London’s Waterloo Station Now Has a Cool New ‘Audio Artwork’

On our daily commute, most of us pass the time by listening to music or a podcast. But if you’re passing through Waterloo tube station any time between now and July 28, it might be worth taking your earbuds out and swapping your Spotify playlist for some ‘audio artwork’.

The artwork is by London-based sound artist Joe Namy, who works across sound, performance, radio and video. It’s the latest in TfL’s ‘Art on the Underground’ series. 

Called ‘Radio Underground’, the artwork is a 10-minute-long piece weaving spoken word performances together with music. It was created with the help of artists from different cultural and community spaces across London. 

Keen to hear what Namy’s ‘Radio Underground’ sounds like? You can hear it playing through Waterloo’s station speakers on the moving walkway linking the Northern and Jubilee lines.

And if Waterloo isn’t usually a stop on your commute, don’t worry! ‘Radio Underground’ can also be listened to through a QR code on posters in stations across the rest of the London Underground network. There’s also a link to some imagery that also offers a visual element. 

Namy said about the piece: ‘This project was a dream, a deep dive into the fascinating history of the sound of the Underground, at times offering moments of peace, at other times transforming the travelator into a catwalk, and other times making space for the brilliant organisations that contributed to the project.

‘We were able to bring in so many different voices to resonate with the unique architecture of the station.’

Did you see that Shakespeare’s Globe has just announced its new winter season of indoor shows? 

Plus: check out Londoners’ hottest reads of summer 2024! 

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