The Social Bar / Club / Live Music Venue

Covent Garden / Soho, London –

Minimal space, nightly DJs and a crowd united by a common interest in the latest live indie music make The Social the most aptly named bar in the city despite its out-of-the-way location on a rather deserted street near Oxford Circus.

Guests may feel a bit dubious about the club’s possibilities as they walk down a long, empty hallway adorned with a single shelf bearing scattered brochures for the bar and other music events, but doubts disappear once they enter the bar on the first floor.

A bit like being zapped back to San Francisco 1966, the space features wood paneling, deep and cozy leather booths, an unassuming bar with retro stools, and a very popular jukebox in the corner – in short, just the right mix of edge and a casual, hipster vibe.

The crowd, always cool without trying too hard, consists mainly of graphic artists, musicians, and other creative types who gather for after-work drinks and a bite to eat from the quintessential British menu of ploughman’s platters, mushy peas, pot pies, and Welsh rarebit.

Created by the Heavenly record label that launched the likes of The Magic Numbers, Beth Orton, and Saint Etienne, it’s no wonder that music is crucial at The Social, where the basement has become one of the best places to catch up-and-coming talent right before they get signed.

The club also hosts theme nights like Hip-Hop Karaoke, where tipsy singers can belt out everything from Kanye to A Tribe Called Quest.

Usually packed to the rafters with patrons moving to the beats, the lower level space transforms the all-English vibe into a true urban music scene.