I wouldn't dream of using anything other than public transport to get to London.
Don't let the fact that your friends don't like the same sort of music put you
off going to gigs you really want to go to. I decided a couple of years ago that
if it was ok for guys to go to gigs on their own, I could do the same.
I manage to drag friends along to some gigs, but
by no means all. If you haven't got anything to do in the interval, you can
always take a book, or text people from your mobile. Sometimes you can get
chatting to the people sitting near you, or even beforehand in the bar. The only
precautions I take are not to give out personal information and I am always
stone cold sober (but then I am usually driving anyway). I usually talk about
music anyway.
Are you on Facebook? You could consider joining the Asian Underground London
group. It is a good way of getting in touch with people who have similar musical
tastes. Despite the title of the group, not everyone lives in
London though.
"We are all dependent on one another's gifts, to the extent that if someone else is damaged or frustrated, offended or oppressed, everyone suffers, everyone's humanity is diminished." ++ Rowan Williams