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Suffolk · 12 gigs · next 4 weeks

What's On in Ipswich

13 Nov – 11 Dec

Help keep grassroots venues open in Ipswich

—

A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Ipswich. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

Updated 12 November 2026

At a glance
12
Gigs in
4 weeks
in Ipswich, 13 Nov – 11 Dec
In detail
Venues with something on4
Venues tracked35
Open mics16
Busiest nightSaturday · 5 gigs

12 gigs listed in Ipswich over the next 28 days across 4 venues. Saturday is the busiest night with 5. In total we track 35 grassroots venues and 16 regular open mics here.

01 — This weekend
4 gigs
This weekend in Ipswich

This weekend in Ipswich, Friday to Sunday: 4 gigs. Highlights include Oasis Only at Coda (Friday), The Shires at Ipswich Regent Theatre (Saturday) and Mostack is coming to Escape Club at Escape Club (Saturday). Each card is one night at one venue, with the start time and the price where the venue publishes it; the four-week list below covers everything after Sunday.

02 — Compared
#2 of 7
How Ipswich compares

Counting every upcoming date, not just the next four weeks, there are 47 gigs listed in and around Ipswich - second of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Norwich area (50). Each row counts the gigs, venues and open mics our directories hold in and around that place, refreshed nightly; tap a town for its live music scene.

#PlaceGigs
01Norwich area 38 venues · 20 open mics50
02Ipswich area This page 35 venues · 16 open mics47
03Basildon area 21 venues · 12 open mics42
04Cambridge area 31 venues · 17 open mics38
05Chelmsford area 13 venues · 8 open mics36
06Margate area 32 venues · 16 open mics12
07Billericay area 6 venues · 4 open mics3
03 — Gigs
12 gigs
Gigs in Ipswich

The whole four weeks, 13 Nov to 11 Dec: 12 gigs across 4 venues, busiest on Saturdays. Unlike This Weekend above, this list runs past Sunday - every gig we hold for the city, earliest first.

Search every Ipswich gigEverything upcoming, not just the next four weeks
04 — This week
3 rooms
Where it's on this week

Which Ipswich rooms are busiest this week? This ranks venues by how many gigs they have in the next seven nights - a quick way to find where something is on most nights.

#VenueGigs
01Ipswich Regent Theatre 2
02Coda 1
03Escape Club 1
05 — Venues
35 rooms
Venues in Ipswich

Ipswich's grassroots venues, all 35 of them, listed whether or not they have something on right now - capacity, backline and hours for each, and a link to its own listings.

All 35 Ipswich venuesCapacity, backline and opening times
06 — Open mics
16 nights
Open mics in Ipswich

Open mics are regular nights rather than one-off gigs: the same venue, the same night, week in, week out - 16 nights in Ipswich. Each card shows the night, the sign-up time and the fee; most are free to watch and to play.

All 16 Ipswich open micsSign-up times, slots and kit for every night
07 — Support grassroots
Support grassroots music in Ipswich

Grassroots venues are where every act you have ever paid to see started out. Ipswich still has 35 of them.

The Ipswich circuit runs from Venue 16 and The Smokehouse for original bands to the Corn Exchange on King Street for the big nights, with pubs like the Thomas Wolsey and the Steamboat Tavern carrying the weekend.

In the year to July 2025, 78 UK grassroots venues stopped putting on live music and 30 closed outright, while pubs shut at about two a day in early 2026. Each one was somewhere a band played its first paid gig or a songwriter tried a new song on a room of strangers.

Everything here comes from the venues and promoters themselves, refreshed every day: 12 gigs in Ipswich over the next four weeks, plus the 35 grassroots venues and 16 regular open mic nights we track. Nothing is ranked or sponsored - if we know it is on, it is listed. Most of it happens at Colchester Arts Centre, Apex and Coda, and the sound leans rock and pop.

The single most useful thing anyone can do is turn up. Buy a ticket, buy a drink at the bar, and go to a night you have not been to before. If you would rather be told than remember, the sign-up below sends Ipswich listings straight to your inbox. If you run a venue here, claim your page so people can find you. If you have never been to an open mic, Three Wise Monkeys Ipswich runs one every Monday.

Go to one this month

12 gigs listed in Ipswich over the next four weeks, with 35 grassroots venues and 16 regular open mic nights. Pick one you have not been to before - a ticket and a round at the bar is the most useful thing anyone can do for a room like these. Saturdays are the busiest for gigs here.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Ipswich

—

A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Ipswich. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

All Ipswich gigsEverything upcoming, sorted by date
Ipswich venues35 grassroots rooms
Ipswich open mics16 regular nights
The Ipswich sceneVenues, promoters, local rates and members near you
Every city we coverThe same page for every city, updated daily
UK gig directoryEvery upcoming grassroots gig
UK open mic finderStage time near you
UK venue directoryThe rooms behind the gigs
08 — Questions10 answersWhat's on in Ipswich
4 gigs in Ipswich this weekend (Fri 13 Nov – Sun 15 Nov) - including Oasis Only at Coda (Friday), The Shires at Ipswich Regent Theatre (Saturday), Mostack is coming to Escape Club at Escape Club (Saturday). The full Friday-to-Sunday list is in This Weekend above, and every gig over the next 28 days is below it.
Counting every upcoming date, there are 47 gigs listed in and around Ipswich - second of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Norwich area (50).
We currently list 12 gigs in Ipswich between 13 Nov and 11 Dec, across 4 venues. The listings above are the full set, sorted by date and refreshed daily from the venues themselves — no algorithm decides what you see. For everything beyond this window, browse every upcoming gig in Ipswich in the gig directory or every city we cover.
None of the Ipswich gigs currently listed are marked free entry, though many venues do not publish a price at all. Ipswich open mic nights are your reliable free option — most charge nothing to watch or to play.
Saturday, with 5 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Saturday: 5 gigs · Sunday: 2 gigs · Tuesday: 2 gigs. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.
Right now: Colchester Arts Centre, Apex, Coda. In total we track 35 grassroots venues in Ipswich, of which 4 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Ipswich venue directory.
Ipswich has 16 regular open mic nights that we verify on a rolling cycle. Each listing carries the sign-up time, slot length, entry fee and whether a PA and backline are provided — see the Ipswich open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.
Where a Ipswich venue publishes a price, the average ticket is £23.00. Grassroots entry is typically a few pounds on the door, and many nights are free. On the other side of the transaction, the Musicians' Union publishes national gig rates as the recognised floor for live engagements, and the ISM publishes guidance for self-employed musicians. Our own UK gig rate benchmarks show what artists are actually being paid by region and act type.
Grassroots rooms are where every act you have paid to see learned to hold an audience. Two pubs a day closed across the UK in the first quarter of 2026, and over the year to July 2025 78 grassroots music venues stopped putting on live music — 30 of them for good. Ipswich still has 35 on our list. Music Venue Trust campaigns for them nationally; venues themselves hold TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS and navigate local authority licensing to keep putting music on. The single most useful thing anyone can do is turn up and buy a drink at the bar.
Listing is free and takes about two minutes — submit through the Ipswich gig directory and it is reviewed before it goes live. No account is needed and there is no listing fee. If you run a venue here, claim your venue page to keep its capacity, backline and contact details current. Promoters and venues booking acts can also post paid work or find artists directly.
Every What's On page, A–Z140 pages

What's On across the UKNearby:  Colchester, Chelmsford, Norwich, Leigh-on-Sea

All 139 other cities, A–ZGigs
Play or put on gigs in Ipswich?

List a gig free, claim your venue, or join as an act - 12 Ipswich gigs are already on GigXchange this month.

Live music on stage: a band under the lights
What's On · Suffolk

What's On in Ipswich

Live music in Ipswich over the next four weeks — 13 Nov – 11 Dec. 12 gigs listed in Ipswich over the next 28 days across 4 venues. Saturday is the busiest night with 5. In total we track 35 grassroots venues and 16 regular open mics here.

Two pubs a day are closing, and last year 78 grassroots venues stopped putting on live music. Get Ipswich gigs in your inbox — and go to one.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Ipswich

—

A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Ipswich. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

Updated daily · 12 gigs in Ipswich over the next four weeks

Last updated: 12 November 2026

This Weekend in Ipswich

This weekend in Ipswich, Friday to Sunday: 4 gigs. Highlights include Oasis Only at Coda (Friday), The Shires at Ipswich Regent Theatre (Saturday) and Mostack is coming to Escape Club at Escape Club (Saturday). Each card is one night at one venue, with the start time and the price where the venue publishes it; the four-week list below covers everything after Sunday.

How Ipswich Compares

Counting every upcoming date, not just the next four weeks, there are 47 gigs listed in and around Ipswich - second of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Norwich area (50). Each row counts the gigs, venues and open mics our directories hold in and around that place, refreshed nightly; tap a town for its live music scene.

  1. #1 Norwich area 38 venues · 20 open mics 50
  2. #2 Ipswich area This page 35 venues · 16 open mics 47
  3. #3 Basildon area 21 venues · 12 open mics 42
  4. #4 Cambridge area 31 venues · 17 open mics 38
  5. #5 Chelmsford area 13 venues · 8 open mics 36
  6. #6 Margate area 32 venues · 16 open mics 12
  7. #7 Billericay area 6 venues · 4 open mics 3

Gigs in Ipswich

The whole four weeks, 13 Nov to 11 Dec: 12 gigs across 4 venues, busiest on Saturdays. Unlike This Weekend above, this list runs past Sunday - every gig we hold for the city, earliest first.

Showing 12 of 12 gigs
NOV
13
Oasis Only
Coda, Ipswich
Friday, 13 November 2026 · 19:00–23:00
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreTribute Act
View details›
NOV
14
The Shires
Ipswich Regent Theatre·Alexandra, Ipswich
Saturday, 14 November 2026 · 18:30
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreCountry
View details›
NOV
14
Mostack is coming to Escape Club
Escape Club·Alexandra, Ipswich
Saturday, 14 November 2026 · 21:00–04:00
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • Genre—
View details›
NOV
15
Tony Hadley
Ipswich Regent Theatre·Alexandra, Ipswich
Sunday, 15 November 2026 · 18:45
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreRock, Pop
View details›
NOV
21
Alison Moyet
Ipswich Regent Theatre·Alexandra, Ipswich
Saturday, 21 November 2026 · 18:30
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreRock, Alternative Rock
View details›
NOV
21
The Specials Ltd
Colchester Arts Centre·Castle, Ipswich
Saturday, 21 November 2026 · 19:00
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • Genre—
View details›
NOV
25
Hothouse Flowers
Apex·Abbeygate, Ipswich
Wednesday, 25 November 2026 · 19:30
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreRock, Alternative Rock
View details›
NOV
29
ABBA Tribute Band Sensation
The Regal Stowmarket·St Peter's, Ipswich
Sunday, 29 November 2026 · 19:30–21:30
  • Entry£23.00
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreTribute Act
View details›
DEC
3
Michael Starring Ben
Ipswich Regent Theatre·Alexandra, Ipswich
Thursday, 3 December 2026 · 19:30
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • Genre—
View details›
DEC
5
Lost Robins, The Frestonians, Chris Asker, Jennifer Ness
The Smokehouse, Ipswich
Saturday, 5 December 2026 · 19:30–23:00
  • Entry—
  • TicketsAvailable
  • AgeAll ages
  • Genre—
View details›
DEC
8
Rebecca Ferguson
Apex·Abbeygate, Ipswich
Tuesday, 8 December 2026 · 19:30
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreRock, Pop
View details›
DEC
8
John Otway and Wild Willy Barret
Colchester Arts Centre·Castle, Ipswich
Tuesday, 8 December 2026 · 20:00
  • Entry—
  • Tickets—
  • AgeAll ages
  • GenreRock, Alternative Rock, Pop
View details›

See every upcoming gig in Ipswich →

Where It's On This Week

Which Ipswich rooms are busiest this week? This ranks venues by how many gigs they have in the next seven nights - a quick way to find where something is on most nights.

  1. #1 Ipswich Regent Theatre 2
  2. #2 Coda 1
  3. #3 Escape Club 1

All 35 Ipswich venues →   All 16 open mics →

Venues in Ipswich

Ipswich's grassroots venues, all 35 of them, listed whether or not they have something on right now - capacity, backline and hours for each, and a link to its own listings.

Photo: Google
Claim this venue
California Social Club
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
A members' club over 100 years old, with live music most Saturday nights
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
c. 1,076
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Corn Exchange Ipswich
Ipswich › King Street★★★★★ (—)
Grade II listed 1,076-cap town-centre hall for gigs and club nights.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit
  • Guitar amp
  • Bass amp
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Halberd Inn
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
17th-century Grade II listed Ipswich pub with live music.
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit
  • Guitar amp
  • Bass amp
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon11:00–22:00
  • Tue11:00–22:00
  • Wed11:00–22:00
  • Thu11:00–22:00
  • Fri11:00–22:00
  • Sat11:00–22:00
  • Sun12:00–22:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Isaacs On The Quay
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Quayside pub with live events and dining.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon08:00–23:00
  • Tue08:00–23:00
  • Wed08:00–23:00
  • Thu08:00–22:00
  • Fri08:00–00:00
  • Sat08:00–00:00
  • Sun08:00–22:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Steamboat Tavern
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Ipswich community pub with live music.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit
  • Guitar amp
  • Bass amp
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • MonClosed
  • Tue12:00–22:00
  • Wed12:00–22:00
  • Thu12:00–22:00
  • Fri12:00–23:00
  • Sat12:00–23:00
  • Sun12:00–17:00
View venue›
c. 80
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Swan and Hedgehog Inn
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Ipswich pub with live entertainment.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon12:00–23:30
  • Tue12:00–23:30
  • Wed12:00–23:30
  • Thu12:00–23:30
  • Fri12:00–01:30
  • Sat12:00–01:30
  • SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Arbor House
Ipswich › Christchurch Park★★★★★ (—)
Independent pub by Christchurch Park with a live act every Saturday from 8pm
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon11:30–22:30
  • Tue11:30–22:30
  • Wed11:30–22:30
  • Thu11:30–22:30
  • Fri11:30–23:30
  • Sat11:30–23:30
  • Sun11:30–22:30
View venue›
300
Photo: Google
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The Baths
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
A 300-capacity former swimming baths hall in central Ipswich, hosting gigs and club nights
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Brickmakers Arms
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Family-run community pub on Spring Road with weekly live music from local acts
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon12:00–23:00
  • Tue12:00–23:00
  • Wed12:00–23:00
  • Thu12:00–23:00
  • Fri12:00–00:00
  • Sat12:00–00:00
  • Sun12:00–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Church Cafe Bar
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
A Grade II listed medieval church in central Ipswich, now a cafe bar and gig venue
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • MonClosed
  • TueClosed
  • WedClosed
  • Thu18:00–22:00
  • Fri18:00–22:00
  • Sat18:00–22:00
  • SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Crafty Fox Cafe Bar
Ipswich › The Walk★★★★★ (—)
All-day cafe bar in The Walk with live acts, DJ nights and an Unplugged Night
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon09:00–22:00
  • Tue09:00–22:00
  • Wed09:00–22:00
  • Thu09:00–22:00
  • Fri09:00–23:30
  • Sat09:00–23:30
  • Sun10:00–20:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Music Room
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Metal and live events space.
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Plough
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Town-centre pub on Dogs Head Street with live bands every Saturday night
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon11:00–23:00
  • Tue11:00–23:00
  • Wed11:00–23:00
  • Thu11:00–23:00
  • Fri11:00–00:00
  • Sat11:00–01:00
  • Sun12:00–22:00
View venue›
c. 70
Photo: Google
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The Smokehouse
Ipswich › International House, 6 South St★★★★★ (—)
Ipswich venue dedicated to independent music.
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Thomas Wolsey
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Tudor free house in Ipswich with live bands every Friday.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon16:00–23:00
  • Tue16:00–23:00
  • Wed12:00–23:00
  • Thu12:00–23:00
  • Fri12:00–00:00
  • Sat12:00–00:00
  • Sun13:00–21:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Three Wise Monkeys Ipswich
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Four-floor modern tap house and BBQ.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • MonClosed
  • TueClosed
  • WedClosed
  • Thu12:00–22:00
  • Fri12:00–23:00
  • Sat11:00–00:00
  • Sun12:00–22:00
View venue›
c. 150
Photo: Google
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Venue 16
Ipswich★★★★★ (—)
Independent live music venue on Tuddenham Road.
Private hire
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon09:00–17:00
  • Tue09:00–17:00
  • Wed09:00–17:00
  • Thu09:00–17:00
  • Fri09:00–17:00
  • Sat09:00–13:00
  • SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
BAR 82 The Espresso Lounge
Colchester › Town Centre★★★★★ (—)
Colchester cafe bar with a Monday open mic
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon08:30–17:00
  • Tue08:30–17:00
  • Wed08:30–17:00
  • Thu08:30–17:00
  • Fri08:30–17:00
  • Sat08:30–17:00
  • SunClosed
View venue›
200
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Coda Colchester
Colchester★★★★★ (—)
Multi-award-winning grassroots venue on Colchester High Street
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • MonClosed
  • TueClosed
  • Wed19:00–00:00
  • Thu19:00–00:00
  • Fri18:00–02:00
  • Sat15:00–02:00
  • Sun19:00–00:00
View venue›
400
Photo: Google
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Colchester Arts Centre
Colchester › Church Street★★★★★ (—)
400-cap arts centre in a former church for indie, folk and jazz.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit
  • Guitar amp
  • Bass amp
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer
  • Mon10:00–15:00
  • Tue10:00–15:00
  • Wed10:00–15:00
  • Thu10:00–15:00
  • Fri10:00–15:00
  • Sat10:00–15:00
  • SunClosed
View venue›
c. 120
Photo: Google
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Harwich Arts and Heritage Centre
Harwich › Dovercourt★★★★★ (—)
Festival-run arts centre in Harwich with a 120-capacity main hall
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon10:00–16:00
  • Tue10:00–16:00
  • Wed10:00–16:00
  • Thu10:00–16:00
  • Fri10:00–16:00
  • SatClosed
  • SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Historic Lavenham 'Big Top' Theatre
Sudbury › Lavenham★★★★★ (—)
Summer big-top concerts in Lavenham, Suffolk.
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Hole in the Wall
Colchester★★★★★ (—)
Colchester pub with live music.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon16:00–00:00
  • Tue16:00–00:00
  • Wed15:00–00:00
  • Thu15:00–00:00
  • Fri14:00–01:00
  • Sat12:00–01:00
  • Sun12:00–00:00
View venue›
c. 120
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Hunter Club
Bury Saint Edmunds › Town Centre★★★★★ (—)
Rock and live music venue in Bury St Edmunds
  • PA system
  • Drum kit
  • Guitar amp
  • Bass amp
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer
  • Mon09:00–23:00
  • Tue09:00–23:30
  • Wed09:00–23:30
  • Thu09:00–22:30
  • Fri09:00–23:30
  • Sat09:00–23:30
  • Sun09:00–23:30
View venue›

All 35 Ipswich venues →

Open mics in Ipswich

Open mics are regular nights rather than one-off gigs: the same venue, the same night, week in, week out - 16 nights in Ipswich. Each card shows the night, the sign-up time and the fee; most are free to watch and to play.

EVERY
Mon
Three Wise Monkeys Ipswich
Ipswich
Next Mon 16 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Mon
Steamboat Tavern
Ipswich
Next Mon 16 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Wed
Thomas Wolsey
Ipswich
Next Wed 18 NovStarts 18:00
  • Sign-up—
  • Slots—
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
OTHER
Wed
The Smokehouse
International House, 6 South St, Ipswich
Starts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
MONTH
Thu
Isaacs On The Quay
Ipswich
Starts 19:30
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians, Poets
View details›
EVERY
Fri
Halberd Inn
Ipswich
Next Fri 13 NovStarts 19:00
  • Sign-up19:00
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
MONTH
Fri
Swan and Hedgehog Inn
Ipswich
Starts 21:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Sun
Coda Colchester
Town Centre, Colchester
Next Sun 15 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Mon
BAR 82 The Espresso Lounge
Town Centre, Colchester
Next Mon 16 NovTime to be confirmed
  • Sign-up—
  • Slots—
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PA—
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
3RD
Tue
Oakes Barn
Bury St Edmunds
Next Tue 17 NovStarts 19:30
  • Sign-up—
  • Slots—
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PA—
  • Backline—
  • Open toPoets
View details›
EVERY
Tue
Three Wise Monkeys
Town Centre, Colchester
Next Tue 17 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PA—
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
3RD
Tue
The Sweffling White Horse
Sweffling
Next Tue 17 NovTime to be confirmed
  • Sign-up—
  • Slots—
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PA—
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians, Poets
View details›

All 16 Ipswich open mics →

Support grassroots music in Ipswich

Grassroots venues are where every act you have ever paid to see started out. Ipswich still has 35 of them.

The Ipswich circuit runs from Venue 16 and The Smokehouse for original bands to the Corn Exchange on King Street for the big nights, with pubs like the Thomas Wolsey and the Steamboat Tavern carrying the weekend.

In the year to July 2025, 78 UK grassroots venues stopped putting on live music and 30 closed outright, while pubs shut at about two a day in early 2026. Each one was somewhere a band played its first paid gig or a songwriter tried a new song on a room of strangers.

Everything here comes from the venues and promoters themselves, refreshed every day: 12 gigs in Ipswich over the next four weeks, plus the 35 grassroots venues and 16 regular open mic nights we track. Nothing is ranked or sponsored - if we know it is on, it is listed. Most of it happens at Colchester Arts Centre, Apex and Coda, and the sound leans rock and pop.

The single most useful thing anyone can do is turn up. Buy a ticket, buy a drink at the bar, and go to a night you have not been to before. If you would rather be told than remember, the sign-up below sends Ipswich listings straight to your inbox. If you run a venue here, claim your page so people can find you. If you have never been to an open mic, Three Wise Monkeys Ipswich runs one every Monday.

Go to one this month

12 gigs listed in Ipswich over the next four weeks, with 35 grassroots venues and 16 regular open mic nights. Pick one you have not been to before - a ticket and a round at the bar is the most useful thing anyone can do for a room like these. Saturdays are the busiest for gigs here.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Ipswich

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A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Ipswich. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

What's on in Ipswich — FAQs

Common questions about live music in Ipswich, answered with this week's live data.

4 gigs in Ipswich this weekend (Fri 13 Nov – Sun 15 Nov) - including Oasis Only at Coda (Friday), The Shires at Ipswich Regent Theatre (Saturday), Mostack is coming to Escape Club at Escape Club (Saturday). The full Friday-to-Sunday list is in This Weekend above, and every gig over the next 28 days is below it.
Counting every upcoming date, there are 47 gigs listed in and around Ipswich - second of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Norwich area (50).
We currently list 12 gigs in Ipswich between 13 Nov and 11 Dec, across 4 venues. The listings above are the full set, sorted by date and refreshed daily from the venues themselves — no algorithm decides what you see. For everything beyond this window, browse every upcoming gig in Ipswich in the gig directory or every city we cover.
None of the Ipswich gigs currently listed are marked free entry, though many venues do not publish a price at all. Ipswich open mic nights are your reliable free option — most charge nothing to watch or to play.
Saturday, with 5 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Saturday: 5 gigs · Sunday: 2 gigs · Tuesday: 2 gigs. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.
Right now: Colchester Arts Centre, Apex, Coda. In total we track 35 grassroots venues in Ipswich, of which 4 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Ipswich venue directory.
Ipswich has 16 regular open mic nights that we verify on a rolling cycle. Each listing carries the sign-up time, slot length, entry fee and whether a PA and backline are provided — see the Ipswich open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.
Where a Ipswich venue publishes a price, the average ticket is £23.00. Grassroots entry is typically a few pounds on the door, and many nights are free. On the other side of the transaction, the Musicians' Union publishes national gig rates as the recognised floor for live engagements, and the ISM publishes guidance for self-employed musicians. Our own UK gig rate benchmarks show what artists are actually being paid by region and act type.
Grassroots rooms are where every act you have paid to see learned to hold an audience. Two pubs a day closed across the UK in the first quarter of 2026, and over the year to July 2025 78 grassroots music venues stopped putting on live music — 30 of them for good. Ipswich still has 35 on our list. Music Venue Trust campaigns for them nationally; venues themselves hold TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS and navigate local authority licensing to keep putting music on. The single most useful thing anyone can do is turn up and buy a drink at the bar.
Listing is free and takes about two minutes — submit through the Ipswich gig directory and it is reviewed before it goes live. No account is needed and there is no listing fee. If you run a venue here, claim your venue page to keep its capacity, backline and contact details current. Promoters and venues booking acts can also post paid work or find artists directly.
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Naumaan Zahid
Founder & Builder

Live gigs across the UK, kept fresh. Spot something wrong or missing? Let me know and I’ll fix it.

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