One of the highlights of living on West London. This am-dram and semi professional theatre has been…read morethe launchpad of many theatrical dreams and budding Thespians. Productions are always well polished and the grapevine is sublime. Highly recommended whether you enjoy theatre or not, looking for a cheap night out or something totally different. Be warned.. Tickets sell put fast... Become a member and get in for less! Summary: outstanding and perfect

For a small local theatre, Questors always seems to have a lively atmosphere, and the plays I've…read moreseen here have been really high quality, even though quite a few are amatuer productions. Okay, so it's not on the same scale as a West End show, but if you fancy seeing an independent play for a decent price, then this is the place to come. The theatre itself is small and quite intimate, which I think is a good thing as it gives the play a little more atmosphere, however it is not so small that it is awkwardly empty. As usual, most things other than the actual theatre tickets are a bit of a rip off, but that's really the same with most places, so at least here you'll be supporting a local business! Questors run loads of drama, dance and performing workshops and regular classes, so there's loads to see and get involved in, and the general surroundings are relaxed and pleasant, so all in all Questors makes a great addition to Ealing Broadway.

Show Off! is a new regularly scheduled event in residence at Cafe Koha in St. Martin's Court, off…read moreof Charing Cross Road. The idea is to bring the quintessentially New York experience of the piano bar to London, and ... so far, so good! On one or two nights a month, Show Off! takes over Cafe Koha from 9pm to 1am, inviting guests (often big musical theater fans) to come up and sing their favorite tunes and showtunes, with a little help from accompanist/music director Nathan Martin. The idea is to have fun, so you don't need to be a pro to get up and warble out a fave song. There's always a host to perform and keep things running smoothly, and special guests from the theater and entertainment world frequently appear. If you like Broadway and West End theater music, and you like to have fun with a cheerful group of revelers, check it out!

I am an avid piano bar attendee in San Francisco and when I visit New York. This place is…read moreeverything I hoped it would be and more. My first time I befriended a half dozen people, locals who were just coming to appreciate this American tradition. Everyone should go, if you like to sing or not. If you do, bring some sheet music and you will get a chance to sing in a very supportive environment.

The Candlelight Club is one of the better Jazz Age-themed events in London at the moment…read more I think its two biggest strengths are the music and the high 1920s costume count. Practically everyone makes an effort with their outfit, some spectacularly so. The music is really good too: authentic, but also perfect for strutting some Charleston moves to. Together, the two combine to create a very escapist atmosphere. Other pluses are the reasonable ticket price (£15) and of course the cosy, candlelit feel. It's not without its weaknesses though. Food options are minimal: no 1920s fare here - try decidedly 21st century doughnuts, hamburgers and hot dogs served on the chilly patio outside instead. There's also very little structure to the evening. All the Candlelight Club really is is a candlelit room with a load of chairs and tables, waiters selling booze, a couple of hours of live music from a swing band and occasionally, encouragement from the host to 'buy some alcohol'. Contrast this with the Jive Party at the Rivoli Ballroom, where, for the same price (less, even) you get a dance lesson, the chance to meet large numbers of the people there, the same kind and amount of live music (and then 2 hours of recorded music afterwards) and endless dancing to get stuck into or simply admire (on the other hand, the 1920s costume count at the Rivoli is much lower than at the Candlelight Club) Still, I had fun. There's something very infectious about 1920s Charleston and the crowd there that prevents you from having a bad time. So I'll probably be returning.. once I have a few more Charleston moves under my belt.

A secret but really not so secret pop up bar that says it's a random location but seems to always…read morebe in Angel. This is truly a gem, take a whitewashed warehouse, light it entirely with candles, add people in 20s gear and a pop up bar with absinth cocktails and garnish with a live band. To add to it all theres even food at the venue. I do love going to this place, its never too packed, people have really made an effort and they are all just lovely. Frankly, I've not seen anywhere like this in London but will return. Again and again. My words for this place are pretty poor but I have pictures! People are dressed in feathers and flowers , suits and flappers and best of all everyone is just smiling. Tips for the place: arrive there at 7.30 to get a table or pay a premium for the privilege; remember things end at around 12.30 and you have to pre-buy a ticket from the site for £15.

Such a lovely place. Whenever I walk in I feel like a 1940s woman attending a dance during the…read moreSecond World War. The decor is beautiful, but strangely enough my favourite part of the whole place is the loos! They are very old (which sounds bad, but it isn't!) and seem to be perfectly in keeping with the period of the rest of the ballroom. It's used in loads of TV dramas and films, so it feels quite special to be there in person.

The Rivoli Ballroom is one of the few remaining ballrooms in London. It became a ballroom in the…read morelate 1950's, and is now Grade 2-listed. It's a beautiful building, and one that Londoners should make a point of visiting at least once. It's not easy to get to unless you happen to live in southeast London. Coming from Ealing required two tube rides and a bus. But it was worth it. The facade isn't so impressive, but once inside I was taken aback by the lush, ornate interior. Deep reds, velvet and leather benches, elaborate chandeliers, and eye-catching detailing fill what is essentially a single long room. To the sides are long, narrow rooms with bars and toilets, with seating. I was lucky enough to be here for a concert that The White Stripes did as a benefit to the Chelsea Pensioners. While not a great layout for a gig normally - the stage is low, and such a packed crowd generated a lot of heat - the old, fancy style of the place suited the duo and their cause that night. These days the Rivoli is still mainly used for dancing: latin and jive dancing events are regularly held, and I bet they'd be a blast. Make the trip to see the Rivoli. It's a gorgeous room, and a real, living taste of a past era.

I am new to Jazz, being a convert after my wife's influence and listening to the various channels…read moreon Play. After reading about the various Jazz venues in London I was drawn to Vortex because it is affordable and run by volunteers. I was not dissapointed by the music and the venue was better than I expected. Me, I am not that particular so this is my view but others said that it was a bit run down. I suspect that if you are more high brow then Dalston and it's establishments are not for you. The drinks are a bit expensive. The staff are very friendly and casual. As this is the first time I have been to a Jazz venue it is hard to make a comparative review. However we had a good time listening to the music and I would recommend Vortex to anyone who wants to try out the Jazz scene.

Wonderful place…read more They had good food and reasonably priced drinks. The live music was awesome (although not jazz the night we went). We found their events on eventful.com. They had some stuff listed at the vortex. It's also really close to a tube station so it's easy to get to without a car. Seating is a little bit cramped, but possible. We didn't really have to wait. They also have outdoor seating.

I love Wilton's music hall and what they've done with it: This is the oldest music hall in London…read morewhich over the last few years has been heavily restored. Turning a venue that was once in rack and ruin into a usable and stunningly unique location. It's just an absolutely spectacular, wonderfully warm, listed venue with amazing character. I adore everything about this place, the live music, the shows they put on, how you feel transported to another world, the vibe, the friendly and enthusiastic staff and they also have a fantastic selection of craft beers and do a decent glass of wine. They'll also recently opened an upstairs cocktail bar to coincide with work they've done to repair some of the rooms - converting these from unusable into spaces for performance work, rehearsals, meeting spaces. I recently dropped in with a friend whilst we were in the area, and were met with live music (free of charge) to accompany our drink and catch up. By chance we stood next to the building manager and fell into conversation with him. He pointed out how the local council had built the wall by the venue to be in keeping and with poster spaces, due to their support, described and pointed out the evidence of the old interior, the original features and how they'd decided intentionally to be sensitive to the re-construction, leaving the walls as they found them, to show the history, rather than to reproduce the interior in the image of a previous reincarnation, and thus not masking the signs of building evolution. Absolutely fascinating... They've also published a book about the history of the venue, on sale at the box office. I'd highly recommend a visit - It's one of my favourite haunts in this part of town, very reasonably priced too.

I was lucky enough to attend a KT Tunstall gig here as she launched her last album and was…read moreimpressed. It looks as if it is awaiting demolition, in fact we weren't sure we had the right place at first, but it is more than capable of hosting a top night. Wilton's oozes history and according to the website it is the world's oldest surviving grand music hall. The decor appears to be left exactly as it was whenever it was functioning full time and the run down tired look is actually part of its charm and character. It feels like you have broken into an abandoned auditorium and that you are experiencing something a little special and off the radar. The old wooden balcony may creak a bit but there's no chance of falling through. The stone walls are impressive too. It reminds me of the entrance to the Dragon's Den. Sadly Theo and the gang weren't there to give me any money so I had to settle with buying a drink instead. The staff here were very friendly and enthusiastic about the place and I can see why. The stage is quite low down and there weren't any barriers creating a void between you and the act. In fact people were practically on the stage. The acoustics were awesome too which really enhanced the acoustic songs which were performed that night. I loved my visit to Wilton's and if the opportunity to visit again arises I shall jump at the chance to go.

Even if you don't like jazz, you'll appreciate the Crypt. It's one of my favourite places to go to,…read moreand introduce to others. Deep underneath the gothic St Giles church, whose steeple towers over bustling Camberwell, is JazzLive, every Friday night in the church's crypt. Wooden tables and pews are grouped around a corner stage where jazz bands from around the world perform. The space is like a grotto. Its nooks and crannies are filled with jazz lovers, art students and anyone else lucky enough to have found it. Even the vicar makes occasional appearances, serving drinks with his dog collar on. Get there early and you can sample hearty vegetarian meals from the small on-site kitchen hidden beside the bar at the back. Camberwell Crypt's hand-painted walls and haphazard décor help it retain a homespun feel, and stay true to its historic roots. The fact it was partly funded by a pile of old coins left by a mystery donor just adds to its appeal. This crypt is eerie with its darkened corners, candlelight and an inaccessible occupied tomb lurking behind the bar. Camberwell has no tube station, but the Crypt, one of London's hidden gems, is well worth a visit.

The Crypt, hands down, is probably one of the best jazz clubs in London. While other more famous…read moreplaces seem intent on sullying the good name of jazz, the Crypt offers a good "stripped to basics" experience that I think most would enjoy. Having been set up by a church minister with a strong fondness for Jazz, the Crypt resides in the basement of a church. Of course, the classic smoky jazz-bar element has changed a bit due to the smoking ban, but one can truly cop a feel for that odd "David Lynch" romantic notion of what a jazz club ought to be; dark, dingy, edgy, and with high leveled spirits being sloshed about the place (in a very dignified way of course). Being a jazz geek, I have come to love this place. The tables are intimately gather round the centre stage and the music is usually pretty spot on for the environment (none of the cheesy crap you'll hear at Ronnie Scott's and the likes). Unfortunately for me, I have yet to eat here so I cannot pass judgment on the food (largely vegetarian), but it's there if you fancy it. Even if it's not your bag, I think you'll still manage to enjoy the setting and the atmosphere.

I was visiting London and I looked up Things to Do. One of them mentioned cabarets, and after doing…read moresome research I concluded that it looked like Moulin Rouge, so innocent me said, THIS WILL BE A GREAT IDEA. And it was! Except for some minor stripping. But that's okay because tassels count for something, right? Anyway, yes the show was actually pretty good. It features some acrobatics, dancing, fire hula hoops, you name it. I was impressed given that the actual stage was quite small. The actors used the mezzanine quite extensively. I think of it as a very light cirque du soleil that is slightly bawdy. But I repeat, it is not a gentleman's club. In fact, the audience was either couples or groups of women. The seating is kind of weird upstairs. The room is circular so you may happen to view the show from behind the actors, which is what we did. It was still good but there were certain scenes that took place behind pillars, and it was a bit harder to view those scenes. I bought tickets for only 15 pounds (that's around $22 USD as of this writing) so it was not a bad deal.

Yelp Attorney Essentials: Clearly, Café de Paris completely…read moredepends on the situation and who is playing/performing/DJing the night you go. If you are bold enough to meet anyone anywhere, I would suggest it. However, I recommend going with Europeans who are either visiting or temporarily living in London, as they will be a good guide and hopefully know when a good DJ is playing. If you just happen to end up near Piccadilly Circus with your wife and are kinda lyke whatever, doing the touristy thing, you could have fun here for a hot minute but really I suggest going to a different club...