Who’s Playing At The Somerset House Summer Series In 2026?

The Somerset House Summer Series with American Express returns this July, bringing 11 nights of live music to the historic riverside Somerset House. Running from 16 to 26 July, the open-air concert series has become a London summer staple, with audiences filling the neoclassical courtyard every night.

Having first launched in 2003, the series is known for bringing both internationally recognised artists and emerging performers to one of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks. Over the years, artists including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Patti Smith, Rosalía and St Vincent have all graced the courtyard. This year’s programme continues that tradition, bringing together artists from across genres and generations, with spectacular performances in the unique setting of Somerset House’s open-air courtyard which is well known for hosting a festive ice rink come winter.

Presented in partnership with American Express, the series has become one of the capital’s best-known summer music events. All 11 concerts in the 2026 programme will also be BSL interpreted, ensuring the performances are accessible to a wider audience.

Around 3,000 music lovers attend each concert. (© Benedict Priddy)

Who’s Playing?

The full line-up for the 2026 Summer Series includes 11 headline performances, spanninh psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips, Danish singer-songwriter Agnes Obel and Grammy-winning London saxophonist and producer Venna, whose work straddles soul, jazz and contemporary R&B.

The programme also features art-rock collective Black Country, New Road, indie band The Cribs and Britpop favourites Lightning Seeds.

The full line-up is as follows:

• 16 July – Naïka
• 17 July – Palace
• 18 July – Thee Sacred Souls
• 19 July – Lightning Seeds
• 20 July – The Cribs
• 21 July – Agnes Obel
• 22 July – Black Country, New Road
• 23 July – Venna
• 24 July – Raf-Saperra
• 25 July – The Flaming Lips
• 26 July – Benjamin Clementine

Is this London’s prettiest concert setting? (© Benedict Priddy)

What To Expect

Each evening sees a headline performance take over Somerset House’s central courtyard, with concerts beginning shortly after sunset beneath the 18th-century architecture. If it weren’t evident enough, it’s at this point you can expect incredible views and a bubbly atmosphere from the crowd of around 3,000 eager music fans packed into the courtyard.

The stage is positioned on the river side of the courtyard, so behind Somerset House you’ll be able to spot London skyscrapers and the sun’s twinkling light bouncing off their glass structures as it sets.

If you are a huge fan of the artist, you’ll of course want to squeeze your way to the front of the crowd. However, since this is a relatively small courtyard (as music venues go), your view won’t be too badly affected wherever you stand.

Food & Drink

It’s not just music at Somerset House’s Summer Series: courtyard bars run throughout the evening (including during the concerts), alongside street food pop-ups in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court.

Try making time for a pre-show tipple at nearby spots like Bar Termini in Soho or the American Bar at The Savoy.

On a practical note, refillable bottles sized 1000ml or less are permitted on site, although they must be empty on arrival. Water refill stations are available at the venue.

World-class performers take to the Somerset House stage every July. (© Benedict Priddy)

Where & When

She might have guessed the Summer Series takes place in the Somerset House courtyard on the Strand, London, WC2.

The 2026 concert series runs from 16–26 July, with one headline performance each evening.

How To Get Tickets

Tickets are sold individually for each concert at somersethouse.org.uk

Where To Stay Nearby

To make a weekend of it, five-star hotel One Aldwych is just opposite Somerset House, with its Lobby Bar, restaurant Indigo and Covent Garden on its doorstep. A heritage building that was once home to The Morning Post newspaper, inside, contemporary soothing suites and bedrooms offer a much-needed sanctuary after a long day on your feet.

If you’d like to absorb some of the final straggles of the city’s nightlife with a short post-concert stroll (we’re talking 15 minutes), Holborn’s breathtaking Rosewood London is our top choice. The Grade II listed Belle Epoque building is immediately staggering, with its wrought iron-gated former carriage arch and historic central courtyard. Inside, 264 glamorous rooms and 44 suites await. Before the concert, make sure you fuel up at The Pie Room, and afterwards enjoy a nightcap at the dashing Scarfes Bar.

Moving further into the City, The Rookery is less than a 25 minute stroll away (if your feet can handle it after an evening of bopping and jumping). Clerkenwell may be home to all the hipsters and tech geeks, but this gastronomic hub is also the gateway to the fashionable East. With its 33 quirky bedrooms, Georgian detailing, polished brass metalwork and antiques aplenty, The Rookery epitomises this.