This 2-hour walking tour will take you on a musical adventure through London Rock Music history. What’s your genre? Your talented London Rock Tour guide will tailor your tour to the ‘playlist’ of participants, a fun and knowledgeable musical journey of the capital’s Entertainment District, Soho. Your playlist highlights can include ‘Tin Pan Alley,’ music publishers’ row, to the epicenter of the Swingin’ 60s Carnaby Street. Fashion and tunes. Here is a ‘French Quarter’ and ‘Little Italy’ of London; jazz nightclubs of the roaring 1920s; beatnik coffee houses, skiffle and jazz clubs of the 1950s; here are the ‘basement and attic’ venues for 60s folkies, R&B-ers, and bluesmen who became ‘classic rock’ icons; 70s punks; where New Wave bands started out… This area has grown from plague pits to gin palaces to supper clubs to peep shows to posh boutiques. Heaps of musical heritage to uncover with your specialist rock tour guide!
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ 2-hour music-themed walking tour
✔ Local Rock guide
✖ Gratuities
Departure & Return
Departure:
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Your guide will be waiting outside the main entrance. Note this is the Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus next to Horses of Helios fountain on Haymarket and NOT the one on Old Park Lane, Hyde Park Corner.
Itinerary
1
Piccadilly Circus
Meet your tour guide in front of the Hard Rock Piccadilly Circus, where you are surrounded by about 200 years of heritage. From roaring ‘20s jazz clubs to a Taylor Swift’s End Game video location, uncover what’s ‘hidden’ in plain sight right in front of you. Hear about film premieres, Royal Variety Shows, bombing stories of the WWII Blitz and more.
Duration: 10 minutes
2
Wardour Street
Before the photogenic gates and lights of London’s Chinatown, uncover haunts of flappers and gangsters, trad jazzers and bluesmen, even where a truly British scandal sparked off. Here was The Shim Sham, The Flamingo, Whisky-A-GoGo, Barrelhouse Blues Club/Roundhouse…Beatles, Stones, Led Zep, Jimi Hendrix, Georgie Fame, where hip hop artists first arrived in the UK, where a young Paul Simon busked for change, where Pete Townsend lived for a time, where Muddy Waters made his UK debut… Discover where ‘Werewolves of London’ got their beef chow mein…
Duration: 10 minutes
3
Old Compton Street
From coffee bars and skiffle, the birth of rock and roll happened in the basement clubs of Soho. See what was 2ii and other coffee clubs. Music management offices, former personal tailor shop of the Beatles, pub where Cliff Richard ‘was born,’ the birth of London Pride and Kinks’ Lola…
Duration: 10 minutes
4
Soho
Stroll the heart of Soho, this was the early stomping ground for just about every artist/band you can think of from 60s to early 90s! See where musicians played live, had a pint between sets, got their caffeine fix before a night out, places where several songs/anthems were inspired and written.
Pass the club where a young Amy Winehouse started singing, two real-life places used as filming locations for the Back to Black film. Clubs here included Marquee, St Moritz, Vortex, Le Beat Route/’Club Tropicana,’ Cousins/Skiffle Cellar, Le Kilt, Groucho, Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz After Dark… See what was Trident Studios & Good Earth Studios, where some of your favs created their records…
Duration: 25 minutes
5
Tin Pan Alley
Stop by ‘Tin Pan Alley,’ where the Rolling Stones and others cut their first discs, where Ringo bought his drums, early days for Elton John, Bowie, Sex Pistols and more.
Duration: 10 minutes
6
Soho Square
What was the Astoria, St Martin’s Art College, Borderline…; Paul McCartney’s London offices; where Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust ‘was born;’ where George Harrison was inspired to write My Sweet Lord and more.
Duration: 10 minutes
7
Where the Rolling Stones ‘were born.’ Oasis’ What’s the Story Morning Glory album cover shot; John Lennon’s What a Lovely War photo op; old street markets, where your favs used to shop for snacks, their vinyl; punk hang outs…
Duration: 10 minutes
8
Swingin’ 60s, where everyone shopped the latest fashions in 60s and 70s. Tales can include Don Arden, Jimi Hendrix, Stones, Small Faces, Boy George and more… pass by the club where Paul McCartney met Linda Eastman, where the Beatles had their own private table, where Hendrix jammed…
Duration: 15 minutes
9
Regent Street
Little side streets where ‘hidden’ nightclubs swung; where Bowie’s Ziggy album cover was taken; Beatles’ Apple Corp offices…the Beatles’ famous rooftop concert location is your Soho music walk finale!
Duration: 10 minutes
Additional info
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• This is a walking tour with an approximate 3-mile walk with break options; we walk no matter the weather! Please dress accordingly.
• Please note that infants will need to either be able to walk or be transported in a pushchair, which will need to be provided by you.
