This is a great little 900 seat concert hall in the heart of Chelsea, just off Sloane Square. It was converted from a Church of Christ, Scientist in 2002 (I've always wondered about how that religion works, so looked it up just now. Apparently Christian Scientists tend to rely more on spiritual healing than modern medicine, which may explain why, by 1996, their congregation had shrunk to a point where a new use for the building was needed!)
Anyhow, totally-unfounded-in-truth jokes aside, the concert hall is really attractive - the classic shoebox shape, with excellent acoustics and a gallery around the top. Pretty much all the original mouldings etc from its former use have been preserved. Seats downstairs are comfortable, upstairs less so. Lots of top notch classical music ensembles perform there and it's the home of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. There are full listings/tickets etc on their website.
There's a bar area, and plenty of space for the audience to mill around both before and after the performance.
Having performed there (get me!), I can also comment on the backstage area. There are A LOT of stairs, so make sure you've left enough time to get on stage, or you might have to try and sing/play the first phrase whilst purple in the face and gasping for air. Otherwise it's very well set up with several reasonably sized rooms for changing etc, and male and female WC/showers.
There are also a number of rather good pubs nearby for pre/post-concert refreshment. My shout goes to the Antelope on Eaton Terrace.
If you can deal with being in a concert hall with a Sloane-Ranger-ish crowd, or, indeed if you are a Sloane-Ranger yourself, then this is a mighty fine place to listen to a bit of the classical stuff. read more