating. I've visited the Royal Albert Hall to see Quidam (Cirque du Soleil), Tori Amos (twice), Rodrigo y Gabriela and Opeth. All of which I can say were worth the money and were some of these artists better performances. Whilst tickets can be pricier than you may come across at other venues, you'll know seeing performances at this venue, that not only will you be in for a visual treat, worth it just to soak in the sophisticated grandeur of this venue, you'll also know that wherever you sit, you won't have issues with sound quality. The sound quality at this venue is outstandingly superb! I've stood ringside and sat way up in the upper circles and cannot fault either, with the only difference being how close you are to the acts and how much you value being able to see facial expressions. Although I've been equally impressed by the view from the upper circles, as well as being equally awe inspired standing at the front on the ground floor. The respectful age and beauty of this venue adds to the elegance of the experience. I find the seats comfortable and easy to sink into and I particularly like how the ones in the lower circles can also be angled towards the act as required. I would however like to give you a couple of heads up: 1) You may want to find a bar for pre-show drinks as it can get busy at the bar, expensive and you have a limited choice. 2) For those with a fear of heights, it's better that you pay the extra not to get seating in the upper circles. Whilst for some the giddy and unnerving feeling of being on the edge of the balcony and a precipice might be exhilarating, for those that do not like heights, I could imagine that this to be extremely traumatic. read more

04/25/2015 I went here to watch Matt Redman & Reuben Morgan perform. Other guests were Christy Nickels & All Souls Orchestra. Unfortunately we had the middle standing section which was very crowded & no space to move. I'm sure my experience would've been much better if we had gotten a seat. Overall the venue seemed really classy & acoustics were great inside. If i'm lucky I'll be able to come by here again to watch another performance in the near future. read more

It's a historic building, and a London landmark. It's immense and impressive from the outside. Pay attention to which door you need to enter through, though! Inside is ornate, detailed, grand and breathtaking. The floor area usually has seats (called the Arena), though these can be removed for some events. Then there is a lower tier of about a dozen rows of seats (the Stalls). Above this is a tier of private Boxes. Above this is a tier of very steep seats (the Circle) - don't worry about the person in front blocking your views, though you are getting a bit far away now. Finally, the Gallery is a wide open area circling the top. There are no seats here, and you simply stand (or sit, if you can peek through the railing). Prices obviously get cheaper the higher you go. Not all tiers are open for all events. There are stairs and lifts all the way up. There are toilets on every level, and lounge areas with bars on almost all levels. The sound is gorgeous in the Hall, and the opulent surroundings give every event a sense of grandeur and gravity. The Proms - the annual series of popular classical music, with cheaper seats than normal - are a big event, and I've been twice. I've also seen musical acts like Eric Clapton (who does stints of several nights from time to time), David Gilmour, and The Be Good Tanyas. read more

This review is for the venue and for the tour I took on London Open House weekend, Firstly, the tour. Our guide was super knowledgeable about the building, the history and all the major events that occurred. We were able to see the Queen's rooms and the secret staircase she uses to access them. We also got to look into her reserved box... cool! We went to the top floor and were able to see the disks that had been installed to eliminate the echo that occurs due to the domed roof. A great tour, very informative and cool to see the behind the scenes. Now on to the venue. I was taken to see Cirque du Soleil: Totem as a birthday present. We had box seats on the left side of the auditorium. The show was absolutely fantastic and used the space of the venue really well. The seats were comfy and there were enough toilets so that you didn't end up waiting in line for ages. The building itself is gorgeous and I highly recommend seeing an event here. read more

Everytime I come here I'm amazed. Such an authentic, legendary hall, and yet a very multifunction auditorium... in the 2 years I've been in London, I came here to watch Matrix with live music, listen to a Proms concert, attend my Imperial College graduation, and, like yesterday, to watch an ATP Tour Legends tennis game ! FA-BU-LOUS ! read more

This is an amazing spot! An old historical music hall. I was lucky enough to attend their last 'Carols by Candlelight' of the season, on Christmas Eve. The conductor was funny and amazing! The entire orchestra was dressed in old Regency clothing, wigs included. We sat directly behind the choir and were lucky enough to interact with them throughout the evening. There are a ton of seats here, yet you do not feel crowded. If you need to eat before your show, they have a cafe on site. Everything about Royal Albert Hall is amazing! read more

*sniff* as one who lived around the corner for 18 years, but hopped across the Pond in adulthood, I felt compelled to review. One word: PROMS. Where else can you find the world's best orchestras playing history's finest pieces day in, day out? While tickets might seem steep and acoustics are perhaps not the best for fully appreciating such high-calibre music, a walk in gorgeous Kensington Gardens, a 99 Flake from the ice cream truck across the road (which costs something like FOUR POUNDS now! Murder!) and a good old listen at the BBC Proms makes a perfect, leisurely and cultured summer afternoon/evening read more

This is not everybody's cup of tea, but certainly touched my heart - Late Night Prom 75 - the Silk Road Ensemble. Thousand of years have passed, the Silk Road remains a powerful metaphor for cultural exchange. Yo-yo Ma has called the routes, the "Internet of Antiquity." RAH is perfect for the Prom as musicians walk in from the peripherals and the music rises to the centre. Leading exponents of instruments from Japan, China and India conversing with their counterparts on Western instruments in an everlasting dialogue... This short Prom (105 min) is just about right for promming in the "promenade" area. My first time to see Yo-yo Ma so close - a ceaseless and fearless musical explorer. Bravo!!! In case you still fancy promming, the last prom tonight is @ Hyde Park (need alternative energy for tkts :) While writing, I'm listening to the Silk Road Suite again @ http://feeds.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mj6rc, modern technology enhances the little recap. Kudos to BBC Radio3. read more

One of the most amazing theatres in London. Every seat has a great view of the stage. I love the fact that the seats rotate, so it's easier to let people walk past you. read more

Royal Albert Hall - The amazing hall - Music Venues Near Me - Kensington, XGL

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I saw Oasis here and they were loud, it rocks. I saw Springsteen solo acoustic here and it was so.. I can't even describe. It was personal, it was raw and truthful. I saw Van Morrison here and it was uplifting and fun. The reason I tell you about these, apart from name dropping, is that the venue suited all these things. It's great like that. You'd never think seeing Liam & Noel arguing would work in a venue like this, but it does. I've been right up in the rafters, I've been right down in the front rows - everywhere you see offers a unique, great experience. If you have a chance to see anything at the Royal Albert Hall you really should, because it's great. 'Nuff Said. read more