The Borderline

Love it here! Only discovered it recently and have already been twice and brought friends to enjoy with me. The drinks are well priced, the staff are nice and the music is great for the alt crowd! Very fun, will definitely make a regular night out of this place!

Nice intimate venue The Borderline, we were here for a Tony Wright gig. And what an excellent night we had too.
The size of the venue is my ideal gig venue size. Love places like this, where you can almost reach out and touch the performer — not that I would and not that I’d want to mind :)
Bar was efficient.
Loos quite clean and well stocked, given it’s a music venue is a high achievement indeed.
Get in line early for seats.
Recommended.

amazing people, music. From Miami where there are really no indie /​britpop places. Had an absolutely perfect/​classic night. Place us all about the music, Not fancy but doesn’t need to be.

This was a great place, went to watch live music and it was spacious, enough room to dance without being shoved into the next person. Drinks were very reasonably priced. Nice quiet seating area at the back if that’s what you into while listening to music. I would definitely recommend and I would go back there myself.

Great music, good drinks, cool atmosphere! Loved the nights with Questlove as DJ!

A regular visitor of this little venue-​intimate stage set up (albeit a tad small for larger bands) But nonetheless one of the few places left from the old days and a nice little bar.

I came here upon finding out they play Britpop. As a Britpop fan, how can I not go clubbing in a venue that will play my type of music? Esp when there are no venues in Toronto?
The place itself seems to cater to the university crowd. The not discerning crowd perhaps? Because the décor is not the priority here. The beer is cheap and flows abundantly. The cover charge is cheap too. The crowd is super friendly and relaxed. They are here for the music and dancing. Several times people bumped into me and apologized with a smile. In Toronto, they would shove me out of the way or bump into me without bothering to acknowledge it (& if they do, they glare as if it’s my fault).
And the music? Was absolutely perfect. It was what I wanted to hear. And more!

At 26, I don’t consider myself particularly ancient but, recently, I’ve found myself wondering if my fellow clubbers are actually legally allowed to be drinking or indeed out after 10pm without an adult before realising that — oh god — they’re 22. My 18-​year-​old sister refers to «my generation» and expresses surprise that I still venture outdoors on a Friday night. So when I came across this club, I was delighted to discover that the clientele are on average 15 years older than the rest of Soho but that no matter what your age, you can still have a wicked time.
If you’ve got Pulp’s back catalogue on cassette, wear a Nirvana t-​shirt without irony and can still remember all the words to the Manics’ greatest hits, then this is the place for you. A haven for those of us still stubbornly stuck in the 90s, it shuns the faux-​retro pretention currently infiltrating the trendier joints in town and just sticks to what it does best: churning out the classic Britpop hits and similarly-​aged rock songs from across the pond. It is stuffed full of people with a like-​minded aversion to squeaky-​clean bars and pristine, characterless joints. Yes, the dancefloor is a little sticky and ok, I’ll admit that when the lights come on, the shabbiness is revealed but this in no way detracts from what it is or tries to be. Its black walls and location in what is essentially a large basement hark back to when clubs used to be all about the music, providing shameless, easy fun and the opportunity to wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care.
Bear in mind that drinks prices are in line with the surrounding venues, i.e. not cheap, and it doesn’t really get going until about midnight. So have a few bevvies at home and then mosey on down right about the time when your feet feel the itch to hit that dance floor.

ended up there late friday night. pretty cool little dive bar — but no live band that night. they played what was described to me a brit pop
there was a really ‘interesting’ crowd that night. a strange high proportion of people with costumes on…

This small, sweaty, fun venue was the site of my very first London gig. The marvellous Billion Dollar Brain were a micro indie rock phenomenon based in Bury St Edmunds in the late nineties and after the glory of winning the local band competition fixed their sights firmly on the big smoke.
Not being very well versed in the ways of the pay to play gig, and far too impressed by some slick talk by a London promoter they agreed to make their city debut at the Borderline. Lots of famous bands have played there, they told each other excitedly, and happily made the journey down one weekday afternoon right after school. Yes — after school!
Needless to say, the gig went fine but the hordes of fans the band had hoped for failed to materialise, and they narrowly avoided having to pay a small fee to the promoter. Years later and with much wisdom gained from my gigging experiences I look back on that gig at the Borderline with fondness, and every time I go there to see a nice intimate gig I think of my 17 year old self rocking out on that stage and smile.

I have seen some of my favourite bands at The Borderline, and you can always be sure of actually hearing the music, because they really are quite strict about not talking during the acts (and quite right, too). You can generally be sure of a pretty laid-​back, friendly crowd: it would seem that the sort of people who will enthusiastically applaud a jazz recorder solo are unlikely to stand on you or throw up on your shoes. The venue isn’t the best shape for live music, unfortunately, because a large chunk of it is at an odd angle to the stage, but if you get there early you can make sure you’re at the front, and the stage is low so performances feel very intimate.
Last time I went, there was a teenage girl there with her dad, and it was clearly her first ever gig (Clare & The Reasons in 2008). What a great start for herit wasn’t terribly crowded and the performers were happy to have a chat afterwards.

If it’s a small, scuzzy dive bar you’re after for a good sweaty gig, then look no further. This place has it all.
I know people that love it and others that can’t bear it, it just depends on what your into. It’s a beer soaked floor type place and the quality of your night depends very much on who or what you’re seeing or dancing to.
The bar’s never too busy to get served, which is surprising given the amount of time you spend queuing in some of it’s much bigger, cleaner, more sanitised competitors. It’s also not a rip off with £3ish beers and gig tickets are generally not too expensive either (approx £8 + depending on gig).
As you’d expect it can get quite hot but there’s plenty of much worse places to be overheating in. Also, keep an eye on the gig listings, chances are there’ll be some ‘soon to be known’ artists or bands playing, or the next big foreign artist playing their first U.K. tour here.
See you in the mosh pit/​area! :)

The Borderline is a longstanding London venue, and has played host to many a big time band while they were still on the way up.
There is a big pillar in the middle of the floor, yes, but lots of small venues have similar issues. A bigger issue is the generally boring roster of bands who play here. There are signs that things are starting to liven up, and that promoters are looking around at what’s actually going on musically, so maybe that issue will disappear soon.

I recently stood behind a pillar for an hour whilst trying to watch/​listen to a band called Department of Eagles. We tried moving a few times, but in The Borderline, unless you are standing on the dance floor, it is pretty hard to get a great view anywhere. There is a good atmosphere in the venue, though the décor is very strange– why is there a Western/​Alamo themed music bar in London?!
The bar is mainly filled with men (the disgusting women’s toilets that were overflowing could be something to do with that) mainly from record labels as the venue generally showcases relatively new bands (Vampire Weekend played here a few years ago before their album came out)
It is a good place for acoustic shows (if you can get a go spot) as it is probably one of the smallest and most intimate of the Mean Fiddler venues.

There is one reason and one reason only why this place doesn’t get a much higher rating and that is the massive pillar in the middle of the room. Yeah fine, it’s a structural necessity and without it the whole subterranean venue would probably collapse instantly but it does restrict an awful lot of the audience’s view. Apart from that, I like the weird Alpine chalet/​Swedish sauna/​Tiki bar look of the wooden bar, I like that it’s so small so you can see some great bands in a really intimate venue and I like that it is still a bit scuzzy, sweaty and sticky round the edges when so many other live music venues have been sanitized beyond belief. They just need to sort out that bloody pillar.

The Borderline is part of Mean Fiddler’s group of venues. The Mean Fiddler own a variety of rock venues around London but The Borderline seems to be styled completely differently to their usual «rock» vibe and feel.
This place has quite a past and has been host to so many big names through the years — all evident from the photos on the wall as you enter the venue.
The music is usually a little different, again, less «rock» and more indie, or acoustic based. I like the fact you feel as though you are standing in a venue with such a great past. The roster of events isn’t always to my liking but when I *have* venture here, I have really enjoyed myself.

I think this place is great. I’ve never seen a gig there, but I bet the atmosphere would be incredible for a good band. I’ve been there several times when there’s just been a Saturday night DJ on. Music is very varied, everything from the Wonderstuff, Oasis, The Smiths up to more modern Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight and lots in between. An Indie feel, but not exclusively so.
There is a dancefloor and also a small stage, both of which are crammed by the end of the night. The stage leads to some blatant exhibitionism, which might be frowned upon in other venues, but the atmosphere here has always been good — everyone is here for a good time, not to bitch or start an argument.
It’s cost me a fiver to get in, but the drinks are then reasonable. There’s no thrills here. It’s a basement venue that I bet doesn’t look too good in broad daylight, but it’s a good, honest venue and I can’t wait to go back.

The Borderline is a top music venue with a rich history and an exciting present. Although many of the artists who perform here are at the bottom rung of the music industry ladder, The Borderline is a significant rung to have climbed. Among some of the artists who have performed here in the past are Oasis and R.E.M and more recently acts like Brandi Carlisle and The Fray have used the venue to introduce themselves to the UK public. I have to say I did enjoy looking at the pictures and memorabilia on the way downstairs which demonstrated the importance of the venue on the London music scene.
The pub has the style and feel of an old saloon bar with pillars and posts obstructing views of the stage from certain spots in the venue. The stage is raised but if the place packs out and you’re short like me, you have a hard time seeing the artist. Arriving early and getting a good spot is strongly advised. Some seating is available at the back if you do arrive early and the venue is not yet full and this is a good area for enjoying a pre-​gig drink. A good quality of performer is guaranteed, normally singers and full bands a lot of experience under their belt.
Tickets can be on the pricey side considering the stature of some of the artists and prices range anywhere between £6 to £15 depending on who’s playing. However there are some drinks offers at certain times which will help save a little money. Posters dotted around the venue also tell you who else is coming up at The Borderline in the near future which I found very helpful.
Public transport is the recommended method of getting to the venue as Manette Street is very narrow and is governed by double yellow lines. Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road tube stations are minutes away on foot.

Love the borderline! somewhere between GAY and ASTORIA a great little gig room to see bands i recently saw mysteryjets there and a XFM gig and has a lovely time
they also do club night with live music and a dj until the early hours
small but cool

The Borderline is a tiny basement bar with excellent live music.
It’s dark, with rough corners. Nothing fancy down here. But if you like folk– and country-​tinged rock bands, they’re probably playing here.
It’s mostly just one small open room and a low stage. There are some tables in the back if you just want to listen. The whole place doesn’t hold more than a couple of hundred people. There are often drink specials (usually cans of beer) if you get in before 8pm.
A lot of Canadian bands seem to come through here, acts that would play much larger venues there but don’t get a huge crowd in London. I’ve seen Blue Rodeo there a couple of times, as well as Blackie & the Rodeo Kings and Great Big Sea. I’ve also caught the North Mississippi All Stars and Cracker there.
If you want a good dose of singer-​songwriter playing just 10 feet in front of you, this is the place.

Ambiance underground
J’adore les bons concerts ce soir-​là Antiproduct groupe punck, une soirée géniale et super décor dans un caveau avis aux amateurs !