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Find a Band in Bournemouth
Book a Bournemouth band direct - rock from The Anvil, nightly sessions in Boscombe, and party acts for seaside weddings across Dorset. 6 Bournemouth acts are on GigXchange, and band hire here starts from about £500 (GX Index).
Updated 27 October 2026
Find a band in Bournemouth — book, sign and pay in one place
Find a Band in Bournemouth: the Short Answer
A band in Bournemouth costs from about £500 for a 3–4 piece band at a pub or bar - the South West median fee acts take home, from 28 fees on the GX Index; quotes can run higher once travel, PA and set length are added. 6 Bournemouth acts have a GigXchange profile and 22 Bournemouth venues list live music.
| What it costs · £500 3–4 piece bandSouth West take-home median · 28 fees |
| On GigXchange · 6 Bournemouth actswith a profile you can browse |
| Venues listed · 22 Bournemouth venuesputting on live music |
| If they cancel · Rescue a replacement fastGX Gig Rescue invites available acts |
Bands You Can Book in Bournemouth
Pop, Alternative Rock and Ambient lead the Bournemouth line-up on GigXchange, and Town Centre, Lansdowne and Boscombe are where they play most. For a pub or bar, start with self-contained acts that bring their own PA and play two 45-minute sets.
Bands Available for Gigs in Bournemouth
Every act here is a band or musician available for gigs in Bournemouth: the availability calendar on each profile shows the dates they are free. Listen to the audio, read the reviews, then message two or three and agree the fee in chat - the contract and payment are handled in one place. The full process is in how to book live music.
| Browse all Bournemouth acts | |
| How to book live music |
Who's Available This Weekend in Bournemouth
Here is who we have available in Bournemouth this weekend: 5 of our 6 Bournemouth acts have nothing booked or blocked on Saturday 31 October in their GigXchange calendar. Message an act to confirm your night.
Nothing booked or blocked Booked or unavailable
Calendars checked Sat 31 Oct, 22:59
| Post a gig | |
| Act cancelled? Gig Rescue |
What Our Bournemouth Acts Play
Pop leads Bournemouth's roster with 4 acts, then alternative rock (2) and ambient (2). 6 local acts list 17 styles on their profiles - these are the top 8. Where a style has its own hire guide, the link opens it: line-ups, fees and what to agree with the act.
| # | Style | Acts |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Pop | 4 |
| 02 | Alternative Rock | 2 |
| 03 | Ambient | 2 |
| 04 | Indie Rock | 2 |
| 05 | Rock | 2 |
| 06 | Afrobeat | 1 |
| 07 | Blues | 1 |
| 08 | Dancehall | 1 |
What you'll pay for a band in Bournemouth
In Bournemouth, a solo act at a pub or bar sits at the bottom of the ladder at about £290; a 5+ piece band at a wedding tops it at £1,538 (South West take-home medians). Line-up, set length and travel move a quote above these; the figures update nightly from the GX Index.
| Pub or bar · solo actmiddle 50% £100–£325 · South West · 42 fees | £290 |
| Pub or bar · duomiddle 50% £250–£500 · UK · 93 fees | £325 |
| Pub or bar · 3–4 piece bandmiddle 50% £200–£700 · South West · 28 fees | £500 |
| Pub or bar · 5+ piece bandmiddle 50% £350–£550 · South West · 27 fees | £525 |
| Wedding · 3–4 piece bandmiddle 50% £1,013–£1,404 · South West · 65 fees | £1,138 |
| Wedding · 5+ piece bandmiddle 50% £967–£1,846 · South West · 48 fees | £1,538 |
| Submit your rate | |
| See the UK gig rates |
Finding a Band in Bournemouth — What You Need to Know
The act that fills Chaplin's & The Cellar Bar, O'Neill's Bournemouth and Barbara's Bier Haus is not the act for every room in Bournemouth. Match the act to the room size, the crowd and the night: covers fill a pub, originals bring their own following.
| Pubs & BarsBournemouth's bars keep a full week. Chaplin's and The Cellar Bar in Boscombe have live music most nights, O'Neill's runs covers sets midweek and Saturday, and Buffalo and Lark Rise in Winton book rock, blues and covers acts. For heavier nights, The Anvil and Zephyr are the rooms. |
| Restaurants & HotelsHotels and restaurants along the coast book acoustic, soul and funk players - places like Brass Haus show the softer side of the town's scene. |
| Weddings & Private EventsDorset coast weddings often want a band that can move from a relaxed drinks set to a full dancefloor. Bournemouth's covers and party acts play those nights all summer - book early for peak Saturdays and confirm what the fee includes. |
Which Type of Band Fits Your Room?
Cover, pub, function, tribute — what each one is, what it costs in Bournemouth, and who books it.
| Cover BandsThe default for pubs and bars — recognisable songs, full room. A covers act typically plays two 45-minute sets. |
| Pub BandsRock, blues and indie acts working the Bournemouth pub circuit week in, week out — own PA, self-contained, used to small stages. |
| Function BandsBigger line-ups for weddings, corporate dinners and parties - size and set length set the fee. |
| Tribute & OriginalsTribute nights fill rooms on otherwise quiet evenings; original acts bring their own following. Both book direct on GigXchange. |
Four Checks Before You Book
| Hear them livePlay a live video or live recording on the act's profile, not just a studio track - that is how they will sound in your room. |
| Reviews from nights like yoursRead what reviews say about nights like yours - a pub night, a wedding or a party - not just the star rating. |
| Set list, PA and timingsGet the set list and set times in writing, and confirm who brings the PA, the floor space needed and when they arrive to set up. |
| Put it in the contractAgree the fee and the times, and read the cancellation terms in the GigXchange booking agreement, before you confirm. |
How to Book a Band on GIGXCHANGE
3 steps. About 5 minutes from signup to first booking: post your gig, review the acts who apply, then book with a contract and your payment held until after the gig.
| 01 | ListingPost your gigFill in 5 details: date, venue, genre, budget, set length. The listing is live immediately, visible to every artist in the GigXchange network — takes about 5 minutes, no agency handling the hand-off. |
| 02 | ShortlistReview applicationsActs apply with profile, tracks, reviews and availability all visible. Start a direct chat with shortlisted acts to confirm details before committing, and compare them side by side rather than tab-switching. |
| 03 | BookingBook and pay securelyOnce the fee’s signed off, a digital contract is auto-generated for both parties in under 1 minute. Funds are held securely via Stripe and released 5 days after the event completes. Ratings post from both sides when the booking closes. |
Agree the Terms in Writing
| Agree the brief and the terms in writing - the date, set times, fee, deposit, cancellation and what the price includes. Who brings the PA, the stage space and the power - written into the contract so nobody guesses on the night. Many venues ask acts for public liability insurance. Musicians’ Union members are covered to £10 million each with their membership. If the act drops out: GX Gig Rescue sends an urgent invite to available acts near you. The first to accept is booked. |
Band Cancelled? Find a Replacement in Bournemouth
Emergency band replacement without ringing round an agency out of hours - Gig Rescue sends your night to acts who are free that evening, and the first to accept is booked.
Every GigXchange profile carries a live availability calendar, so you’re only ever looking at acts who can actually make your date. Message shortlisted bands directly, agree the fee in chat, and the contract and payment are handled in one place — realistic to turn around same-week, often same-day.
| 01 | The datePick the gig that fell through, or tell it the night. |
| 02 | The call-outUp to 25 free acts invited at once. |
| 03 | The show goes onThe other invites close the moment one act accepts. |
| Rescue this gig — broadcast to available bands | |
| Browse available Bournemouth bands |
Bands by Area in Bournemouth
Live music in Bournemouth centres on Town Centre, Lansdowne, Boscombe and Winton, with 22 Bournemouth venues listing live music on GigXchange. Knowing the area tells you the sound - and which acts already play there.
| Town CentreSixty Million Postcards and The Anvil - indie, rock and metal a short walk from the seafront. |
| LansdowneThe Old Fire Station and Zephyr host the bigger student and touring nights. |
| BoscombeChaplin's and The Cellar Bar run acoustic, rock and blues six nights a week. |
| WintonBuffalo and Lark Rise book covers, rock and blues acts for a local crowd. |
Bournemouth Venues Listing Live Music
| Chaplin's & The Cellar BarBoscombe · c. 90 capacity |
| O'Neill's Bournemouthc. 90 capacity |
| Barbara's Bier HausTown centre |
| 1812 LoungeTown centre |
| Meyrick ParkMeyrick Park, Bournemouth |
| Smokin' Aces |
12 — Questions12 answersFrequently asked questions
Bands in BournemouthLocal
Browse and compare local bands in Bournemouth. Find the right band for your Bournemouth event.
Browse Bournemouth artists and bands
Compare styles, set lengths and fees
Message and book direct — no middlemen
Two-way verified reviews
Free to browse — 5% only on protected payments
| Browse Bournemouth bands | |
| Post a gig | |
| Find out more | |
| Post a gig |
Bournemouth GigsLive
Upcoming gigs in Bournemouth — the local directory. What's on in Bournemouth — the local gig directory.
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
| Bournemouth gigs | |
| UK gig directory | |
| Find out more | |
| Join free |
Bournemouth VenuesLocal
Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Bournemouth. Capacity, backline and booking contacts for Bournemouth venues.
Grassroots venues, pubs and stages
Capacity and backline specs where known
Re-verified on a rolling cycle
Claim your venue to keep it current
| Bournemouth venues | |
| Live music for pubs | |
| Live music for hotels | |
| Live music for care homes | |
| Live music for clubs | |
| Live music for holiday parks | |
| Live music for boats | |
| For venues | |
| Find out more | |
| Post a gig |
Bournemouth Open MicsWeekly
Free stage time — Bournemouth open mic nights. Just starting out? Bournemouth open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle.
Weekly open mic nights across Bournemouth
Filter by night of the week
Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play
The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs
| Bournemouth open mics | |
| UK open mic finder | |
| Find out more | |
| Join free |
Guides & RatesFree
How to book and what to pay in Bournemouth. Everything you need before you book a band in Bournemouth.
How to book live music
Live median fees on the GigXchange Index
Written for venues and event planners
| Bournemouth rates | |
| How to book | |
| UK gig rates | |
| Find out more | |
| Join free |
More resources for Bournemouth's live music scene - the fee guides, venue lists, gig listings and how-to guides that sit alongside this page, all free to read.
| Live Music in BournemouthThe full Bournemouth scene — venues, audiences and the local live-music calendar. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in BournemouthThe Bournemouth gig calendar. | |
| Bournemouth VenuesBournemouth rooms that book live music. | |
| Open Mics in BournemouthBournemouth's weekly open mic nights. | |
| Gig RescueAct cancelled? Send your date to available acts nearby and fill it fast. | |
| UK Gig RatesWhat UK acts actually charge by event type - median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
| Live music in Bournemouth | |
| How to book live music |
| Venues in Bournemouth | |
| Open mics in Bournemouth | |
| Upcoming gigs in Bournemouth |
| NYE Bands & DJs | |
| Awards Night & Black-Tie Bands | |
| Festival Season Bands | |
| Valentine's Day Bands | |
| Summer Wedding Bands |
| How to book a musician in the UK | |
| Hiring a wedding band in London | |
| Booking platforms compared |
Share what you charged or paid — anonymous, under a minute. 3 rates unlocks 30 days of UK fee trends.
| Add your rate |
Artists within 30 miles of Bournemouth.
| Search bands near Bournemouth |
| What it pays | |
| What to know | |
| FAQs | |
| Browse bands | |
| Post a gig |
Ready to find a band in Bournemouth?
Post a gig for free, no card on file. Membership is free, and we are keeping it free permanently for the first 250 sign-ups. Open alpha, you’re early.
Find a Band in Bournemouth
Book a Bournemouth band direct - rock from The Anvil, nightly sessions in Boscombe, and party acts for seaside weddings across Dorset. 6 Bournemouth acts are on GigXchange, and band hire here starts from about £500 (GX Index).
Last updated: 27 October 2026
Find a Band in Bournemouth: the Short Answer
A band in Bournemouth costs from about £500 for a 3–4 piece band at a pub or bar - the South West median fee acts take home, from 28 fees on the GX Index; quotes can run higher once travel, PA and set length are added. 6 Bournemouth acts have a GigXchange profile and 22 Bournemouth venues list live music.
Bands You Can Book in Bournemouth
Pop, Alternative Rock and Ambient lead the Bournemouth line-up on GigXchange, and Town Centre, Lansdowne and Boscombe are where they play most. For a pub or bar, start with self-contained acts that bring their own PA and play two 45-minute sets.
Bands Available for Gigs in Bournemouth
Every act here is a band or musician available for gigs in Bournemouth: the availability calendar on each profile shows the dates they are free. Listen to the audio, read the reviews, then message two or three and agree the fee in chat - the contract and payment are handled in one place. The full process is in how to book live music.
Who's Available This Weekend in Bournemouth
Here is who we have available in Bournemouth this weekend: 5 of our 6 Bournemouth acts have nothing booked or blocked on Saturday 31 October in their GigXchange calendar. Message an act to confirm your night.
Nothing booked or blocked Booked or unavailable
Calendars checked Sat 31 Oct, 22:59
What Our Bournemouth Acts Play
Pop leads Bournemouth's roster with 4 acts, then alternative rock (2) and ambient (2). 6 local acts list 17 styles on their profiles - these are the top 8. Where a style has its own hire guide, the link opens it: line-ups, fees and what to agree with the act.
- #1 Pop 4 acts
- #2 Alternative Rock 2 acts
- #3 Ambient 2 acts
- #4 Indie Rock 2 acts
- #5 Rock 2 acts
- #6 Afrobeat 1 act
- #7 Blues 1 act
- #8 Dancehall 1 act
What you'll pay for a band in Bournemouth
In Bournemouth, a solo act at a pub or bar sits at the bottom of the ladder at about £290; a 5+ piece band at a wedding tops it at £1,538 (South West take-home medians). Line-up, set length and travel move a quote above these; the figures update nightly from the GX Index.
- Pub or bar · solo act £290 median · 42 observationsmiddle 50% £100–£325 · South West
- Pub or bar · duo £325 median · 93 observationsmiddle 50% £250–£500 · UK
- Pub or bar · 3–4 piece band £500 median · 28 observationsmiddle 50% £200–£700 · South West
- Pub or bar · 5+ piece band £525 median · 27 observationsmiddle 50% £350–£550 · South West
- Wedding · 3–4 piece band £1,138 median · 65 observationsmiddle 50% £1,013–£1,404 · South West
- Wedding · 5+ piece band £1,538 median · 48 observationsmiddle 50% £967–£1,846 · South West
Finding a Band in Bournemouth — What You Need to Know
The act that fills Chaplin's & The Cellar Bar, O'Neill's Bournemouth and Barbara's Bier Haus is not the act for every room in Bournemouth. Match the act to the room size, the crowd and the night: covers fill a pub, originals bring their own following.
Your Room
Bournemouth's bars keep a full week. Chaplin's and The Cellar Bar in Boscombe have live music most nights, O'Neill's runs covers sets midweek and Saturday, and Buffalo and Lark Rise in Winton book rock, blues and covers acts. For heavier nights, The Anvil and Zephyr are the rooms.
Hotels and restaurants along the coast book acoustic, soul and funk players - places like Brass Haus show the softer side of the town's scene.
Dorset coast weddings often want a band that can move from a relaxed drinks set to a full dancefloor. Bournemouth's covers and party acts play those nights all summer - book early for peak Saturdays and confirm what the fee includes.
Which Type of Band Fits Your Room?
The default for pubs and bars — recognisable songs, full room. A covers act typically plays two 45-minute sets.
Rock, blues and indie acts working the Bournemouth pub circuit week in, week out — own PA, self-contained, used to small stages.
Bigger line-ups for weddings, corporate dinners and parties - size and set length set the fee.
Tribute nights fill rooms on otherwise quiet evenings; original acts bring their own following. Both book direct on GigXchange.
Four Checks Before You Book
Play a live video or live recording on the act's profile, not just a studio track - that is how they will sound in your room.
Read what reviews say about nights like yours - a pub night, a wedding or a party - not just the star rating.
Get the set list and set times in writing, and confirm who brings the PA, the floor space needed and when they arrive to set up.
Agree the fee and the times, and read the cancellation terms in the GigXchange booking agreement, before you confirm.
How to Book a Band on GIGXCHANGE
3 steps. About 5 minutes from signup to first booking: post your gig, review the acts who apply, then book with a contract and your payment held until after the gig.
Post your gig
Fill in 5 details: date, venue, genre, budget, set length. The listing is live immediately, visible to every artist in the GigXchange network — takes about 5 minutes, no agency handling the hand-off.
Review applications
Acts apply with profile, tracks, reviews and availability all visible. Start a direct chat with shortlisted acts to confirm details before committing, and compare them side by side rather than tab-switching.
Book and pay securely
Once the fee’s signed off, a digital contract is auto-generated for both parties in under 1 minute. Funds are held securely via Stripe and released 5 days after the event completes. Ratings post from both sides when the booking closes.
Agree the brief and the terms in writing - the date, set times, fee, deposit, cancellation and what the price includes. Who brings the PA, the stage space and the power - written into the contract so nobody guesses on the night. Many venues ask acts for public liability insurance. Musicians’ Union members are covered to £10 million each with their membership. If the act drops out: GX Gig Rescue sends an urgent invite to available acts near you. The first to accept is booked.
Band Cancelled? Find a Replacement in Bournemouth
Emergency band replacement without ringing round an agency out of hours - Gig Rescue sends your night to acts who are free that evening, and the first to accept is booked.
Every GigXchange profile carries a live availability calendar, so you’re only ever looking at acts who can actually make your date. Message shortlisted bands directly, agree the fee in chat, and the contract and payment are handled in one place — realistic to turn around same-week, often same-day.
- 01
The date
Pick the gig that fell through, or tell it the night.
- 02
The call-out
Up to 25 free acts invited at once.
- 03
The show goes on
The other invites close the moment one act accepts.
Bands by Area in Bournemouth
Live music in Bournemouth centres on Town Centre, Lansdowne, Boscombe and Winton, with 22 Bournemouth venues listing live music on GigXchange. Knowing the area tells you the sound - and which acts already play there.
Town Centre
Sixty Million Postcards and The Anvil - indie, rock and metal a short walk from the seafront.
Lansdowne
The Old Fire Station and Zephyr host the bigger student and touring nights.
Boscombe
Chaplin's and The Cellar Bar run acoustic, rock and blues six nights a week.
Winton
Buffalo and Lark Rise book covers, rock and blues acts for a local crowd.
Bournemouth Venues Listing Live Music
Acts travel, and the right one is often one town over — try Southampton, Portsmouth or Swindon if your date is tight in Bournemouth.
Find a Band in Bournemouth: FAQ
Ready to find a band in Bournemouth?
Post a gig for free, no card on file. Membership is free, and we are keeping it free permanently for the first 250 sign-ups. Open alpha, you’re early.