Portsmouth · the live music guide
Live Music in Portsmouth
Portsmouth and Southsea, Hampshire
Portsmouth's band scene lives in Southsea - Albert Road's rock rooms, a venue on the pier and corner pubs that put bands on - with the Guildhall for the big touring nights.
Updated 1 November 2026
01 — The short answer
PortsmouthLive music in Portsmouth
Portsmouth has 9 venues listing live music, 15 gigs in the next 30 days and 17 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.
The Wedgewood Rooms on Albert Road is Portsmouth's best-known band venue - rock, alternative and punk most weeks, with local supports on touring bills. The Gaiety on South Parade Pier takes the bigger rock and indie nights by the sea, and Portsmouth Guildhall brings the arena-sized tours to the city centre. Smaller stages carry the week: The Loft on St James' Street runs a Tuesday open mic in its top-floor room, the Bold Forester has a Thursday open mic and live bands, the Lord John Russell puts music on at weekends, and KOLA is the new basement club on Granada Road.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in Portsmouth | 15 |
| Open micsactive nights · in Portsmouth | 17 |
| On GigXchangePortsmouth acts · with a profile you can browse | 4 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Portsmouth100
| Artists | 18 |
| Venues | 0 |
| Gigs 90d | 100 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 0 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
Four rooms from Albert Road to the pier that carry Portsmouth's week.
| Band venueWedgewood RoomsAlbert Road's rock, alternative and punk room, booking touring bills with local support slots. Books: rock, alternative, punk.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Pier venueThe GaietyRock, indie and punk nights on South Parade Pier. Books: rock, indie, punk.Getting on: Programmed by the venue |
| Top-floor roomThe LoftSt James' Street music venue with a free Tuesday open mic. Books: acoustic, open mic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Corner pubBold ForesterHistoric Southsea pub with a Thursday open mic and live bands. Books: covers, rock.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Thursday is the big night in Portsmouth: 0 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Monday is the quietest, with 1 regular night. Across the week, 3 venues list regular live nights and 10 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Portsmouth.
Regular live music nights in Portsmouth
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Monday0 venues · 1 open mic - Thatchers |
| Tuesday1 venue · 1 open mic - The Loft |
| Wednesday0 venues · 2 open mics - Portsmouth Guildhall, Lord John Russell |
| Thursday0 venues · 4 open mics - Bold Forester, Rapscallions Southsea |
| Friday1 venue · 0 open mics |
| Saturday1 venue · 0 open mics |
| Sunday2 venues · 2 open mics - The Three Tuns, The Admiral Drake |
05 — The scene
PortsmouthThe Portsmouth sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Portsmouth is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| Albert Road, SouthseaThe Wedgewood Rooms and the bars around it make Albert Road the street most Portsmouth bands know first. |
| South Parade Pier and the seafrontThe Gaiety sits out on the pier for rock and indie nights, with seafront bars busiest through the summer. |
| St James' Street and Granada RoadThe Loft's open mic, KOLA's basement and the corner pubs give new acts the small rooms to start in. |
| Room sizesSmall rooms under 150: 2 · mid-size up to 500: 0 · bigger stages: 2 - 4 rooms in Portsmouth with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Portsmouth venue directory. |
| The open mic circuit17 open mic nights run in Portsmouth - The Three Tuns and The Jolly Sailor Southsea among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times. |
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Waterlooville, Southampton and Worthing.
| NearbyLive music in Waterlooville | |
| NearbyLive music in Southampton | |
| NearbyLive music in Worthing |
06 — Venues
9 roomsWhere live music happens
9 rooms in Portsmouth put on live music, from Pitt St Skatepark and Portsmouth Guildhall to the back rooms of its pubs. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 6,000 cap Pitt St SkateparkPortsmouth 
Portsmouth GuildhallPortsmouthHouse PA 2,200Cap 
Portsmouth Rail Social ClubFratton · Portsmouth 120Cap 
Rapscallions Port SolentPort Solent · PortsmouthHouse PA Cap tbc 
Rapscallions SouthseaSouthsea · PortsmouthHouse PA Cap tbc 
ThatchersNorth End · PortsmouthHouse PA Cap tbc 
The Admiral DrakeNorth End · PortsmouthHouse PA Cap tbc 
The LoftSouthsea · PortsmouthHouse PA 120Cap 
The Pelham ArmsNorth End · PortsmouthHouse PA Cap tbc Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Portsmouth venue directory, see what is booked on the Portsmouth gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Portsmouth |
07 — Gigs
Next 6The next 30 days Portsmouth
15 gigs are listed in Portsmouth for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Starts19:00 PO4 Live Presents: The Feeling - Twelve Stops and Home Part 2The Gaiety Southsea · Eastney and Craneswater · Portsmouth 
G4 Christmas 2026Newport Minster, Newport · Newport Central · Portsmouth£19.50Tickets 19:30Thu 5 Nov 
G4 Christmas 2026Newport Minster, Newport · Newport Central · Portsmouth£19.50Tickets 19:30Fri 6 Nov 
Dub Pistols + Utah Saints + Cuban Brothers + MoreThe Gaiety Bar South Parade Pier · Eastney and Craneswater · Portsmouth 15:00Sat 7 Nov 
Mucky Alldayer On The PierThe Gaiety Bar South Parade Pier · Eastney and Craneswater · Portsmouth 15:00Sat 7 Nov 
The Big Indie FestThe Gaiety Southsea · Eastney and Craneswater · Portsmouth 19:00Fri 13 Nov Every listing is a real Portsmouth date, rebuilt nightly from the Portsmouth gig directory. See the Portsmouth venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Portsmouth gigs | |
| What's on in Portsmouth this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Portsmouth
Whoever you are, Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth this weekthe Portsmouth gig guide, by email | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Portsmouthfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| BookersBooking live entertainment in Portsmouthbirthdays, weddings, private parties | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Portsmouthclaim 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 Portsmouththe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Portsmouththe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Portsmouth compares
The Portsmouth area ranks third of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Brighton, Southampton, Bournemouth, Aldershot, Woking, Waterlooville and Farnborough. 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 | Brighton 45 open mics · 243 upcoming gigs | 94 |
| 02 | Southampton 28 open mics · 181 upcoming gigs | 47 |
| 03 | Portsmouth This city 17 open mics · 37 upcoming gigs | 30 |
| 04 | Bournemouth 14 open mics · 55 upcoming gigs | 28 |
| 05 | Aldershot 11 open mics · 5 upcoming gigs | 13 |
| 06 | Woking 11 open mics · 27 upcoming gigs | 13 |
| 07 | Waterlooville 11 open mics · 13 upcoming gigs | 12 |
| 08 | Farnborough 4 open mics · 11 upcoming gigs | 6 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
PortsmouthMore of Portsmouth
More live music resources for Portsmouth 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 PortsmouthThe 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 Portsmouth. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in PortsmouthThe full Portsmouth gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in PortsmouthOpen mic nights near Portsmouth — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Portsmouth Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Portsmouth — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Portsmouth. Artists and bands available around Portsmouth.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Portsmouth — sorted by dateWhat's on in Portsmouth — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Portsmouth, 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.Portsmouth gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in PortsmouthCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Portsmouth venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Portsmouth. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Portsmouth venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Portsmouth open mic nightsJust starting out? Portsmouth open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Portsmouth. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Portsmouth open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in PortsmouthStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Portsmouth. How to get gigs. How to book live music. Find a band in Portsmouth. Written for working musicians and venues.How to get gigs · How to book · Find a band |
| RatesWhat live acts earn in PortsmouthLive Portsmouth 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 |
Award-winning 300-capacity venue at the heart of the Isle of Wight
Small south coast punk / grunge band
| Every UK city scenethe city guides, A to Z |
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Live Music in Portsmouth
Portsmouth's band scene lives in Southsea - Albert Road's rock rooms, a venue on the pier and corner pubs that put bands on - with the Guildhall for the big touring nights.
Last updated: 1 November 2026
Live Music in Portsmouth: the Short Answer
Portsmouth has 9 venues listing live music, 15 gigs in the next 30 days and 17 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.
The Wedgewood Rooms on Albert Road is Portsmouth's best-known band venue - rock, alternative and punk most weeks, with local supports on touring bills. The Gaiety on South Parade Pier takes the bigger rock and indie nights by the sea, and Portsmouth Guildhall brings the arena-sized tours to the city centre. Smaller stages carry the week: The Loft on St James' Street runs a Tuesday open mic in its top-floor room, the Bold Forester has a Thursday open mic and live bands, the Lord John Russell puts music on at weekends, and KOLA is the new basement club on Granada Road.
The Portsmouth Rooms to Know
Four rooms from Albert Road to the pier that carry Portsmouth's week. 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.
Albert Road's rock, alternative and punk room, booking touring bills with local support slots.
Live Music Nights in Portsmouth
Thursday is the big night in Portsmouth: 0 venues list live music and 4 open mics run every week. Monday is the quietest, with 1 regular night. Across the week, 3 venues list regular live nights and 10 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Portsmouth. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Portsmouth
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
- Mon 1 0 venues
1 open mic Thatchers - Tue 2 1 venue
1 open mic The Loft - Wed 2 0 venues
2 open mics Portsmouth GuildhallLord John Russell - Thu 4 0 venues
4 open mics Bold ForesterRapscallions Southsea - Fri 1 1 venue
0 open mics - Sat 1 1 venue
0 open mics - Sun 4 2 venues
2 open mics The Three TunsThe Admiral Drake
The Portsmouth Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Portsmouth is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
The Wedgewood Rooms and the bars around it make Albert Road the street most Portsmouth bands know first.
The Gaiety sits out on the pier for rock and indie nights, with seafront bars busiest through the summer.
The Loft's open mic, KOLA's basement and the corner pubs give new acts the small rooms to start in.
Small rooms under 150: 2 · mid-size up to 500: 0 · bigger stages: 2 - 4 rooms in Portsmouth with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Portsmouth venue directory.
17 open mic nights run in Portsmouth - The Three Tuns and The Jolly Sailor Southsea among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Waterlooville, Southampton and Worthing.
Where Live Music Happens in Portsmouth
9 rooms in Portsmouth put on live music, from Pitt St Skatepark and Portsmouth Guildhall to the back rooms of its pubs. 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 Portsmouth venue directory, see what is booked on the Portsmouth gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Portsmouth
15 gigs are listed in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth date, rebuilt nightly from the Portsmouth gig directory. See the Portsmouth venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Portsmouth
Whoever you are, Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth
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 Portsmouth Compares
The Portsmouth area ranks third of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Brighton, Southampton, Bournemouth, Aldershot, Woking, Waterlooville and Farnborough. 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 Brighton 45 open mics · 243 upcoming gigs 94
- #2 Southampton 28 open mics · 181 upcoming gigs 47
- #3 Portsmouth This city 17 open mics · 37 upcoming gigs 30
- #4 Bournemouth 14 open mics · 55 upcoming gigs 28
- #5 Aldershot 11 open mics · 5 upcoming gigs 13
- #6 Woking 11 open mics · 27 upcoming gigs 13
- #7 Waterlooville 11 open mics · 13 upcoming gigs 12
- #8 Farnborough 4 open mics · 11 upcoming gigs 6
Frequently Asked Questions
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