Shepherds Bush Empire

Sound quality is great wherever you sit, but seating is very uncomfortable, not enough toilets (2 ladies for the whole of the level 3 area, really?! In what world will this work) and if you arrive late, you can be left standing high up, with the ceiling obscuring some of your view.

Quite happy with my visit here to see Soundgarden. Not much queue. Some fast bar service. Sound was good. A raised back level means the short stuff can see too. The tilt of the place was not the greatest as it made viewing the stage harder.
Toilets are like any place of this type, but not as bad as some. All in all I had a great night watching the gig and would happily go back to see something else here. Holds a thousand I would say.

It’s such a good place ! Really nice place for a gig !
The bar is good and there are everywhere ! Be careful you can’t go smoke before the beginning of the show (not the first part) !

Not really my favourite venue in London. The size capacity is good, but if you’re stuck at the back, the low hanging ceiling just intrudes on your view. The sound isn’t too great either,. Get in early to make sure you’re not trying to stand on tiptoes at the back.

Probably my favourite venue in London. Always a good time here. Lacking on the beer front as all AMG venues are but the venue macks up for this with great sound system and views. Staff can be a little forceful sometimes and the toilets leavev a little to be desired but hey it;s RocknRoll

Amazing but be aware! There are no cash machines well one but it will charge and not working when we got there! Nearly weren’t able to buy any drinks all night! X

I was absolutely shocked to enter this space and find out how adorable it is! From the outside it looks a bit… shabby, but the interior is lovely — older, but darling. We had balcony seats for a recent show, and the theatre didn’t seem to have a bad seat in the house. Like always, drinks are pricey, but not as bad as Hammersmith Apollo. I’d definately check out more shows there!

I went to Shepherds Bush Empire a few times arealdy to see live music. I really like the atmosphere, the place itself and the fact that you never feel crammed in this place. The venue is cool, within a beautiful old theatre and has a couple of bar areas inside too. It’s worth a try.
I’m not too sure about the quality of the sound there to be honest though. It always feel that the music is always louder than the microphone, and the singer ends up screaming the lyrics out instead of actually singing them.

Went here to see PLan B.
Unlike the Hammersmith Apollo where it is like a Sauna, the Bush empire is a quality venue to watch live acts.
Up stairs has a nice bar with some funky seats.
I even got to meet Plan B himself up stairs.

My favourite gig venue in London, and not just because I can walk there from home– I used to love it when travelling from South East London! When the right act is playing it can generate a spellbinding atmosphere, and the two greatest concert-​going experiences of my life have been in this venue. The first was Gillian Welch– bluegrass country that kept the entire 1,500+ crowd in complete stupefied silence lest we miss a single note– a spine-​tingling experience in such a large venue. The second was KRS-​ONE (of Sound of the Police fame) who played his first gig in London for 10 years and had the place heaving and sweating on a Wednesday night like nothing else I’ve ever experienced in this notoriously hard to please town for gigs.
There are down-​sides– the drinks are a poor selection and poured from a can AND over-​priced! In fact– getting a drink can puncture the whole experience! But the venue itself has good sound and a great sense of history to it and having been to gigs here for the best part of 12 years with other classics such as Finlay Quaye and Toots and the Maytals in the mix, its a venue that, along with the now torn down Astoria (RIP) and the Brixton Academy will always be associated with some great experiences for me personally.

I went there to see The Damned a couple of years ago. Wheelchair access is arranged through a side door and the bring out the ramps for you. You then get led up to a viewing area above the bar where you can pass down some dosh in exchange for being presented with some reasonably cold beer in a plastic glass. Don’t drink too many because getting to the lav through the throngs of people behind you is a nightmare when you are in a wheelchair. You do get a good view of the stage though. All in all I would go down there again if there was someone worth seeing.

Big enough to have good bands and a fabulous atmosphere; small enough to be close to the band without queuing forever.
Its also easy to get to :)

Great venue with old-​school décor and good acoustics. Its facing onto a bit of a park area so its a great place to chill after a gig. Not impressed with the Guinness-​outta-​a-​can setup they got goin though. Perhaps a heavily-​biased opinion!

Shepherds Bush Empire commands some great acts to come and perform here, and inside it’s comfortingly retro. Maybe retro is not the right word, rather it has not been redecorated so has really lovely, plush, comfy old seats you can melt into.
For standing, though, the floor can get sticky with all the drinks people drop, but that’s the same anywhere really.
Drinks are average price for this sort of venue, and are decanted into plastic cups before you’re allowed to take them away.
The toilets are ok; nothing wonderful but not too bad. The stewarding staff are provided by a company who has been there for years and they know the place inside out; their customer service could be friendlier though.
The atmosphere is electric and intimate when the audience is fully loaded into the seats/​floor and the artist is on stage, and there is not a single bad view in the building.
It’s easy to get home from here, with bus stops literally outside, and the 2 Shepherds Bush tube stations 5 minutes walk away. Buses go both into town and into Middlesex from here.

I really enjoyed my first visit to Shepherds Bush Empire on Sunday night. It was a very intimate welcoming venue and wherever you sit or stand you are never too far from the stage. It has not been modernised or decorated for quite some time but for me this just added to the charm. I will definitely be looking at their line-​up for any more good gigs.

A surprisingly small venue but with great views from almost everywhere. Get the upstairs seating for a comfy view, or be down with the crowd to groove.

The site of some of the best gigs I’ve ever been to, the Empire is a compact, friendly little venue holding about 2000.
If you’ve had a hard day at work, the seats are comfortable and the bar charges standard London prices. A good band will have you out of your seat anyway.
If you’ve come to the City just to see you favourite band, the standing area is fantastic, and allows an unrivalled closeness to the music — I’ve managed to pick up six plectrums and a couple of drumsticks in my visits there.
If you go anywhere in London to see a gig, let it be here or KOKO, which is also very good.
Nearest Tube station: Shepherd’s Bush (5 minute walk)
Easy access to ATMs and plenty of food available after gigs. Pubs on every corner.

This is a great venue. I think it is our favourite in London. We work in the music industry and can honestly say that if you want decent sound this is the place to go. They have good quality sound equipment which is rigged perfectly for the venue.
There is always a good range of events and artists playing.
The seating is a little crowded, but this is an old theatre so you expect a little of that. If you are very tall though I would advise getting and end of aisle seat.

One of the better music venues in London. It is snub but more importantly it doesn’t charge stupid prices for its concerts, making it an ideal venue for music lovers on a tight budget. I continue to see acts here, so guys keep up the good work!

This is probably my least favourite music venue in London, but I still frequent it, as a lot of the bands I like, seem to play here once they’ve graduated from The Scala or other smaller venues.
I mostly dislike Shepherds Bush because it’s a tad too big for my tastes (lacking a certain intimacy with the band), and is not laid out in the most user friendly fashion. Making your way from the stage area to the toilets or bar is quite a chore indeed.
I’ll actually put down Brixton Academy as a better venue despite its greater size, due to the easier access to toilets and bar. It’s also a bit out of the way, and some friends have had trouble getting connecting trains from Shepherds Bush out of London after a gig has finished late.
While Shepherds Bush is probably my least favourite of the music venues in London, it certainly isn’t a terrible place. The sound is good, I recall drinks aren’t exorbitant, and it’s quite pleasant to spend the evening on Shepherds Bush Green before going in to watch a gig.
The venue itself is a bit dilapidated, but I guess the focus is on seeing the music really, and I’ve seen some great acts here like; My Morning Jacket, The Shins, Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, J Mascis
Pros
— lots of great bands choose this venue
— drinks aren’t overpriced
— Shepherds Bush Green
— good choice of pre-​gig drink/​food around the green
Cons
— is a bit out of the way, location wise
— not the greatest layout
— lacks a bit of intimacy
— slightly dilapidated building

Shepherd’s Bush Empire is a popular spot for mid-​size music acts. Like many music halls, it’s an old theatre with levels of seating (in this case, 3 of them) raised above an open standing/​dance floor.
Shepherd’s Bush is approximately the same capacity as the Astoria. It’s better-​kept, too (it was non-​smoking long before it became the law). However, it doesn’t feel as rock ‘n’ roll to me. If you’re not fond of the scuzzier side of live music, though, you might like it fine here.
The bar facilities are good, but I find the downstairs toilet facilities a little smaller than they should be.
Like many old theatres, the upstairs seats are very small, and if you’re tall expect to jam your knees in uncomfortably. Also, if you’re seated upstairs, your ticket will specify on which level you’re seated.
I’ve seen acts like The Black Keys, Asia, Lucinda Williams, The Tragically Hip, Gomez, the Cowboy Junkies, and Ronnie Wood there.