Oxford · the live music guide
Live Music in Oxford
Oxford, Oxfordshire
Most Oxford acts here play Alternative Rock, Rock and Country. Of the 14 venues that list their live nights, 7 put on music on Sundays and 5 on Thursdays. Of the 8 with a known size, 4 are small rooms under 150 and 4 hold up to 500.
Updated 1 November 2026
01 — The short answer
OxfordLive music in Oxford
Oxford has 30 venues listing live music, 21 gigs in the next 30 days and 23 open mic nights. Below: the rooms to start with, the gigs on now, what acts are paid and where to go next, all read live from the same directory.
Oxford's music lives east of Magdalen Bridge - Cowley Road's independent venue, St Clement's music pubs and the Jericho locals that keep a band in the back room.
The Bullingdon on Cowley Road is Oxford's leading independent venue and the stage local bands aim for. A short walk away, The Half Moon on St Clement's has music most nights in a pub-sized room, and The Port Mahon has hosted bands in its back room for years. In the centre, Kazbar runs a Monday open mic, JoJo's on Cowley Road a Wednesday one, and the Red Lion, St Aldates Tavern and The Castle all keep Thursday sessions. Jericho's pubs - Jude the Obscure, The Harcourt Arms, The Old Bookbinders - add Sunday sets and folk.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in Oxford | 21 |
| Open micsactive nights · in Oxford | 23 |
| On GigXchangeOxford acts · with a profile you can browse | 5 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Oxford100
| Artists | 23 |
| Venues | 8 |
| Gigs 90d | 80 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 0 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
Four rooms on the Cowley Road and St Clement's side of the city - where most Oxford bands start.
| Independent venueThe BullingdonCowley Road's main independent stage for touring and local bands, club nights and launches. Books: indie, alternative, electronic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Music pubThe Half MoonSt Clement's pub with a small stage and music on most nights of the week. Books: folk, rock, acoustic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Back-room venueThe Port MahonSt Clement's pub, trading since the 1700s, with bands in its back room. Books: indie, punk, folk.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Brewery pubThe CastleHook Norton pub in the centre with a weekly open mic, live music and comedy. Books: acoustic, open mic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Sunday is the big night in Oxford: 7 venues list live music and 7 open mics run every week. Tuesday is the quietest, with 2 regular nights. Across the week, 14 venues list regular live nights and 22 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Oxford.
Regular live music nights in Oxford
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Monday2 venues · 2 open mics - Kazbar, Jude The Obscure |
| Tuesday2 venues · 0 open mics |
| Wednesday1 venue · 7 open mics - O'neill's Oxford, JoJo's |
| Thursday5 venues · 5 open mics - The Port Mahon, Red Lion |
| Friday4 venues · 0 open mics |
| Saturday3 venues · 1 open mic - Cowley Road Studios |
| Sunday7 venues · 7 open mics - James St. Tavern, The Royal Blenheim |
05 — The scene
OxfordThe Oxford sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Oxford is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| Cowley RoadThe Bullingdon, JoJo's Wednesday open mic and the Cowley Road Studios rehearsal rooms make this the city's original-music street. |
| St Clement's and The PlainThe Half Moon, The Port Mahon and the Cape of Good Hope are neighbours just over Magdalen Bridge. |
| JerichoCanal-side locals - Jude the Obscure, The Harcourt Arms, The Old Bookbinders - with acoustic and folk sets, busiest on Sundays. |
| City centreKazbar, the Red Lion on Gloucester Green, St Aldates Tavern and The Castle carry the open mics from Monday to Thursday. |
| Room sizesSmall rooms under 150: 4 · mid-size up to 500: 4 · bigger stages: 0 - 8 rooms in Oxford with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Oxford venue directory. |
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Reading.
| NearbyLive music in Aylesbury | |
| NearbyLive music in High Wycombe | |
| NearbyLive music in Reading |
06 — Venues
16 roomsWhere live music happens
The Oxford circuit runs through 30 venues, Cowley Road Studios and Cowley Workers Social Club included. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 120 cap Cowley Road StudiosOxfordHouse PA 
Cowley Workers Social ClubCowley · Oxford Cap tbc 
Hanks BarOxfordHouse PA Cap tbc 
Isis FarmhouseIffley · Oxford Cap tbc 
James St. TavernOxfordHouse PA Cap tbc 
Joe's Bar & GrillSummertown · Oxford Cap tbc 
JoJo'sCowley Rd · OxfordHouse PA Cap tbc 
Jude The ObscureJericho · OxfordHouse PA Cap tbc 
KazbarCity Centre · OxfordHouse PA Cap tbc 
O'neill's OxfordOxfordHouse PA Cap tbc Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Oxford venue directory, see what is booked on the Oxford gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Oxford |
07 — Gigs
Next 6The next 30 days Oxford
21 gigs are listed in Oxford for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Starts18:30 Idrîsî Ensemble: Live in OxfordOxford Town Hall · Oxford 
Ken BruceNew Theatre Oxford · Carfax & Jericho · Oxford 19:30Wed 4 Nov 
Genevieve MilesThe Library · Oxford 19:30Thu 5 Nov 
The Men They Couldn't HangThe Bullingdon · Oxford 19:30Fri 6 Nov 
GidikiTap Social Movement · Oxford 20:00Sat 7 Nov 
Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues OrchestraNew Theatre Oxford · Carfax & Jericho · Oxford 19:30Sun 8 Nov Every listing is a real Oxford date, rebuilt nightly from the Oxford gig directory. See the Oxford venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Oxford gigs | |
| What's on in Oxford this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Oxford
Whoever you are, Oxford has a page built for your next step: artists find rooms and open mics, venues and promoters find acts, and everyone sees what gigs actually pay. Pick yours.
| FansWhat's on in Oxford this weekthe Oxford gig guide, by email | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Oxfordfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| BookersBooking live entertainment in Oxfordbirthdays, weddings, private parties | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Oxfordclaim yours free and keep it current |
09 — Pay
GX IndexWhat acts earn
One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the South East median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.
| What it costs to book live music in Oxfordthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Oxfordthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Oxford compares
The Oxford area ranks first of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Reading, Cheltenham, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Swindon, Luton and High Wycombe. Each row is a city's wider area in our directory, nearby towns included: venues that list live music, weekly open mics and upcoming gigs, refreshed nightly.
| # | Area | Venues |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Oxford This city 23 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs | 35 |
| 02 | Reading 17 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs | 31 |
| 03 | Cheltenham 19 open mics · 17 upcoming gigs | 27 |
| 04 | Northampton 14 open mics · 74 upcoming gigs | 26 |
| 05 | Milton Keynes 9 open mics · 40 upcoming gigs | 18 |
| 06 | Swindon 11 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs | 17 |
| 07 | Luton 7 open mics · 23 upcoming gigs | 16 |
| 08 | High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs | 14 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
OxfordMore of Oxford
More live music resources for Oxford and the rest of the UK: fee guides, venue lists, open mic finders and how-to guides, all read from the same live directory.
| Find a Band in OxfordThe booking-side view — what venues and private clients pay, how the platform compares to agencies. | |
| How to Book Live MusicVenue guide — local rates, genre fit, licensing, and a step-by-step booking walkthrough for Oxford. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in OxfordThe full Oxford gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in OxfordOpen mic nights near Oxford — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Oxford Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Oxford — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Oxford. Artists and bands available around Oxford.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Oxford — sorted by dateWhat's on in Oxford — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Oxford, by date. One-off gigs at indie venues and community stages. Sorted by date, refreshed continuously. Free and ticketed shows both listed. Every gig links its venue.Oxford gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in OxfordCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Oxford venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Oxford. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Oxford venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Oxford open mic nightsJust starting out? Oxford open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Oxford. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Oxford open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in OxfordStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Oxford. How to get gigs. How to book live music. Find a band in Oxford. Written for working musicians and venues.How to get gigs · How to book · Find a band |
| RatesWhat live acts earn in OxfordLive Oxford rate benchmarks from the GigXchange Index. Median fees by act size and event type. City-level benchmarks, updated nightly. Never a misleading average — real percentiles. Free to cite under CC BY 4.0.GigXchange Index · Pay-rate guide |
UNESCO World Heritage palace with outdoor gigs.
Weddings, parties and event band. Floorfillers and forgotten favourites from the 60’s to present day.
| Every UK city scenethe city guides, A to Z |
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Live Music in Oxford
Oxford's music lives east of Magdalen Bridge - Cowley Road's independent venue, St Clement's music pubs and the Jericho locals that keep a band in the back room.
Last updated: 1 November 2026
Live Music in Oxford: the Short Answer
Oxford has 30 venues listing live music, 21 gigs in the next 30 days and 23 open mic nights. Below: the rooms to start with, the gigs on now, what acts are paid and where to go next, all read live from the same directory.
Most Oxford acts here play Alternative Rock, Rock and Country. Of the 14 venues that list their live nights, 7 put on music on Sundays and 5 on Thursdays. Of the 8 with a known size, 4 are small rooms under 150 and 4 hold up to 500.
The Bullingdon on Cowley Road is Oxford's leading independent venue and the stage local bands aim for. A short walk away, The Half Moon on St Clement's has music most nights in a pub-sized room, and The Port Mahon has hosted bands in its back room for years. In the centre, Kazbar runs a Monday open mic, JoJo's on Cowley Road a Wednesday one, and the Red Lion, St Aldates Tavern and The Castle all keep Thursday sessions. Jericho's pubs - Jude the Obscure, The Harcourt Arms, The Old Bookbinders - add Sunday sets and folk.
The Oxford Rooms to Know
Four rooms on the Cowley Road and St Clement's side of the city - where most Oxford bands start. Each card below names the room, the nights it runs live music, what it tends to book and the way acts usually get on the bill.
Cowley Road's main independent stage for touring and local bands, club nights and launches.
St Clement's pub, trading since the 1700s, with bands in its back room.
Live Music Nights in Oxford
Sunday is the big night in Oxford: 7 venues list live music and 7 open mics run every week. Tuesday is the quietest, with 2 regular nights. Across the week, 14 venues list regular live nights and 22 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Oxford. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Oxford
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
- Mon 4 2 venues
2 open mics KazbarJude The Obscure - Tue 2 2 venues
0 open mics - Wed 8 1 venue
7 open mics O'neill's OxfordJoJo's - Thu 10 5 venues
5 open mics The Port MahonRed Lion - Fri 4 4 venues
0 open mics - Sat 4 3 venues
1 open mic Cowley Road Studios - Sun 14 7 venues
7 open mics James St. TavernThe Royal Blenheim
The Oxford Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Oxford is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
The Bullingdon, JoJo's Wednesday open mic and the Cowley Road Studios rehearsal rooms make this the city's original-music street.
The Half Moon, The Port Mahon and the Cape of Good Hope are neighbours just over Magdalen Bridge.
Canal-side locals - Jude the Obscure, The Harcourt Arms, The Old Bookbinders - with acoustic and folk sets, busiest on Sundays.
Kazbar, the Red Lion on Gloucester Green, St Aldates Tavern and The Castle carry the open mics from Monday to Thursday.
Small rooms under 150: 4 · mid-size up to 500: 4 · bigger stages: 0 - 8 rooms in Oxford with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Oxford venue directory.
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Reading.
Where Live Music Happens in Oxford
The Oxford circuit runs through 30 venues, Cowley Road Studios and Cowley Workers Social Club included. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights. Browse by area or by night, then open a room to see its upcoming gigs.
Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Oxford venue directory, see what is booked on the Oxford gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Oxford
21 gigs are listed in Oxford for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory. Every listing links to the gig's own page, with the date, the doors time and where to buy a ticket.
Every listing is a real Oxford date, rebuilt nightly from the Oxford gig directory. See the Oxford venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Oxford
Whoever you are, Oxford has a page built for your next step: artists find rooms and open mics, venues and promoters find acts, and everyone sees what gigs actually pay. Pick yours.
What Acts Earn in Oxford
One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the South East median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.
How Oxford Compares
The Oxford area ranks first of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Reading, Cheltenham, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Swindon, Luton and High Wycombe. Each row is a city's wider area in our directory, nearby towns included: venues that list live music, weekly open mics and upcoming gigs, refreshed nightly.
- #1 Oxford This city 23 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs 35
- #2 Reading 17 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs 31
- #3 Cheltenham 19 open mics · 17 upcoming gigs 27
- #4 Northampton 14 open mics · 74 upcoming gigs 26
- #5 Milton Keynes 9 open mics · 40 upcoming gigs 18
- #6 Swindon 11 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs 17
- #7 Luton 7 open mics · 23 upcoming gigs 16
- #8 High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs 14
Frequently Asked Questions
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