What's On in London
Thursday 24 September 2026 · This weekend · City guide
Thursday in London has a heartbeat all of its own, and this particular Thursday is fizzing with live music from every corner of the city. From the candlelit intimacy of a wine cellar in Kingston to a Brixton stage pulsing with jazz royalty, the capital is laying on a spread that will satisfy absolutely everyone. Pull on your jacket and get out there.
Highlights

Ashley Henry - Freight Brixton Presents: Soul of the South — One of the most thrillingly inventive pianists in British jazz, Ashley Henry brings his signature blend of soul, hip-hop rhythm and acoustic warmth to the brilliant Freight Brixton at 6:00pm. This is the kind of show where the room feels electric before a single note is played, and where you leave wondering why you do not do this every week. Check the website for ticket prices and do not sleep on it.

Exploring Birdsong — Something genuinely unlike anything else on tonight: Islington Assembly Hall hosts Exploring Birdsong at 7:00pm, an immersive live music experience that weaves field recordings of the natural world into a richly textured sonic landscape. The grand, ornate hall is a perfect setting for something this contemplative and quietly awe-inspiring. At £20 it is an evening that will stay with you long after you leave.

The Surfrajettes — New Cross Inn is the ideal scuffed-and-beloved home for The Surfrajettes, an all-female surf rock outfit who play with swagger, precision and an irresistible sense of fun. Doors at 6:00pm and tickets at £20 — this is the sort of gig that has the whole room grinning by the second song. If you have never heard reverb-drenched guitar sound quite this joyful, tonight is the night to change that.

Kamijo — The Dome in Tufnell Park welcomes Kamijo, the celebrated Japanese visual kei vocalist whose theatrical, operatic rock is genuinely like nothing you have seen on a London stage before. Curtain up at 6:30pm and tickets are £20 — a small price for a show that promises elaborate staging, a devoted and wonderfully costumed crowd, and music that swings between gothic grandeur and arena-ready anthems.

Jess Hayes & Friends Live — Head south-west to Kingston-upon-Thames, where Excellar — a venue that does exactly what its name promises — hosts Jess Hayes and a line-up of collaborators for an intimate evening of live music at 7:00pm. At £22 you get atmosphere by the barrel-load, the warmth of a room that feels more like someone's best dinner party than a conventional gig, and the kind of close-up talent that reminds you why live music matters.

Spiral In The Jar — For the best-value ticket of the evening, Jam In A Jar hosts Spiral In The Jar from 7:00pm with entry starting at just £2. This is grassroots, no-frills, brilliant live music in a venue that has always backed emerging talent before anyone else caught on — and that is precisely what makes it so exciting. Whether you pay £2 or £10, you will walk away feeling like you got the deal of the week.
Full listings
| Event | Venue | Time | Price | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Music | |||||
| Ashley Henry - Freight Brixton Presents: Soul of the South | Freight Brixton | 6:00pm | Check website | Tickets | |
| The Surfrajettes | New Cross Inn | 6:00pm | £20 | Tickets | |
| Kamijo | The Dome | 6:30pm | £20 | Tickets | |
| Spiral In The Jar | Jam In A Jar | 7:00pm | £2–£10 | Tickets | |
| Exploring Birdsong | Islington Assembly Hall | 7:00pm | £20 | Tickets | |
| Jess Hayes & Friends Live | Excellar | 7:00pm | £22 | Tickets | |
| Connor Adams - London | Hope And Anchor | 7:30pm | £10 | Tickets | |