What's On · UK
What's On in Portsmouth
Live music in Portsmouth over the next four weeks — 9 Sept – 7 Oct. 12 gigs listed in Portsmouth over the next 28 days across 4 venues. Thursday is the busiest night with 5. In total we track 26 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 Portsmouth gigs in your inbox — and go to one.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Portsmouth
—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 Portsmouth. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
Updated daily · 12 gigs in Portsmouth over the next four weeks
Last updated: 9 September 2026
Support grassroots music in Portsmouth
Grassroots venues are where every act you have ever paid to see started out. Portsmouth still has 26 of them.
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 12 gigs across Portsmouth over the next four weeks, pulled from the venues themselves and updated daily — alongside the 26 grassroots venues and 16 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 Portsmouth listings straight to your inbox. If you run a venue here, claim your page so people can find you.
Gigs in Portsmouth
Every grassroots gig we hold for Portsmouth in the next four weeks — 9 Sept – 7 Oct. Updated daily.
Showing 12 of 12 gigs
SEPT
10
neu waves 5th B'day- Enjoyable Listens / TPOP / Mr Speed
The Deco·St Jude, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenrePop
View details›
SEPT
17
Scott Lavene
Wedgewood Rooms·Central Southsea, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenrePop
View details›
SEPT
23
As It Is
Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenreRock, Punk Rock
View details›
SEPT
24
neu waves #151 Nagasaki Swim / Starter Car / The Watts
The Deco, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
SEPT
24
neu waves #151 Nagasaki Swim / Starter Car / Paul A. Buchanan
The Deco·St Jude, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
SEPT
25
Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
Portsmouth Cathedral·St Thomas, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
SEPT
26
Clubland Live On The Pier
The Gaiety Southsea·Eastney and Craneswater, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- TicketsAvailable
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
OCT
1
Man/Woman/Chainsaw
Wedgewood Rooms·Central Southsea, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- TicketsAvailable
- AgeAll ages
- GenreRock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
View details›
OCT
2
UK Pleasure Boys Wet & Wild Tour | Portsmouth
The Gaiety Southsea·Eastney and Craneswater, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- TicketsAvailable
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
OCT
2
The Bootleg Beatles
Kings Theatre Portsmouth, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- TicketsAvailable
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
OCT
2
Damian Lewis
Wedgewood Rooms·Central Southsea, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenrePop, Singer-Songwriter
View details›
OCT
3
KOLA
KOLA·Eastney and Craneswater, Portsmouth
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenreRock, Pop
View details›
Venues in Portsmouth
Where live music actually happens in Portsmouth.
Photo: Google
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Bold Forester
Historic Southsea corner pub with a Thursday open mic and live bands.
Backline1 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon12:00–23:00
- Tue12:00–23:00
- Wed12:00–23:00
- Thu12:00–23:00
- Fri12:00–00:00
- Sat12:00–00:00
- Sun12:00–22:30
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Fareham Live
Fareham's 800-seat council-owned theatre and concert hall, run by Trafalgar Theatres
Backline0 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
- Sat10:00–16:00
- SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
KOLA
Thai grill and bar with rock and pop events.
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon09:00–18:00
- Tue09:00–18:00
- Wed09:00–18:00
- Thu09:00–18:00
- Fri09:00–18:00
- Sat09:00–16:00
- SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Lord John Russell
Southsea community pub with live music.
Backline0 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
- Thu12:00–01:00
- Fri12:00–02:00
- Sat10:00–02:00
- Sun12:00–00:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Pitt St Skatepark
Portsmouth indoor skatepark and warehouse events space for gigs and club nights
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- MonClosed
- Tue16:00–22:00
- Wed16:00–22:00
- Thu13:00–22:00
- Fri13:00–22:00
- Sat10:00–19:00
- Sun08:00–18:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Portsmouth Guildhall
Portsmouth's 2,200-capacity Guildhall — the South of England's primary live-music and events centre.
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
- SatClosed
- SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Portsmouth Rail Social Club
Railway social club with live entertainment.
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon12:00–16:00
- TueClosed
- Wed19:00–23:20
- ThuClosed
- Fri12:00–23:00
- Sat12:00–22:00
- Sun12:00–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Rapscallions Port Solent
Port Solent bar 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
- Mon12:00–23:00
- Tue12:00–23:00
- Wed12:00–23:00
- Thu12:00–23:00
- Fri12:00–01:00
- Sat12:00–01:00
- Sun12:00–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Rapscallions Southsea
Southsea bar with live music.
Backline1 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon16:00–01:00
- Tue16:00–01:00
- Wed16:00–01:00
- Thu16:00–01:00
- Fri16:00–02:00
- Sat12:00–02:00
- Sun12:00–00:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
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Robin Hill Country Park
Isle of Wight country park with DJ events.
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon10:00–17:00
- Tue10:00–17:00
- Wed10:00–17:00
- Thu10:00–17:00
- Fri10:00–17:00
- Sat10:00–17:00
- Sun10:00–17:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
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South Parade Pier
Southsea pier venue with live events.
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon11:30–20:00
- Tue11:30–20:00
- Wed11:30–20:00
- Thu11:30–20:00
- Fri11:30–21:00
- Sat11:30–21:00
- Sun11:30–21:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Staggeringly Good Brewery
Southsea's dino-themed craft brewery and taproom with live music, DJ sets and festivals.
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
- Thu17:00–23:00
- Fri15:00–23:00
- Sat12:00–23:00
- Sun12:00–20:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Strings Bar & Venue
Award-winning 300-capacity venue at the heart of the Isle of Wight
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- MonClosed
- Tue19:00–22:00
- Wed19:30–22:30
- Thu19:30–23:00
- Fri19:30–00:00
- Sat19:30–00:00
- SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Thatchers
Portsmouth community pub with events.
Backline1 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon10:00–12:30
- Tue10:00–23:00
- Wed10:00–23:00
- Thu10:00–23:00
- Fri10:00–00:00
- Sat10:00–00:00
- Sun11:30–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Admiral Drake
Southsea's sunday-night free open mic at The Admiral Drake — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
Backline2 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon15:00–23:00
- Tue12:00–23:00
- Wed12:00–23:00
- Thu12:00–23:00
- Fri12:00–01:00
- Sat12:00–01:00
- Sun12:00–22:30
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Barley Mow
Southsea's sunday-night free open mic at The Barley Mow — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
Backline2 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon12:00–23:00
- Tue12:00–23:00
- Wed12:00–23:00
- Thu12:00–23:00
- Fri12:00–23:00
- Sat12:00–23:00
- Sun12:00–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
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The Deco
Art deco bar and restaurant.
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon17:00–01:00
- Tue17:00–01:00
- Wed17:00–01:00
- Thu17:00–01:00
- Fri17:00–03:00
- Sat17:00–03:00
- Sun17:00–01:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms
Portsmouth pub with live music.
Backline1 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon12:00–01:00
- Tue12:00–01:00
- Wed12:00–01:00
- Thu12:00–01:00
- Fri12:00–02:00
- Sat12:00–02:00
- Sun12:00–02:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Gaiety
600-cap rock, indie and punk venue on the pier.
Backline1 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon12:00–20:00
- Tue12:00–17:00
- Wed12:00–17:00
- Thu12:00–17:00
- Fri12:00–00:00
- Sat12:00–00:00
- Sun12:00–19:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Golden Eagle
Portsmouth pub with live music.
Backline1 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon12:00–23:00
- Tue12:00–23:00
- Wed12:00–23:00
- Thu12:00–23:00
- Fri12:00–23:00
- Sat12:00–23:00
- Sun12:00–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Jolly Sailor Southsea
Southsea family pub with live music.
Backline1 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- MonClosed
- TueClosed
- Wed17:00–23:00
- Thu17:00–23:00
- Fri12:00–00:00
- Sat12:00–00:00
- Sun12:00–22:30
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Loft
Southsea's Tuesday-night free open mic at 49 St James' Street, PO5 4LR — top-floor music venue, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.
Backline3 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- 2 vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times—
- Mon—
- Tue—
- Wed—
- Thu—
- Fri—
- Sat—
- Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Pelham Arms
Portsmouth community pub 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
- Mon14:00–23:00
- Tue14:00–23:00
- Wed14:00–23:00
- Thu14:00–00:00
- Fri12:00–00:00
- Sat12:00–00:00
- Sun12:00–22:30
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Spyglass Inn
Isle of Wight inn with stunning views and music.
Backline0 of 7
- PA system
- Drum kit
- Guitar amp
- Bass amp
- Keys / keyboard
- Vocal mics
- In-house engineer
Opening times7 of 7
- Mon10:00–22:30
- Tue10:00–22:30
- Wed10:00–22:30
- Thu10:00–22:30
- Fri10:00–22:30
- Sat10:00–22:30
- Sun09:00–22:30
View venue›
Open mics in Portsmouth
Turn up, put your name down, play. Most are free.
1ST
Sun
The Three Tuns
Portsmouth, Portsmouth
- Sign-up—
- Slots—
- EntryFree
- PA—
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
MONTH
Sun
The Jolly Sailor Southsea
Southsea, Southsea
- Sign-up19:30
- Slots12 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
EVERY
Sun
The Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms
Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea
- Sign-up19:30
- Slots12 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
2-WK
Sun
The Barley Mow
Southsea, Southsea
- Sign-up19:00
- Slots15 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic, poetry
View details›
Alleycats — 2nd & last Sun
2-WK
Sun
The Admiral Drake
North End, Portsmouth
- Sign-up19:00
- Slots15 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic, poetry
View details›
EVERY
Mon
Thatchers
North End, Portsmouth
- Sign-up19:30
- Slots12 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
EVERY
Tue
The Loft
Southsea, Portsmouth
- Sign-up19:30
- Slots12 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic, poetry, comedy
View details›
EVERY
Wed
The Wedgewood Rooms
Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea
- Sign-up19:30
- Slots12 min
- Entry£4.00
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
EVERY
Wed
Lord John Russell
Southsea, Portsmouth
- Sign-up—
- Slots—
- EntryFree
- PA—
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
MONTH
Wed
The Golden Eagle
Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea
- Sign-up19:30
- Slots12 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
EVERY
Wed
Portsmouth Guildhall
Portsmouth, Portsmouth
- Sign-up19:30
- Slots12 min
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
EVERY
Thu
Bold Forester
Southsea, Portsmouth
- Sign-up—
- Slots—
- EntryFree
- PAProvided
- Backline—
- Open tomusic
View details›
What's on in Portsmouth — FAQs
Common questions about live music in Portsmouth, answered with this week's live data.
We currently list 12 gigs in Portsmouth between 9 Sept and 7 Oct, 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 the Portsmouth gig directory or every city we cover.
None of the Portsmouth gigs currently listed are marked free entry, though many venues do not publish a price at all. Portsmouth open mic nights are your reliable free option — most charge nothing to watch or to play.
Thursday, with 5 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Thursday: 5 gigs · Friday: 4 gigs · Saturday: 2 gigs. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.
Right now: dbedf8b5-5f59-4c60-8d1b-24b74de1bd7c, 854972ba-92ac-413c-93fc-5a49bfa8017f, c4fd7a59-7bc7-4dc1-8ce4-edebd198c691. In total we track 26 grassroots venues in Portsmouth, of which 4 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Portsmouth venue directory.
Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.
Most Portsmouth venues in our listings do not publish a ticket price in advance. 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. Portsmouth still has 26 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.
Listing is free and takes about two minutes — submit through the Portsmouth 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
12 gigs listed in Portsmouth over the next four weeks, across 26 grassroots venues and 16 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 Portsmouth
—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 Portsmouth. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.