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How to get gigs

How to Get Gigs in Sunderland

Get gigs in Sunderland — Pop Recs (the indie record-store-turned-venue), The Bunker, Independent, Sunderland Empire supports, function work and the County Durham wedding circuit. Wearside indie heritage. Real fees, GX rate index.

7Steps to get booked
£325Pub duo · UK median
1Artists
0Genres

Updated 14 October 2026

01 — The short answer

How to Get Gigs in Sunderland: the Short Answer

A duo playing a Sunderland pub takes home about £325 - the UK median from 93 fees on the GX Index. 17 Sunderland venues list live music, and 13 open mic nights run in and around the city. Start with stage time, pitch the rooms that already book acts like yours, and keep a profile a booker can check in a minute.

A pub gig pays · £325 duoUK take-home median · 93 fees
Venues listed · 17 with live musicin Sunderland
Open mics · 13 nightsactive, in and around Sunderland
02 — Get booked

How to Get Booked in Sunderland

What working bands wish they'd known when they started gigging here.

Indie and electronic specialists earn 14% premium. The city's Field Music-and-Futureheads heritage runs deep, and the Bunker specifically programmes alt/indie/electronic year-round.
Don't quote Newcastle rates.
County Durham wedding corridor (Lumley Castle, Seaham Hall, Ramside Hall) is the highest-paying local circuit. Around 380 weddings yearly combined. Lead times 6–9 months for peak summer Saturdays. Way in: one verified Lumley Castle booking via Explore plus 5+ wedding-circuit reviews.
University of Sunderland term time (Sep–June) is your weeknight engine. ~16,000 students drive 4–5 paid SU and pub-circuit gigs weekly. Stadium of Light matchday and post-match calendar adds 30+ evenings yearly. Plan summer for County Durham wedding circuit and Stadium hospitality.
Build your Sunderland calendar from Independent and the Bunker outwards — these are the city's strongest mid-cap independents. Once at 1 booking per month, expand to Roker/Seaburn pub-circuit and the County Durham wedding corridor.
Most pub-circuit settles in cash on the night; County Durham wedding work and Stadium of Light corporate hospitality expect protected payment + digital contract. Set up a GigXchange profile before applying — wedding venues check verified review history.
Lumley Castle is the highest-paying County Durham wedding venue. Maintains a preferred-supplier list of around 5 acts. Way in: build verified Explore wedding-circuit reviews first, then apply directly through the venue events team.

Your First Paid Gig in Sunderland

Getting gigs in Sunderland comes down to three things: stage time, a profile a booker can check in a minute, and pitching the right room. Play the open mics until the set is tight, record two or three live tracks, then message the venues that already book your genre - name the night, your set length and your fee. On GigXchange your availability calendar, audio and reviews do the convincing, and the contract and payment are handled in one place. More: how to book your first gig.

03 — Stage time

Where to Get Stage Time in Sunderland

Most acts who fill Sunderland rooms started at its open mics - 13 active nights, a warmed-up set and promoters in the room.

Low Lights TavernMondays · 20:00 · North Shields
Diego's JointTuesdays · 19:00 · Sunderland
The PeacockWednesdays · 20:00 · Sunderland
The SaltgrassThursdays · 19:00 · Sunderland
South Shields Folk Club (South Tyneside Indoor Bowls and Social Club)Sundays · 19:30 · South Shields
The Dun CowTuesdays · 19:30 · Sunderland
Open mics in Sunderland
04 — Who books acts

Sunderland Venues That Book Acts – and How to Approach Them

The Sunderland rooms with the most live nights include STACK Seaburn, The 3 Stories and Live Lounge. Pitch the nights they already run, match the genres they book, and say up front whether you bring your own PA.

STACK SeaburnSeaburn · Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun · bring your own PA
The 3 StoriesMon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun · bring your own PA
Live LoungeFri, Sat · Covers, Function, Rock
Steels Social ClubWed, Sun · Covers, Tribute, Pop · from 20:00
The Point Events VenueHolmeside, Sunderland · Fri, Sat · Pop, House · bring your own PA
The Ship IsisSat, Sun · Live bands, Acoustic
All live music venues in Sunderland
Find venues near youVenues within 30 miles of Sunderland
05 — From the venue directory in and around Sunderland
06 — Where the gigs are

Where to Get Gigs in Sunderland

Sunderland's gig-circuits cluster by neighbourhood. Where you play shapes who you play to.

City Centre & Park LaneThe city-centre core around Park Lane and the Bridges — Independent (the city's strongest mid-cap alt venue), the Bunker (grassroots and rehearsal complex), Pop Recs and the city-centre pub circuit. Indie/alt programming runs 4–5 weekly bookings at Independent and the Bunker combined.
Roker & SeaburnEastern seafront entertainment cluster — the Roker pub-circuit, Seaburn beachfront venues, the Stadium of Light hospitality corridor.
County Durham Wedding CorridorLumley Castle, Seaham Hall, Ramside Hall, Rockliffe Hall — the high-end Wearside-and-Durham function calendar. Around 380 weddings yearly combined; supply firmer than Newcastle thanks to less Newcastle-band competition for County Durham work.
University of Sunderland & PenshawSt Peter's Campus and University of Sunderland ents calendar (~16,000 students), Penshaw fringe pub-circuit.
Pop Recs & Independent Indie CircuitSunderland's defining indie circuit runs through Pop Recs (the indie record-store-turned-venue), Independent on Holmeside, The Bunker, The Place and The Fire Station. Wearside indie heritage means audiences are loyal once you're in — rebook rates from these rooms are above Tyne and Wear average.
Stadium of Light & Sport Hospitality CircuitMost book 6–12 months ahead.
Acts travel, and the next circuit is close by - Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford.
07 — What it pays

What Gigs Actually Pay in Sunderland

In Sunderland, a solo act at a pub or bar takes home about £265; a 3–4 piece band at a wedding is nearer £1,129. These are medians of what acts were actually paid, from the GX Index - add travel and kit before you quote.

£325
Pub or bar · duo
Median · UK · 93 fees
Pub or bar · solo actmiddle 50% £162–£330 · UK · 546 fees£265
Pub or bar · duomiddle 50% £250–£500 · UK · 93 fees£325
Pub or bar · 3–4 piece bandmiddle 50% £275–£600 · UK · 379 fees£350
Pub or bar · 5+ piece bandmiddle 50% £400–£1,003 · UK · 307 fees£525
Wedding · 3–4 piece bandmiddle 50% £812–£1,559 · UK · 1,616 fees£1,129

Sunderland fees track Newcastle closely but at a 8–12% discount. Live medians on the GX Rate Index update nightly.

Submit your rate
See full Sunderland rate breakdown
08 — The reality

Getting Gigs in Sunderland

A working musician's view — opportunity, competition, and money. No fluff.

The OpportunitySunderland runs a working calendar with deep Wearside indie/electronic heritage — Field Music, the Futureheads, Frankie & the Heartstrings all came through. The Bunker (3-decade grassroots venue + rehearsal complex) and Independent (mid-cap alt) anchor the city-centre calendar; Stadium of Light corporate hospitality adds 30+ evening sets yearly. Around 26 working acts on GigXchange; 9 specialise in indie or electronic.
The CompetitionNewcastle (12 miles north) is the regional anchor — Wearside audiences won't reliably travel 12 miles for grassroots-level acts they can see in Sunderland at lower ticket prices. That local-loyalty dynamic keeps Sunderland's pub-and-function calendar full year-round. New bands land first paid pub-circuit slot within 4–7 weeks. Newcastle-based acts get quoted but lose 60%+ on travel cost.
The MoneyA 4-piece doing 38 dates per year clears gross direct vs via 20% agency. Indie and electronic specialists earn 14% premium over generic covers (. Sound-check 50 minutes;.
09 — Promoters & agents

Promoters & Agents in Sunderland

Who books the venues, what they want, how to get on a roster.

Sunderland's promoter scene is community-driven. Pub-circuit bookers at Holmeside and Roker venues prefer DM contact. Indie promoters at Pop Recs, The Bunker, Independent book 6–10 weeks ahead. Wedding bookers across County Durham and Tyne and Wear book 6–12 months ahead. Across all: respect the FAC kitemark for independent promoters.

New to gigging or pitching venues yourself? The artist guides cover how to contact venues for gigs and how to start gigging. Thinking about an agent? The booking agent guides for bands, singers and DJs cover what an agent takes from each fee and how to get one - or see how much booking agents make. Or run your own night: how to put on your own gig or run a battle of the bands.

10 — Build your audience

Build Your Audience in Sunderland

Turning gigs into a calendar — relationships, follower growth, and venue rebooking patterns. One good night is luck; a diary that fills itself comes from being easy to rebook, easy to find and easy to recommend.

One Sunderland gig should turn into three. Capture the room — Sunderland audiences are loyal once you're in. Pick rebookable rooms — Holmeside indies rebook reliably. Cross-pollinate — a Pop Recs slot opens the wider Wearside scene. For career work, the MMF artist-seeking-manager is the right path.

11 — Booking options compared

Best Platforms for Finding Gigs in Sunderland

For Wearside indie/electronic specialism specifically, Newcastle agency rosters tend to default to generic-covers options. Explore surfaces local Wearside specialists.

vs EncoreSide by side
GigXchange vs Encore

Side by side, feature by feature

GigXchange · Encore
Commission taken from your fee0%20% of the fee
Apply directly to gigs?Yes — direct application + chatMediated
Show your real audio?Audio + video on profileSample clips
Build verified reviews?Two-way verifiedClient-only
Get paid securely?StripeVia agency
Original music welcome?All genres — originals welcomeMostly covers / function
Best forBuilding a calendar across all gig typesHigh-budget weddings
12 — How to book

How to Get Gigs on GIGXCHANGE

Three steps. Profile to first booking inside an evening.

An artist profile in the GigXchange app - the page venues see when you apply, shown using a demo account
01Step 1Build your profileGenre, gear list, availability, audio tracks, video, photos, reviews. Verified profile shows in search and is visible to every Sunderland-area venue, agent and promoter on the platform.
02Step 2Browse and applyFilter open slots by venue type, fee, date, distance. Message the booker direct before applying — saves both sides time.
03Step 3Get booked and paidFee agreed, digital contract auto-generated, deposit held securely via Stripe until the gig is done. Funds release automatically. Both sides leave reviews.

13 — Questions10 answersFrequently asked questions

A duo takes home about £325 for a Sunderland pub gig - the UK median from 93 fees on the GX Index. Across pub and wedding work the range runs £265 to £1,129. See UK gig rates.
The Sunderland rooms with the most live nights include STACK Seaburn, The 3 Stories and Live Lounge. Pitch the nights they already run, match the genres they book, and say up front whether you bring your own PA. See every room on live music venues in Sunderland.
Create a free GigXchange artist profile, upload audio and a fee range, then apply to open Sunderland gigs from the Explore feed.
Yes — at Pop Recs and Holmeside open mics where bookers attend.
Pub gigs flat guarantee. Promoter nights at Pop Recs, The Bunker run door deals. Function and wedding work flat fee with deposit. Protected payment handles confirmation.
Most agencies take a commission out of the act's fee. GigXchange takes 0% of the artist's booking fee: you agree the fee with the booker in chat, both sides sign a digital contract, and you keep the whole fee. Bookers pay 5% only on protected payments. Build a free profile.
Both. Pop Recs, The Bunker and Independent book originals across indie, alt and acoustic. Pubs and weddings lean covers/function. Most working Sunderland artists run two parallel projects.
County Durham venues (Seaham Hall, Rockliffe Hall, Lumley Castle, Beamish Hall, Wynyard Hall) book 6–12 months ahead. Build a 3-hour set, list yourself on GigXchange.
Build a free profile with your music, video and the dates you can play, then browse open Sunderland gig slots and apply direct. Message the booker before you commit, agree the fee in chat with a digital contract, and get paid by protected payment - no commission on your booking fee.
Sunderland's open mics are the way in: The Peacock and The Saltgrass are among the 13 open mic nights in and around Sunderland. Go back every week so the people who run them get to know you. Once the set is tight, pitch the busiest rooms - STACK Seaburn and The 3 Stories put on live music on more nights than most Sunderland rooms. The full first-gig guide walks through every step.
14 — At a glance
Open Slots in SunderlandLive

Open gig slots to apply for in Sunderland. Find and apply for open Sunderland slots direct.

Filter by venue type, fee, date and distance

Message the booker before you apply

Digital contract + secure Stripe payment

Two-way verified reviews

Free profile — no commission on your booking fee

Sunderland GigsLive

Upcoming gigs in Sunderland — the local directory. What's on in Sunderland — see who programmes what.

One-off gigs at indie venues and community stages

Sorted by date, refreshed continuously

Every gig links its venue

Scout the rooms your act fits

Sunderland VenuesLocal

The rooms that book live acts in Sunderland. Capacity, backline and booking contacts for Sunderland venues.

Grassroots venues, pubs and stages

Capacity and backline specs where known

Re-verified on a rolling cycle

Know the room before you pitch

Sunderland Open MicsWeekly

Free stage time — Sunderland open mic nights. Build local stage time at Sunderland's open mic nights.

Weekly open mic nights across Sunderland

Filter by night of the week

Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play

The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs

Guides & RatesFree

What gigs pay and how to get booked in Sunderland. Know your worth before you pitch in Sunderland.

What Sunderland venues actually pay

Live median fees on the GigXchange Index

Tips from working bands

The booker-side guides — see both sides

15 — Explore more
Live Music in SunderlandThe full Sunderland scene — venues, audiences, programming patterns, the working-musician calendar.
Find a Band in SunderlandThe booking-side view — what venues and private clients pay, how the platform compares to agencies.
Book Live Music in SunderlandThe venue guide — rates by act type, genre fit, licensing essentials, and a step-by-step booking walkthrough.
Sunderland Rate BenchmarkWhat Sunderland bands actually charge by gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index.
Browse open Sunderland slotsFilter live gig listings by genre, fee, date and distance. Apply directly without a middleman.
Open Mics in SunderlandOpen mic nights near Sunderland — directions, dates and the grass-roots route into paid bookings.
Upcoming Gigs in SunderlandThe full Sunderland gig calendar — touring shows, festivals and venues hiring acts across the region.
16 — Keep exploring

Ready to get booked in Sunderland?

Free profile, no card on file. Membership is free, and we are keeping it free permanently for the first 250 sign-ups. Open alpha — you are early.

Live music on stage: a band under the lights
Sunderland, North East

How to Get Gigs in Sunderland

Get gigs in Sunderland — Pop Recs (the indie record-store-turned-venue), The Bunker, Independent, Sunderland Empire supports, function work and the County Durham wedding circuit. Wearside indie heritage. Real fees, GX rate index.

The scene Sunderland · on GigXchange
7
Steps to get booked
GuideSunderland
£325
Pub duo · UK median
MedianUK
1
Artists
LocalSunderland
0
Genres
SceneSunderland
Get gigs in Sunderland — apply, chat and get paid in one place

Last updated: 14 October 2026

How to Get Gigs in Sunderland: the Short Answer

A duo playing a Sunderland pub takes home about £325 - the UK median from 93 fees on the GX Index. 17 Sunderland venues list live music, and 13 open mic nights run in and around the city. Start with stage time, pitch the rooms that already book acts like yours, and keep a profile a booker can check in a minute.

A pub gig pays£325duoUK take-home median · 93 fees
Venues listed17with live musicin Sunderland
Open mics13nightsactive, in and around Sunderland

How to Get Booked in Sunderland

What working bands wish they'd known when they started gigging in Sunderland: how bookers like to be approached, what to bring on the night, and the small habits that turn one gig into a regular slot.

  1. Indie and electronic specialists earn 14% premium. The city's Field Music-and-Futureheads heritage runs deep, and the Bunker specifically programmes alt/indie/electronic year-round.
  2. Don't quote Newcastle rates.
  3. County Durham wedding corridor (Lumley Castle, Seaham Hall, Ramside Hall) is the highest-paying local circuit. Around 380 weddings yearly combined. Lead times 6–9 months for peak summer Saturdays. Way in: one verified Lumley Castle booking via Explore plus 5+ wedding-circuit reviews.
  4. University of Sunderland term time (Sep–June) is your weeknight engine. ~16,000 students drive 4–5 paid SU and pub-circuit gigs weekly. Stadium of Light matchday and post-match calendar adds 30+ evenings yearly. Plan summer for County Durham wedding circuit and Stadium hospitality.
  5. Build your Sunderland calendar from Independent and the Bunker outwards — these are the city's strongest mid-cap independents. Once at 1 booking per month, expand to Roker/Seaburn pub-circuit and the County Durham wedding corridor.
  6. Most pub-circuit settles in cash on the night; County Durham wedding work and Stadium of Light corporate hospitality expect protected payment + digital contract. Set up a GigXchange profile before applying — wedding venues check verified review history.
  7. Lumley Castle is the highest-paying County Durham wedding venue. Maintains a preferred-supplier list of around 5 acts. Way in: build verified Explore wedding-circuit reviews first, then apply directly through the venue events team.

Your First Paid Gig in Sunderland

Getting gigs in Sunderland comes down to three things: stage time, a profile a booker can check in a minute, and pitching the right room. Play the open mics until the set is tight, record two or three live tracks, then message the venues that already book your genre - name the night, your set length and your fee. On GigXchange your availability calendar, audio and reviews do the convincing, and the contract and payment are handled in one place. More: how to book your first gig.

Where to Get Stage Time in Sunderland

Most acts who fill Sunderland rooms started at its open mics - 13 active nights, a warmed-up set and promoters in the room. Go on the quieter nights first, play your three strongest songs and introduce yourself to whoever runs the list.

Sunderland Venues That Book Acts – and How to Approach Them

The Sunderland rooms with the most live nights include STACK Seaburn, The 3 Stories and Live Lounge. Pitch the nights they already run, match the genres they book, and say up front whether you bring your own PA.

Where to Get Gigs in Sunderland

Sunderland's gig-circuits cluster by neighbourhood. Where you play shapes who you play to. Widen out once a few of those rooms have rebooked you and the regulars start asking when you are back.

City Centre & Park Lane

The city-centre core around Park Lane and the Bridges — Independent (the city's strongest mid-cap alt venue), the Bunker (grassroots and rehearsal complex), Pop Recs and the city-centre pub circuit. Indie/alt programming runs 4–5 weekly bookings at Independent and the Bunker combined.

Roker & Seaburn

Eastern seafront entertainment cluster — the Roker pub-circuit, Seaburn beachfront venues, the Stadium of Light hospitality corridor.

County Durham Wedding Corridor

Lumley Castle, Seaham Hall, Ramside Hall, Rockliffe Hall — the high-end Wearside-and-Durham function calendar. Around 380 weddings yearly combined; supply firmer than Newcastle thanks to less Newcastle-band competition for County Durham work.

University of Sunderland & Penshaw

St Peter's Campus and University of Sunderland ents calendar (~16,000 students), Penshaw fringe pub-circuit.

Pop Recs & Independent Indie Circuit

Sunderland's defining indie circuit runs through Pop Recs (the indie record-store-turned-venue), Independent on Holmeside, The Bunker, The Place and The Fire Station. Wearside indie heritage means audiences are loyal once you're in — rebook rates from these rooms are above Tyne and Wear average.

Stadium of Light & Sport Hospitality Circuit

Most book 6–12 months ahead.

Acts travel, and the next circuit is close by - Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford.

What Gigs Actually Pay in Sunderland

In Sunderland, a solo act at a pub or bar takes home about £265; a 3–4 piece band at a wedding is nearer £1,129. These are medians of what acts were actually paid, from the GX Index - add travel and kit before you quote.

A pub gig pays £325 Pub or bar · duo Take-home median · UK · 93 fees

The GX Index from GIGXCHANGE tracks what UK acts are actually paid — each figure here is the UK median of real fees. Numbers update nightly.

  • Pub or bar · solo act £265 median · 546 observations
    middle 50% £162–£330 · UK
  • Pub or bar · duo £325 median · 93 observations
    middle 50% £250–£500 · UK
  • Pub or bar · 3–4 piece band £350 median · 379 observations
    middle 50% £275–£600 · UK
  • Pub or bar · 5+ piece band £525 median · 307 observations
    middle 50% £400–£1,003 · UK
  • Wedding · 3–4 piece band £1,129 median · 1,616 observations
    middle 50% £812–£1,559 · UK

Sunderland fees track Newcastle closely but at a 8–12% discount. Live medians on the GX Rate Index update nightly.

Getting Gigs in Sunderland

A working musician's view of Sunderland: how much opportunity there is, how crowded the circuit gets and what the money looks like once travel, food and your time are counted. No fluff.

The Opportunity

Sunderland runs a working calendar with deep Wearside indie/electronic heritage — Field Music, the Futureheads, Frankie & the Heartstrings all came through. The Bunker (3-decade grassroots venue + rehearsal complex) and Independent (mid-cap alt) anchor the city-centre calendar; Stadium of Light corporate hospitality adds 30+ evening sets yearly. Around 26 working acts on GigXchange; 9 specialise in indie or electronic.

The Competition

Newcastle (12 miles north) is the regional anchor — Wearside audiences won't reliably travel 12 miles for grassroots-level acts they can see in Sunderland at lower ticket prices. That local-loyalty dynamic keeps Sunderland's pub-and-function calendar full year-round. New bands land first paid pub-circuit slot within 4–7 weeks. Newcastle-based acts get quoted but lose 60%+ on travel cost.

The Money

A 4-piece doing 38 dates per year clears gross direct vs via 20% agency. Indie and electronic specialists earn 14% premium over generic covers (. Sound-check 50 minutes;.

Promoters & Agents in Sunderland

Who books the venues in Sunderland, what they look for before they say yes, and how to get onto a promoter's or agent's roster without cold-emailing every room in town.

Sunderland's promoter scene is community-driven. Pub-circuit bookers at Holmeside and Roker venues prefer DM contact. Indie promoters at Pop Recs, The Bunker, Independent book 6–10 weeks ahead. Wedding bookers across County Durham and Tyne and Wear book 6–12 months ahead. Across all: respect the FAC kitemark for independent promoters.

New to gigging or pitching venues yourself? The artist guides cover how to contact venues for gigs and how to start gigging. Thinking about an agent? The booking agent guides for bands, singers and DJs cover what an agent takes from each fee and how to get one - or see how much booking agents make. Or run your own night: how to put on your own gig or run a battle of the bands.

Build Your Audience in Sunderland

Turning gigs into a calendar — relationships, follower growth, and venue rebooking patterns. One good night is luck; a diary that fills itself comes from being easy to rebook, easy to find and easy to recommend.

One Sunderland gig should turn into three. Capture the room — Sunderland audiences are loyal once you're in. Pick rebookable rooms — Holmeside indies rebook reliably. Cross-pollinate — a Pop Recs slot opens the wider Wearside scene. For career work, the MMF artist-seeking-manager is the right path.

Best Platforms for Finding Gigs in Sunderland

For Wearside indie/electronic specialism specifically, Newcastle agency rosters tend to default to generic-covers options. Explore surfaces local Wearside specialists. Compare them on what they charge, who holds your fee until the gig is done, and whether the people booking are actually in Sunderland.

FeatureGigXchangeEncoreGigPigAlive NetworkLemonrock
Commission taken from your fee0%20% of the feeFree for artists~20% (on top of your price)Free
Apply directly to gigs?Yes — direct application + chatMediatedYesMediatedYes
Show your real audio?Audio + video on profileSample clipsVideosPromo videosExternal links only
Build verified reviews?Two-way verifiedClient-onlyTwo-wayClient-onlyNo reviews
Get paid securely?StripeVia agencyVia platformVia agencyCash / bank transfer
Original music welcome?All genres — originals welcomeMostly covers / functionMixedCovers / functionStrong original scene
Best forBuilding a calendar across all gig typesHigh-budget weddingsRegular pub/bar slotsLarge corporate eventsDiscovery / networking

How to Get Gigs on GIGXCHANGE

Three steps, and most artists finish them in an evening: build a free profile, show your sound and when you're free, then answer the gigs posted in Sunderland or let bookers find you.

An artist profile in the GigXchange app - the page venues see when you apply, shown using a demo account
  1. 01

    Build your profile

    Genre, gear list, availability, audio tracks, video, photos, reviews. Verified profile shows in search and is visible to every Sunderland-area venue, agent and promoter on the platform.

  2. 02

    Browse and apply

    Filter open slots by venue type, fee, date, distance. Message the booker direct before applying — saves both sides time.

  3. 03

    Get booked and paid

    Fee agreed, digital contract auto-generated, deposit held securely via Stripe until the gig is done. Funds release automatically. Both sides leave reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

A duo takes home about £325 for a Sunderland pub gig - the UK median from 93 fees on the GX Index. Across pub and wedding work the range runs £265 to £1,129. See UK gig rates.
The Sunderland rooms with the most live nights include STACK Seaburn, The 3 Stories and Live Lounge. Pitch the nights they already run, match the genres they book, and say up front whether you bring your own PA. See every room on live music venues in Sunderland.
Create a free GigXchange artist profile, upload audio and a fee range, then apply to open Sunderland gigs from the Explore feed.
Yes — at Pop Recs and Holmeside open mics where bookers attend.
Pub gigs flat guarantee. Promoter nights at Pop Recs, The Bunker run door deals. Function and wedding work flat fee with deposit. Protected payment handles confirmation.
Most agencies take a commission out of the act's fee. GigXchange takes 0% of the artist's booking fee: you agree the fee with the booker in chat, both sides sign a digital contract, and you keep the whole fee. Bookers pay 5% only on protected payments. Build a free profile.
Both. Pop Recs, The Bunker and Independent book originals across indie, alt and acoustic. Pubs and weddings lean covers/function. Most working Sunderland artists run two parallel projects.
County Durham venues (Seaham Hall, Rockliffe Hall, Lumley Castle, Beamish Hall, Wynyard Hall) book 6–12 months ahead. Build a 3-hour set, list yourself on GigXchange.
Build a free profile with your music, video and the dates you can play, then browse open Sunderland gig slots and apply direct. Message the booker before you commit, agree the fee in chat with a digital contract, and get paid by protected payment - no commission on your booking fee.
Sunderland's open mics are the way in: The Peacock and The Saltgrass are among the 13 open mic nights in and around Sunderland. Go back every week so the people who run them get to know you. Once the set is tight, pitch the busiest rooms - STACK Seaburn and The 3 Stories put on live music on more nights than most Sunderland rooms. The full first-gig guide walks through every step.

Explore More

More resources for gigging in Sunderland: what local acts are paid, where the open mics run, which venues book live music and how bookers find acts, all from the same live data.

Naumaan Zahid
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