Chester · the live music guide
Live Music in Chester
Chester, Cheshire
Most Chester acts here play Pop, Rock and Alternative Rock. Of the 8 venues that list their live nights, 2 put on music on Mondays and 2 on Tuesdays.
Updated 31 October 2026
01 — The short answer
ChesterLive music in Chester
Chester has 11 venues listing live music, 17 gigs in the next 30 days and 18 open mic nights (both in and around Wrexham). 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.
Chester's live music fills a canalside warehouse, a converted church, an independent bar on Rufus Court and a run of pub open mics - most nights of the week have something on.
Telford's Warehouse, a converted canalside warehouse at Tower Wharf, runs a free open mic and live music. Alexander's Live on Rufus Court is an independent music bar with Tuesday nights, and The Live Rooms on Station Road is the mid-size indie venue. St Mary's Creative Space turns a decommissioned church into an arts and live music venue. For open mics, the Chichester Arms on Garden Lane has Mondays, The Carlton Tavern in Handbridge has a rotating-host Tuesday, and The Saddle Inn has Wednesdays.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in and around Wrexham | 17 |
| Open micsactive nights · in and around Wrexham | 18 |
| On GigXchangeChester acts · with a profile you can browse | 33 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Chester100
| Artists | 18 |
| Venues | 4 |
| Gigs 90d | 100 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 0 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
A warehouse, a church, a music bar and a mid-size room.
| Canalside venueTelford's WarehouseConverted warehouse at Tower Wharf with a free open mic. Books: open mic, covers, indie.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Music barAlexander's LiveIndependent live music bar on Rufus Court. Books: jazz, blues, acoustic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Mid-size venueThe Live RoomsStation Road room for indie and touring bands. Books: indie, rock, tribute.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Converted churchSt. Mary's Creative SpaceDecommissioned church turned arts and music venue. Books: folk, classical, acoustic.Getting on: Programmed by the venue |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Tuesday is the big night in Chester: 2 venues list live music and 3 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Friday and Saturday. Across the week, 8 venues list regular live nights and 9 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Chester.
Regular live music nights in Chester
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Monday2 venues · 2 open mics - Jax, Chichester Arms |
| Tuesday2 venues · 3 open mics - Alexander's Live, The Carlton Tavern |
| Wednesday1 venue · 1 open mic - The Saddle Inn |
| Thursday2 venues · 2 open mics - The Deva Tap, The Commercial |
| Sunday1 venue · 1 open mic - Telford's Warehouse |
05 — The scene
ChesterThe Chester sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Chester is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| Canal and stationTelford's Warehouse and The Live Rooms carry the band nights. |
| Old townAlexander's Live and St Mary's Creative Space keep music inside the walls. |
| The open mic weekThe Chichester Arms, The Carlton Tavern and The Saddle Inn cover Monday to Wednesday. |
| Room sizesSmall rooms under 150: 1 · mid-size up to 500: 2 · bigger stages: 1 - 4 rooms in Chester with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Chester venue directory. |
| The open mic circuit18 open mic nights run in and around Wrexham - Telford's Warehouse and Jax among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times. |
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Wrexham, Widnes and Liverpool.
| NearbyLive music in Wrexham | |
| NearbyLive music in Widnes | |
| NearbyLive music in Liverpool |
06 — Venues
11 roomsWhere live music happens
The Chester circuit runs through 11 venues, Alexander's Live and Carriage Shed included. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 120 cap Alexander's LiveChesterHouse PA 
Carriage ShedChester 750Cap 
Chichester ArmsGarden Lane · Chester Cap tbc 
JaxNorthgate Street · Chester Cap tbc 
St. Mary's Creative SpaceSt Mary's Hill, Chester · Chester Cap tbc 
Telford's WarehouseCity Centre · ChesterFull kitEngineer 250Cap 
The Carlton TavernChester Cap tbc 
The CommercialChester Cap tbc 
The Deva TapChesterHouse PA Cap tbc 
The Live RoomsStation Road · ChesterHouse PAEngineer 400Cap Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Chester venue directory, see what is booked on the Chester gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Chester |
07 — Gigs
Next 6The next 30 days Chester
17 gigs are listed in and around Wrexham for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Starts19:00 Cage Against The MachineThe Assembly Room · Ruthin · WrexhamTickets 
Breed 77The Live Rooms · Chester City & the Garden Quarter · Wrexham 19:00Sat 7 Nov 
Bassment Session No1Basement 85 · Chester City & the Garden Quarter · Wrexham 19:00Sat 7 Nov 
Eat StaticNeuadd Ogwen · Canol Bethesda · Wrexham 19:30Sat 7 Nov 
KarnatakaThe Live Rooms · Chester City & the Garden Quarter 19:00Sun 8 Nov 
This or suburbia live @ the parishThe Parish Wrexham · Erddig · Wrexham 19:00Fri 13 Nov Every listing is a real Chester date, rebuilt nightly from the Chester gig directory. See the Chester venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Chester gigs | |
| What's on in Chester this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Chester
Whoever you are, Chester 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 Chester this weekthe Chester gig guide, by email | |
| FansUpcoming gigs in Wrexhamevery listing, sorted by date | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Wrexhamfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Wrexhamclaim 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 Chesterthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Chesterthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Chester compares
Chester's scene, counted with the Wrexham area, ranks third of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Manchester, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Preston, Rawtenstall, Telford 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 | Manchester 59 open mics · 678 upcoming gigs | 159 |
| 02 | Liverpool 27 open mics · 463 upcoming gigs | 128 |
| 03 | Chester (Wrexham area) This city 18 open mics · 44 upcoming gigs | 31 |
| 04 | Stoke-on-Trent 17 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs | 26 |
| 05 | Preston 17 open mics · 82 upcoming gigs | 24 |
| 06 | Rawtenstall 9 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs | 21 |
| 07 | Telford 14 open mics · 9 upcoming gigs | 20 |
| 08 | Blackburn 5 open mics · 16 upcoming gigs | 9 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
ChesterMore of Chester
More live music resources for Chester 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 Chester. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in ChesterThe full Chester gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in ChesterOpen mic nights near Chester — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Chester Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Chester — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Chester. Artists and bands available around Chester.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Chester — sorted by dateWhat's on in Chester — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Chester, 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.Chester gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in ChesterCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Chester venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Chester. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Chester venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Chester open mic nightsJust starting out? Chester open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Chester. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Chester open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in ChesterStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Chester. 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 ChesterLive Chester 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 Chester
Chester's live music fills a canalside warehouse, a converted church, an independent bar on Rufus Court and a run of pub open mics - most nights of the week have something on.
Last updated: 31 October 2026
Live Music in Chester: the Short Answer
Chester has 11 venues listing live music, 17 gigs in the next 30 days and 18 open mic nights (both in and around Wrexham). 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.
Most Chester acts here play Pop, Rock and Alternative Rock. Of the 8 venues that list their live nights, 2 put on music on Mondays and 2 on Tuesdays.
Telford's Warehouse, a converted canalside warehouse at Tower Wharf, runs a free open mic and live music. Alexander's Live on Rufus Court is an independent music bar with Tuesday nights, and The Live Rooms on Station Road is the mid-size indie venue. St Mary's Creative Space turns a decommissioned church into an arts and live music venue. For open mics, the Chichester Arms on Garden Lane has Mondays, The Carlton Tavern in Handbridge has a rotating-host Tuesday, and The Saddle Inn has Wednesdays.
The Chester Rooms to Know
A warehouse, a church, a music bar and a mid-size room. 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.
Live Music Nights in Chester
Tuesday is the big night in Chester: 2 venues list live music and 3 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Friday and Saturday. Across the week, 8 venues list regular live nights and 9 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Chester. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Chester
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
- Mon 4 2 venues
2 open mics JaxChichester Arms - Tue 5 2 venues
3 open mics Alexander's LiveThe Carlton Tavern - Wed 2 1 venue
1 open mic The Saddle Inn - Thu 4 2 venues
2 open mics The Deva TapThe Commercial - Fri 0 0 venues
0 open mics - Sat 0 0 venues
0 open mics - Sun 2 1 venue
1 open mic Telford's Warehouse
The Chester Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Chester is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
Telford's Warehouse and The Live Rooms carry the band nights.
Alexander's Live and St Mary's Creative Space keep music inside the walls.
The Chichester Arms, The Carlton Tavern and The Saddle Inn cover Monday to Wednesday.
Small rooms under 150: 1 · mid-size up to 500: 2 · bigger stages: 1 - 4 rooms in Chester with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Chester venue directory.
18 open mic nights run in and around Wrexham - Telford's Warehouse and Jax among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Wrexham, Widnes and Liverpool.
Where Live Music Happens in Chester
The Chester circuit runs through 11 venues, Alexander's Live and Carriage Shed 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 Chester venue directory, see what is booked on the Chester gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Chester
17 gigs are listed in and around Wrexham 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 Chester date, rebuilt nightly from the Chester gig directory. See the Chester venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Chester
Whoever you are, Chester 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 Chester
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 Chester Compares
Chester's scene, counted with the Wrexham area, ranks third of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Manchester, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Preston, Rawtenstall, Telford 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 Manchester 59 open mics · 678 upcoming gigs 159
- #2 Liverpool 27 open mics · 463 upcoming gigs 128
- #3 Chester (Wrexham area) This city 18 open mics · 44 upcoming gigs 31
- #4 Stoke-on-Trent 17 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs 26
- #5 Preston 17 open mics · 82 upcoming gigs 24
- #6 Rawtenstall 9 open mics · 31 upcoming gigs 21
- #7 Telford 14 open mics · 9 upcoming gigs 20
- #8 Blackburn 5 open mics · 16 upcoming gigs 9
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to play Chester?
Cheshire venues, hotels and couples hire acts through GigXchange - make your free page. Make a free profile in a few minutes, add your sound and the dates you are free, and let Chester bookers find you.