Altar occupies the former Luna venue opposite Leytonstone station and splits the music across two floors. Upstairs is a hi-fi listening bar and record shop run with Dreamhouse Records. Downstairs is a 100-capacity basement for gigs, DJ sets, talks and late club nights.
The ground-floor selection draws from new and used records, with album launches and artist appearances folded into the programme. The basement widens the brief, moving between live bands, selectors and cultural events. Altar has a lot going on, though the record shop and listening area give the upstairs bar a clear musical centre.
The social contract changes with the stairs. Upstairs works for a drink and records at bar volume. Downstairs is built for performance and, on late sessions, dancing. Check the programme before going if close listening is the priority.