Chelmsford · the live music guide
Live Music in Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Essex
Of the 5 venues that list their live nights, 2 put on music on Tuesdays and 1 on Sundays.
Updated 1 November 2026
01 — The short answer
ChelmsfordLive music in Chelmsford
Chelmsford has 10 venues listing live music, 3 gigs in the next 30 days and 8 open mic nights. 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.
Chelmsford's live music hides under railway arches and in basements - a rock and metal taproom, a not-for-profit grassroots room and folk sessions in Moulsham's real-ale pubs.
Hot Box is Chelmsford's not-for-profit grassroots music venue and the room most local bands build up through. Radio City Social, a craft beer taproom under the railway arches, books rock and metal, and Bassment is an intimate basement bar near the station. The United Brethren has free live music most nights at the weekend end of the week. For acoustic players, The Queens Head in Moulsham and The Orange Tree run Tuesday folk open mics, and Ditto Cocktail Bar hosts a monthly open mic. Hylands Park on the edge of town stages major outdoor concerts.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in Chelmsford | 3 |
| Open micsactive nights · in Chelmsford | 8 |
| On GigXchangeChelmsford acts · with a profile you can browse | 4 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Chelmsford100
| Artists | 18 |
| Venues | 0 |
| Gigs 90d | 27 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 0 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
A not-for-profit room, a taproom under the arches and two pubs - Chelmsford's live music map.
| Grassroots venueHot BoxChelmsford's not-for-profit grassroots music venue. Books: indie, punk, rock.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Arches taproomRadio City SocialCraft beer taproom and rock and metal venue under the railway arches. Books: rock, metal.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Music pubThe United BrethrenAward-winning pub with free live music Friday to Sunday. Books: covers, blues.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Moulsham ale pubThe Queens HeadReal-ale pub with Tuesday open mic folk sessions. Books: folk, acoustic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Tuesday is the big night in Chelmsford: 2 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Thursday. Across the week, 5 venues list regular live nights and 6 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Chelmsford.
Regular live music nights in Chelmsford
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Monday1 venue · 1 open mic - The Compasses |
| Tuesday2 venues · 4 open mics - The Orange Tree, The Queens Head |
| Wednesday1 venue · 1 open mic - Ditto Cocktail Bar |
| Friday1 venue · 0 open mics |
| Saturday1 venue · 0 open mics |
| Sunday1 venue · 0 open mics |
05 — The scene
ChelmsfordThe Chelmsford sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Chelmsford is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| The station and the archesRadio City Social and Bassment make the streets around the station the rock and late-night end of town. |
| MoulshamThe Queens Head and the real-ale pubs south of the river keep the folk sessions going. |
| Town centre and HylandsHot Box and the United Brethren carry the band nights; Hylands Park hosts the summer concerts. |
| The open mic circuit8 open mic nights run in Chelmsford - The Compasses and The Orange Tree among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times. |
| The gig calendar3 gigs are listed in Chelmsford 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 - Billericay, Basildon and Leigh-on-Sea.
| NearbyLive music in Billericay | |
| NearbyLive music in Basildon | |
| NearbyLive music in Leigh-on-Sea |
06 — Venues
10 roomsWhere live music happens
Live music in Chelmsford happens across 10 listed venues - Bassment and Ditto Cocktail Bar among them. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 150 cap BassmentChelmsford 
Ditto Cocktail BarChelmsford Cap tbc 
Hot BoxChelmsford Cap tbc 
Hylands Park ChelmsfordWidford · Chelmsford 30,000Cap 
Mettle Works Warehouse6 Russell Way · Chelmsford Cap tbc 
Radio City SocialChelmsford Cap tbc 
The CompassesChelmsford Cap tbc 
The Orange TreeChelmsford Cap tbc 
The Queens HeadChelmsford Cap tbc 
The United BrethrenChelmsford Cap tbc Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Chelmsford venue directory, see what is booked on the Chelmsford gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Chelmsford |
07 — Gigs
Next 3The next 30 days Chelmsford
3 gigs are listed in Chelmsford for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Every listing is a real Chelmsford date, rebuilt nightly from the Chelmsford gig directory. See the Chelmsford venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Chelmsford gigs | |
| What's on in Chelmsford this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Chelmsford
Whoever you are, Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford this weekthe Chelmsford gig guide, by email | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Chelmsfordfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| BookersBooking live entertainment in Chelmsfordbirthdays, weddings, private parties | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Chelmsfordclaim yours free and keep it current |
09 — Pay
GX IndexWhat 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.
| What it costs to book live music in Chelmsfordthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Chelmsfordthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Chelmsford compares
The Chelmsford area ranks fifth of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Cambridge, Basildon, Maidstone, Broxbourne and Billericay. 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 | London 70 open mics · 1,514 upcoming gigs | 318 |
| 02 | Cambridge 17 open mics · 43 upcoming gigs | 31 |
| 03 | Basildon 11 open mics · 44 upcoming gigs | 21 |
| 04 | Maidstone 9 open mics · 32 upcoming gigs | 21 |
| 05 | Chelmsford This city 8 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs | 13 |
| 06 | Broxbourne 5 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs | 10 |
| 07 | Billericay 4 open mics · 3 upcoming gigs | 6 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
ChelmsfordMore of Chelmsford
More live music resources for Chelmsford and the rest of the UK: fee guides, venue lists, open mic finders and how-to guides, all read from the same live directory.
| Find a Band in ChelmsfordThe booking-side view — what venues and private clients pay, how the platform compares to agencies. | |
| How to Book Live MusicVenue guide — local rates, genre fit, licensing, and a step-by-step booking walkthrough for Chelmsford. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in ChelmsfordThe full Chelmsford gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in ChelmsfordOpen mic nights near Chelmsford — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Chelmsford Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Chelmsford — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Chelmsford. Artists and bands available around Chelmsford.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Chelmsford — sorted by dateWhat's on in Chelmsford — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Chelmsford, 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.Chelmsford gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in ChelmsfordCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Chelmsford venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Chelmsford. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Chelmsford venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Chelmsford open mic nightsJust starting out? Chelmsford open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Chelmsford. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Chelmsford open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in ChelmsfordStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Chelmsford. How to get gigs. How to book live music. Find a band in Chelmsford. Written for working musicians and venues.How to get gigs · How to book · Find a band |
| RatesWhat live acts earn in ChelmsfordLive Chelmsford 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 |
The Swan in Little Totham hosts an open mic on the last Thursday at 8pm.
We are a band of teens who are looking for gigs to perform both original songs and covers , we do a range of genres but …
| Every UK city scenethe city guides, A to Z |
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Live Music in Chelmsford
Chelmsford's live music hides under railway arches and in basements - a rock and metal taproom, a not-for-profit grassroots room and folk sessions in Moulsham's real-ale pubs.
Last updated: 1 November 2026
Live Music in Chelmsford: the Short Answer
Chelmsford has 10 venues listing live music, 3 gigs in the next 30 days and 8 open mic nights. 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.
Of the 5 venues that list their live nights, 2 put on music on Tuesdays and 1 on Sundays.
Hot Box is Chelmsford's not-for-profit grassroots music venue and the room most local bands build up through. Radio City Social, a craft beer taproom under the railway arches, books rock and metal, and Bassment is an intimate basement bar near the station. The United Brethren has free live music most nights at the weekend end of the week. For acoustic players, The Queens Head in Moulsham and The Orange Tree run Tuesday folk open mics, and Ditto Cocktail Bar hosts a monthly open mic. Hylands Park on the edge of town stages major outdoor concerts.
The Chelmsford Rooms to Know
A not-for-profit room, a taproom under the arches and two pubs - Chelmsford's live music map. 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.
Craft beer taproom and rock and metal venue under the railway arches.
Live Music Nights in Chelmsford
Tuesday is the big night in Chelmsford: 2 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Thursday. Across the week, 5 venues list regular live nights and 6 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Chelmsford. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Chelmsford
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
- Mon 2 1 venue
1 open mic The Compasses - Tue 6 2 venues
4 open mics The Orange TreeThe Queens Head - Wed 2 1 venue
1 open mic Ditto Cocktail Bar - Thu 0 0 venues
0 open mics - Fri 1 1 venue
0 open mics - Sat 1 1 venue
0 open mics - Sun 1 1 venue
0 open mics
The Chelmsford Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Chelmsford is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
Radio City Social and Bassment make the streets around the station the rock and late-night end of town.
The Queens Head and the real-ale pubs south of the river keep the folk sessions going.
Hot Box and the United Brethren carry the band nights; Hylands Park hosts the summer concerts.
8 open mic nights run in Chelmsford - The Compasses and The Orange Tree among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
3 gigs are listed in Chelmsford 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 - Billericay, Basildon and Leigh-on-Sea.
Where Live Music Happens in Chelmsford
Live music in Chelmsford happens across 10 listed venues - Bassment and Ditto Cocktail Bar among them. 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 Chelmsford venue directory, see what is booked on the Chelmsford gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Chelmsford
3 gigs are listed in Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford date, rebuilt nightly from the Chelmsford gig directory. See the Chelmsford venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Chelmsford
Whoever you are, Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford
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 Chelmsford Compares
The Chelmsford area ranks fifth of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Cambridge, Basildon, Maidstone, Broxbourne and Billericay. 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 London 70 open mics · 1,514 upcoming gigs 318
- #2 Cambridge 17 open mics · 43 upcoming gigs 31
- #3 Basildon 11 open mics · 44 upcoming gigs 21
- #4 Maidstone 9 open mics · 32 upcoming gigs 21
- #5 Chelmsford This city 8 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs 13
- #6 Broxbourne 5 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs 10
- #7 Billericay 4 open mics · 3 upcoming gigs 6
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to play Chelmsford?
Essex couples and Chelmsford venues use GigXchange to find acts - put your sound and dates in front of them at no cost. Make a free profile in a few minutes, add your sound and the dates you are free, and let Chelmsford bookers find you.