London's coolest music scenes

FROM innercity indie clubs to stadium anthems in Wembley. Live the music dream with our insider's guide to London's iconic music scene.

STANDING in darkness, the sweat dripping from every pore, crammed like sardines into a box, getting intimate with complete strangers.

We are all there for one reason only – the people up on stage, strutting, playing. Rocking. It's an experience you can get in pretty much any city of the world – and yet some cities just do it better.

London is one of these cities.

England's capital has always held this mystique; a certain magic which, to those growing up on the other side of the world, makes it the place to be for music.

Tour Britain's famous music destinations

It's the city of Waterloo Sunset, of West End Girls, of White Man in Hammersmith Palais – heck, it's London Calling. It's home to the Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium, the Astoria, the Barfly, the O2, Abbey Road. It's the city which inspired the Clash, the Kinks, Pet Shop Boys, the Jam and, more recently, has formed the backdrops for albums by Bloc Party, Lily Allen, Jamie T, the Streets.

It was the epicentre of the swinging '60s, of the first explosion of punk rock, of ska, of britpop, of new rave. And while other English cities can try to steal the crown – be it Manchester, Liverpool or Leeds – the kids always come back to London.

A club night for just about any music genre

As a music nerd growing up in Adelaide, I could always hear London calling. New York, Detroit, Seattle, Nashville – America can keep 'em. It's the grime of South London, the indie of North London, the beats of East London and the style of West London that keeps me here. London knows how to celebrate music the right way, its soundtrack backed by the fashion, the bars, the art, the people. Damn, there's some cool, cool people here…

In London the party is happening every night, in every corner of the city and to every taste. While the cool kids hang in Hoxton, the rastas go to Brixton and the punks still call Camden Town their spiritual home. There truly is something for everybody right here, right now.

Fancy a bit of bangra? Head for the Brick Lane vicinity. The area around New Cross is the new home of up-and-coming indie bands, with the South London sound making its way to the establishments at the end of the old East London tube line.

Camden is still iconic – the markets, the bars, the venues. It's a must-see on any trip to London regardless of music taste. Soho is still part sleaze, part gay, and a whole lotta exploring. The boys can also be found just south of the river in Vauxhall, where the clubs are big and shirts are optional. Shoreditch and the inner East have a clubbing reputation – Fabric, one of the world's most famous nightclubs, is found in a laneway in EC1. And in London, "clubbing" doesn't just mean doof doof - there's a club night for just about any music genre.

Sheer diversity of talents

Finding out what's happening is as easy as walking down any street in town at night – leaflets, flyers and postcards will be thrust at you by backpackers trying to earn a few extra quid. Alternatively, plan ahead by picking up a copy of the London bible that is Time Out, or a similar publication based on the genre you're into.

It's the sheer diversity of talents which makes London such an exciting place to be – even if only for a few days. Summer is coming, which means a plethora of outdoor gigs and festivals in the city catering for a range of tastes. This summer, to name a few, we will enjoy Radiohead in Hackney's Victoria Park, Foo Fighters at Wembley Stadium and two festivals in Hyde Park – Wireless and Hard Rock Calling – which will be headlined by the likes of Fatboy Slim, Morrissey, Jay-Z, Eric Clapton and the Police.

Legendary London venue

Want diversity? Try the grimy clubs of Old Street one night, see a cool indie band at Brixton Academy or Koko the next, and finish up at the O2 in North Greenwich – the world's most popular venue, going by ticket sales – taking in a massive spectacle like Justin Timberlake, the Eagles, Dolly Parton, Kanye West or Smashing Pumpkins.

The latter is quickly becoming as iconic as that great, legendary London venue in the north – the icon that is Wembley Stadium. Those who grew up in the '70s and '80s know Wembley as the absolute pinnacle of music folklore, and now it's open again after a much maligned rebuild and a whole new generation is enjoying the magic.

When supporting Muse at Wembley last June, the Streets' Mike Skinner couldn't hide his excitement. Throughout the first track, he kept saying "ever since I was a little kid, there's something I've always wanted to say", before finally calling out at track's end: "Hellooooooo, Wembley!" Naturally, the crowd went wild. It's a very special feeling to be part of such a massive crowd – a crowd which is actually into the music, and showing appreciation; it's something you can't get in many places.

And just as it's special to see the world's best in the world's biggest and most iconic stadiums, it's similarly special to see the next big things in the tiny bars of London.