#TravelTuesday or… London Music Tours On Tour
Adam writes… Every Tuesday a post from my musical travels. Sometimes the UK, sometimes the United States or Europe, each week I post a map and a playlist so that you can find the locations on your own musical travels.
This week… New York City
It’s one of the oldest gags in showbiz: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice!
But for those of us whose piano lessons may not be going so well, other options are available.
Guided Tour
Like all great theatres, Carnegie Hall has a storied history. Named for the man who funded it, Scots industrialist Andrew Carnegie, its stage has been graced by everyone from The Beatles to Leonard Bernstein to Billy Connolly, from Florence Foster Jenkins to Patsy Cline to Billie Holiday.
The stories are, as always, best unfolded by a knowledgable and enthusiastic tour guide. Tours are staged around the building’s concert schedule and are bookable at Carnegie Hall website. Or you can enquire at the box office where one of the very friendly staff will help you.
More tour info HERE. (Please be aware that the tours are much more fun than the stiff and stagey pics on the website would suggest!)
I attended a tour back in February 2025 and, as always, I paid for my ticket to get the real experience and to write an unbiased review. Our guide was excellent and illuminated the theatre’s history beautifully. But please be aware that the guides may be offended if you offer them a gratuity! Yes, contrary to the tipping culture of the U.S, the offer of a tip seemed to cause some offence to our guide. Oops.
Sweet!
Of the many stories – which covered more-or-less every genre of music evenly – the one that made me chuckle most was the Ricola sponsorship deal. The famous manufacturers of cough candy offer free samples of Ricola Cough Drops all around the lobbies to ensure a cough-free performance! The famous lozenges are wrapped in wax paper which is also supposed to minimise the annoying sound of unwrapping when things get a bit pianissimo.
On the way in to Carnegie Hall, do stop to enjoy the tributes to the great and good who have played the hall at 57th Street subway station…
Go to a Concert
First and foremost, Carnegie Hall is a concert hall. The most prestigious in all of the United States. And it offers a full programme of music and entertainment the whole year round.
There are two spaces at the hall: the main auditorium and the smaller Weill Room upstairs. It was at the latter that we spent Valentines Night 2025 with the New York Chamber Orchestra for an evening of Elgar, R Strauss & Copland. Depending on the programme, tickets typically begin at around the $40 mark, but you can expect to pay as much as £350 for a prestigious name. View the up-to-the-moment schedule HERE.
Free Exhibition
There is an exhibition area which is free of charge and it gives a good overview of the the building’s story.
Food & Drink
We had a bit at the great fun Brooklyn Diner on W 57th, but be warned: even the small portions are HUGE. Website HERE.
And for drinks, we went old school and the pleasingly faded grandeur of the Russian Tea Room on W 57th (website HERE).
Playlist
Where to begin? Scratch the surface wit these artists all recorded live at Carnegie Hall…
Map
How to find this week’s location…
Local Guide
If you are looking for the best music tour guide in New York City, hit up Bobby Pin of Rock Junket. Great tours, his website is HERE.
London Music Tours
First time visitor to this site? Hello! My name’s Adam and I am an award-winning, qualified tour guide. I specialise in music-themed guided tours here in London. I’ve been a tour guide for 20+ years and I offer a regular schedule of walking tours throughout the year. For the full, up-to-date calendar click HERE.
Private tours are always available, too. Use the form at the bottom of this post to get in touch to book a private tour.
I’m qualified as a Westminster Guide (with distinction), a former visiting lecturer in tour guiding at the University of Westminster and an ex-national newspaper arts journalist . In my spare time I play guitar and sing and buy too many records. When not leading music tours, I love to visit music places. Drop me a line anytime using the form below.
To join one of my non-music-themed walking tours, visit the London Walks website HERE.
