[1] In 1942, the venue was a restaurant called Macks, which was hired out beginning 24 October every Sunday evening by Robert Feldman at £4 per night to host a jazz club featuring swing music.

Bands which played at this event included the Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, Buzzcocks, The Jam, The Stranglers and The Damned.

Other nights would see a range of jazz, rhythm-and-blues and soul groups on the stage, including a "duel" between tenor saxophonists Teddy Edwards and Dick Morrissey in the 1980s.

Occasionally, big-name touring bands will play "secret" or low-key unadvertised gigs there, relying on word of mouth to fill the 350-capacity space.

Recent acts to headline The 100 Club include Shame,[13] Alice Cooper, Fat White Family,[14] Black Midi,[15] The Specials,[16] Sisteray,[17] Babyshambles,[18] Idles,[19] Dr. Feelgood[20] and Sleaford Mods.

[21] In autumn 2023, veteran punk band the U.K. Subs played a five-night sold out residency at the 100 Club in a culmination of their final British tour.

In June 2023, the Buzzcocks headlined at the 100 Club, a warm up gig to their upcoming tour without their guitarist/singer Pete Shelley who passed away earlier the same year.