The Pear Tree: Pub in Hammersmith and Fulham, London

The Pear Tree is an art venue in W6, and that tells you most of what you need to know. Expect a room where looking and listening sit side by side. The programming leans towards acoustic nights, where anyone with a song or a few words can get up and try it out. Open mics like these draw performers still finding their footing, along with friends and people who come to hear the first few acts take a risk. It is a good place to see London's local creative scene at its most unpolished and honest. Go in with no fixed plan. The best evenings here tend to be the ones where you stay for the second half and talk to whoever is sitting next to you.