Photographer Alex Amorós captures London's live music venues in stasis

Pre-pandemic, London was home to one of the world’s most vibrant and prestigious music scenes. Since March, however, it’s been on hold. And the music venues that harness this city's creative endeavours have suffered setback after setback, be it not having the required capacity to safely open, or tentatively re-opening only for the government to announced a U-turn on restrictions shortly after, or some beloved grassroots venues not even qualifying for vital funding to keep them afloat. Venues across the country have suffered a similar fate. 

During lockdown 2.0 photographer Alex Amorós began taking intimate portraits of the city’s now dormant music venues, documenting the communities and livelihoods left behind by the pandemic in aid of the #saveourvenues campaign for his new photography book 40 Music Venues. 

"I did the project during the second lockdown, in about three weeks all on foot through London" Amorós says. "Live music has shaped so much of my life from working in the venues (like The Lexington) to playing myself. I wanted to give something back and show support in whatever way I can."

Amorós' photos present an evocative and eerie vision of the live music sector in stasis. Hopefully it's not too much longer till their doors open once again:

The full list of venues featured in 40 Music Venues are as follows:

Paper Dress Vintage, The Lexington, Oslo, MOTH Club, Helgi’s, Hackney Empire, The Oval Space, The Sebright Arms, Strongroom, The Old Blue Last, The Macbeth, The Victoria Dalston, The Shacklewell Arms, Earth Hackney, The Dublin Castle, The Good Mixer, Electric Ballroom, The Hawley Arms, The Finsbury Pub, The Waiting Room, Windmill Brixton, 02 Kentish Town, 02 Brixton Academy, Electric Brixton, Nothing Hill Arts Club, Mascara Bar,  The Fiddler’s Elbow, The Lock Tavern, Spiritual Bar, Camden Assembly, Camden Roundhouse, The Monarch, Ronnie Scott’s, The Blues Kitchen, Underworld, The Garage, The Hope & Anchor, Nambucca, 100 Club, The Social.

To pre-order 40 Music Venues, click here.