Metal London — A NWOBHM Pilgrimage

The Map

Every stop, the hotel, and the venue on one map. Click any pin for hours and the why. Camden cluster is to the north; Soho is south of the river bend; Stratford is the far east outlier.

Legend: MUST · MAYBE · BONUS (Sunday Plan B only) · BASE · SKIP

The Shape of the Trip

Three days, realistically one and a half of touring. Hotel and venue are the same spot; Camden and Soho/West End are both a short Tube ride south on the Northern line. The one outlier is the non-negotiable Cart and Horses, out east in Stratford, which gets its own window so you never cross the city twice.

Sunday Aug 2 morning — Hamburg: Wacken ends late Saturday. Drive from the festival back to Hamburg, hotel, then Sunday morning the single most Hamburg thing available is the Fischmarkt — St. Pauli Fischmarkt 2, on the Elbe. 5:00–9:30 AM, Sundays only. Inside the 1896 Fischauktionshalle a band has been playing rock covers since 6 AM, beer's on tap at breakfast, and the crowd is half early risers and half people coming down off Reeperbahn — on August 2 heavily seasoned with people winding down from Wacken. Fischbrötchen, Astra, Marktschreier bellowing at each other. Hard stop 9:30. Then a walk east along the Elbe to Landungsbrücken for harbor views. Rental car return, then the 14:05 flight to Heathrow.
Missed the Fischmarkt window? Walk the Reeperbahn and Große Freiheit while they're dead and hungover — different atmosphere, all the metal-cultural landmarks (Grosse Freiheit street, Beatles-Platz, exteriors of Molotow and Grosse Freiheit 36 where German power metal grew up). Then over to Landungsbrücken for the harbor, ~10 min on foot from the Fischmarkt hall. Traditional Saturday-into-Sunday sequence for Wacken survivors: Lunacy on Hamburger Berg runs until 5:30 AM, then it's a ~15-min walk from Lunacy to the Fischmarkt.
Sunday Aug 2 afternoon → evening — London: Land Heathrow 3PM, hotel ~5:00–5:30PM, then the night's the best find of the trip — Broken By The Scream (J-metal) at The Dome in Tufnell Park, doors 19:00. Meet and greet confirmed.
Monday Aug 3: Full day free until doors. Cart and Horses at noon, then Camden (Raven Records) and Uber down to Soho for the shops. Lovebites: doors 7PM, curfew 11PM.
Tuesday Aug 4: Noon flight from Heathrow. Travel day, not a touring day.

Day One

Sunday, August 2 — Land & Hit Camden (Until Midnight)

Land 3PM. Fastest with bags is an Uber/taxi straight in — Heathrow to the hotel is ~50–70 min, ~£60–80. If you’d rather save the cash, the Tube works too: Piccadilly line from Heathrow to King’s Cross, then one Northern line stop to Angel (~75–90 min, a few £ with contactless). Either way you’re at the hotel around 5:00–5:30PM. Dump bags and go: Camden runs late and it’s a 10-min cab (~£12) or a 12-min Tube from Angel (Northern line, direct).

Sunday game plan: If you’ve only got carry-on, take the shot at the Crypt — Uber straight from Heathrow to Crypt of the Wizard (Hackney, open Sun 12–4). On time you’ll arrive ~4:30 (tight against the 4PM close), but an early flight makes it. If it’s open, great; if shut, Uber on to Raven Records (~20 min) to catch it before 6. Then cab to the hotel, drop the bag, and head back to Camden for the pubs till midnight. No bag drama, fully fluid — and nothing breaks if the Crypt doesn’t pan out, since Raven covers your metal vinyl Monday too.

Plan B Bonus (Earlier Flight Only) — Crypt of the Wizard

Only realistic if you land by ~1:30PM. London’s only dedicated all-metal record shop, Sundays 12–4 only. Skip the hotel and Uber straight from Heathrow. If you can’t make 4PM, leave it for a future trip — Raven covers your metal vinyl.

Crypt of the Wizard

MAYBE

Address: 264 Hackney Rd, E2 7SJ
What it is: London's only dedicated all-metal record shop — vinyl, CDs, tapes, their own label releases, shirts, zines. The specialist dig. Open Sundays 12–4 only (CLOSED Mondays, so Sunday is your one shot this trip).
Hours: Sunday 12PM–4PM. (Closed Mondays.)
Getting there: From Heathrow: Uber direct ~60–75 min (~£65–85) — the only realistic way to beat the 4PM close. Tube exists (Piccadilly to King’s Cross, then Overground/bus toward Hackney, ~75–95 min) but too slow to make 4PM. You MUST arrive before 4PM; works only off an early flight, skipping the hotel.
Verdict: BONUS only if you land by ~1:30PM. Uber straight from Heathrow, skip the hotel, dig the crates, then cab on to Raven before 6 and into Camden. Off the planned 3PM landing it’ll be shut before you arrive — go to Raven on Monday instead and don’t sweat it.

Evening — Broken By The Scream @ The Dome (7PM)

J-metal on Sunday night — Broken By The Scream at The Dome, doors 19:00. Tickets in hand, meet and greet locked in.

Broken By The Scream — The Dome, Tufnell Park

MUST

Address: Downstairs at The Dome, 178 Junction Rd, N19 5QQ
What it is: Japanese metal-screaming idol act on their Screaming Rebellion EU/UK 2026 tour. On-brand for the whole trip — J-metal, all-female-fronted, intense live show. £30 advance via DICE.
Hours: Sun Aug 2: doors 19:00. ~£30 (DICE).
Getting there: Northern line Angel → Tufnell Park (~10–12 min) + 5 min walk. Or Uber ~15 min from Camden if you do pubs first. From the hotel direct: ~25 min by Tube, ~15 min by cab.
Verdict: The Sunday-night anchor. J-metal in a small room with a meet and greet locked in — the on-brand highlight of the trip.

Two windows for Camden: Sunday late-afternoon around 4:00–5:30PM if the flight lands on time (Raven Records first, they shut at 6, then a pub or two), and Monday afternoon before Lovebites doors. Camden is the London metal high street — Black Heart, The Devonshire Arms, The World's End — the pubs the trip is built around.

Camden Pubs — Late Sunday and Monday Afternoon

Raven Records

MUST

Address: 24 Camden Rd, NW1 9DP
What it is: London's premier metal record store + the world's ONLY alcohol-free metal bar + a metal coffee shop. Vinyl, CDs, merch, patches, metal coffee and 0.0% drinks.
Hours: Sunday 12PM–6PM. (Full hours in Monday’s section.)
Getting there: ~2 min from Camden Town station. From the hotel: Northern line Angel → Camden Town ~12 min, or a ~10-min cab (~£12).
Verdict: Tight on Sunday given the 5–5:30PM hotel arrival. If you’re out fast you can catch the last 30–40 min; otherwise lock it in for Monday and don’t stress it tonight. Catch before 6PM if at all possible.

The World's End / The Underworld

MUST

Address: 174 Camden High St, NW1 0NE
What it is: Vast landmark pub right at Camden Town station, sitting on top of The Underworld — the legendary 500-cap metal venue in the basement. Check the Underworld listings — there may well be a Sunday-night gig downstairs you can walk into.
Hours: Sunday 12PM–11PM (pub).
Getting there: Right at Camden Town Tube — start here.
Verdict: Your anchor for the night. Soft drink, soak up the room, check what’s on in the basement.

The Devonshire Arms ("The Dev")

MUST

Address: 33 Kentish Town Rd, NW1 8NL
What it is: London's longest-surviving goth/metal pub. Dark, mock-Tudor, rock and metal on the system. Pure atmosphere, open till midnight.
Hours: Sunday 3PM–12AM.
Getting there: ~4 min walk from the World’s End.
Verdict: The classic Camden cave. Doesn’t matter that you’re not drinking — this is about standing in it.

The Black Heart

MUST

Address: 2 Greenland Pl, NW1 0AP
What it is: The flagship modern London metal pub: lively bar downstairs, 150-cap gig room upstairs, weekly rock/metal bills. Sundays often have a live gig on.
Hours: Sunday 12PM–12AM.
Getting there: ~3 min from the Dev / ~2 min from Camden Town Tube.
Verdict: The best note to end on. Stay till they call it (~midnight), then it’s a 2-min walk to the Tube.

Food on the night

Camden is wall-to-wall late food. Camden Market’s food stalls run into the evening, and the High Street has kebab houses, pizza and noodle spots open late. Grab something between pubs — Poppies fish & chips and the market’s street-food vendors are easy, no-booze-required fuel. Eat around 8–9PM so you can keep going.

Getting home

Last southbound Northern line from Camden Town toward Angel runs past midnight (roughly 00:15–00:30 on Sundays). Worst case a cab to Angel is ~10 min. You will not be stranded.

Day Two — The Big Day

Monday, August 3 — Up to the Show

The whole trip. Full day, hard stop: be back near the O2 Academy by ~6:30PM, relaxed, before 7PM doors. Two clean halves, no backtracking:

Late morning — head EAST to Stratford for the Cart and Horses (the one unmissable), right as it opens at noon.
Afternoon — come back through the centre and do Camden (Raven Records + All Ages), then Uber down to the Soho shops, then back to Angel for the show.

Your plan does BOTH Camden and Soho on Monday, using taxis to make it fit: Cart and Horses first, then Raven Records in Camden, then Uber down to the Soho shops, then back to Angel for the show. It’s a full day but very doable by cab.

Late Morning — East to Iron Maiden Ground Zero

Cart and Horses

MUST

Address: 1 Maryland Point, Stratford, E15 1PF
What it is: The birthplace of Iron Maiden. Steve Harris’s band played their first gigs here in 1976 and held a weekly residency 1976–78. Today it leans into the legend: Eddie memorabilia, a basement live room, Maiden everywhere, and a merch counter (patches, magnets, picks).
Hours: Open 12PM daily (confirmed for Mon Aug 3 — no private event that day).
Getting there: From the hotel: Northern line Angel → King’s Cross (1 stop), then Elizabeth line east to Stratford, ~6 min walk to Maryland Point (~35–45 min). Or just Uber the whole way — ~30–40 min, ~£30–40, door to door.
Verdict: Go right at noon so you have it to yourself. Soak in the history, hit the merch counter — this is the photo you came for. No need to drink to enjoy it.

Midday — Camden: Raven Records (Records, Coffee & the Alcohol-Free Metal Bar)

From Stratford head back toward Camden Town — Overground toward Camden Road or Elizabeth line to a Northern line interchange (~35–45 min), or Uber (~30–40 min, ~£30–40). Camden earns the trip — for you it’s perfect, because the best stops here are record shops and an alcohol-free metal bar, not boozers.

Raven Records

MUST

Address: 24 Camden Rd, NW1 9DP
What it is: London's premier heavy metal record store, the world's ONLY alcohol-free metal bar, AND a metal-themed coffee shop, all in one. Vinyl, CDs, books, band merch, patches; metal coffee (Black Coffee Worship), occult teas, and a full range of 0.0% draft beers, spirits and cocktails. They run signings and ‘metal health’ events.
Hours: Monday 12PM–6PM. (Closed Weds.)
Getting there: ~100m from Camden Town station, ~2 min walk.
Verdict: Your Camden anchor. Dig records, get a metal coffee or an alcohol-free cocktail, sit in a metal bar with zero compromise. Don’t miss this one.

All Ages Records

MUST

Address: 27A Pratt St, NW1 0BG
What it is: Camden's 100% independent punk and hardcore record shop — underground music across punk/metal/alt, plus zines, gig tickets and DIY culture. Staff will dig out anything.
Hours: Monday 11:30AM–6:30PM.
Getting there: ~3–4 min walk from Raven Records.
Verdict: Pair it with Raven for a proper Camden record crawl. Pure shop, no bar.

The Black Heart

MAYBE

Address: 2 Greenland Pl, NW1 0AP
What it is: The flagship modern London metal pub — downstairs bar, upstairs gig room, the genuine current scene. Worth stepping inside for the atmosphere even on a soft drink.
Hours: Monday 3PM–12AM (opens 3PM — time it).
Getting there: ~2 min from Camden Town Tube.
Verdict: Atmosphere stop. Look in after 3PM if you want to feel the scene; skippable if records + coffee filled your afternoon.

The Devonshire Arms ("The Dev")

MAYBE

Address: 33 Kentish Town Rd, NW1 8NL
What it is: London's longest-surviving goth/metal pub. Dark, loud, mock-Tudor, metal on the system. An institution.
Hours: Open daily, typically from early/mid-afternoon.
Getting there: ~3–4 min from the Black Heart.
Verdict: A quick look for the vibe. No need to drink — just absorb the cave.

The World's End / The Underworld

MAYBE

Address: 174 Camden High St, NW1 0NE
What it is: Enormous landmark pub at Camden Town station, sitting on top of The Underworld — the legendary 500-cap metal venue in the basement.
Hours: Sun & Mon 12PM–11PM.
Getting there: Right at Camden Town Tube.
Verdict: Good orientation stop since it opens at noon. Admire the building, peek at the Underworld’s gig posters.

Camden timing tip: Start at Raven Records at noon (records + metal coffee + alcohol-free bar), then All Ages, then look in at the World’s End / Dev, and the Black Heart from 3PM if you want. Leave Camden by ~5:30PM — Northern line straight back to Angel is ~10–12 min — to freshen up before doors.

Afternoon — Uber to Soho: Record Shops + Guitar Shops

Your Monday plan threads BOTH areas: Cart and Horses, then Raven Records in Camden, then down to Soho for the shops. Camden → Soho is ~10 min and ~£20–25 by cab (fastest), or Northern line Camden Town → Tottenham Court Road ~10 min then a short walk (cheapest). A tight, walkable cluster around Berwick Street, Denmark Street and Wardour Street — all shops and history, no drinking required. Leave Camden by ~3:30PM for a clear ~2 hours in Soho and an easy return to Angel before 7PM doors.

Denmark Street (Tin Pan Alley)

MUST

Address: Denmark St, WC2H 8NA
What it is: Britain's Tin Pan Alley — the historic guitar-and-music-shop street. Still trading: Regent Sounds (Fender/Gretsch), Hanks / Denmark Street Guitars (huge used stock, claims the UK’s largest selection), Wunjo Guitars, Macari’s (effects/amps), Argents (keys/sheet music). Walls of guitars, amps and pedals, plus rock history at every door.
Hours: Shops typically ~10AM–6PM Monday.
Getting there: From Camden: Uber ~10–12 min (~£20–25), or Northern line Camden Town → Tottenham Court Road ~10 min + 3 min walk. From the hotel direct it’s Northern line Angel → Tottenham Court Road ~8 min.
Verdict: The instrument-shop motherlode. Go before 6PM. If you play, budget extra time.

Sister Ray Records

MUST

Address: 75 Berwick St, W1F 8TG
What it is: Berwick Street’s flagship since 1989. Original pressings, killer reissues, and the occasional ultra-rare NWOBHM record. The best crate-dig in Soho.
Hours: Monday 10AM–8PM (latest-closing of the cluster).
Getting there: ~5 min walk from Denmark Street.
Verdict: The standout Soho record stop. Open late, so it can anchor the end of your afternoon.

Reckless Records

MAYBE

Address: 30 Berwick St, W1F 8RH
What it is: Soho's oldest record shop (since 1984). Deep secondhand rock section, fair prices.
Hours: Monday ~10AM–7PM.
Getting there: A few doors from Sister Ray.
Verdict: Do it in the same Berwick Street stop as Sister Ray — two shops, two minutes apart.

Marquee Club site (90 Wardour St)

MAYBE

Address: 90 Wardour St, W1F 0TN
What it is: Site of the most important rock club London ever had (1964–88) — the Stones to Maiden played here. Now commercial, but a Keith Moon blue plaque marks the spot.
Hours: Street — anytime.
Getting there: ~5 min walk from Berwick Street.
Verdict: A photo and a nod. It’s a plaque, not a venue — set expectations.

St Moritz Club

MAYBE

Address: 159 Wardour St, W1F 8WH
What it is: Tiny Swiss-themed basement club where Lemmy hung out after the Marquee closed.
Hours: Evenings, varies; rock club nights tend to be Thu–Sat, so a Monday is likely quiet/closed — a street photo will do.
Getting there: ~2 min from the Marquee site.
Verdict: Worth seeing from the street; don’t count on it being open on a Monday.

Evening — The Anchor

O2 Academy Islington — LOVEBITES

MUST

Address: N1 Centre, 16 Parkfield St, N1 0PS
What it is: Your whole reason for the stop. Lovebites (Japanese all-female power metal) on the Outstanding Tour. Venue is tucked inside the N1 shopping centre.
Hours: Mon Aug 3: doors 7PM, curfew 11PM. Tickets ~£30 — buy in advance.
Getting there: ~4–5 min walk from the hotel.
Verdict: Be back at the hotel by ~6:15–6:30PM, sort yourself out, stroll over for doors. Unhurried, exactly as you wanted.

Pre-show food right by the venue

The N1 Centre and surrounding Angel streets have plenty of quick food, and the hotel bar is the no-stress spot. Eat around 5:30–6:30PM near the hotel so you’re fed before doors, then it’s a two-minute amble to the show. After the 11PM curfew you’re a four-minute walk from your bed.

Mon Aug 3 Late Night

After the 11PM Lovebites curfew, every major London room is dark — checked. The right call isn't another gig; it's the rock dive bar a five-minute walk from O2 Academy on the way back to the hotel.

Slim Jim's Liquor Store

MAYBE

Address: 112 Upper St, N1 1QN
What it is: Rock'n'roll dive bar on Upper Street. Whiskey, Zeppelin on the jukebox, no cover, open till 2AM Monday. Five-minute walk from O2 Academy Islington.
Hours: Mon late: open till 2AM.
Getting there: ~5 min walk from O2 Academy Islington, on the way back toward the hotel.
Verdict: The right Monday-late play. Fall in after the Lovebites curfew, couple of whiskies, then walk to the hotel. No ticket, no plan.

If You Only Do Four Things

Lovebites at O2 Academy Islington (Mon — the anchor, non-negotiable).
Broken By The Scream at The Dome, Tufnell Park (Sun — J-metal on your free night, the find of the trip).
Cart and Horses, Stratford — Iron Maiden ground zero, the one landmark worth crossing town for.
Raven Records, Camden — records + metal coffee + the world’s only alcohol-free metal bar.

Everything else — All Ages, Denmark Street, Sister Ray, the Black Heart, the Marquee plaque — is gravy.

Day Three

Tuesday, August 4 — Getting to Heathrow

Noon international flight. Be at the airport by ~9:30–10:00AM. Recommended departure from Islington: leave the hotel by ~8:00–8:15AM.

Tube only: Northern line (Angel) → King’s Cross, then Piccadilly line direct to Heathrow. Cheapest, ~75–90 min, no changes after King’s Cross. Leave by ~8:00AM.
Faster: Northern → King’s Cross, Elizabeth line → Paddington, then Heathrow Express (15 min). Pricier but quickest; leave by ~8:30AM.
Taxi / ride-share: ~45–70 min depending on traffic; build in extra for a Tuesday morning. Leave by ~8:15–8:30AM.

Bottom line: out the door by 8:15AM at the latest. No touring — this is a travel morning.

Skip List — Don’t Go Hunting For These

A handful of famous sites are gone, closed, or out of window. Listed once here so they don’t clog the day plan.

Ruskin Arms (East Ham) — Maiden's other early home (25 gigs 1978–81). Closed since 2019; only the sign survives.
Bridge House (Canning Town) — Hosted 35+ Maiden gigs. Demolished 2002.
Crobar (Soho) — Closed 2020, never reopened.
Intrepid Fox — Long gone.
Garlic & Shots — Long gone.
Resurrection Records (Camden) — Shop closed, online only.
Crypt of the Wizard (Hackney) — London's dedicated all-metal shop. Open Sun 12–4, closed Mon. Only reachable Sunday off an early flight — see the Sunday Plan B Bonus above.
A Lemmy statue — There is NO Lemmy statue in London. The famous ones are in Los Angeles and Stoke-on-Trent.

Verification Notes & Sources

All checked live in June 2026.