Leytonstone will see the arrival of a new music venue, record shop, and multi-arts room this autumn when Altar opens its doors on Friday, October 23. Set across two levels, the building is conceived as an all-day and late-night gathering spot, integrating a record store and bar alongside its live performance spaces. The team behind the project brings together several familiar figures from independent music, led by Toby L of Transgressive Records, Jon Clifford of Dreamhouse Records, and Simon Singleton, known locally for putting on the Shake The High Road Festival. Working alongside other collaborators, the team has tailored the site to accommodate touring acts, oddball experiments, and developing local performers under one roof.
The first chance for audiences to see inside comes on October 23 with a launch party running across both floors. Entry is free on a first come, first served basis. On the decks, electronic duo Simian Mobile Disco will be joined by broadcaster and journalist Kate Hutchinson, Charli Vos, and Altar residents. The following night keeps the opening weekend moving with London disco-punk outfit MADMADMAD and a set from singer and DJ Nina Yamada.
Club and electronic programming settles into the basement under the title ALTAR Lates. Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip heads down to the subterranean room on Friday, November 6, before Glasgow producer Auntie Flo takes control on Saturday, November 7. Elsewhere in November, promoter Eat Your Own Ears brings instrumental post-rock quartet Dog Unit to the venue on November 4, followed by a headline date from Polish-born, Canadian-raised songwriter Joyeria on November 12.
The venue will also step away from straight concert formats for public discussions and seated instrumental performances. ALTAR Talks launches on Monday, November 16, with journalist and documentarian Louis Theroux coming to Leytonstone for an on-stage conversation with filmmaker and venue co-founder Toby L, which will open to the floor for an audience question and answer segment. Come December, the venue introduces its ALTAR Piano Nights series, putting acoustic instrumentation in the spotlight. Mercury Prize nominee Ed Harcourt takes the first slot on Wednesday, December 16, followed the next evening by Madness frontman Suggs at the piano on Thursday, December 17.
Newer artists have also been given a regular foothold in the calendar. On Friday, December 18, Irish and Cornish group Girl In The Year Above appear in a show co-presented by Altar and Transgressive. The band, who recently joined the Transgressive Records roster, appeared on the soundtrack to Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man with a version of Massive Attack's Teardrop. The wider opening roster draws in performances from Pleasure Unit, Humane, Cass Why, Shale, The Kitchen Sink Band, Bedroom Tax, Daniel Pickard, Lister Rider Home, The Herons, and Von Burl. These are slotted alongside specialized club evenings such as the Bluespot Reggae Social and The Altarnative 80s Party.
Alongside the live bills, the team is running a structured grassroots operation called the Altar Community. The scheme is split into three branches intended to make the venue directly useful to neighborhood musicians. Altar Under-18 will solicit submissions from teenage artists to build dedicated bills designed specifically for younger performers. Altar Mentorships will provide developing musicians with direct counsel and practical industry guidance from experienced practitioners. In addition, Altar Rehearsals opens the basement room during off hours for local musicians to practice free of charge, addressing the persistent regional shortage of accessible rehearsal rooms. The venue has also named War Child as its official charity partner for the launch period, with audience collection points set up throughout the season to gather contributions for the international organization.
