Chesham · the live music guide
Live Music in Chesham
Chesham, Buckinghamshire
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 WatfordLive music in Chesham
Chesham 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.
Live music in Chesham centres on the 340-seat Elgiva Theatre plus a pub scene strong for folk, acoustic and touring acts — end of the Metropolitan line.
Chesham is a community-minded town with the 340-seat Elgiva Theatre at its centre and a surprisingly strong folk, acoustic, and singer-songwriter circuit around it. The Queens Head, The Black Horse, and sessions at The White Hart regularly programme live music aimed at an audience that listens rather than chats. Folk festivals at the Elgiva, the Chesham Festival in summer, and the community hall circuit add private and event work on top of the pub circuit.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in and around Watford | 18 |
| Open micsactive nights · in and around Watford | 12 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Chesham100
| Artists | 23 |
| Venues | 0 |
| Gigs 90d | 100 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 50 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — The week
Every weekLive 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 Chesham.
Regular live music nights in Chesham
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| 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
CheshamThe Chesham 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.
| The ElgivaCouncil-owned 300-seat theatre (400 standing) with proper stage, bar and cafe. Programmes live music (folk, blues, rock, comedy), professional panto and community shows. Home venue of the Chesham Fringe Festival. |
| Pub + festival circuitThe George & Dragon (High Street) is the main pub venue — live music most weekends, always free entry. The Chesham Fringe Festival (May, 120+ acts across 12 venues including pubs, library and cocktail bars) has become a genuine multi-day arts event with decent headliners. |
| 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 - Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead and Amersham.
| NearbyLive music in Berkhamsted | |
| NearbyLive music in Hemel Hempstead | |
| NearbyLive music in Amersham |
05 — Venues
16 roomsWhere live music happens
24 rooms in and around Watford put on live music. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 50 cap Blackwells ChipperfieldChipperfield, Kings Langley · Kings Langley 
Chandos ArmsColindale · LondonHouse PA Cap tbc 
Cocos StanmoreStanmore Cap tbc 
Glenn Social & Sports ClubWatfordHouse PA Cap tbc 
Horse And ChainsBushey 90Cap 
Johnny's BarWatfordHouse PA Cap tbc 
Mad SquirrelSt AlbansHouse PA Cap tbc 
OnefortyWest Harrow · Harrow 55Cap 
The Boxmoor PlayhouseBoxmoor · Hemel Hempstead Cap tbc 
The CrownSt Albans Cap tbc Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Chesham venue directory, see what is booked on the Chesham gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in and around Watford |
06 — Gigs
Next 6The next 30 days Chesham
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.
Starts20:00 Niall McNameeThe Horn · St Peters 
Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues OrchestraWatford Colosseum · Watford 19:30Fri 6 Nov 
BarriokeThe Horn · St Peters 20:00Fri 6 Nov 
BarriokeThe Horn · St Peters 20:00Sat 7 Nov 
Rocketsuit Rogue, Codename ColinThe Horn · St Peters · Watford 20:00Tue 10 Nov 
Courtney HadwinThe Horn · St Peters 20:00Thu 12 Nov Every listing is a real Chesham date, rebuilt nightly from the Chesham gig directory. See the Chesham venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Chesham gigs | |
| What's on in Chesham this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
07 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Chesham
Whoever you are, Chesham 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 Chesham this weekthe Chesham 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 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 Cheshamthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Cheshamthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
09 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Chesham compares
Chesham's scene, counted with the Watford area, ranks second of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Milton Keynes, Luton, Egham, 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.
| # | Area | Venues |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | London 70 open mics · 1,493 upcoming gigs | 318 |
| 02 | Chesham (Watford area) This city 12 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs | 24 |
| 03 | Milton Keynes 9 open mics · 40 upcoming gigs | 18 |
| 04 | Luton 7 open mics · 23 upcoming gigs | 16 |
| 05 | Egham 10 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs | 16 |
| 06 | High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs | 14 |
| 07 | Broxbourne 8 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs | 12 |
10 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
11 — Keep exploring
CheshamMore of Chesham
More live music resources for Chesham 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 BorehamwoodExplore the live music scene in Borehamwood — venues, artists, and gig opportunities. | |
| Live Music in BusheyExplore the live music scene in Bushey — 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. | |
| Buckinghamshire Live Music GuideCounty-wide roundup — Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Amersham and beyond. |
Everything live in Chesham — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Chesham. Artists and bands available around Chesham.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Chesham — sorted by dateWhat's on in Chesham — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Chesham, 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.Chesham gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in CheshamCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Chesham venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Chesham. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Chesham venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Chesham open mic nightsJust starting out? Chesham open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Chesham. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Chesham open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in CheshamStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Chesham. 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 CheshamLive Chesham 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 Chesham
Live music in Chesham centres on the 340-seat Elgiva Theatre plus a pub scene strong for folk, acoustic and touring acts — end of the Metropolitan line.
Last updated: 4 November 2026
Live Music in Chesham: the Short Answer
Chesham 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.
Chesham is a community-minded town with the 340-seat Elgiva Theatre at its centre and a surprisingly strong folk, acoustic, and singer-songwriter circuit around it. The Queens Head, The Black Horse, and sessions at The White Hart regularly programme live music aimed at an audience that listens rather than chats. Folk festivals at the Elgiva, the Chesham Festival in summer, and the community hall circuit add private and event work on top of the pub circuit.
Live Music Nights in Chesham
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 Chesham. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Chesham
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 7 4 venues
3 open mics Mad SquirrelThe Oddfellows Arms - Wed 8 4 venues
4 open mics The Saint & SinnerThe Crown - Thu 2 1 venue
1 open mic The Tudor Arms - Fri 3 2 venues
1 open mic Glenn Social & Sports Club - Sat 3 3 venues
0 open mics - Sun 3 1 venue
2 open mics Johnny's BarThe Horn
The Chesham 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.
Council-owned 300-seat theatre (400 standing) with proper stage, bar and cafe. Programmes live music (folk, blues, rock, comedy), professional panto and community shows. Home venue of the Chesham Fringe Festival.
The George & Dragon (High Street) is the main pub venue — live music most weekends, always free entry. The Chesham Fringe Festival (May, 120+ acts across 12 venues including pubs, library and cocktail bars) has become a genuine multi-day arts event with decent headliners.
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.
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.
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 - Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead and Amersham.
Where Live Music Happens in Chesham
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.
Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Chesham venue directory, see what is booked on the Chesham gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Chesham
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.
Every listing is a real Chesham date, rebuilt nightly from the Chesham gig directory. See the Chesham venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Chesham
Whoever you are, Chesham 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 Chesham
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 Chesham Compares
Chesham's scene, counted with the Watford area, ranks second of 7 for live music venues against its 6 nearest city scenes - London, Milton Keynes, Luton, Egham, 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 London 70 open mics · 1,493 upcoming gigs 318
- #2 Chesham (Watford area) This city 12 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs 24
- #3 Milton Keynes 9 open mics · 40 upcoming gigs 18
- #4 Luton 7 open mics · 23 upcoming gigs 16
- #5 Egham 10 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs 16
- #6 High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs 14
- #7 Broxbourne 8 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs 12
Frequently Asked Questions
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