Fantastic venue, probably a great place to worship I should imagine although that's not my bag. But most importantly for me they do some fantastic work for homeless people & the boroughs impoverished...& I'm not just saying it as I coordinate the outreach at the xmas shelter...honest!
One of my favourite venues in London. Lovely acoustics that really bring out the best in musicians. Friendly staff, nice bar, cheerful suppliers of tea.
It's not a bad idea to bring a cushion-- pews are not designed for comfort! And to get there early, since the entrance can be a little disgorganised and the seating is unassigned.
Great venue for gigs and events, very beautiful church in its own right and the accoustics make for great sound and atmosphere. Top 5 gig venues in London.
Great concert space. There is also a small church community. It's liberal in outlook, worship and theology - too much so for me to consider it as my regular church. However, I'd be happy to pop in sometimes. They do good work with the homeless through their Margins project.
Excellent venue for a night of standup comedy, throughly enjoyed by all
Great location for a concert. Great community venue. Well worth a visit.
Had a fab night. Could do with cushions on the pews as a bit hard after a while
A room with a pew.
Grade I Listed Nonconformist chapel (circa 1876) currently occasioned as a performing arts venue.
An idiosyncratic interior with unimpeded views and excellent acoustics makes for a exceptional ambience and memorable experience.
Counts among the top echelon of venues in London.
Lovely venue, great place for concerts. Only complaint is the seating is incredibly uncomfortable!
Only a church on Sunday mornings...at night it is a national level concert venue. Went to see Le Vent du Nord there tonight. They were amazing!
First time we had visted last night saw one of our favourite singers Tommy Fleming, what a lovely venue lovely people lovely food,we will definitely come again Thank You
My favourite venue for music. Will be visiting again in June and October. Thanks for a beautiful setting
was there for two gigs, liked it so much the first time and decided to look for a future concert. the atmosphere is great, bar is huge, food is good, drinks a bit expensive.
I adore this venue! The acustics are amazing and it is just beautiful!
The only thing I wish is that you could take your drink from the bar into the venue and have your drink while you listen to the music...
I saw Tom Rosenthal here and it was definitely the loveliest concert venue I've been to.
Nice place. But no alcohol allowed in the chapel if you are seeing a show. You HAVE to drink in the bar area and not in your seats.... so bear that in mind
A really unique venue with amazing echoustics plus excellent dinner if you pre-book
Went there for Ludovico Einaudi concert.... IT WAS AMAZING.
A beautiful, working church which doubles as a wonderful performance space. The only drawback is the wooden pews which can be hard on the backside, especially if it's a four hour gig like the one I attended!
GREAT BUILDING.
WONDERFUL FOR WEDDINGS AND BANDS!
It's a church... it's a gig venue... it's a community space. The Union Chapel is a fantastic resource for Islington, it's not full of stuffy "Church People". There are a lot of well known acts, as well as some great up and coming bands that play here... so I can only suggest that you check our their calendar and head over to the Chapel.
Venue looks beautiful, acoustics are good, stupid rule that you can't take your drink back to your seat, way too hot (especially the bar) and church pews are rather uncomfortable if you have to sit through a whole show...
This place is terrific. Agree with all the prior positive comments.
Go here for the comedy nights,it is always full and the chapel is a great venue for the stand ups,you an get food and drink in the attached building ,and you can get tea ,coffee and soft drinks in the chapel.
Great venue for a concert. Went there to see Foy Vance. Metrostation nearby, friendly staff. No seat allocation, which I love (then the real fans who get there early, get the best seats). Asked the people next to me, to save my seat while I was getting something to drink. Which most of us did, no big deal, worked perfectly. Otherwise great sound. Just beautiful. Best concert I've ever been to.
Great gig, good sound, subtle lighting, nice view. Coffee at a gig was different, get there early to get a good pew
Great music venue. Good food. Fair prices. Very hard seats.
An amazing and iconic venue. Never been to a music gig here but I have gone to a couple of comedy nights and they were fantastic. The atmosphere is unparalleled, and the building itself is beautiful. Annoyingly, alcohol isn't allowed in the main space, so intervals are spent frantically downing pints in the annex: for some reason drinking booze in the chapel is seen as sacrilegious but telling jokes about Christianity isn't? Or maybe it's a licensing issue... beats me. Apart from this, highly recommended.
This is an amazing space! The chapel itself is beautiful, converted to a very atmospheric stage for gigs and concerts, or used as a community centre meeting space, using the pews for seats.
There's a bar upstairs that is really spacious (feels like a beer hall with its tall curved ceiling), with all kinds of drinks at affordable prices AND they have hot "homemade" food that actually goes towards supporting the homeless as well.
I've been lucky enough to have seen some exceptional things here. Its a wonderful venue for a party, a film or a live band. I'd recommend it for all of that and more.
What a venue! Even the grimiest gig or spookiest film is special when it s held in a massive, characterful chapel designed to induce Catholic guilt in even the most irreligious music lovers. I ve seen some lovely bands here, including a First Aid Kit set where they used the natural acoustics of the huge room to sing mostly a capella, and the venue seem to choose bands who'll make the most of these surroundings.
The only thing I d quibble is that you can t take alcohol into the main room, so you either have to down your drink or take your chances and leave it in the bar. Still, it s a small price to pay and I d always rather spend my pennies here than somewhere bland and corporate.
TimeOut gave a completely misleading explanation of the current performance Romeo and Juliet : 'The choir will be providing an epic live soundtrack throughout the film'. In reality the choir sang from 8pm to 8.15 before the film started and More
A fantastic venue for live music with a bar and restaurant to have a tasty well cooked meal beforehand which all helps to fund the homeless support project run from this location also. It's a working place of worship too! Acoustically superb when I saw Tangerine Dream there!
One of the most beautiful event spaces in London.
It's always great to see what they have going on around Christmas, normally a huge amount of themed events, and the mulled wine flowing!
Acoustically the sound here is beautiful, and I've been lucky to see many acoustic sets there.
Traditional church pews fill the space, so you may need to use the cushions to make your experience a bit more comfortable!
Union Chapel is a working church, live entertainment venue and charity drop-in centre for the homeless in Islington, London, England. Built in the late 19th century in the Gothic revival style, the church is Grade I-listed.
Great venue, nice staff and a cracking concert by The Residents on 4 Feb 2019.
Stunning venue with great acoustics and viewing from even side pews was very good. Would definitely return to see another gig there. Less than 5 minute walk from the tube so easy to get to. Range of fast food places nearby and bars in the venue.
Tina Dico at her best and back to her earlier hometown - Union Chapel is best concert location for this kind of very emotional music
Lovely gig venue, though the pews are not too comfy. Especially love the fact you can get a cup of tea in a random mug and have to put the milk/sugar in yourself from a trolley.
Beautiful space! Perfect location for music lovers.
Marvellous up close and personal music venue with great accoustics. Sadly several hours in those pews is a guaranteed numb bum.
I went to see the concert there, acoustics were great, but too cold and didn't seem right to see bar inside a church.
One of the best venues in London. Great for comedy or a gig.
The bar is also amazing.
Spacious, well designed and plenty of seating available. A great venue to see any stage performance.
Beautiful building and easy to get to. Love the wooden pews and bar with high ceilings. Shame it s not very tidy inside.
Went to a Natassa Bofiliou concert there. Seating positions very good, acoustics were incredible!
Without doubt my favourite venue to see live music in London. Beautiful church, wonderful acoustics, really tasty food and very kind staff...
I saw the film Romeo and Juliet with the chapel choir, it was amazing! A perfect place to watch this film. Best to arrive early to get the best seats and I f advise taking a cushion
Took my fiancee to see the screening of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet, accompanied by a live choir that opened and closed the screening with select songs from the film, hosted by Backyard Cinema. Very well put together event, and the venue really, really, worked with the film. As you remember, religious iconography plays a prominent part in R&J and of course the finale takes place in a church. Our surroundings were decorated very much like the feel of the film and added a lot.
Acoustically, I'm curious to return to catch a live music act, as the film sounded great (even at times, too loud!) which makes me think the venue might have good acoustic design (it's a church).
The venue logistics ran smoothly and it's clear the venue is used to running events. If I might make a suggestion, if you're late to the queue before the event, you're better off heading in to the separate queue that leads to the bar. The bar doors open to the venue at the same time as the front door queue, so you can save yourself a wait, get yourself a better spot, and have a beer while you wait. Pro tip.
Lovely venue, helpful volunteers. It's a working church as well as a fantastic music venue. Goes without saying that the acoustics are amazing
Went there for a concert and a couple of movies and it is a really fantastic place for such events, really atmospheric, and very beautiful inside.
As it is an old building it can be a bit cold though, specially when you are sitting down for a long time. So if you are going there on a cold evening put a couple of socks on and grab a hot drink in the bar!
Great place with a nice atmosphere for watching films
Union Chapel is a wonderful venue. The sound is about as good as you can get. And it's staffed by really nice people.
Epic venue. Good accoustic. I love thatthey give a chance to less fortunate by giving them work.
One of the best little venues for concerts!! I saw David Garrett (violinist) years ago, a great memory!
The inside if the Chapel looks nothing like the photos online which must have taken when it first opened. Peeling paint, broken benches...this place needs restoration
We popped in after a ceremony nearby commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the V1 bombing at Highbury Corner at exactly the time of the explosion which was 12 45pm. Sad loss of life together with many more injuries. Attended by the mayor of Islington and citizens who were around when it happened congratulations to all who were involved in the organising
extraordinary space, Hampstead Gothic outside, appealingly mazey at the back and then what a grand main hall. of course, hard wood pews are the penitence of but a few plush butts. we did wonder if the bar is open at services..
Fantastic venue for a gig. I was lucky enough to see The Antlers perform Hospice here.
Excellent acoustics big names concerts. Beautiful listed building.
I saw Welcome to Nightvale here which was fantastic, the venue is excellent too and I can also highly recommend the hot chocolate from here.
One of Islingtons little gems, great night out, great staff.
What a venue, WHAT a venue!
This place is a former house of worship and has maintained it's aura of mystery and grandiose designs. I was here not for a music concert, but for a comedy night by Adam Buxton, though it did contain a fair share of music. I can only imagine how a concert in this venue, especially from atmospheric groups such as Arcade Fire/Sigur Ros could reach ethereal highs not experienced in more traditional venues.
Located close to Highbury & Islington tube it's pretty easy to reach and there are plenty of local services to use before and after any shows. The venue is surprisingly large and simply reeks personality and history. You can tell it was a church from the pews being hard and wooden, to imagine sitting through a long boring service makes one tremble, but a concert one has chosen to attend is a different matter!
The last word on this wonderful venue, even if the show is underwhelming, one can simply look around and gaze, gaze in wonder and such a unique, wonderful venue.
Union Chapel UK: A Historic Church, Live Entertainment Venue and Charity Drop-in Centre
Union Chapel UK is a unique establishment that serves as a church, live entertainment venue and charity drop-in centre for the homeless in Islington, London. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece built in the late 19th century in the Gothic revival style. It has been designated as a Grade I-listed building due to its historical significance and stunning design.
Located at the top end of Upper Street near Highbury Fields, Union Chapel UK has become an iconic landmark in Islington. The church's rich history dates back to 1799 when it was first established as a non-denominational place of worship. Over time, it has evolved into much more than just a religious institution.
Today, Union Chapel UK is known for its diverse range of events and activities that cater to people from all walks of life. From live music performances by world-renowned artists to community outreach programs aimed at helping those less fortunate, this establishment truly embodies what it means to be a pillar of the community.
One of the most notable aspects of Union Chapel UK is its commitment to helping those who are homeless or struggling with poverty. The charity drop-in centre provides essential services such as hot meals, clothing donations and access to medical care for those who need it most.
In addition to its charitable efforts, Union Chapel UK also hosts regular events that showcase some of the best talent from around the world. From classical music concerts featuring renowned orchestras to intimate acoustic sets by up-and-coming artists, there's always something happening at this vibrant venue.
But what really sets Union Chapel UK apart from other establishments is its dedication to preserving history while embracing modernity. Despite being over 140 years old, this Gothic masterpiece has been outfitted with state-of-the-art sound systems and lighting equipment that make it one of London's premier venues for live entertainment.
Whether you're looking for spiritual guidance or simply want to enjoy some great music while supporting a good cause, Union Chapel UK offers something for everyone. With its rich history and commitment to serving others, this establishment truly stands out as one-of-a-kind in London's cultural landscape.
In conclusion,
Union Chapel UK is not just another church or entertainment venue – it's an institution that embodies everything that makes Islington such a special place. With its stunning architecture steeped in history combined with modern amenities designed for today's audiences; charitable efforts aimed at helping those less fortunate; diverse range events catering people from all walks life; there really isn't anything quite like union chapel anywhere else!
unionchapel.org.uk
