Reading · the live music guide
Live Music in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading's acts on GigXchange lean Pop, Rock and Alternative Rock. Of the 10 venues that list their live nights, 5 put on music on Sundays and 3 on Fridays. Of the 13 with a known size, 7 are small rooms under 150, 4 hold up to 500 and 2 are bigger halls.
Updated 1 November 2026
01 — The short answer
ReadingLive music in Reading
Reading has 23 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.
Reading is more than its August festival - a rock and metal bar off the centre, a Silver Street arts centre and real-ale pubs with folk sessions keep live music going all year.
The Face Bar is Reading's home for rock, punk and metal - a small bar stage where local heavy bands share bills with touring acts. SUB89 on Friar Street is the town-centre club and live room for bigger nights, and the University's Great Hall on London Road hosts concerts in a listed hall. For acoustic and folk players, The Retreat on St John's Street runs a folk open mic, The Lyndhurst on Queens Road mixes live music with open mic nights, and the Rising Sun Arts Centre on Silver Street books small shows. Richfield Avenue by the Thames is the festival site every August.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in Reading | 15 |
| Open micsactive nights · in Reading | 17 |
| On GigXchangeReading acts · with a profile you can browse | 8 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Reading100
| Artists | 28 |
| Venues | 0 |
| Gigs 90d | 100 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 0 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
Four rooms that keep Reading playing outside festival weekend.
| Rock barThe Face BarReading's rock, punk and metal stage in the centre, mixing local and touring bands. Books: rock, punk, metal.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Club and live roomSUB89Friar Street club and live music venue for touring acts and big weekend nights. Books: indie, club, touring.Getting on: Programmed by the venue |
| Real-ale pubThe RetreatSt John's Street pub with a free folk open mic and a PA for players. Books: folk, acoustic.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Arts centreThe Rising Sun Arts CentreSilver Street arts centre with small live music shows. Books: folk, acoustic, alternative.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Sunday is the big night in Reading: 5 venues list live music and 2 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Tuesday. Across the week, 10 venues list regular live nights and 11 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Reading.
Regular live music nights in Reading
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Monday1 venue · 3 open mics - Mates Rates Comedy Club, The Castle Tap |
| Wednesday2 venues · 4 open mics - South Street Arts Centre, Palmer Tavern |
| Thursday0 venues · 1 open mic - The Retreat |
| Friday3 venues · 1 open mic - The Butler |
| Saturday3 venues · 0 open mics |
| Sunday5 venues · 2 open mics - The Rising Sun Arts Centre, The Plough |
05 — The scene
ReadingThe Reading sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Reading is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| Town centre and Friar StreetSUB89 and The Face Bar give the centre its club and heavy-music nights, a few minutes from the station. |
| Silver Street and the folk pubsThe Rising Sun Arts Centre and The Retreat keep the acoustic and folk side going on the south of the centre. |
| Riverside and the suburbsThe Fisherman's Cottage by the Kennet, The Plough in Tilehurst and the Richfield Avenue festival site cover the edges of town. |
| Room sizesSmall rooms under 150: 7 · mid-size up to 500: 4 · bigger stages: 2 - 13 rooms in Reading with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Reading venue directory. |
| The open mic circuit17 open mic nights run in Reading - Corn Exchange and The Rising Sun Arts Centre among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times. |
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Bracknell, Marlow and Farnborough.
| NearbyLive music in Bracknell | |
| NearbyLive music in Marlow | |
| NearbyLive music in Farnborough |
06 — Venues
16 roomsWhere live music happens
Live music in Reading happens across 23 listed venues - Englefield House and London Road Campus among them. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google 600 cap Englefield HouseEnglefield, near Theale · Reading 
London Road CampusRedlands, Reading (London Road campus) · Reading Cap tbc 
Mates Rates Comedy ClubReadingHouse PA Cap tbc 
McCafferty's BarTown Centre · Reading Cap tbc 
Oakford Social ClubCity Centre · ReadingHouse PA 100Cap 
Palmer TavernReadingHouse PA 80Cap 
Pangbourne Working Mens ClubPangbourne · Reading 100Cap 
Playlist LiveTown Centre · Reading Cap tbc 
Prospect Park ReadingTilehurst · Reading 400Cap 
Purple TurtleCity Centre · ReadingFull kitEngineer 250Cap Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Reading venue directory, see what is booked on the Reading gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Reading |
07 — Gigs
Next 6The next 30 days Reading
15 gigs are listed in Reading for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Starts19:00 Wigwam LiveThe Purple Turtle · Abbey · Reading 
Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues OrchestraHexagon Theatre · Reading 19:30Thu 5 Nov 
Chocolate Starfish & Nickelback GBThe FaceBar · Abbey · Reading 19:00Fri 6 Nov 
Music BingoBier Keller · Binfield South & Jennett's Park · Reading 19:00Fri 6 Nov 
ABBA Tribute Band SensationCorn Exchange · Wallingford · Reading 19:30Fri 6 Nov 
Slip-NOT, Chopsuey, A7XperienceSub89 · Abbey · Reading 19:00Thu 12 Nov Every listing is a real Reading date, rebuilt nightly from the Reading gig directory. See the Reading venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Reading gigs | |
| What's on in Reading this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Reading
Whoever you are, Reading 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 Reading this weekthe Reading gig guide, by email | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Readingfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| BookersBooking live entertainment in Readingbirthdays, weddings, private parties | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Readingclaim 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 Readingthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Readingthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Reading compares
The Reading area ranks second of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Oxford, Watford, Egham, High Wycombe, Aldershot, Woking 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 | Oxford 23 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs | 35 |
| 02 | Reading This city 17 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs | 31 |
| 03 | Watford 10 open mics · 51 upcoming gigs | 22 |
| 04 | Egham 10 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs | 16 |
| 05 | High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs | 14 |
| 06 | Aldershot 11 open mics · 5 upcoming gigs | 13 |
| 07 | Woking 11 open mics · 27 upcoming gigs | 13 |
| 08 | Farnborough 4 open mics · 11 upcoming gigs | 6 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
ReadingMore of Reading
More live music resources for Reading 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 ReadingThe 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 Reading. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in ReadingThe full Reading gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in ReadingOpen mic nights near Reading — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Reading Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Reading — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Reading. Artists and bands available around Reading.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Reading — sorted by dateWhat's on in Reading — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Reading, 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.Reading gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in ReadingCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Reading venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Reading. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Reading venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Reading open mic nightsJust starting out? Reading open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Reading. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Reading open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in ReadingStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Reading. How to get gigs. How to book live music. Find a band in Reading. Written for working musicians and venues.How to get gigs · How to book · Find a band |
| RatesWhat live acts earn in ReadingLive Reading 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 |
Traditional Newbury pub with open mic and folk nights
With a rich Italian and Romanian cultural background and a lifelong passion for music, I bring a versatile and energetic…
| Every UK city scenethe city guides, A to Z |
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Live Music in Reading
Reading is more than its August festival - a rock and metal bar off the centre, a Silver Street arts centre and real-ale pubs with folk sessions keep live music going all year.
Last updated: 1 November 2026
Live Music in Reading: the Short Answer
Reading has 23 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.
Reading's acts on GigXchange lean Pop, Rock and Alternative Rock. Of the 10 venues that list their live nights, 5 put on music on Sundays and 3 on Fridays. Of the 13 with a known size, 7 are small rooms under 150, 4 hold up to 500 and 2 are bigger halls.
The Face Bar is Reading's home for rock, punk and metal - a small bar stage where local heavy bands share bills with touring acts. SUB89 on Friar Street is the town-centre club and live room for bigger nights, and the University's Great Hall on London Road hosts concerts in a listed hall. For acoustic and folk players, The Retreat on St John's Street runs a folk open mic, The Lyndhurst on Queens Road mixes live music with open mic nights, and the Rising Sun Arts Centre on Silver Street books small shows. Richfield Avenue by the Thames is the festival site every August.
The Reading Rooms to Know
Four rooms that keep Reading playing outside festival weekend. 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.
Reading's rock, punk and metal stage in the centre, mixing local and touring bands.
Friar Street club and live music venue for touring acts and big weekend nights.
Live Music Nights in Reading
Sunday is the big night in Reading: 5 venues list live music and 2 open mics run every week. Nothing regular is listed on Tuesday. Across the week, 10 venues list regular live nights and 11 open mics run on a fixed night - for what is on this week, see what's on in Reading. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Reading
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
- Mon 4 1 venue
3 open mics Mates Rates Comedy ClubThe Castle Tap - Tue 0 0 venues
0 open mics - Wed 6 2 venues
4 open mics South Street Arts CentrePalmer Tavern - Thu 1 0 venues
1 open mic The Retreat - Fri 4 3 venues
1 open mic The Butler - Sat 3 3 venues
0 open mics - Sun 7 5 venues
2 open mics The Rising Sun Arts CentreThe Plough
The Reading Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Reading is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
SUB89 and The Face Bar give the centre its club and heavy-music nights, a few minutes from the station.
The Rising Sun Arts Centre and The Retreat keep the acoustic and folk side going on the south of the centre.
The Fisherman's Cottage by the Kennet, The Plough in Tilehurst and the Richfield Avenue festival site cover the edges of town.
Small rooms under 150: 7 · mid-size up to 500: 4 · bigger stages: 2 - 13 rooms in Reading with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Reading venue directory.
17 open mic nights run in Reading - Corn Exchange and The Rising Sun Arts Centre among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Bracknell, Marlow and Farnborough.
Where Live Music Happens in Reading
Live music in Reading happens across 23 listed venues - Englefield House and London Road Campus 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 Reading venue directory, see what is booked on the Reading gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Reading
15 gigs are listed in Reading 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 Reading date, rebuilt nightly from the Reading gig directory. See the Reading venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Reading
Whoever you are, Reading 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 Reading
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 Reading Compares
The Reading area ranks second of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Oxford, Watford, Egham, High Wycombe, Aldershot, Woking 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 Oxford 23 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs 35
- #2 Reading This city 17 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs 31
- #3 Watford 10 open mics · 51 upcoming gigs 22
- #4 Egham 10 open mics · 8 upcoming gigs 16
- #5 High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs 14
- #6 Aldershot 11 open mics · 5 upcoming gigs 13
- #7 Woking 11 open mics · 27 upcoming gigs 13
- #8 Farnborough 4 open mics · 11 upcoming gigs 6
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to play Reading?
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