A packed Independent Venue Week show at the Ivy House captured the breadth of London’s grassroots scene, from hushed piano ballads to sweat-soaked rock’n’roll, and underlined why spaces like this still matter.

This year’s Independent Venue Week was the welcome light at the end of a long, gloomy tunnel, capping off January with a celebration of some of Britain’s best grassroots music venues and emerging artists. The Ivy House played host to a jam-packed lineup last Saturday of Picture Parlour, Lonnie Gunn, Imogen and the Knife, Silvertwin and the Slow Country – a snapshot of the varied talent on London’s buzzing live circuit.

The Ivy House is the capital’s first community-owned pub and a beloved fixture of south London’s vibrant music scene – think mirrored walls, wood panelling and velvet curtains draped over a small stage. Though not small enough to contain the Slow Country’s infectious energy, opening the night with a rollicking set featuring a violin, tambourine and medley of guitars. With just three songs currently on Spotify, it was a heartening glimpse of what’s to come for the folk-rockers.

Silvertwin, meanwhile, drew on tracks from their recently released EP Fall Again to serve up a slice of wholesome retro-pop. Showcasing smooth vocals and saxophone flourishes, the six-piece brought an irresistible Seventies groove to get the crowd swaying along.

With her heart on her sleeve and some brand new songs up it, Imogen and the Knife commanded the room in a completely different way. Without the usual gusto of her band, Imogen’s stripped-back set was a testament to the importance of venues like the Ivy House in providing a space for artists to experiment and connect with their audience, who gathered round her at the worn pub piano with a hushed mix of support and awe.

As the room filled up, the alt-pop singer Lonnie Gunn and her band brought equally vulnerable songs, but with a gritter edge. According to her Spotify profile, Gunn makes music “for gingers and children of divorce” but charmed the whole crowd with her incisive lyricism, distorted guitars and a surprisingly complementary harmonica solo.

Wrapping up the night, headliners Picture Parlour did what they do best, delivering a sweaty, swaggering rock’n’roll-tinged performance. Katherine Parlour’s snarling vocals and electrifying guitar riffs from Ella Risi paused only for their bassist Kitty Fitz to praise the Ivy House’s rich history and enduring resilience as one of many independent venues reliant on public support. Putting their money where their mouth is, Picture Parlour obliged for an audience-voted encore of “Talk About It” – perhaps not their personal favourite, but a joyous end to an evening full of brilliant music, old and new.

There was no doubt that Parlour and Risi had curated a killer lineup with something for everyone, from wistful balladry to grungy alt-pop. Above all, it captured why Independent Venue Week is so vital – to platform emerging artists, but also to celebrate spaces like the Ivy House, where community and creativity remain at the heart of live performance.