Preston · the live music guide
Live Music in Preston
Preston, Lancashire
Preston's acts on GigXchange lean Rock, Alternative Rock and Indie Rock. Of the 10 venues that list their live nights, 7 put on music on Saturdays and 6 on Fridays. Of the 8 with a known size, 3 are small rooms under 150, 4 hold up to 500 and 1 is a bigger hall.
Updated 1 November 2026
01 — The short answer
PrestonLive music in Preston
Preston has 15 venues listing live music, 35 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.
Preston's live music runs along Friargate and the student quarter - a vinyl bar, a three-floor bar with open mics, a listed real-ale pub and a riverside venue by the Ribble.
Vinyl Tap is Preston's vinyl bar with live music from Thursday to Saturday, and Baker Street, spread over three floors in the centre, mixes open mics and live bands through the week. The Black Horse on Friargate, a listed Robinsons pub, puts music on at weekends. Down by the river, the New Continental is the city's dedicated food, drink and live venue, and Ships and Giggles caters to the student crowd near UCLan. Stage City takes the bigger concerts and tribute shows, and the Lea Social Club's function room hosts ska and tribute nights.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in Preston | 35 |
| Open micsactive nights · in Preston | 17 |
| On GigXchangePreston acts · with a profile you can browse | 6 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Preston100
| Artists | 25 |
| Venues | 0 |
| Gigs 90d | 100 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 0 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
Preston's vinyl bar, its three-floor open mic bar, a listed pub and a riverside room.
| Vinyl barVinyl Tap PrestonRecord-themed bar with live music Thursday to Saturday. Books: indie, rock, soul.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Three-floor barBaker StreetCity-centre bar over three floors with open mic and live bands. Books: open mic, covers.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Listed ale pubBlack HorseGrade II-listed Robinsons pub on Friargate with weekend live music. Books: covers, folk.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Riverside venueNew ContinentalFood, drink and live venue by the river. Books: indie, folk, touring.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Tuesday is the big night in Preston: 3 venues list live music and 5 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 10 venues list regular live nights and 8 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Preston.
Regular live music nights in Preston
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Tuesday3 venues · 5 open mics - The Ferret, Swan Inn |
| Wednesday2 venues · 1 open mic - Vinyl Tap Preston |
| Thursday2 venues · 1 open mic - New Continental |
| Friday6 venues · 1 open mic - Ships and Giggles |
| Saturday7 venues · 0 open mics |
| Sunday3 venues · 0 open mics |
05 — The scene
PrestonThe Preston sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Preston is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| FriargateThe Black Horse and the bars along Friargate carry the weekend music in the old town centre. |
| City centre and UCLanVinyl Tap, Baker Street and Ships and Giggles cover the bands, open mics and student nights. |
| RiversideThe New Continental by the Ribble mixes food, drink and live shows away from the centre. |
| Room sizesSmall rooms under 150: 3 · mid-size up to 500: 4 · bigger stages: 1 - 8 rooms in Preston with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Preston venue directory. |
| The open mic circuit17 open mic nights run in Preston - Prince Of Wales and The Kitchen Tap among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times. |
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Blackburn, Accrington and Blackpool.
| NearbyLive music in Blackburn | |
| NearbyLive music in Accrington | |
| NearbyLive music in Blackpool |
06 — Venues
15 roomsWhere live music happens
Live music in Preston happens across 15 listed venues - Baker Street and Black Horse among them. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 80 cap Baker StreetPrestonFull kit 
Black HorsePrestonHouse PA 150Cap 
Chew's YardPreston City Centre · Preston Cap tbc 
Guild Ale HousePreston city centre · Preston Cap tbc 
Hopwoods Tap HouseCity Centre · Preston Cap tbc 
Lea Social ClubLea · Preston 170Cap 
Molly O'MalleysPreston Cap tbc 
New ContinentalRiverside · PrestonHouse PA 200Cap 
Ships and GigglesPrestonHouse PA Cap tbc 
Stage City PrestonPreston city centre · Preston 1,500Cap Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Preston venue directory, see what is booked on the Preston gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Preston |
07 — Gigs
Next 6The next 30 days Preston
35 gigs are listed in Preston for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Starts19:00 Swell plus The RoomThe Ferret · City Centre · Preston 
The March Violets - Unnatural History Tour - with Department SThe Ferret · City Centre · Preston 19:00Wed 4 Nov 
The Rolling People + FlorentenesThe Ferret · City Centre · Preston 19:00Thu 5 Nov 
Los FastidiosThe Continental · City Centre · Preston 20:00Thu 5 Nov 
Sky Valley Mistress + dull. + MademakerThe Ferret · City Centre · Preston 19:00Fri 6 Nov 
Callis plus Secret Admirer and Lottie BrazierVinyl Tap Preston · Plungington · Preston 19:30Fri 6 Nov Every listing is a real Preston date, rebuilt nightly from the Preston gig directory. See the Preston venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Preston gigs | |
| What's on in Preston this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Preston
Whoever you are, Preston 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 Preston this weekthe Preston gig guide, by email | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Prestonfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| BookersBooking live entertainment in Prestonbirthdays, weddings, private parties | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Prestonclaim yours free and keep it current |
09 — Pay
GX IndexWhat acts earn
One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the North West 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 Prestonthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Prestonthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Preston compares
The Preston area ranks fifth of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool, Bradford, Rawtenstall, Blackburn and Accrington. 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 | Manchester 59 open mics · 806 upcoming gigs | 164 |
| 02 | Liverpool 27 open mics · 475 upcoming gigs | 130 |
| 03 | Blackpool 22 open mics · 75 upcoming gigs | 46 |
| 04 | Bradford 18 open mics · 127 upcoming gigs | 41 |
| 05 | Preston This city 17 open mics · 82 upcoming gigs | 27 |
| 06 | Rawtenstall 9 open mics · 33 upcoming gigs | 22 |
| 07 | Blackburn 5 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs | 11 |
| 08 | Accrington 7 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs | 11 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
PrestonMore of Preston
More live music resources for Preston 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 PrestonThe 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 Preston. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in PrestonThe full Preston gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in PrestonOpen mic nights near Preston — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Preston Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Preston — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Preston. Artists and bands available around Preston.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Preston — sorted by dateWhat's on in Preston — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Preston, 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.Preston gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in PrestonCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Preston venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Preston. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Preston venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Preston open mic nightsJust starting out? Preston open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Preston. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Preston open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in PrestonStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Preston. How to get gigs. How to book live music. Find a band in Preston. Written for working musicians and venues.How to get gigs · How to book · Find a band |
| RatesWhat live acts earn in PrestonLive Preston 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 |
Albion Ale House in Standish hosts an open mic on the first Wednesday at 7.45pm.
GOTHIC/ METAL, 4 PIECE WITH BACKING TRACKS, LIVE DRUMS
| Every UK city scenethe city guides, A to Z |
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Live Music in Preston
Preston's live music runs along Friargate and the student quarter - a vinyl bar, a three-floor bar with open mics, a listed real-ale pub and a riverside venue by the Ribble.
Last updated: 1 November 2026
Live Music in Preston: the Short Answer
Preston has 15 venues listing live music, 35 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.
Preston's acts on GigXchange lean Rock, Alternative Rock and Indie Rock. Of the 10 venues that list their live nights, 7 put on music on Saturdays and 6 on Fridays. Of the 8 with a known size, 3 are small rooms under 150, 4 hold up to 500 and 1 is a bigger hall.
Vinyl Tap is Preston's vinyl bar with live music from Thursday to Saturday, and Baker Street, spread over three floors in the centre, mixes open mics and live bands through the week. The Black Horse on Friargate, a listed Robinsons pub, puts music on at weekends. Down by the river, the New Continental is the city's dedicated food, drink and live venue, and Ships and Giggles caters to the student crowd near UCLan. Stage City takes the bigger concerts and tribute shows, and the Lea Social Club's function room hosts ska and tribute nights.
The Preston Rooms to Know
Preston's vinyl bar, its three-floor open mic bar, a listed pub and a riverside room. 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.
Live Music Nights in Preston
Tuesday is the big night in Preston: 3 venues list live music and 5 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Monday. Across the week, 10 venues list regular live nights and 8 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Preston. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Preston
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
- Mon 0 0 venues
0 open mics - Tue 8 3 venues
5 open mics The FerretSwan Inn - Wed 3 2 venues
1 open mic Vinyl Tap Preston - Thu 3 2 venues
1 open mic New Continental - Fri 7 6 venues
1 open mic Ships and Giggles - Sat 7 7 venues
0 open mics - Sun 3 3 venues
0 open mics
The Preston Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Preston is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
The Black Horse and the bars along Friargate carry the weekend music in the old town centre.
Vinyl Tap, Baker Street and Ships and Giggles cover the bands, open mics and student nights.
The New Continental by the Ribble mixes food, drink and live shows away from the centre.
Small rooms under 150: 3 · mid-size up to 500: 4 · bigger stages: 1 - 8 rooms in Preston with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Preston venue directory.
17 open mic nights run in Preston - Prince Of Wales and The Kitchen Tap among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Blackburn, Accrington and Blackpool.
Where Live Music Happens in Preston
Live music in Preston happens across 15 listed venues - Baker Street and Black Horse among them. 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 Preston venue directory, see what is booked on the Preston gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Preston
35 gigs are listed in Preston 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 Preston date, rebuilt nightly from the Preston gig directory. See the Preston venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Preston
Whoever you are, Preston 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 Preston
One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the North West median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.
How Preston Compares
The Preston area ranks fifth of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool, Bradford, Rawtenstall, Blackburn and Accrington. 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 Manchester 59 open mics · 806 upcoming gigs 164
- #2 Liverpool 27 open mics · 475 upcoming gigs 130
- #3 Blackpool 22 open mics · 75 upcoming gigs 46
- #4 Bradford 18 open mics · 127 upcoming gigs 41
- #5 Preston This city 17 open mics · 82 upcoming gigs 27
- #6 Rawtenstall 9 open mics · 33 upcoming gigs 22
- #7 Blackburn 5 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs 11
- #8 Accrington 7 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs 11
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to play Preston?
Friargate bars and Lancashire couples book acts through GigXchange - your page is free to make. Make a free profile in a few minutes, add your sound and the dates you are free, and let Preston bookers find you.