Fifty years on from a small basement gathering place for musicians on Kings Road, the 606 Club is marking half a century as one of London’s most respected independent jazz venues, with a season of anniversary events running throughout October.
In 1976, while London was going through a period of extraordinary cultural change, a small basement venue on Kings Road, Chelsea quietly began a journey that would become part of the city’s musical history. Fifty years on, the 606 Club stands as one of the UK’s most enduring independent music venues, still bringing musicians and audiences together through a shared love of live performance.
From a late-night gathering spot to a Chelsea institution
What started as a small late-night meeting place for musicians has grown into a genuine Chelsea institution, built on community, creativity and a consistent commitment to supporting exceptional talent. Over five decades, the Club has welcomed generations of musicians and performers, building a legacy that has made it a destination for audiences from London and well beyond.
The list of names who’ve played there is genuinely remarkable. Jamie Cullum played some of his earliest London shows at the Club before becoming one of the UK’s most successful musicians internationally, alongside artists including Claire Martin, Julian Joseph, Ian Shaw, Jason Rebello, Jeremy Stacey, Liane Carroll, Jim Mullen and Hamish Stuart. It’s long been a venue where exceptional talent is discovered and nurtured as much as celebrated.
Cullum himself has called it the “Best Live Music Venue in London,” and the Club continues to hold a genuinely unique place in Britain’s musical landscape, as admired by the artists who perform there as by the audiences who keep coming back.
The man behind five decades
Behind this whole story is musician Steve Rubie, who took over the 606 Club in October 1976 and has remained at the helm ever since. His route into running one of London’s most celebrated venues was genuinely unexpected, originally trained as a dentist, Rubie moved into music in the early 1970s, studied Classical Flute at Trinity College London and became a professional musician before what began as an opportunity turned into a lifelong dedication to the Club and its community.
Under his leadership, the 606 Club grew from its original basement location at 606 Kings Road into its current home at 90 Lots Road, Chelsea, establishing itself as a landmark venue known for its welcoming atmosphere, exceptional live performances and support for musicians across generations.
Reflecting on the milestone, Rubie says: “Keeping the Club going for 50 years is a triumph of optimism over experience!”
Despite being synonymous with the Club for almost five decades, he’s quick to point out its success has never been about one person: “There’s a tendency for people to talk about the Club surviving for 50 years as something I’ve done, but that’s far from the reality. Without the hard work of the many dedicated staff who have helped make and keep things running here there is no way the Club could or would have survived this long. It is now and always has been a group endeavour.”
A home for UK talent
That sense of collaboration has shaped the Club from the very start, and so has a deliberate focus on homegrown talent rather than touring international names.
“Back in the day we couldn’t afford US artists anyway, but even if we could have that was what Ronnie’s and The Pizza were already doing, so I made a point of specifically providing somewhere for UK based musicians to play,” Rubie explains. “Basically turning a shortcoming (having no money!) into a positive.”
It’s a philosophy that has defined the Club’s identity for 50 years, nurturing generations of British musicians and building a reputation that’s earned the respect of audiences and artists alike. As Rubie puts it: “At the end of the day it’s just best to let the Music speak for itself.”
His contribution to music has been recognised throughout his career, including the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Music in 2019. He still leads the Club today, and still performs there regularly himself.
50th anniversary celebrations
To mark the milestone, the 606 Club’s 50th anniversary celebrations run throughout October 2026, bringing together artists, audiences and friends of the Club for a season of events honouring five decades of music. Full dates and programme details are still to be announced, we’ll update this piece once they land.
The London x London Take: London’s jazz scene has just gained a flashy new arrival in Blue Note London, but the 606 Club is a genuinely useful reminder of what the city’s smaller rooms do best, fifty years of consistent, unglamorous graft backing homegrown musicians long before they were famous. If you’ve never made the trip to Lots Road, this anniversary year is as good a reason as any.
Need to know
- Where: 606 Club, 90 Lots Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0RN
- When: 50th anniversary events run throughout October 2026, full programme to be announced
- Website: 606club.co.uk
