Live music on stage: a band under the lights

What's On · Leicestershire

What's On in Leicester

Q: What live music is on in Leicester over the next four weeks?

We currently list 29 gigs in Leicester between 29 Sept and 27 Oct, across 10 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 the Leicester gig directory or every city we cover.

Q: What is the busiest night for live music in Leicester?

Saturday, with 14 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Saturday: 14 gigs · Friday: 7 gigs · Sunday: 4 gigs. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.

Q: Which Leicester venues have the most on?

Right now: 6928c038-000b-4a01-8996-5c91bc224664, aa522c0f-c4c7-4dec-820d-f5cb57a97a2b, 9c068c02-b1d1-4be7-8cfd-94535006e1b1. In total we track 31 grassroots venues in Leicester, of which 10 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Leicester venue directory.

Q: Where can I find open mic nights in Leicester?

Leicester has 17 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 Leicester open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.

Live music in Leicester over the next four weeks — 29 Sept – 27 Oct. 29 gigs listed in Leicester over the next 28 days across 10 venues. Saturday is the busiest night with 14. In total we track 31 grassroots venues and 17 regular open mics here.

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

Help keep grassroots venues open in Leicester

—

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 Leicester. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

Every grassroots gig we hold for Leicester between 29 Sept and 27 Oct.

Saturday is the busiest night — 14 gigs
Saturday: 14 gigs
Friday: 7 gigs
Most listed genres: Pop (5), Tribute Act (5), Rock (3), Soul (2)
Average ticket price: £24.00
Imported daily from Ticketmaster, Skiddle and direct submissions

See the listings All upcoming gigs

10 different Leicester venues have something on in the next 28 days.

Sally Cinnamon's Music Venue — 4 gigs
2Funky Complex — 2 gigs
Duffys Bar — 2 gigs
Soundhouse — 1 gig
21 more tracked venues with nothing listed yet
Capacity, backline and opening times on every card

See the listings Leicester venues

17 regular open mic nights running in Leicester. Turn up, put your name down, play.

Weekly and fortnightly nights across the city
Most are free to attend and free to play
Re-verified on a rolling cycle

See the listings Leicester open mics

Everything the Leicester scene has beyond tonight's listings.

City guide: Leicester venues, promoters and bookers
Local rate benchmarks before you book or quote
Members near you on GigXchange

See the listings Leicester scene

What’s on near you, wherever you are — the same page for every city we track.

Gigs, venues and open mics per city
One email a week with live music near you
Free to browse — no account needed

See the listings Browse every city

Updated daily · 29 gigs in Leicester over the next four weeks

Last updated: 29 September 2026

Support grassroots music in Leicester

Grassroots venues are where every act you have ever paid to see started out. Leicester still has 31 of them.

Universities, carnival, comedy, and a grassroots indie circuit that has outlasted most UK cities its size. Planning a private party instead? See [booking live entertainment in Leicester](/gigs/live-entertainment-leicester) for bands, singers and DJs for one-off occasions. Booking for the company rather than yourself? See [corporate entertainment in Leicester](/gigs/corporate-entertainment-leicester) for Christmas parties, awards nights and conferences.

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 shut for good. Those are the rooms where new acts learn to hold an audience, where a first support slot happens, and where a Tuesday night can still turn into something.

This page exists to make them easy to find. It lists 29 gigs across Leicester over the next four weeks, pulled from the venues themselves and updated daily — alongside the 31 grassroots venues and 17 regular open mic nights we track in the city. No algorithm decides what you see: it is simply everything we know is on.

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 above sends Leicester listings straight to your inbox. If you run a venue here, claim your page so people can find you.

Gigs in Leicester

Every grassroots gig we hold for Leicester in the next four weeks — 29 Sept – 27 Oct. Updated daily.

Showing 5 of 29 gigs · page 2 of 2

OCT

Bridgerton Inspired Concert - Loughborough

All Saints Church, Steeple Row, Loughborough, LE11 1EE·Sileby & Seagrave, Leicester

Saturday, 24 October 2026 · 12:30–20:15

Entry—
Tickets—
AgeAll ages
Genre—

View details›

OCT

Leicester: A Nashville Country Music Experience

2Funky Complex·Westcotes, Leicester

Saturday, 24 October 2026 · 19:00–22:00

Entry—
Tickets—
AgeAll ages
GenreCountry

View details›

OCT

London , Acme Sewage Co , Drivelheads

Duffys Bar·Castle, Leicester

Saturday, 24 October 2026 · 19:30–23:45

Entry—
Tickets—
AgeAll ages
GenrePunk Rock

View details›

OCT

London , Acme Sewage Co + One more

Duffys Bar·Castle, Leicester

Saturday, 24 October 2026 · 19:30–23:45

Entry—
TicketsAvailable
AgeAll ages
GenrePunk Rock

View details›

OCT

Andy & Gaynor present Raspberry Glam

The Emporium·Coalville West, Leicester

Saturday, 24 October 2026 · 20:00–01:00

Entry—
Tickets—
AgeAll ages
GenreRock

View details›

See every upcoming gig in Leicester →

Venues in Leicester

Where live music actually happens in Leicester.

Multi-room complex for gigs and club nights.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
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Sun—

350-capacity Leicester live-music venue for local talent and touring artists.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
ThuClosed
Fri22:00–04:00
Sat22:00–04:00
SunClosed

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

Baton Rouge Leicester

Leicester › 41 Rutland St★★★★★ (—)

Nashville-style bar on Rutland Street with live bands, line dancing and karaoke.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
ThuClosed
Fri18:00–02:00
Sat18:00–02:00
SunClosed

Blaby And Whetstone Social Club

Leicester › Whetstone★★★★★ (—)

Community social club with pop acts.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–22:30
Tue09:00–22:30
Wed09:00–22:30
Thu09:00–22:30
Fri09:00–23:00
Sat11:00–23:30
Sun11:30–20:00

Club and studio space for electronic music.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
ThuClosed
FriClosed
Sat23:00–03:00
SunClosed

One of the UK's oldest LGBTQ+ venues, with cabaret and Thursday open mic.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed18:00–00:00
Thu18:00–00:00
Fri18:00–01:00
Sat17:00–02:00
Sun16:00–00:00

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

Duffys Bar, Leicester

Leicester★★★★★ (—)

Leicester's traditional Irish bar with a punk and metal gig room.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Leicester › City Centre★★★★★ (—)

Leicester's Wednesday-night free open mic at 1 Millstone Lane, LE1 5JN — alternative music bar, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

Backline6 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon17:00–04:00
Tue12:00–04:00
Wed12:00–04:00
Thu12:00–04:00
Fri12:00–04:00
Sat12:00–04:00
Sun12:00–04:00

Marston's pub with live entertainment.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–23:00
Tue11:00–23:00
Wed11:00–00:00
Thu11:00–00:00
Fri11:00–02:00
Sat11:00–03:00
Sun11:00–23:00

Loughborough Town Hall

Loughborough › Town Centre★★★★★ (—)

Mid-size rock and live music venue in Loughborough

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon10:00–16:00
Tue10:00–16:00
Wed10:00–16:00
Thu10:00–16:00
Fri10:00–16:00
Sat10:00–15:00
SunClosed

Loughborough★★★★★ (—)

Multi-room music and events complex.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon10:00–14:00
Tue10:00–14:00
WedClosed
Thu10:00–14:00
Fri10:00–14:00
Sat10:00–14:00
SunClosed

Leicester nightclub open Fri and Sat.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
ThuClosed
Fri23:00–03:30
Sat23:00–03:30
SunClosed

Leicester › Birstall★★★★★ (—)

City Centre's wednesday-night free open mic at Old Plough — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7:30pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon17:00–23:00
Tue17:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–23:00
Sat12:00–23:00
Sun12:00–22:30

Leicester High Street craft-beer and cask pub with live music weekends, cocktails and ping pong.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–23:30
Tue11:00–23:30
Wed11:00–23:30
Thu11:00–23:30
Fri11:00–02:00
Sat11:00–02:00
Sun12:00–23:30

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

Sally Cinnamon's Music Venue

Leicester★★★★★ (—)

Leicester indie basement, 100 capacity

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

The Athena, Leicester

Leicester › Leicester city centre★★★★★ (—)

Art deco Midlands events venue.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–17:00
Tue09:00–17:00
Wed09:00–17:00
Thu09:00–17:00
Fri09:00–17:00
Sat09:00–17:00
Sun09:00–17:00

Leicester › Oadby★★★★★ (—)

Leicester's best city-centre pub.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–00:00
Tue12:00–00:00
Wed12:00–00:00
Thu12:00–00:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat12:00–00:00
Sun11:30–00:00

The Crown Inn Heather

Coalville › Heather★★★★★ (—)

Pub with reggae and ska nights.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon16:00–23:00
Tue16:00–23:00
Wed16:00–23:00
Thu16:00–23:00
Fri11:00–23:00
Sat12:00–23:00
Sun12:00–23:00

Leicester › East★★★★★ (—)

Family-run West End Leicester pub and live-music venue with weekly tribute acts and karaoke.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–00:00
Tue11:00–00:00
Wed11:00–00:00
Thu11:00–00:00
Fri11:00–01:00
Sat11:00–01:00
Sun11:00–00:00

Coalville's premier nightclub and events venue - tribute acts, club nights, three arenas

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Leicester › Cultural Quarter★★★★★ (—)

Leicester exchange bar with live events.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon16:00–23:30
Tue16:00–23:30
Wed12:00–23:30
Thu12:00–23:30
Fri12:00–01:00
Sat12:00–01:00
Sun12:00–20:00

Leicester › Leicester Lanes★★★★★ (—)

Leicester live music venue.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

The International Independent Music

Leicester › City Centre★★★★★ (—)

Proudly independent live-music venue in Leicester for 25 years

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Loughborough › Town Centre★★★★★ (—)

Intimate indie and live music venue in Loughborough

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–22:00
Tue12:00–22:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat12:00–00:00
Sun12:00–22:00

View venue›

All 31 Leicester venues →

Open mics in Leicester

Turn up, put your name down, play. Most are free.

Starts 15:00

Sign-up—
Slots—
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

City Centre, Leicester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
BacklineFull
Open toMusicians

Western Road, Leicester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up—
Slots—
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

Town Centre, Loughborough

Starts 19:30

Sign-up—
Slots—
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

View details›

Real ale · folk leaning

EVERY

Mon

The Criterion

City Centre, Leicester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

View details›

EVERY

Tue

The SoundHouse Leicester

Leicester, Leicester

Starts 19:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

Town Centre, Loughborough

Starts 20:00

Sign-up—
Slots—
EntryFree
PA—
Backline—
Open toMusicians

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

City Centre, Leicester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
BacklineFull
Open toMusicians

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

City Centre, Leicester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots15 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open toMusicians

View details›

All 17 Leicester open mics →

What's on in Leicester — FAQs

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

What live music is on in Leicester over the next four weeks?

We currently list 29 gigs in Leicester between 29 Sept and 27 Oct, across 10 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 the Leicester gig directory or every city we cover.

Are there free gigs in Leicester?

None of the Leicester gigs currently listed are marked free entry, though many venues do not publish a price at all. Leicester open mic nights are your reliable free option — most charge nothing to watch or to play.

What is the busiest night for live music in Leicester?

Saturday, with 14 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Saturday: 14 gigs · Friday: 7 gigs · Sunday: 4 gigs. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.

Which Leicester venues have the most on?

Right now: 6928c038-000b-4a01-8996-5c91bc224664, aa522c0f-c4c7-4dec-820d-f5cb57a97a2b, 9c068c02-b1d1-4be7-8cfd-94535006e1b1. In total we track 31 grassroots venues in Leicester, of which 10 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Leicester venue directory.

Where can I find open mic nights in Leicester?

Leicester has 17 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 Leicester open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.

How much does a gig cost in Leicester, and what should an artist be paid?

Where a Leicester venue publishes a price, the average ticket is £24.00. 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.

Why do grassroots venues in Leicester matter?

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. Leicester still has 31 on our list. Music Venue Trust campaigns for them nationally; venues themselves navigate PRS licensing and 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.

How do I get a Leicester gig or venue listed on GIGXCHANGE?

Listing is free and takes about two minutes — submit through the Leicester gig directory and it is verified within 48 hours. 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.

Go to one this month

29 gigs listed in Leicester over the next four weeks, across 31 grassroots venues and 17 open mic nights. Buy a ticket, buy a drink at the bar, and go to a night you have not been to before — it is the single most useful thing anyone can do for a room like these.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Leicester

—

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 Leicester. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.