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Borehamwood · the live music guide

Live Music in Borehamwood

Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

Of the 9 venues that list their live nights, 4 put on music on Tuesdays and 4 on Wednesdays. Of the 6 with a known size, 4 are small rooms under 150 and 2 hold up to 500.

Updated 4 November 2026

01 — The short answer

With Watford

Live music in Borehamwood

Borehamwood shares its live music with Watford: 24 venues listing live music, 18 gigs in the next 30 days and 12 open mic nights in and around Watford.

Borehamwood's live music scene sits alongside Elstree Studios — growing bar venues, smaller than Watford but actively booking regular weekend acts.

Borehamwood (Hertsmere ONS 2021 population ~32k, WD6 postcode, 12 miles from central London) sits next door to Elstree Studios, which means there's more industry-adjacent live work than the town's size suggests — studio wrap parties, post-production socials and local corporate events from the film-facing supply chain. On the pub side, venues like The Wellington, The Crown and the clubs along Shenley Road programme regular weekend live nights aimed at a mixed under-40 crowd. The scene is smaller than neighbouring Watford but growing — several venues added Saturday live slots in 2024–2025 and are actively looking for consistent acts. Covers bands that can pull from eighties through current chart tend to do best; Borehamwood isn't a folk town, it wants to dance.

24
Venues
listing live music
in and around Watford
Gigsin the next 30 days · in and around Watford18
Open micsactive nights · in and around Watford12

02 — The scene

Live Music Scene Score — Borehamwood
41
Out of
100
Emerging — gigs 90d and rates already on the map; acts who move early will set the pace.
How it adds up (0-100)
Artists23
Venues0
Gigs 90d100
Rates50
Heritage50
Activity0

03 — The week

Every week

Live music nights

Wednesday is the big night in and around Watford: 4 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 9 venues list regular live nights and 11 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Borehamwood.

Regular live music nights in Borehamwood

Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.

0102030400Mon7Tue8Wed2Thu3Fri3Sat3Sun
Tuesday4 venues · 3 open mics - Mad Squirrel, The Oddfellows Arms
Wednesday4 venues · 4 open mics - The Saint & Sinner, The Crown
Thursday1 venue · 1 open mic - The Tudor Arms
Friday2 venues · 1 open mic - Glenn Social & Sports Club
Saturday3 venues · 0 open mics
Sunday1 venue · 2 open mics - Johnny's Bar, The Horn

04 — The scene

Borehamwood

The Borehamwood sound

Every venue, gig and open mic we list in and around Watford is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.

Pub circuitThe Waggon & Horses (Watling Street, Elstree edge) is a historic 1471 pub with weekend live music, Tudor beams and a beautiful garden — the most reliable gig in Borehamwood. Beyond that, options for regular pub gigs are limited. Most musicians in the area play Watford or central London.
Community & functions96 Shenley Road is a multi-purpose community centre with a 150-seat main hall and stage — hireable for music events but not a regular gig venue. Elstree Studios is a major employer but does not function as a public gig venue. Function/corporate events at the studios occasionally book entertainment.
Room sizesSmall rooms under 150: 4 · mid-size up to 500: 2 · bigger stages: 0 - 6 rooms in and around Watford with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Watford venue directory.
The open mic circuit12 open mic nights run in and around Watford - Johnny's Bar and The Horn among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
The gig calendar18 gigs are listed in and around Watford 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 - Bushey, Potters Bar and Watford.

NearbyLive music in Bushey
NearbyLive music in Potters Bar
NearbyLive music in Watford

05 — Venues

16 rooms

Where live music happens

24 rooms in and around Watford put on live music. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.

Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Borehamwood venue directory, see what is booked on the Borehamwood gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.

All live music venues in and around Watford

06 — Gigs

Next 6

The next 30 days Borehamwood

18 gigs are listed in and around Watford for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.

Every listing is a real Borehamwood date, rebuilt nightly from the Borehamwood gig directory. See the Borehamwood venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.

All Borehamwood gigs
What's on in Borehamwood this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email

07 — Next step

Pick yours

Your next step in Borehamwood

Whoever you are, Borehamwood 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 Borehamwood this weekthe Borehamwood gig guide, by email
FansUpcoming gigs in Watfordevery listing, sorted by date
ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch
ArtistsOpen mics in Watfordfree stage time, night by night
BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing
VenuesLive music venues in Watfordclaim yours free and keep it current

08 — Pay

GX Index

What acts earn

One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the UK median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.

£350
Pub or bar · 3–4 piece band
Take-home median · UK · 379 fees
What it costs to book live music in Borehamwoodthe booking guide - every act size and event type
What gigs pay in Borehamwoodthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch
The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data

09 — Compare

Nearest scenes

How Borehamwood compares

Borehamwood's scene, counted with the Watford area, ranks second of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Luton, Egham, Sutton, High Wycombe and Broxbourne. 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.

#AreaVenues
01London 70 open mics · 1,493 upcoming gigs318
02Borehamwood (Watford area) This city 12 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs24
03Luton 7 open mics · 23 upcoming gigs16
04Egham 10 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs16
05Sutton 12 open mics · 58 upcoming gigs15
06High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs14
07Broxbourne 8 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs12

10 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions

Borehamwood's live music scene sits alongside Elstree Studios — growing bar venues, smaller than Watford but actively booking regular weekend acts. The regular nights and rooms are listed on this page, and what's on in Borehamwood has this week.
The rooms to know are The Waggon & Horses and 96 Shenley Road. For Borehamwood, we list 24 venues in and around Watford that put on live music. Browse them all in the Watford venue directory. Grassroots rooms across the UK are backed by the Music Venue Trust's Music Venues Alliance.
Wednesday is the big night in and around Watford: 4 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 9 venues list regular live nights and 11 open mics run on a fixed night. For this week's gigs, see what's on in Borehamwood.
For Borehamwood, 18 gigs are listed in and around Watford in the next 30 days, by date in the Watford gig directory.
For Borehamwood, 12 open mic nights run in and around Watford, including Johnny's Bar and The Horn. Every night, with sign-up times, is on open mics in Watford.
Borehamwood's scene, counted with the Watford area, ranks second of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Luton, Egham, Sutton, High Wycombe and Broxbourne. 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.
In Borehamwood, a 3–4 piece band playing a pub takes home about £350 - the UK median from 379 fees on the GX Index. For the union's minimums, see the Musicians' Union national gig rates.
Borehamwood venues book across every live-music format — explore by performer type: wedding bands, function bands, covers bands, party bands, tribute acts, DJs, solo acts, string quartets, ceilidh bands and originals bands. Typical bookings include pub and bar weekends, restaurant background sets, wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events, and private parties. Browse every open gig slot on GigXchange Explore.
Search Borehamwood acts on GigXchange Explore by genre and budget, message the act before you commit, and agree the fee in chat with a digital contract both sides sign. Pay by protected payment - the act is paid once the gig is done. A venue playing recorded or live music to the public also needs a music licence from PRS for Music.

11 — Keep exploring

Borehamwood

More of Borehamwood

More live music resources for Borehamwood and the rest of the UK: fee guides, venue lists, open mic finders and how-to guides, all read from the same live directory.

Live Music in BerkhamstedExplore the live music scene in Berkhamsted — venues, artists, and gig opportunities.
Live Music in BusheyExplore the live music scene in Bushey — venues, artists, and gig opportunities.
Live Music in CheshamExplore the live music scene in Chesham — venues, artists, and gig opportunities.
Live Music in CheshuntExplore the live music scene in Cheshunt — venues, artists, and gig opportunities.
Live Music in HarpendenExplore the live music scene in Harpenden — venues, artists, and gig opportunities.
Live Music in HatfieldExplore the live music scene in Hatfield — venues, artists, and gig opportunities.
Borehamwood directories and guides

Everything live in Borehamwood — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Borehamwood. Artists and bands available around Borehamwood.

GigsUpcoming gigs in Borehamwood — sorted by dateWhat's on in Borehamwood — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Borehamwood, 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.Borehamwood gigs · UK gig directory
VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in BorehamwoodCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Borehamwood venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Borehamwood. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Borehamwood venues · For venues
Open MicsFree stage time — Borehamwood open mic nightsJust starting out? Borehamwood open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Borehamwood. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Borehamwood open mics · UK open mic finder
GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in BorehamwoodStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Borehamwood. 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 BorehamwoodLive Borehamwood 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
Explore roles

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Live music on stage: a band under the lights
Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

Live Music in Borehamwood

Borehamwood's live music scene sits alongside Elstree Studios — growing bar venues, smaller than Watford but actively booking regular weekend acts.

Live Music Scene Score — Borehamwood
41 /100
Emerging — gigs 90d and rates already on the map; acts who move early will set the pace.
WedBig night
£350Pub gig pays
#2Rank of 7
Live music in Borehamwood — venues, gigs and the acts who play them

Last updated: 4 November 2026

Live Music in Borehamwood: the Short Answer

Borehamwood shares its live music with Watford: 24 venues listing live music, 18 gigs in the next 30 days and 12 open mic nights in and around Watford.

Of the 9 venues that list their live nights, 4 put on music on Tuesdays and 4 on Wednesdays. Of the 6 with a known size, 4 are small rooms under 150 and 2 hold up to 500.

Borehamwood (Hertsmere ONS 2021 population ~32k, WD6 postcode, 12 miles from central London) sits next door to Elstree Studios, which means there's more industry-adjacent live work than the town's size suggests — studio wrap parties, post-production socials and local corporate events from the film-facing supply chain. On the pub side, venues like The Wellington, The Crown and the clubs along Shenley Road programme regular weekend live nights aimed at a mixed under-40 crowd. The scene is smaller than neighbouring Watford but growing — several venues added Saturday live slots in 2024–2025 and are actively looking for consistent acts. Covers bands that can pull from eighties through current chart tend to do best; Borehamwood isn't a folk town, it wants to dance.

Venues24listing live musicin and around Watford
Gigs18in the next 30 daysin and around Watford
Open mics12active nightsin and around Watford

Live Music Nights in Borehamwood

Wednesday is the big night in and around Watford: 4 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 9 venues list regular live nights and 11 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Borehamwood. How the UK gig week compares.

Regular live music nights in Borehamwood

Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.

0102030400Mon7Tue8Wed2Thu3Fri3Sat3Sun
  1. Mon 0 0 venues
    0 open mics
  2. Tue 7 4 venues
    3 open mics
    Mad SquirrelThe Oddfellows Arms
  3. Wed 8 4 venues
    4 open mics
    The Saint & SinnerThe Crown
  4. Thu 2 1 venue
    1 open mic
    The Tudor Arms
  5. Fri 3 2 venues
    1 open mic
    Glenn Social & Sports Club
  6. Sat 3 3 venues
    0 open mics
  7. Sun 3 1 venue
    2 open mics
    Johnny's BarThe Horn

The Borehamwood Sound and Where It Happens

Every venue, gig and open mic we list in and around Watford is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.

Pub circuit

The Waggon & Horses (Watling Street, Elstree edge) is a historic 1471 pub with weekend live music, Tudor beams and a beautiful garden — the most reliable gig in Borehamwood. Beyond that, options for regular pub gigs are limited. Most musicians in the area play Watford or central London.

Community & functions

96 Shenley Road is a multi-purpose community centre with a 150-seat main hall and stage — hireable for music events but not a regular gig venue. Elstree Studios is a major employer but does not function as a public gig venue. Function/corporate events at the studios occasionally book entertainment.

Room sizes

Small rooms under 150: 4 · mid-size up to 500: 2 · bigger stages: 0 - 6 rooms in and around Watford with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Watford venue directory.

The open mic circuit

12 open mic nights run in and around Watford - Johnny's Bar and The Horn among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.

The gig calendar

18 gigs are listed in and around Watford 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 - Bushey, Potters Bar and Watford.

Where Live Music Happens in Borehamwood

24 rooms in and around Watford put on live music. 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.

The Next 30 Days in Borehamwood

18 gigs are listed in and around Watford 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.

What Acts Earn in Borehamwood

One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the UK median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.

How Borehamwood Compares

Borehamwood's scene, counted with the Watford area, ranks second of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Luton, Egham, Sutton, High Wycombe and Broxbourne. 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. #1 London 70 open mics · 1,493 upcoming gigs 318
  2. #2 Borehamwood (Watford area) This city 12 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs 24
  3. #3 Luton 7 open mics · 23 upcoming gigs 16
  4. #4 Egham 10 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs 16
  5. #5 Sutton 12 open mics · 58 upcoming gigs 15
  6. #6 High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs 14
  7. #7 Broxbourne 8 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs 12

Frequently Asked Questions

Borehamwood's live music scene sits alongside Elstree Studios — growing bar venues, smaller than Watford but actively booking regular weekend acts. The regular nights and rooms are listed on this page, and what's on in Borehamwood has this week.
The rooms to know are The Waggon & Horses and 96 Shenley Road. For Borehamwood, we list 24 venues in and around Watford that put on live music. Browse them all in the Watford venue directory. Grassroots rooms across the UK are backed by the Music Venue Trust's Music Venues Alliance.
Wednesday is the big night in and around Watford: 4 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 9 venues list regular live nights and 11 open mics run on a fixed night. For this week's gigs, see what's on in Borehamwood.
For Borehamwood, 18 gigs are listed in and around Watford in the next 30 days, by date in the Watford gig directory.
For Borehamwood, 12 open mic nights run in and around Watford, including Johnny's Bar and The Horn. Every night, with sign-up times, is on open mics in Watford.
Borehamwood's scene, counted with the Watford area, ranks second of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Luton, Egham, Sutton, High Wycombe and Broxbourne. 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.
In Borehamwood, a 3–4 piece band playing a pub takes home about £350 - the UK median from 379 fees on the GX Index. For the union's minimums, see the Musicians' Union national gig rates.
Borehamwood venues book across every live-music format — explore by performer type: wedding bands, function bands, covers bands, party bands, tribute acts, DJs, solo acts, string quartets, ceilidh bands and originals bands. Typical bookings include pub and bar weekends, restaurant background sets, wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events, and private parties. Browse every open gig slot on GigXchange Explore.
Search Borehamwood acts on GigXchange Explore by genre and budget, message the act before you commit, and agree the fee in chat with a digital contract both sides sign. Pay by protected payment - the act is paid once the gig is done. A venue playing recorded or live music to the public also needs a music licence from PRS for Music.

Explore More

More live music resources for Borehamwood and the rest of the UK: fee guides, venue lists, open mic finders and how-to guides, all read from the same live directory.

Naumaan Zahid
Founder & Builder

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