Great little venue just across the road from Highbury and Islington Station. Whilst the venue itself is quite intimate, the acoustics are anything but. For most gigs I have no idea who is doing the sound, but it's either muffled to the point you can hear any words, or overly loud, in which case you feel the person in the booth is either deaf, bad at their job, or just has access to really poor equipment. It is capable of sounding good. One gig by Glasvegas was perfect. Sound was balanced, not too loud, and I understood every word (despite the accents!) so they really just need to pull their finger out for the majority of other acts, regardless of who supplies equipment. The venue is a little dank inside and when it's packed can get quite rowdy. So as long as you're not wearing anything particularly nice, you'll be fine. read more

The Garage - Madcap Stranger rocking it - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

I went to The Garage twice in one week - first to see Abney Park (a steampunk band who don't often perform in the UK) and then to see the Cruxshadows (a darkwave band from America, along with several other really great bands - Among the Echoes and Bad Pollyanna). The sound was ok, a little bit dodgy to start with but certainly improved as the night went on. It's a small venue with a bar, stage and very small seating area (near the bar). I think it's the perfect size for bands - intimate enough to get close to the band but big enough that you can dance around and lose yourself in the small crowd. The prices at the bar are quite expensive in my opinion: I took 20 quid on the first night and that was just enough to buy two beers and two shots of spirits for me and my friend. Thankfully there's a Barclay's cashpoint just around the corner. Even when it's quite busy though, you never have to wait for too long to get a refreshment. There's a cloakroom that charges £2 per item so we combined our jackets to make it one item (shh! Don't tell anyone!). They section off a bit of pavement outside as a smoking area which I know can get a bit crowded on busy nights. I can't comment on the men's toilets (although I have been in them once, apparently...I don't remember much of that night!!) but the women's loos aren't up to much. There's at least two that leak so you either hope to get one of the unflooded ones or play a puddle dodging game before you sit down! As the other reviews have said, it's close to the Tube station so it's easy to get to. Or if you're a bus-sort-of-person then there's some bus stops just around the corner. Overall, compared to other 'alternative' bars I've been too, this is one of the nicer ones. Brilliant for bands with very reasonable ticket prices. read more

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First and foremost for a music venue the number 1 priority should be the sound and I think this is where The Garage lets itself down. I've been to a couple of gigs here and they've either been turning the volume up too loud or the speakers they have can't handle the sound as it all gets a little muffled. I imagine if the music was something slightly softer then this wouldn't be such an issue. Location wise it is great. Roughly a 2 minute walk from H & I tube station and only 1 minute bus journey from Holloway Road. There's not much happening around the venue so if you want food/drink beforehand you will have to head to either Highbury roundabout or the safer option would be to go to Upper St. Drinks are the usual for a music venue. Overpriced lager served in a plastic pint pot but the bar staff were attentive which softens the blow a tiny bit. I've been to better venues but I've also been to a lot worse! read more

The Garage - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

Great medium sized venue - saw the Weakerthans here recently. Extremely close to the tube, cheap drinks and easy bar service, passable acoustics, and fast coat check - can't ask for much more. read more

Lovely venue! I went to see the World Burlesque Games 2012 Fundraiser here and although we had standing rather than seated tickets (as these had sold out) we could see across the venue to the stage very easily. The main room is lovely with an arched roof that make it's feel homely and warm. It was clean and also seemed like a well maintained venue. The bar is well stocked and not unreasonably priced and the staff seem to know their stuff. We also went into the smaller front bar, which we found to be cosy and well laid out with lots of seating. The sound quality in both rooms was of a good quality and because of this and the event itself we had an unforgettably good experience here. read more

The garage is a small to medium sized music venue very close to Highbury & Islington tube. Primarily known for hosting live bands, there are also club nights which I have yet to experience. On the live band front, there are a number of surprisingly large bands playing this relatively small venue, making for an intimate show so long as you know about it, and can get tickets, as well as a huge number of less well known acts. I have found the sound at this venue to be much better than a lot of other places I have been to, and so would highly recommend going to see a band you like there safe in the knowledge that a rubbish venue is not going to ruin your enjoyment. The garage has, along with any number of other music venues and football stadiums, been taken over by a corporation, which has brought about re branded as the Relentless Garage (after the energy drink). Apart from a slight exterior make over and a new website, the interior seems unchanged as far as I remember from older visits, although it tends to be so dark inside as to render this a moot point. Very atmospheric, equally good for anything from Soulsavers and Mark Lanegan, to Orange Goblin! read more

Came here for a friends bday small intimate place but not a great venue. Bit dark and dingy but for lovers of rock perfect venue, just not for a pop tart like me read more

The Garage - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

The Garage, now called the Relentless Garage, is a great little venue with a line-up of up-and-coming and fairly big name bands, or so it would seem for 2010 so far! It's part of the MAMA group of venues which includes The Borderline, HMV Hammersmith Apollo and Barfly in Camden. It's got a great location as well, practically opposite Highbury & Islington tube. The venue seems to be just about the right size and is nicely arranged with the bar and seating area at the back of the main hall being at a raised level, enabling short people like myself to stand there and still see the band. Maybe it was because of how tired I was that night, but I felt other venues, such as the Scala and Barfly, felt more intimate when I went to those. And just so you know how tired I was, I drifted off to sleep a couple of times while waiting for the main act to come on. Standing up! Ah, the perils of going to concerts on my own. Outside of concerts, The Relentless Garage also has club nights, with a particularly intriguing one called Punk Rock Karaoke on March 6th! read more

Relentless Garage is a relatively small music venue tucked away just north of Islington. As the name would suggest, it's sponsored by Relentless energy drinks and those naturally have a large presence behind the bar (ie...a jaeger bomb will not be made with red bull but the Relentless equivalent). Given the small space, it will be bloody loud no matter where you are so be prepared to be fully absorbed in the music as talking will more or less be impossible once the band gets going. The acoustics are pretty decent given the layout and the sound crew take centre stage. It's actually pretty cool to see them do their stuff while you wait for the warm up acts to get out of the way. I think the bar is cash only (not 100% sure on that) so it's worth hitting the cash point outside before you get in. The only other thing I'd want to point out is that as it tends to be lesser known indie bands, you get a wide age range, in particular some of the younger kids who don't know their limits yet. Be wary of the jail bait stealing drinks from wide-eyed teenagers and then puking in a corner. You don't want any of that! read more

The Garage is an amazing venue to see up and coming musical acts. I've a fondness for the Garage since it was one of the first venues I frequented in London when i was a mere teen. The venue is just big enough to get a good crowd in, but not so much that you're distanced from the band as in bigger venues in town. Many acts both local and international have played at The Garage and hopefully it will continue to supply a high calibre of music to the masses for years to come. There's also a smaller venue upstairs via a different entrance, but the real action is in the main downstairs stage. A great all rounder with easy access from Highbury tube just over the road. read more

This place has always been a little overpriced in my opinion and its absolutely over run with people dealing narcotics BUT when you take that aside its a wicked club with a wicked party atmosphere I would definitely recommend! read more

The sound in this venue was a bit so-so. The accommodations backstage: also so-so. According to fans, the drinks weren't particularly well priced. But! The space is better cleaned than many other UK venues I've seen this past month. The people who worked there were nice enough and the bouncers didn't seem to be too prickish with the kids coming into the venue. Props for having a designated merch setup area for bands. read more

A tidy little music venue, good sound, have all types of music here, fairly easy to get a drink, one of my fav's in London. Don't hesitate to go see a band/solo artist/DJ here. Good surrounding area, good bars and restaurants in the Islington area for all your pre gig drinks or meal. read more

I attended a small gig in the upstairs room, the room itself wasn't too bad and the sound wasn't too bad but the set up in this room isn't ideal - in order for anyone (male or female) to go to the bathroom you have to squeeze right past the stage where of course people are crowded to see the band..... infact the band and their crew have to squeeze through in order to get in and out of the backstage area too....not he best planing I've seen. The drinks choice was sparse to say the least but considering it was a London venue the price wasn't too bad at least. The venue location however is ideal, directly across the street from the Highbury & Islington tube station and various bus stops right outside. read more

I have been to a lot of concert venues and I must say I really like the Garage. The venue is not too big and not too small, the drinks are reasonably priced for a venue (£3.80 for a pint). the bathrooms are nice and without long lines, and no matter how packed it is you will find a space where you can see the stage properly. The Garage seems to have mainly punk and rock bands playing and ticket prices are around £10-15 pounds depending whether you buy it online or at the door and including a £2 fee for whatever it is. It does have a coat check, i think one item is £1,50, which i think is too expensive, but I don't check my coat anyway, so it doesn't matter to me. Also, it's really easy to get to as the tube is just across the street and a bus stop literally just outside! The garage is one of my favorite venues in London and if you wanna see a band in a nice atmosphere and actually be able to see them, this is the place to go!! read more

I got to see Hank Williams III here, so I might be a little bit biased, but honestly any venue that hires Hank III to play is OK in my book. Some of the other gigs there looked pretty punk, so I would assume that whoever is works booking for the relentless garage is preferring it to be a punk venue, and if they are reading this i fully encourage them to continue is this vain of Rock-a- billy music. The Venue itself was relatively clean and spacious for what I am used to from punk venues. there was a bar in the back where the service was pretty accessible and well staffed, and then there was even a minibar. and the prices weren't astronomical as one would expect from a venue, I had a Vodka tonic for £3.20. There wasn't even a ridiculous line for the bathroom! Now I am willing to admit that all of these factors probably vary by performance, but honestly it was better than what I was expecting/am used to, considering the ticket was only £15. (and Hank III was amazing btw) read more

A stone's throw from H&I station, which has a tube and an Overground link -- though I hoofed it from Angel, with a pit stop at The Regent Pub for pizza and drinks. (There did not appear to be much else around the venue by way of a pre-show dinner, fyi, and the Regent is lovely - see review.) The venue is small and intimate, a surprising choice for Au Revior Simone (really? they didn't pull as many as Haim, who played the Koko last summer??). Anyway, no complaints on the size of the venue, because the sound was GREAT, and we could hear their harmonious, dreamy, soft vocals like a charm. A small, raised up stage with no gate/barrier between the the crowd and the edge of the platform made me feel like a high schooler seeing their favorite local band. All so accessible and intimate, I loved it. Four-sided bar that didn't take long at all to pull beers as needed. ATMs broken, but with a note that they accept card (with a £10 minimum). Bathrooms were clean and in working order. The show had a good crowd and was not oversold or cramped. Overall quite pleased with this a music venue. It's not very big, but seems to nab some decent acts, so they must be doing something right! read more

Great Venue! I played here recently supporting the Hot 8 Brass Band, a very talented bunch of guys from New Orleans. It's a decent sized venue, I'd say it kinda reminds me of the Concorde 2 in Brighton, just a little smaller, but plays home to some pretty decent bands all the same. Resident sound engineer is a little grumpy (let's face it, does anyone know a sound engineer that ISN'T grumpy?) But if you're visiting here as a punter it's not something you'd have to deal with! Door staff are on the ball here! Bar staff are cool too. Perfectly located opposite Highbury and Islington Tube station, so it was easy for me to jump on the Victoria line back to Victoria and then on to Brighton. read more

Recently renovated this venue is well situated near highbury tube station. A pretty cool venue-great sound and clean loos! Downside is the bar is invariably understaffed and a nightmare to get a drink. read more

Went here for the fairly new Oh No! event. It was very fun. The venue is huge. The main floor is gigantic and upstairs there is a smaller room where a different genre of music is played. The drinks were super cheap and the atmosphere was great. The only problem is that there weren't enough people there, obviously as a result of the event being new. They closed the upper room pretty early because there weren't enough people in it to make it worth it. And although there were many people on the bottom floor, the space is so large that it didn't look full. Otherwise, this is a really fun venue and I'll probably be back again. read more

Great small venue! The bar is in the back and outfitted with a great bench area which allows you to lean against a cushioned wall whilst watching the show. The seating area near the bar is equipped with small furniture pieces allowing for different configurations based on group size. The acoustics and lighting are pro. Overall, a great venue for emerging to slightly popular artists and one I'd enjoying returning to. read more

Although it is currently closed for refurbishment, The Garage is one of the smallest venues with the abilities to attract the biggest names. The size increases the intimacy of the audience and the band playing on the tiny stage. The only problem is as it is a small venue it has difficulty supporting the demands of bigger bands. When I saw Therion play there the power cut due to the multitude of instruments on stage. Hopefully once refurbishment is finished it will handle the demands on bigger bands while keeping its intimate atmosphere. read more

Highly disappointing. Saw two electronica bands here - both had quite heavy bass. This made a bar strung across the roof holding up some sort of room divider vibrate like crazy. Sound engineers seemed unable to stop it happening, so sound was absolutely dreadful for both bands. The main hall and bar were reasonably well filled, but it was not packed. Yet the whole place stank, as did the toilets. My first time here, I frequent venues in Camden and hoxton/shoreditch and have not yet found one I would refuse to return to - this place is a no-no for me from now on. Bar staff were fine, service reasonably quick. Door and cloakroom staff were all perfectly nice too. Here's looking forward to the next refurbishment! read more

First time visiting last night to watch Deafheaven & Chelsea Wolfe. Great small band venue, very similar to The Cockpit in Leeds (but a little smaller). Good vibe, great staff! read more

The garage in islington, situated at the bottom of the Holloway road is in a great location for a north London night out. The drinks are reasonably priced and come with great service. The last time I went there it was the launch party for ENK on a friday night. The music was fantastic and i would recommend attending the next night.!!! read more

This is a pretty good night out if you like live music. Drinks are average but be warned, get there early as it can get very packed if theres a good band on. read more

Without a doubt, the worst venue I've been to in London. With so many great places for gigs, why would any band choose here? First, they fall for the old trick of putting the coat check by the door so there is no way out at the end of the gig when everyone rushes to the coat check. Once inside, the place reeks of sweat, piss and stale beer not made any better by the lack of any form of ventilation or cooling. The place is a boiler room. To make things worse, when I was there, both of the female toilets were out of order and the upstairs male toilet had water streaming down the stairs. The gig floor was taken up by a slowly growing puddle of toilet water and beer an inch deep that soaked through my shoes. The only good thing that I can say is that the band got fed up with the heat and equipment issues and poor sound quality and didn't even play much past 10pm so we could all get out early. (PS that's not actually a good thing). read more