Christopher Baines
Educated Fool
im coming to London for the gig this summer and want to visit the cart and horses. Im thinking on the day before the gig. Is it just a free for all? How busy will it be? Will it be ticket only? Anyone any ideas?
Cart and Horses
- Thread starter Christopher Baines
- Start date
They're not taking bookings over most of that week so it is a free for all, I've not been when there's a Maiden show in town so I can't speak to the crowds, but they're open as normal other than that. If you're going in the evening there's an AC/DC tribute show you can grab a ticket for the night before the London Stadium show which would be in the basement I believe.
I have been during a Maiden show. Show up early!
Transylvania London
Prowler
Hey mate, I live just down the road and go in fairly regularly so hopefully can help with a few answers.
On day of the gig it'll be absolutely rammed. I know Kastro has said it isn't ticketed in the day so fine to just rock up.
I can't remember if there has been a queue in the past - I've never queued on before on Maiden London gig days, but on then again I've been in fairly early. I think possibly there has been, but there's always been a decent churn of people so I don't think it's been too long to wait to get in.
HOWEVER, could be different this time. The 02 is a bit further away (not miles, but couple of tube stops) so people often come, have one then shoot off, whereas the Olympic Stadium is literally a 10 minute walk so I can see people sticking around longer, particularly as the other pubs in Stratford aren't great (I do recommend the Escape which is also a really good pub - not a rock pub as such but def alternative. I'd imagine Roof East will be open too which is fun, especially if the weather is good). The other thing is there'll be potentially 5 times more people than at an 02 show. All that means, I can see a world where there's a long queue to get in that doesn't seem to move. It'd be worth getting down fairly early.
That said, I really recommend you do if you can. They did it up a couple of years ago and done a cracking job, managed to update but give it a rock pub feel, genuinely one of my favourite pubs in London. I always go up on Maiden London days and it's a great atmosphere, there'll be Maiden fans literally from all over the world, and everyone's dead friendly. I've ended up meeting folks from Colombia, Brazil, US, Japan as well as all over the UK.
After the gig there is a ticketed show downstairs in the venue bit (Gypsy's Kiss, with ex-Maiden members from the early days). Unfortunately that's sold out, I didn't manage to get a ticket for that myself. I imagine the the main bar upstairs will be open as normal though. It's got a late licence so stays open 'til about 3 on a Saturday so plenty of time for a few afterwards.
Hope that helps, if anyone has any other questions I'll try and help. I'm sure I'll be up between then and now so if anyone has anything they specifically need to know I could always ask.
If you do make it down on 28th make sure to say hi, I'll be the long haired bloke in Maiden shirt!
On day of the gig it'll be absolutely rammed. I know Kastro has said it isn't ticketed in the day so fine to just rock up.
I can't remember if there has been a queue in the past - I've never queued on before on Maiden London gig days, but on then again I've been in fairly early. I think possibly there has been, but there's always been a decent churn of people so I don't think it's been too long to wait to get in.
HOWEVER, could be different this time. The 02 is a bit further away (not miles, but couple of tube stops) so people often come, have one then shoot off, whereas the Olympic Stadium is literally a 10 minute walk so I can see people sticking around longer, particularly as the other pubs in Stratford aren't great (I do recommend the Escape which is also a really good pub - not a rock pub as such but def alternative. I'd imagine Roof East will be open too which is fun, especially if the weather is good). The other thing is there'll be potentially 5 times more people than at an 02 show. All that means, I can see a world where there's a long queue to get in that doesn't seem to move. It'd be worth getting down fairly early.
That said, I really recommend you do if you can. They did it up a couple of years ago and done a cracking job, managed to update but give it a rock pub feel, genuinely one of my favourite pubs in London. I always go up on Maiden London days and it's a great atmosphere, there'll be Maiden fans literally from all over the world, and everyone's dead friendly. I've ended up meeting folks from Colombia, Brazil, US, Japan as well as all over the UK.
After the gig there is a ticketed show downstairs in the venue bit (Gypsy's Kiss, with ex-Maiden members from the early days). Unfortunately that's sold out, I didn't manage to get a ticket for that myself. I imagine the the main bar upstairs will be open as normal though. It's got a late licence so stays open 'til about 3 on a Saturday so plenty of time for a few afterwards.
Hope that helps, if anyone has any other questions I'll try and help. I'm sure I'll be up between then and now so if anyone has anything they specifically need to know I could always ask.
If you do make it down on 28th make sure to say hi, I'll be the long haired bloke in Maiden shirt!
Helmuth Von Moltke
Educated Fool
Well I was born not far from the Cart & Horses but that was a while back and now I'm a tourist there...
I visited the pub for the first time the day of the 02 shows in 2023; it was busy around lunchtime but not terrible. Really enjoyed being there.
I later went back and saw British Lion play downstairs at the Cart last year... I got a photo with Harris before the show! So I love the Cart.
I visited the pub for the first time the day of the 02 shows in 2023; it was busy around lunchtime but not terrible. Really enjoyed being there.
I later went back and saw British Lion play downstairs at the Cart last year... I got a photo with Harris before the show! So I love the Cart.
It's pretty busy if there's any excuse for Maiden fans to be in town!
Christopher Baines
Educated Fool
Thanks for all your feedback. Looks like ill just rock up on Fri and hope for the best. Hopefully see some of you there
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Why weren't the punters at the Maiden show??
I have been to the Cart and Horses in the hours before an Iron Maiden show. Although I suppose it could have been that I was going to the SECOND show that weekend and maybe was there for the first...
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Thanks for the clarification. I had assumed that you went to both shows, not just one.
AncientMariner_Essex
Ancient Mariner
I was was thinking of popping along to the cart and horses when I bought my tickets for the London gig but now I doubt I’ll bother.
With the London stadium only a 10 min walk away and 60k+ maiden fans in town I really don’t fancy queuing for hours. The place is gonna be rammed.
With the London stadium only a 10 min walk away and 60k+ maiden fans in town I really don’t fancy queuing for hours. The place is gonna be rammed.
People come and go a lot. It took a while to get served where we were there not-during a Maiden show. Apart from that, we got a table in the beer garden.
07-SMS:A1L
Educated Fool
An alternative bar with Maiden history in East London: Red Lion Pub in Leytonstone, where Steve Harris offered Paul Di'Anno an audition for Iron Maiden. Address: 638 High Rd Leytonstone London. Trevor Searle, a friend of the band, heard a rumor that Maiden were looking for a new singer. While both Paul and Loopy were aware of Maiden's prominence on the local pub circuit, they were unsure of how to approach the band about the opportunity. In a twist of fate, Paul and Loopy attended a gig at the Red Lion Pub in Leytonstone, where they unexpectedly ran into Trevor. He informed them that Steve Harris, had just arrived at the pub. Without hesitation, Trevor went to speak with Harris and quickly returned, pulling Paul along to meet the iconic musician. Left alone and feeling somewhat out of place, the Loopy waited anxiously for about ten minutes. Finally, Paul returned, grinning ear to ear, and excitedly announced, "I've got an audition for this week."