More about: Arctic Monkeys
5 key facts about the gig, the local area and transport options
This weekend, Arctic Monkeys perform two huge gigs in North London's Finsbury Park. The AM superstars and Glastonbury headliners are set to turn the unassuming borough into a hotbed of indie as thousands of fans flock to see Alex Turner and co blow the asphalt off Stroud Green Road with their massive collection of classic anthems.
More: the 16 most important gigs of Arctic Monkeys career - so far
More: 7 things you can expect to see when Arctic Monkeys play Finsbury Park
But Finsbury Park isn't the same as a huge gig at London's O2 or any other regular gig venue. In 2013 it was flooded with Stone Roses fans when they played two nights in the same location, many of whom struggled getting in and out of Finsbury Park due to the huge volume of people and the somewhat limited public transport options. So, if you're headed to see Arctic Monkeys perform in Finsbury Park this weekend, here are five things you need to know about the gig and Finsbury Park itself, to make your experience easier and more enjoyable.
Initial set times for gigs on both Friday 23 and 24 shows in Finsbury Park are below:
Doors: 16.00
Royal Blood: 17.30 - 18.00
Miles Kane: 18.30 - 19.10
Tame Impala: 19.40 - 20.30
Arctic Monkeys: 21.00
Curfew: 22.30
1. Getting in to Finsbury Park:
Getting to Finsbury Park shouldn't be too much of a problem. As with any concert venue or location, arrival times will be staggered throughout the day. Finsbury Park is serviced by both the Piccadilly Line and the always-reliable Victoria Line. However, if you are coming from further north on London Underground, it might be worthwhile disembarking at Manor House on the Piccadilly Line, as it is close to a major entrance to Finsbury Park.
2. Drinking options:
Finsbury Park is small, but boasts loads of brilliant drinking venues, mostly centred around Stroud Green Road, the borough's main thoroughfare and high street. Situated close to the station is The World's End pub, but we'd recommend venturing further afield, as this gets extremely busy due to it's proximity to the tube. Close by is The Faultering Fullback, which, while small is one of Finsbury Park's most popular drinking venues with an exceptional beer garden - although it is likely to be extremely busy due to its size. If you are planning on a few swift drinks before the gig, then The Old Dairy and The Stapleton at the top of Stroud Green Road make perfect options. Large, airy and just 10 minutes walk from Finsbury Park, these are two of the area's most spacious drinking venues for locals and, this weekend, gig-goers.
3. Eating options:
Stroud Green Road is also home to a number of decent, reasonable eating options - and it's always best to line your stomach before a massive gig. The Milk Bar offers the best burgers in Finsbury Park, while both La Porchetta and Pappagone are known for their pizza. Jai Krishna is famous London-wide for its insanely cheap (and truly delicious) vegetarian curry menu, but it might not be so advisable before watching Arctic Monkeys. Cats Cafe de Artistes offers reasonably priced Thai Food, while Petek's restaurant offers truly incredible Turkish food. There is also a Nandos, which is, of course - great.
That's for the discerning gig-goers, however. Rest assured, Stroud Green Road is packed with fried chicken shops and kebab houses for the journey home.
4. Shopping in local stores? Beware the prices:
When The Stone Roses performed in Finsbury Park in 2014, Finsbury Park and Stroud Green Road was flooded with thousands of indie fans - and a number of small local stores exploited this with hugely inflated prices on their goods (namely cigarettes and beer) following the show. Smokers are recommended to bring their own supply.
5. Getting out - this is the tricky part:
Thousands of Arctic Monkeys fans will be flooding out of Finsbury Park when the gig closes - and the local tube station is not equipped for a huge influx of people. It struggles greatly on match days due to its proximity to Arsenal and shutters are often closed due to overcrowding. However, Manor House tube station is close by.
Finsbury Park is also serviced by a major bus interchange, and it might be benficial to take a bus to a nearby station to avoid the inevitable queues and delays at Finsbury Park tube. Overground trains are also an option, with regular service from Finsbury Park to Kings Cross. Nearby stations, Crouch Hill and Green Lanes are also an option - but train times should be investigated, as overground trains finish earlier on weekends.
However, there are a number of late-night options in the area, with late licenses at The Old Dairy and also The Silver Bullet by Finsbury Park bus depot - which offers music and beer until the very early hours...
Below: the 16 most important gigs of Arctic Monkeys career so far
The Grape, Sheffield - 2003: Four spotty young Yorkshire lads stepped on stage for their first ever gig in a humble Steel City boozer, rattling through early tracks including early tracks 'Ravey Ravey Ravey Club' and 'Curtains Closed', as well as covers of 'Black Math' and 'Hotel Yorba' by The White Stripes, 'Teenage Kicks' by The Undertones, 'I'm Only Sleeping' by The Beatles and 'Harmonic Generator' by The Datsuns. Little did they know that megastardom was just around the corner.
Reading & Leeds 2005: The band's Under The Boardwalk bootleg and MySpace tunes had spread the band's music over the internet like wildfire - making them the biggest unsigned band in the world. It wasn't long until Domino signed them in May 2005 and their profile only exploded from there. They were given an unassuming afternoon slot on the tiny Carling Stage at Reading & Leeds 2005, but the insanely huge crowds they attracted made it pretty much impossible to get anywhere near - a sure sign that the hype would lead to much, much bigger things.
The Astoria, London - 2005: Shortly before 'I Bet You Looked Good On The Dancefloor' stormed straight to No.1, Arctic Monkeys sold out their first ever London headline show at London's 1,200-capacity iconic Astoria (RIP). There's a bootleg DVD of the show doing the rounds online, which you should definitely check out.
NME Awards Tour 2006: The band blow all other bands off the stage on the painfully 2006 NME tour with Maximo Park, We Are Scientists and Mystery Jets - and they aren't even headlining.
Brixton Academy, London - 2006: Nothing says 'victory lap' quite like selling out Brixton off the back of your first album - the first step on the ladder to arenas, stadiums, festival headline status and world domination. Tickets to all 12 shows on the tour sold out in under an hour.
Glastonbury 2007: After picking up the Mercury for their debut and storming straight back with chart-topping second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare, the band proved that they were much more than a fad and landed their first ever headline slot at Glasto - even inviting Dizzee Rascal to join them on stage.
Lancashire County Cricket Ground, Manchester - 2007: As if Glasto wasn't enough, the band headlined their own mini festival a month later supported by some pretty huge names, including Amy Winehouse and Supergrass.
Manchester Apollo - 2007: The band ended their Favourite Worst Nightmare tour in style - with a secret gig at The Apollo recorded for a live album and DVD. Shot by Richard Ayoade (from The IT Crowd, Garth Merenghi's Darkplace etc) and photographed by cinematographer Danny Cohen (This Is England) it's a true thing of beauty.
Wellington, Australia - January, 2009: Arctic Monkeys give the world the first taste of Humbug at some Big Day Out sideshows, with a cover of native Nick Cave's 'Red Right Hand' thrown in for good measure. Their darker, less frantic new sound proves a struggle for many fans, but stands the test of time and sets the band up for some of the biggest shows of their career.
Reading & Leeds 2009: The lads finally fulfill their childhood dream and headline R&L for the first time ever
Don Valley Bowl, Sheffield - 2011: The band kick off fourth album Suck It And See and showcase an explosive harder-rock direction under a bigtop with a a glorious homecoming show, with a pretty impressive line-up. There's official footage of the show on Youtube, which is definitely worth a watch.
Olympics Opening Ceremony, London - 2012: The band dazzle the entire world with a dazzling performance of 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' and a cover of The Beatles' 'Come Together' - with a little help from some angels on bikes.
Glastonbury 2013: Arctic Monkeys play an absolute blinder and make Glasto history with one of the best gigs of their career, headlining the Pyramid Stage for a second time
The AM UK tour 2014: Alex Turner and co take their record-breaking fifth album to the masses with a run of massive arena and stadium shows - showcasing themselves as the most in-demand live band in Britain.
Madison Square Garden, New York - 2014: They've always been a pretty big deal in the UK and Europe, but the past 12 months were the year that Arctic Monkeys really 'broke' the US. The last time they were over there at Madison Square Garden in 2012, they were supporting The Black Keys - this time around, they sold it out all by themselves - and will be headlining plenty more Stateside festivals this summer.
Finsbury Park, London - 2014: Sure, they'll headlining Reading and Leeds AGAIN in August, but for now let's talk about what's set to be two MONUMENTAL evenings at London Finsbury Park - performing to no less tan 80,000 fans. Expect something historic, and we're talking 'Oasis at Knebworth' and 'Stone Roses at Spike Island' proportions. You'll be able to say 'I WAS THERE'.
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More about: Arctic Monkeys
