A cosy venue where some of the best music is performed. (Shepherds Bush Empire)

Member Name: RPH1991

Product:	Shepherds Bush Empire
Date:	02/11/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good views available, chance of meeting your idols after.

Disadvantages: Drinks a tad pricey

Yesterday I travelled to London to see one of my favourite bands, Fightstar, in the o2 Shepherds Bush Empire.

LOCATION

I didn't see an awful lot of Shepherds Bush during my visit, although I can say that it is in a very convenient place. It is a very short walk away from Shepherds Bush rail station, along with the Buses. There are quite a few cheap-ish hotels in the area too, including the Grantly Hotel I stayed in which is pretty much 100 metres away from the Empire.

INSIDE

The Shepherds Bush Empire is quite spacious inside, with standing stalls, and two seated levels. I was in the standing area, which is convenient for the bars and toilets (I don't know if there were any more toilets upstairs). From the bar at the back of the room, you have a great view of the stage. This is very convenient as there is no need to rush to the bar in between acts, as you get a great view from there!

BAR

There were two bars inside, the one I mentioned up the steps at the back of the room on standing level, and another which is actually in the standing area along the right hand side. During the gig I purchased a few pints of Carlsberg, which cost £3.70 each. I thought this was a tad expensive, but probably should be expected as it's a music venue, and also in London.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality sounded good to me. I would imagine that if you were stood right at the front of the venue, by the stage, it would be really loud and distort things - as with all gigs. I'd think the sound quality would vary day-by-day, depending on the band and setup e.t.c, but I did think that the Empire had good acoustics.

CONCLUSION

I would definitely recommend visiting the o2 Shepherds Bush Empire to see a band or artist, as it is a good sized venue (obviously not area sized), where you are sure to get a good view of the stage from just about anywhere.

In case you were wondering, the band I saw, Fightstar, were amazing. Their set was about 1.5 hours, and they had three support acts. What a great night!

5/5

Summary: Good location, good bar, good sound - perfecto!