Apollo’s Jukebox

In 1672, violinist John Banister kicked off a real revolution by inviting paying guests into his own home, offering a simple but radical deal: you choose the music, we play it.

For a shilling, the audience picked the programme. This was the birth of a new, democratic way of experiencing music – direct, personal, and connected. The idea caught on fast, shifting music from palace halls to pubs and city streets.

This programme picks up that spirit today: with a musical menu in one hand and a shilling in the other, expect rowdy street songs, lively dances, moving arias, and gossip fresh from Georgian London’s tabloids. It’s about good music, great stories, and the audience calls the shots!