Ally Pally Celebrates Its 150th Year With Programme of Live Music

In its 150 years, Alexandra Palace has hosted seminal moments of entertainment history and a myriad of breakout, mind-bending live music performances. The venue was built as 'The People's Palace', with the purpose of bringing leisure and entertainment to the masses - a mission that continues to this day, with over five million people expected to visit this year and more than 250 events and activities on offer. 

 

Simon Fell, Alexandra Palace events director said: 'To be custodians of Ally Pally is a great feeling. We are proud of how we have developed the spaces across the venue in recent years, so that fans can enjoy such a broad range of live music in some truly amazing environments. This is also reflected in the volume and variety of amazing artists coming to the Palace, and this year is shaping up to be something else. You can feel the history the minute you walk through the door and, as an independent venue, all our profits go back into improving the Park and Palace, so people can enjoy live music here for another 150 years. That's an exciting thought.”

 

Coinciding with the venue's anniversary– the Palace first opened its doors on 24 May, 1873 - Four Tet delivered a mesmerising performance enjoyed by 10,000 fans, featuring a stunning set-up in the round that included 42,000 immersive lights. The performance was one of three nights the celebrated DJ is playing in the Great Hall this week (23-25 May) – a stage that through the year has hosted the likes of the Rolling Stones, Jay-Z, Led Zepplin, Bjork, Dizzy Gillespie, Florence and the Machine and the Fugees, among many, many others.

 

The 150th celebrations continue at Alexandra Palace's Birthday Party event on 27 May, which features a host of DJs and live music, ahead of a packed schedule that's set to make 2023 the busiest year for live music in the Palace's history.

 

For the third time, the iconic Later…With Jools Holland has recorded in Ally Pally's atmospheric, award-winning Theatre with transmission of series 62 now underway.

 

Fatboy Slim (10 June) returns to Ally Pally in June, as does legendary guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson (28 June), who stops off here for the London leg of his UK tour.

 

The line-up on the Palace's outdoor summer stage features Bastille (14 July), Hozier (21 July) and Ben Howard (22 July) taking to the park stage that offers unparalleled views across the city.

 

Kaleidoscope (15 July) enters its fourth year. As previously announced, headlining the main Hilltop Stage are electronic-pop legends Hot Chip, who will make a little slice of venue history by becoming the first band in 150 years to play all three stages at Alexandra Palace: the Theatre, Great Hall and now the Park. George Fitzgerald will Raise the Roof with a live electronic set and Gaz Coombes brings his trademark musical alchemy to the rolling hills of Alexandra Palace. Elvana - Elvis-fronted Nirvana - will add some fun to the much coveted, mid-afternoon slot with their alternative take on the King's classics, whilst electronic disco ones-to-watch Girls of the Internet and spoken word and hip-hop artist Antony Szmierrek provide the ultimate Summer soundtrack.

Over on the DJ Stage - Cloud 10 - a stellar line-up promises to get the crowd moving, with Erol Alkan (disco set), Heidi Wookie, Fabio & Grooverider and Raw Silk Ready to Play into the late hours of a woozy sunset. The festival also features a great comedy line-up and plenty of family-friendly activities and performers to make the day complete.

 

Moving into the autumn/winter, with more gigs to be announced, there's 'punx in the palace' While She Sleeps (23 Sep), Cavetown's Bittersweet Daze Festival (24 Sep), The National (26 & 27 Sep), pop disruptor Ashinkko (30 Nov) and austerity era icons Sleaford Mods currently rounding off the pre-darts year (2 Dec).

 

The UK's biggest independent venue, run by a charity, the Palace also continues to play a vital role in supporting the local community through its Creative Learning programme. 

 

Ally Pally may be 150 years old, but experiences here are timeless, and we plan to make more memories for audiences this year that will last a lifetime.