West London has a new reason to exist on a Tuesday night, and it opened two weeks ago.
British Airways ARC, the first purpose-built music venue of its size to open in London in over a decade, sits above Olympia’s West Hall in Kensington. At 3,800 capacity it sits in that sweet spot between the intimacy of a smaller venue and the scale of an arena, which is a combination London has needed for years.
The site has serious heritage too: Jimi Hendrix, Rod Stewart, Primal Scream and The Cure all played the West Hall. The ARC is the thoroughly modern version of that legacy, with state-of-the-art sound, a dedicated VIP lounge and enough pre-show dining options on the wider Olympia site to make a proper evening of it.
July’s programme is where it gets interesting. On 8 July, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts make their first headline UK tour appearance in 16 years. Then Sammy Hagar takes over on 9, 11 and 12 July, returning to the UK for the first time since 1996 with a star-laden band that includes guitarist Joe Satriani, Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and drummer Kenny Aronoff. On 21 July, Puerto Rican reggaeton star Yandel brings his Sinfónico World Tour to the room. Three very different shows, all worth your time.
The wider season is equally strong: The Black Keys, Khalid, Van Morrison (a five-night residency, no less), Caravan Palace and Zac Brown Band are all on the bill across the coming months. AEG is clearly pitching this as the place for big names in an intimate-ish setting, and on that evidence they’re delivering.
The venue sits within the £1.3 billion transformation of Olympia, which also includes two hotels, a rooftop Japanese restaurant, and a new 1,575-seat theatre currently under construction. There’s also a free cultural programme running every Wednesday and Sunday throughout July in Olympia’s new public spaces, if you want to check the place out before committing to a ticket.
The LxL take: A genuinely exciting addition to London’s live music landscape. The July lineup alone justifies the journey to Kensington, and the venue sounds like a serious step up from most rooms of this size in the capital.
Need to Know
- Where: British Airways ARC, Olympia, Hammersmith Road, London, W14 8UX
- July shows: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (8 July), Sammy Hagar (9, 11, 12 July), Yandel (21 July)
- Free events: Every Wednesday and Sunday throughout July
- Tickets: britishairwaysarc.co.uk
