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London · Venue

The Roundhouse

A circular former railway shed in Chalk Farm whose adaptable Main Space pairs arena-scale standing shows with a balcony-level view.

Upcoming shows
76
Capacity
3,300
Address
Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8EH London
Next show
Fri, 9 Oct 2026
Official siteDirections
The Roundhouse in London

About The Roundhouse

The Roundhouse in London is a 3,300-capacity concert and performing-arts venue inside a Grade II* former railway turntable shed. Its distinction is the circular, open interior: an immense industrial shell whose floor and Circle Balcony form two levels of audience space. Gigs arrive within a building that also houses youth creative work and a broader arts programme, giving the place a purpose beyond the night’s bill.

A railway shed enters the underground

London and North Western Railway built the Roundhouse in 1847 as an engine turntable shed, designed by Robert Stephenson and R. B. Dockray. Locomotive advances made it obsolete within a decade; Gilbey’s Gin later used it as a warehouse. Playwright Arnold Wesker’s Centre 42 converted the building into a theatre in 1964. Two years later, the 15 October 1966 All Night Rave launched International Times with Soft Machine and Pink Floyd on the bill, fixing the room in London’s underground music story. A funding crisis closed the venue in 1983, and the Norman Trust acquired it in 1996. A £29.7 million redevelopment culminated in the 2006 reopening, led by Fuerzabruta and recasting the site as a multi-arts venue and youth charity.

A circular room built for range

The Roundhouse books touring music, in-house festivals and performing arts, with youth development woven into its programme through opening slots, internships and its annual Poetry Slam. Its slate spans pop, indie, alternative rock, folk, hip-hop and electronic nights. The Main Space splits across two floors: the floor supplies the standing-show energy, while the Circle Balcony looks down into the room. Configurations change with each production, and the venue advises checking each event page for its specific arrangements. Bars operate card-only.

Sources

  1. 20 Years of Creating Bold Futures — Roundhouse
  2. Saving London: The Roundhouse — Historic England
  3. Airborne spectacular to reopen the revamped Roundhouse — The Guardian
  4. Roundhouse (venue) — Wikipedia
  5. 20 Years of Opportunity: Impact Report — Roundhouse
  6. Visiting the Roundhouse — Roundhouse
  7. The Space — Roundhouse

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