Royal Festival Hall

One of the best and most accessible places to see a great variety of music and events.
Really great venue all round. Avoid when there's a graduation ceremony from one of the universities going on though!

Great sound quality and comfortable seating.
Great on a sunny day when you can finish off the afternoon/evening with a walk along the South Bank

I LOVE this venue!!! This is my favorite place to watch a show because it is very intimate and you feel like you’re watching your friends performing. Its mostly general admission which is great because tickets are cheap and you can move around and go to the bar without interrupting anyone.

The RFH is never the first place to spring to mind when musing on favourite venues, but every time I return here I'm reminded that it's among the best in London. The acoustics and sight lines here are superb, and it's a particularly great space for watching audiovisual performances that make the most of the massive stage.

I've seen all sorts of acts here from classical to pop bands and musicals, and each has been a great experience. A visit here is far more enjoyable since they re-vamped and modernised a few years ago, and its bars and cafes are spacious and pleasant.

2001: A Space Odyssey featuring The Philharmonia Orchestra and The Philharmonia Chorus at The Royal Festival Hall.

Directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1968 and co written by Arthur C Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the most famous science fiction films of all time.

Kubrick, who first met Clarke in 1964, told him he was searching for the best way to make a film about Man's relation to the universe.

I saw 2001 last year at a drive in cinema at Pinewood Studios on the largest projected green screen in Europe. Though this was very impressive, there was something magic about hearing the music played live by a full orchestra.

The stirring soundtrack with includes Johann Strauss's Waltz, On The Beautiful Blue Danube, is brought to life by the London Philharmonia Orchestra which can't help but make you sway in your seat.

This is a very luxurious way to watch a film but it really will make your experience - out of this world!

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I will always remember this place as it looks in the 2nd photo. However I have only ever been on the stage, in a production my class did at school, in about 1997 or '98!

A wonderful venue, the acoustics are fabulous and it's very versatile - suitable for the variety of performances held there.

we went to watch love cooking and had a wonderful time watching ainsley cooking some lovey jamaican food.

Great venue,nice'n airy with plenty of people milling about, and always something different goin on...

I love the feel of the Royal Festival Hall and dropped by several times during the London Jazz Festival as it hosted many of the performances. It’s easy to forget what a funky place it is for hanging out, and I’ll definitely have to drop by more often if only to enjoy its funky space.

The Royal Festival Hall is great part of the South Bank Centre arts complex. It's a massive hall that provides a venue for mid-size musical and theatrical acts that attract a more sit-down, gentrified, or avant-garde crowd. It's essentially two large, very wide, tiers of seats. The acoustics are quite good for music.

There's a café in the outer part of the Hall.

I've seen acts as varied as Sigur Ros (earlier in their career, with Coil opening) and the Soweto Gospel Choir here.

I went to see Glen Campbell here recently and was struck by how comfortable the seats are. Despite the recent refit the Royal Festival Hall doesn’t have the same atmosphere as other concert halls, but it’s clean, comfortable, well run and has a great programme. The bars are expensive (but no more than you’d expect) and the views from the terrace onto the river are lovely. Definitely worth a visit

Since the multi million squillion pound makeover, the Royal Festival Hall has really carved quite an impressive stature on the South Bank. Where I used to simply walk on by and head to the bfi and national theatre, I now find myself propelled straight to the Royal festival Hall. In the summer, the terrace above the restaurants is magical - pure London brilliance, with perfect views over the river.
The schedule itself is always inspiring, and there is something for everyone from literature, to dance, to theatre to politics.
I agree with other reviewers that the cafe is slightly clinical, but at the same time - this venue allows people to just congregate with friends, groups, meetings - and aks nothing in return. A real community hub.

I am ashamed to say of all the years I have lived in and around London, it has taken me 30 years to finally venture to the Royal Albert Hall. We decided to pop in to see the amazing free '2008’s photographs of the year’ exhibition on Friday night. The place was buzzing, people in every direction - using the cafe, the bar, the live music area, waiting for the evening’s performance to start etc… It’s a vast area with a great atmosphere. Everyone seems super relaxed and enjoying themselves. A definite must when in London and not much cash!

great new look after the face lift loads more places to eat and drink good place to chill out. Also inside has events during most weekends.

The bar inside is a good place to meet and have a drink also a good place if you are seeing a show around the area. At night the place come alive and during events it’s a good vibe.

If you attend a show then they have a bar on the 2nd floor which you can go outside on a balcony and it has great views of the Thames and south bank and at night with all the lights looks great

ooooh they won me over on Friday. My last experience of this place was awful loud music that made it impossible to enjoy the inside bar (which by the way I think looks like a hospital cafeteria).

And then we went to see The Wizard of Oz. And it was brilliant. The theatre is huge and the acoustics are brilliant. The chairs are perfectly spaced so you can see everything no matter where you are. the show was fabulous - everything from costumes to lighting and stage was brilliant and a credit to them.

There was cabaret in the bar that evening, but it was warm so we decided to sit outside and drink wine. the friendly barman convinced us that bottles of wine was a better idea… and after chatting lots and buying more than one, i missed my train home as they stay open late.

I don’t think it was his fault that I kipped on my mate’s sofa though… shame I didn’t have my red shoes on. Then I could have just clicked my heels together three times.

the cultural heart of London, offering a great mix of entertainment. really, the above have said it all. however, if you are into art, music and dance it is definitely worth taking out membership to the Southbank. apart from the obvious benefits this grants you access to the top floor bar in the Royal Festival bar with breathtaking views across some of London’s most favourite sites. long gone are the days when this complex was being described as a concrete eyesore …

This place has a lot to offer. Of course, there’s the usual mixture of entertainment including plays, musical recitals which you pay for but you can also stumble upon freebie entertainment which seems to be going on a lot of the time. The building itself, having been recently refurbished is definately worth taking in and there are several bars, cafes, comfy sofas and shops. It’s situated right on the river front so is perfect for soaking up both the sun and atmosphere.

Just been here fore the first time, and really enjoyed it. Of course I don't have clue what it looked like before the refurbishment, but the festival hall has a look and feel that can position it well into Wallpaper, the acoustics are great and on a warm summer night, you can really enjoy life outside on the south bank. The cloak room is free, the ticket price for our venue (Carmen Jonas) was very reasonable. I will come again.

I can't actually remember the last time I went to the Royal Festival Hall, but I think it revolved around being hungry, cramped and hot. The I-don't-know-how-many-million-pound makeover that has just been unveiled was however as impressive as it is sensitive in its maintenance of the RFH's original signature themes. From the selection of nouveau-high-street eateries on river level (Strada, Wagamama, Eat) to the many bars and cafes within the RFH itself, there was no danger of going hungry. The open space inside the hall itself has been largely untouched, but the massive picture windows onto a dramatic London skyline are breathtaking. Having sat through an intense hour of music, I was suitably blown away by the picture window you see walking down the stairs from Door B. The acoustics has apparently been improved in the hall; my untrained ear only noticed that they are pretty good. The seating was spacious and comfortable and as a venue, it is one of the best I have been to for a long time. Many return trips are being planned......