Bolton · the live music guide
Live Music in Bolton
Bolton, Greater Manchester
Bolton's music runs from the 800-capacity Albert Halls to one of Britain's oldest pubs, a Halliwell social venue for tributes and a socialist club with a Sunday spoken word open mic.
Updated 31 October 2026
01 — The short answer
BoltonLive music in Bolton
Bolton has 5 venues listing live music, 250 gigs in the next 30 days and 59 open mic nights (both in and around Manchester). Below: the rooms to start with, the gigs on now, what acts are paid and where to go next, all read live from the same directory.
Albert Halls Bolton on Victoria Square holds 800 for rock, indie, comedy and theatre nights. Ye Olde Man and Scythe, one of Britain's oldest pubs, puts on band nights and jam and open mic sessions on Wednesdays and weekends. The Roundhouse in Halliwell books tribute nights and local band bills on Fridays and Saturdays, the Masons Arms in Egerton has Wednesday music, and Bolton Socialist Club hosts the Write Out Loud spoken word open mic on Sundays.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in and around Manchester | 250 |
| Open micsactive nights · in and around Manchester | 59 |
| On GigXchangeBolton acts · with a profile you can browse | 3 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Bolton100
| Artists | 100 |
| Venues | 8 |
| Gigs 90d | 100 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 100 |
| Activity | 15 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
A big hall, a historic pub, a tribute room and a club open mic.
| Concert hallAlbert Halls BoltonVictoria Square hall holding 800. Books: rock, indie, tribute.Getting on: Programmed by the venue |
| Historic pubYe Olde Man & ScytheOld pub with band nights and jam and open mic sessions. Books: rock, blues, open mic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Social venueThe RoundhouseHalliwell venue for tribute nights and local band bills. Books: tribute, covers.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| ClubBolton Socialist ClubGrassroots club hosting a Sunday spoken word open mic. Books: spoken word, acoustic.Getting on: Direct with the club |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Sunday is the big night in Bolton: 3 venues list live music and 1 open mic runs every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 4 venues list regular live nights and 4 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Bolton.
Regular live music nights in Bolton
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Tuesday0 venues · 1 open mic - Ye Olde Man & Scythe |
| Wednesday1 venue · 1 open mic - The Alma Inn |
| Thursday1 venue · 1 open mic - The Blarney Stone |
| Friday2 venues · 0 open mics |
| Saturday3 venues · 0 open mics |
| Sunday3 venues · 1 open mic - Bolton Socialist Club |
05 — The scene
BoltonThe Bolton sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Bolton is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| Victoria SquareThe Albert Halls take the touring rock, indie and comedy. |
| The old pubsYe Olde Man and Scythe and the Masons Arms run bands and jams. |
| Halliwell and the clubsThe Roundhouse and the Socialist Club cover tributes and spoken word. |
| The open mic circuit59 open mic nights run in and around Manchester - Wallop Prestwich and The Silly Country among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times. |
| The gig calendar250 gigs are listed in and around Manchester in the next 30 days. See them by date in the gig directory, or get what's on this week by email. |
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Manchester, Rawtenstall and Rochdale.
| NearbyLive music in Manchester | |
| NearbyLive music in Rawtenstall | |
| NearbyLive music in Rochdale |
06 — Venues
5 roomsWhere live music happens
The Bolton circuit runs through 5 venues, Albert Halls Bolton and Bolton Socialist Club included. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 800 cap Albert Halls BoltonVictoria Square · BoltonHouse PA 
Bolton Socialist ClubBolton Cap tbc 
The Alma InnBoltonHouse PA Cap tbc 
The Blarney StoneBoltonHouse PA Cap tbc 
Ye Olde Man & ScytheBoltonHouse PA 80Cap Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Bolton venue directory, see what is booked on the Bolton gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Bolton |
07 — Gigs
Next 6The next 30 days Bolton
250 gigs are listed in and around Manchester for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Starts01:00 Stax of Soul Northern Soul DayEmpire Warrington · Bewsey and Whitecross · Manchester 
Big Condo Records Presents Raise The VolumeFuel Cafe Bar · Old Moat · Manchester 18:00Tonight 
KiboManchester The Deaf Institute. · Hulme · Manchester 19:00Tonight 
Jasmine JethwaYES (Pink Room) · Deansgate · Manchester 19:00Tonight 
Asher WhiteThe Abbey · Hulme · Manchester 19:00Tonight 
Bleary EyedYES (Pink Room) · Deansgate · Manchester 19:00Mon 2 Nov Every listing is a real Bolton date, rebuilt nightly from the Bolton gig directory. See the Bolton venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Bolton gigs | |
| What's on in Bolton this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Bolton
Whoever you are, Bolton has a page built for your next step: artists find rooms and open mics, venues and promoters find acts, and everyone sees what gigs actually pay. Pick yours.
| FansWhat's on in Bolton this weekthe Bolton gig guide, by email | |
| FansUpcoming gigs in Manchesterevery listing, sorted by date | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Manchesterfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Manchesterclaim yours free and keep it current |
09 — Pay
GX IndexWhat acts earn
One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the North West median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.
| What it costs to book live music in Boltonthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Boltonthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Bolton compares
Bolton's scene, counted with the Manchester area, ranks first of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Liverpool, Blackpool, Bradford, Preston, Rawtenstall, Accrington and Blackburn. Each row is a city's wider area in our directory, nearby towns included: venues that list live music, weekly open mics and upcoming gigs, refreshed nightly.
| # | Area | Venues |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Bolton (Manchester area) This city 59 open mics · 678 upcoming gigs | 159 |
| 02 | Liverpool 27 open mics · 463 upcoming gigs | 128 |
| 03 | Blackpool 22 open mics · 64 upcoming gigs | 44 |
| 04 | Bradford 18 open mics · 98 upcoming gigs | 39 |
| 05 | Preston 17 open mics · 82 upcoming gigs | 24 |
| 06 | Rawtenstall 9 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs | 21 |
| 07 | Accrington 7 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs | 10 |
| 08 | Blackburn 5 open mics · 16 upcoming gigs | 9 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
BoltonMore of Bolton
More live music resources for Bolton and the rest of the UK: fee guides, venue lists, open mic finders and how-to guides, all read from the same live directory.
| How to Book Live MusicVenue guide — local rates, genre fit, licensing, and a step-by-step booking walkthrough for Bolton. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in BoltonThe full Bolton gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in BoltonOpen mic nights near Bolton — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Bolton Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Bolton — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Bolton. Artists and bands available around Bolton.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Bolton — sorted by dateWhat's on in Bolton — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Bolton, by date. One-off gigs at indie venues and community stages. Sorted by date, refreshed continuously. Free and ticketed shows both listed. Every gig links its venue.Bolton gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in BoltonCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Bolton venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Bolton. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Bolton venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Bolton open mic nightsJust starting out? Bolton open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Bolton. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Bolton open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in BoltonStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Bolton. How to get gigs. How to book live music. Find a band, city by city. Written for working musicians and venues.How to get gigs · How to book · Find a band |
| RatesWhat live acts earn in BoltonLive Bolton rate benchmarks from the GigXchange Index. Median fees by act size and event type. City-level benchmarks, updated nightly. Never a misleading average — real percentiles. Free to cite under CC BY 4.0.GigXchange Index · Pay-rate guide |
| Every UK city scenethe city guides, A to Z |
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Live Music in Bolton
Bolton's music runs from the 800-capacity Albert Halls to one of Britain's oldest pubs, a Halliwell social venue for tributes and a socialist club with a Sunday spoken word open mic.
Last updated: 31 October 2026
Live Music in Bolton: the Short Answer
Bolton has 5 venues listing live music, 250 gigs in the next 30 days and 59 open mic nights (both in and around Manchester). Below: the rooms to start with, the gigs on now, what acts are paid and where to go next, all read live from the same directory.
Albert Halls Bolton on Victoria Square holds 800 for rock, indie, comedy and theatre nights. Ye Olde Man and Scythe, one of Britain's oldest pubs, puts on band nights and jam and open mic sessions on Wednesdays and weekends. The Roundhouse in Halliwell books tribute nights and local band bills on Fridays and Saturdays, the Masons Arms in Egerton has Wednesday music, and Bolton Socialist Club hosts the Write Out Loud spoken word open mic on Sundays.
The Bolton Rooms to Know
A big hall, a historic pub, a tribute room and a club open mic. Each card below names the room, the nights it runs live music, what it tends to book and the way acts usually get on the bill.
Halliwell venue for tribute nights and local band bills.
Live Music Nights in Bolton
Sunday is the big night in Bolton: 3 venues list live music and 1 open mic runs every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 4 venues list regular live nights and 4 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Bolton. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Bolton
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
- Mon 0 0 venues
0 open mics - Tue 1 0 venues
1 open mic Ye Olde Man & Scythe - Wed 2 1 venue
1 open mic The Alma Inn - Thu 2 1 venue
1 open mic The Blarney Stone - Fri 2 2 venues
0 open mics - Sat 3 3 venues
0 open mics - Sun 4 3 venues
1 open mic Bolton Socialist Club
The Bolton Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Bolton is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
The Albert Halls take the touring rock, indie and comedy.
Ye Olde Man and Scythe and the Masons Arms run bands and jams.
The Roundhouse and the Socialist Club cover tributes and spoken word.
59 open mic nights run in and around Manchester - Wallop Prestwich and The Silly Country among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
250 gigs are listed in and around Manchester in the next 30 days. See them by date in the gig directory, or get what's on this week by email.
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Manchester, Rawtenstall and Rochdale.
Where Live Music Happens in Bolton
The Bolton circuit runs through 5 venues, Albert Halls Bolton and Bolton Socialist Club included. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights. Browse by area or by night, then open a room to see its upcoming gigs.
Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Bolton venue directory, see what is booked on the Bolton gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Bolton
250 gigs are listed in and around Manchester for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory. Every listing links to the gig's own page, with the date, the doors time and where to buy a ticket.
Every listing is a real Bolton date, rebuilt nightly from the Bolton gig directory. See the Bolton venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Bolton
Whoever you are, Bolton has a page built for your next step: artists find rooms and open mics, venues and promoters find acts, and everyone sees what gigs actually pay. Pick yours.
What Acts Earn in Bolton
One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the North West median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.
How Bolton Compares
Bolton's scene, counted with the Manchester area, ranks first of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Liverpool, Blackpool, Bradford, Preston, Rawtenstall, Accrington and Blackburn. Each row is a city's wider area in our directory, nearby towns included: venues that list live music, weekly open mics and upcoming gigs, refreshed nightly.
- #1 Bolton (Manchester area) This city 59 open mics · 678 upcoming gigs 159
- #2 Liverpool 27 open mics · 463 upcoming gigs 128
- #3 Blackpool 22 open mics · 64 upcoming gigs 44
- #4 Bradford 18 open mics · 98 upcoming gigs 39
- #5 Preston 17 open mics · 82 upcoming gigs 24
- #6 Rawtenstall 9 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs 21
- #7 Accrington 7 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs 10
- #8 Blackburn 5 open mics · 16 upcoming gigs 9
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to play Bolton?
Bolton halls and Greater Manchester couples find their acts here. Make your page free. Make a free profile in a few minutes, add your sound and the dates you are free, and let Bolton bookers find you.