How I Find Artists for Our Music Dinners

Once the final chords settle at The Wet Fish Café, the question almost always comes up during chats with our regulars: How do you find these artists?

The simple truth? It’s a bit of an obsession.

A Life Scored by Music

I have music on all the time. It fuels my day, sets my mood, and sometimes I need it to lift me out of a funk (excuse the pun). I remember, just before opening the café, anxiety was hitting me hard—until I put on the right track. Instantly, I’d start to feel calm (assuming I could find the right track).

So it was only natural that music became part of the café too. I’m constantly tweaking our playlists to curate the perfect ‘mood’.  You can find them on Spotify, if you're curious.

My own tastes swing wildly—from metal to house, dub to jazz, dreamy soundscapes to drum and bass. Somehow it was inevitable that I’d start inviting artists I love to perform live.

Booking Artists: A Little Bit of Magic, A Little Bit of Hustle

It’s a very self-indulgent process;  I book artists I want to hear live. I get excited imagining how great their sound will work in the unique acoustics of our space.

Some moments are pure magic. When Natalie Duncan plays, it’s like having Alicia Keys in your living room. When Sam Brookes performs, even in between tracks, you can hear a pin drop. Stripped-back performances bring out something raw, something real.

Finding artists is often serendipitous. A couple of years ago, I stumbled upon Raina Sokolov-Gonzales. Loved her sound, saw she was based in New York, messaged her manager—and next thing you know, she was booked to play at The Wet Fish while on her next tour in London. She’s back later this year, by the way.

I never set out to create a “music venue.” But 100+ music dinners later, I’m humbled by the calibre of artists who now want to play at the Wet Fish.  We're lucky that London is blessed with so many world-class artists hovering just underneath the mainstream radar, still accessible and open to performing intimate venues.

The Sound Obsession

Ask any musician: the quality of a venue’s sound makes or breaks a performance. Over time, we’ve built up a solid sound system—our backline, in industry terms. I now know my pre-faders from my gains, my LCFs from my compressors. I’ve also had to learn the hard way—like pressing the wrong button and blowing out our speakers just hours before a gig (cue a mad scramble across London for replacements).

I insist on thorough and slightly obsessive (there's that word again) sound checks (which artists mostly appreciate).  But what really makes the sound magical? The café’s 1930s tiles. Their natural reverb makes the music feel like a warm, cuddly blanket (when we get it right!). Artists love it. And I love making sure their music sounds the best it possibly can.

The Beautiful Chaos of Live Music

One thing I’ve learned? The music world is tiny. Everyone knows everyone. And some things never change: the band will be late for soundcheck, my nerves will spike, and—without fail—the guitarist will be the most difficult person in the band.

But when that first chord rings out, and the room is hushed in anticipation, it’s all worth it.

Many of you are music dinner regulars, and that means the world to me. These nights feel like The Wet Fish at its truest. A labour of love that’s become something special. When everything aligns—the atmosphere, the food, the thrill of live music in an intimate setting—it’s a rare and beautiful thing.

And I already can’t wait for the next one.