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North East · 3 gigs · next 4 weeks

What's On in Sunderland

13 Nov – 11 Dec

Help keep grassroots venues open in Sunderland

—

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 Sunderland. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

All Sunderland gigs This month

Updated 12 November 2026

At a glance
3
Gigs in
4 weeks
in Sunderland, 13 Nov – 11 Dec
In detail
Venues with something on2
Venues tracked23
Open mics13
Busiest nightSaturday · 2 gigs

3 gigs listed in Sunderland over the next 28 days across 2 venues. Saturday is the busiest night with 2. In total we track 23 grassroots venues and 13 regular open mics here.

01 — This weekend
0 gigs
This weekend in Sunderland

Only Friday to Sunday - and nothing is listed in Sunderland for this weekend yet. The four-week list below shows what is coming, and the open mics further down run every week.

No weekend gigs yet - most venues add theirs by Thursday.

02 — Compared
#6 of 7
How Sunderland compares

Counting every upcoming date, not just the next four weeks, there are 11 gigs listed in and around Sunderland - sixth of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Newcastle area (283). Each row counts the gigs, venues and open mics our directories hold in and around that place, refreshed nightly; tap a town for its live music scene.

#PlaceGigs
01Newcastle area 75 venues · 25 open mics283
02Carlisle area 19 venues · 9 open mics111
03Scarborough area 17 venues · 11 open mics51
04Middlesbrough area 27 venues · 11 open mics40
05Stockton-on-Tees area 16 venues · 8 open mics25
06Sunderland area This page 23 venues · 13 open mics11
07Durham area 17 venues · 10 open mics11
03 — Gigs
3 gigs
Gigs in Sunderland

The whole four weeks, 13 Nov to 11 Dec: 3 gigs across 2 venues, busiest on Saturdays. Unlike This Weekend above, this list runs past Sunday - every gig we hold for the city, earliest first.

Starts19:00 Trevor HornIndependent - Sunderland · Millfield · Sunderland Christmas Classics by Tim Burton. Mystery ensembleSunderland Minster · Sunderland 18:00Sat 5 Dec ToyahThe Fire Station · Millfield · Sunderland 19:30Sat 5 Dec
Search every Sunderland gigEverything upcoming, not just the next four weeks
04 — Venues
23 rooms
Venues in Sunderland

All 23 grassroots rooms we track around Sunderland, busy or quiet this month, with how many each holds, the kit it has and when it opens. A room's own page shows its upcoming nights.

Photo: Google Diego's JointSunniside · SunderlandHouse PA Harbour View PubRoker · SunderlandHouse PA 80Cap IndependentSunderlandHouse PA 300Cap Live LoungeSunderlandHouse PA 200Cap Pop RecsSunniside, Sunderland · SunderlandHouse PA 250Cap STACK SeaburnSeaburn · Sunderland Cap tbc Steels Social ClubSunderlandHouse PA Cap tbc Sunderland EmpireCity Centre · Sunderland Cap tbc The 3 StoriesSunderland Cap tbc The BunkerSunderlandHouse PA 50Cap
All 23 Sunderland venuesCapacity, backline and opening times
05 — Open mics
13 nights
Open mics in Sunderland

Open mics are regular nights rather than one-off gigs: the same venue, the same night, week in, week out - 13 nights in Sunderland. Each card shows the night, the sign-up time and the fee; most are free to watch and to play.

Kick-off19:00 Diego's JointSunderlandNo feeHouse PA The Dun CowSunderlandNo feeHouse PAFortnightly 19:30Tue Live LoungeSunderlandNo feeHouse PA 20:00Wed The BunkerSunderlandNo feeHouse PA 20:00Wed The PeacockSunderlandNo feeHouse PA 20:00Wed The Ship IsisSunderlandNo feeHouse PA 20:00Wed The SaltgrassHanover Pl · SunderlandNo feeHouse PA1st Thu of the month 19:00Thu The Secret Garden PubTunstall Road · SunderlandNo feeHouse PA 19:30Thu Harbour View PubRoker · SunderlandNo feeHouse PA 20:00Thu IndependentSunderlandNo feeHouse PA1st Thu of the month 20:00Thu
All 13 Sunderland open micsSign-up times, slots and kit for every night
06 — Support grassroots
Support grassroots music in Sunderland

Grassroots venues are where every act you have ever paid to see started out. Sunderland still has 23 of them.

Wearside scene with grassroots Bunker heritage and a strong electronic and indie calendar. Venue or private-event hire? See Find a Band in Sunderland for rate ranges, the County Durham wedding corridor (Lumley Castle, Seaham Hall, Ramside Hall) and the Field Music-and-Futureheads-heritage indie/electronic specialist circuit. Sunderland's working calendar runs about 6 live nights weekly across Park Lane and the Bridges, with around 28 active venues programming live music monthly. Indie and electronic specialists clear an estimated 14% premium over comparable North-East cities thanks to the Wearside heritage. Planning a private party instead? See booking live entertainment in Sunderland for bands, singers and DJs for one-off occasions. Booking for the company rather than yourself? See corporate entertainment in Sunderland for Christmas parties, awards nights and conferences.

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.

Think of this as the city's noticeboard: 3 gigs across Sunderland in the next four weeks, alongside 23 grassroots venues and 13 regular open mic nights, updated daily from the rooms that host them. There is no algorithm and no paid placement. Independent - Sunderland and The Fire Station have the most on, and the sound leans rock and pop.

So go. Pick a night you would not normally choose, buy a ticket and a drink, and bring a friend. The sign-up below sends Sunderland listings to your inbox each week, and if you run a room here, claim your venue page to keep it accurate. Start small: Harbour View Pub hosts an open mic each Thursday.

Go to one this month

3 gigs listed in Sunderland over the next four weeks, with 23 grassroots venues and 13 regular open mic nights. Pick one you have not been to before - a ticket and a round at the bar is the most useful thing anyone can do for a room like these. If you only go out once, Saturdays have the most choice.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Sunderland

—

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 Sunderland. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

What lands in your inbox. Every Monday at noon, one email of Sunderland gigs for the week ahead, never more than two on the same night. When fewer than four Sunderland gigs fall in the week, the email reaches on to the next fortnight, then the month, so you still have something to choose from.

Why sign up. Small rooms post their dates in a dozen different places; the email is the one place Sunderland's gigs are all together. Right now Sunderland leans rock and pop. One click unsubscribes, any time.

Planning ahead? Gigs in Sunderland come and go each week; festivals are planned months ahead. One festival timeline holds the UK music festivals we have date-checked, by month, region and genre, and flags clashing weekends.

All Sunderland gigsEverything upcoming, sorted by date
Sunderland venues23 grassroots rooms
Sunderland open mics13 regular nights
The Sunderland sceneVenues, promoters, local rates and members near you
Every city we coverThe same page for every city, updated daily
UK gig directoryEvery upcoming grassroots gig
UK open mic finderStage time near you
UK venue directoryThe rooms behind the gigs
07 — Questions10 answersWhat's on in Sunderland
Nothing is listed in Sunderland for this weekend (Fri 13 Nov – Sun 15 Nov) yet - see the next 28 days below, or the Sunderland open mics, which run every week.
Counting every upcoming date, there are 11 gigs listed in and around Sunderland - sixth of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Newcastle area (283).
We currently list 3 gigs in Sunderland between 13 Nov and 11 Dec, across 2 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 every upcoming gig in Sunderland in the gig directory or every city we cover.
None of the Sunderland gigs currently listed are marked free entry, though many venues do not publish a price at all. Sunderland open mic nights are your reliable free option — most charge nothing to watch or to play.
Saturday, with 2 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Saturday: 2 gigs · Friday: 1 gig. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.
Right now: Independent - Sunderland, The Fire Station. In total we track 23 grassroots venues in Sunderland, of which 2 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Sunderland venue directory.
Sunderland has 13 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 Sunderland open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.
Most Sunderland 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. Sunderland still has 23 on our list. Music Venue Trust campaigns for them nationally; venues themselves hold TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS and navigate 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 Sunderland gig directory and it is reviewed before it goes live. 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.
Every What's On page, A–Z140 pages

What's On across the UKNearby:  Gateshead, Newcastle, Durham, Stockton-on-Tees

All 139 other cities, A–ZGigs
A
Aberdeen27Accrington7AldershotAmershamAylesburyAyr
B
BarnsleyBasildon11Bath23Bedford9Belfast95BerkhamstedBillericay2Birmingham188Blackburn3Blackpool25BoltonBorehamwoodBournemouth22BracknellBradford39BridgendBrighouseBrighton85Bristol105Broxbourne9Bushey
C
Cambridge17CannockCanterburyCardiff64Carlisle34Chelmsford6Cheltenham8CheshamCheshuntChesterColchesterCoventry29Crawley
D
Derby37DerryDoncaster3Dundee12DunfermlineDurham2
E
EastbourneEdinburgh121Egham6Epsom10Exeter15
F
Farnborough6Frome
G
GatesheadGlasgow298Gloucester2GrimsbyGuildford
H
HalifaxHarpendenHarrogateHastings12HatfieldHemel HempsteadHereford3HertfordHigh Wycombe13HitchinHoddesdonHuddersfieldHull35
I
Inverness16Ipswich12
L
LancasterLeeds89Leicester22Leigh-on-SeaLincoln7Liverpool180London520Luton8
M
Maidstone11Manchester310Margate4MarlowMiddlesbrough18Milton Keynes13
N
NewburyNewcastle109Newquay13Newry2Northampton18Norwich19Nottingham93Nuneaton
O
Oxford21
P
PaisleyPerthPeterborough11Plymouth8Portsmouth14Potters BarPreston31
R
Rawtenstall17Reading12RickmansworthRochdale
S
Scarborough14Sheffield57ShrewsburySouthampton55SouthportSt AlbansStevenageStirlingStockportStockton-on-Tees9Stoke-on-Trent16Sutton10Swansea9Swindon2
T
Telford7TorquayTringTunbridge Wells8
W
WakefieldWalsallWaterlooville4Watford16Welwyn Garden CityWeymouth3WhitbyWidnesWoking9Wolverhampton36WorcesterWorthingWrexham21
Y
York14
Play or put on gigs in Sunderland?

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Live music on stage: a band under the lights
What's On · North East

What's On in Sunderland

Live music in Sunderland over the next four weeks — 13 Nov – 11 Dec. 3 gigs listed in Sunderland over the next 28 days across 2 venues. Saturday is the busiest night with 2. In total we track 23 grassroots venues and 13 regular open mics here.

Two pubs a day are closing, and last year 78 grassroots venues stopped putting on live music. Get Sunderland gigs in your inbox — and go to one.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Sunderland

—

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 Sunderland. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

Updated daily · 3 gigs in Sunderland over the next four weeks

Last updated: 12 November 2026

This Weekend in Sunderland

Only Friday to Sunday - and nothing is listed in Sunderland for this weekend yet. The four-week list below shows what is coming, and the open mics further down run every week.

How Sunderland Compares

Counting every upcoming date, not just the next four weeks, there are 11 gigs listed in and around Sunderland - sixth of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Newcastle area (283). Each row counts the gigs, venues and open mics our directories hold in and around that place, refreshed nightly; tap a town for its live music scene.

  1. #1 Newcastle area 75 venues · 25 open mics 283
  2. #2 Carlisle area 19 venues · 9 open mics 111
  3. #3 Scarborough area 17 venues · 11 open mics 51
  4. #4 Middlesbrough area 27 venues · 11 open mics 40
  5. #5 Stockton-on-Tees area 16 venues · 8 open mics 25
  6. #6 Sunderland area This page 23 venues · 13 open mics 11
  7. #7 Durham area 17 venues · 10 open mics 11

Gigs in Sunderland

The whole four weeks, 13 Nov to 11 Dec: 3 gigs across 2 venues, busiest on Saturdays. Unlike This Weekend above, this list runs past Sunday - every gig we hold for the city, earliest first.

See every upcoming gig in Sunderland →

Venues in Sunderland

All 23 grassroots rooms we track around Sunderland, busy or quiet this month, with how many each holds, the kit it has and when it opens. A room's own page shows its upcoming nights.

Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Diego's Joint
Sunderland › Sunniside★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland bar, coffee house and events space in Sunniside.
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • 2 vocal mics
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon09:00–21:00
  • Tue09:00–21:00
  • Wed09:00–21:00
  • Thu09:00–23:00
  • Fri09:00–01:00
  • Sat09:00–01:00
  • Sun10:00–23:00
View venue›
c. 80
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Harbour View Pub
Sunderland › Roker★★★★★ (—)
Roker seafront pub with a weekly blues & acoustic Speakeasy.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon10:00–23:00
  • Tue10:00–23:00
  • Wed10:00–23:00
  • Thu10:00–23:00
  • Fri10:00–23:00
  • Sat10:00–23:00
  • Sun10:00–23:00
View venue›
c. 300
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Independent
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland indie and alternative live venue.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • MonClosed
  • TueClosed
  • WedClosed
  • ThuClosed
  • Fri23:00–04:00
  • Sat23:00–04:00
  • SunClosed
View venue›
c. 200
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Live Lounge
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland performing arts and events venue.
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • MonClosed
  • TueClosed
  • WedClosed
  • ThuClosed
  • Fri19:00–02:00
  • Sat19:00–02:00
  • SunClosed
View venue›
c. 250
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Pop Recs
Sunderland › Sunniside, Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland's independent record shop, café and grassroots music venue
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • 8 vocal mics
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon09:00–15:00
  • Tue09:00–15:00
  • Wed09:00–15:00
  • Thu09:00–15:00
  • Fri09:00–15:00
  • Sat09:00–15:00
  • SunClosed
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
STACK Seaburn
Sunderland › Seaburn★★★★★ (—)
Seaburn street food and bar venue with live local acts every day of the week
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon11:00–23:00
  • Tue11:00–23:00
  • Wed11:00–23:00
  • Thu11:00–23:00
  • Fri11:00–00:00
  • Sat10:00–00:00
  • Sun10:00–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Steels Social Club
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland social club with entertainment.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon18:00–23:30
  • TueClosed
  • Wed18:00–23:30
  • Thu18:00–23:30
  • Fri18:00–23:30
  • Sat18:00–23:30
  • Sun11:30–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Sunderland Empire
Sunderland › City Centre★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland's grand touring theatre.
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The 3 Stories
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Three floors on High Street West with live music seven days a week and rooftop views
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon09:00–23:00
  • Tue09:00–23:00
  • Wed09:00–23:00
  • Thu09:00–23:00
  • Fri09:00–00:00
  • Sat09:00–02:00
  • Sun09:00–23:00
View venue›
c. 50
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Bunker
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland community music CIC — learn, play, record and perform.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon09:00–22:00
  • Tue09:00–22:00
  • Wed09:00–22:00
  • Thu09:00–22:00
  • Fri09:00–22:00
  • Sat09:00–22:00
  • Sun09:00–22:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Dun Cow
Sunderland › Sunderland city centre★★★★★ (—)
Grade II listed Edwardian 'gin palace' in Sunderland's Culture Quarter with live music and fortnightly buskers' nights.
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon15:00–23:00
  • Tue15:00–23:00
  • Wed15:00–23:00
  • Thu12:00–23:00
  • Fri12:00–00:00
  • Sat12:00–00:00
  • Sun12:00–23:00
View venue›
c. 800
Claim this venue
The Fire Station
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland's restored 1907 fire station, now a mid-scale live music and arts venue
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Peacock
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Stunning family-run pub with live music.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • MonClosed
  • TueClosed
  • WedClosed
  • Thu12:00–23:00
  • Fri12:00–00:00
  • Sat12:00–00:00
  • Sun12:00–20:00
View venue›
c. 50
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Point Events Venue
Sunderland › Holmeside, Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Pop and house events venue.
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
c. 450
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Saltgrass
Sunderland › Hanover Pl★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland pub with live music.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon16:00–22:00
  • Tue16:00–22:00
  • Wed16:00–22:00
  • Thu16:00–22:00
  • Fri14:00–23:00
  • Sat12:00–23:00
  • Sun12:00–22:00
View venue›
c. 80
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Secret Garden Pub
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland pub with live entertainment.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
c. 80
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Ship Isis
Sunderland★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland pub with live entertainment.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon16:00–23:00
  • Tue16:00–23:00
  • Wed16:00–23:00
  • Thu16:00–23:00
  • Fri12:00–00:00
  • Sat12:00–00:00
  • Sun12:00–23:00
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
These Things Happen
Sunderland › Roker★★★★★ (—)
Tribute entertainment venue.
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon09:00–21:00
  • Tue09:00–21:00
  • Wed09:00–21:00
  • Thu09:00–22:00
  • Fri09:00–00:00
  • Sat09:00–00:00
  • Sun09:00–22:30
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Herrington Country Park
Houghton le Spring › Penshaw★★★★★ (—)
Sunderland park for multi-genre outdoor festivals.
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
c. 180
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Horden Comrades Social Club
Peterlee › Horden★★★★★ (—)
Working men's social club with a large concert hall in Horden
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Low Lights Tavern
North Shields › Tynemouth★★★★★ (—)
Harbourside tavern with live music.
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • 2 vocal mics
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon11:00–00:00
  • Tue11:00–00:00
  • Wed11:00–00:00
  • Thu11:00–00:00
  • Fri11:00–00:00
  • Sat11:00–00:00
  • Sun11:00–00:00
View venue›
Claim this venue
South Shields Folk Club (South Tyneside Indoor Bowls and Social Club)
South Shields › Horsley Hill★★★★★ (—)
Grassroots South Shields venue with a regular open mic night
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Engine Room
North Shields › Fish Quay★★★★★ (—)
Small underground arts and music venue near North Shields Fish Quay
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon16:00–23:00
  • Tue16:00–23:00
  • Wed16:00–23:00
  • Thu16:00–23:00
  • Fri16:00–23:00
  • Sat14:00–23:00
  • Sun14:00–23:00
View venue›

All 23 Sunderland venues →

Open mics in Sunderland

Open mics are regular nights rather than one-off gigs: the same venue, the same night, week in, week out - 13 nights in Sunderland. Each card shows the night, the sign-up time and the fee; most are free to watch and to play.

EVERY
Tue
Diego's Joint
Sunderland
Next Tue 17 NovStarts 19:00
  • Sign-up19:00
  • Slots—
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
2-WK
Tue
The Dun Cow
Sunderland
Starts 19:30
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots10 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Wed
The Bunker
Sunderland
Next Wed 18 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Wed
Live Lounge
Sunderland
Next Wed 18 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Wed
The Peacock
Sunderland
Next Wed 18 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Wed
The Ship Isis
Sunderland
Next Wed 18 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
1ST
Thu
The Saltgrass
Hanover Pl, Sunderland
Next Thu 3 DecStarts 19:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots15 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians, Electronic artists
View details›
EVERY
Thu
The Secret Garden Pub
Tunstall Road, Sunderland
Next Thu 19 NovStarts 19:30
  • Sign-up19:00
  • Slots10 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
1ST
Thu
Independent
Sunderland
Starts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots15 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
EVERY
Thu
Harbour View Pub
Roker, Sunderland
Next Thu 19 NovStarts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots12 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›
2-WK
Thu
Steels Social Club
Sunderland
Starts 20:00
  • Sign-up19:30
  • Slots10 min
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PAProvided
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians, Poets, Comedians, Spoken word artists
View details›
EVERY
Sun
South Shields Folk Club (South Tyneside Indoor Bowls and Social Club)
Horsley Hill, South Shields
Next Sun 15 NovStarts 19:30
  • Sign-up—
  • Slots—
  • EntryNo fee listed
  • PA—
  • Backline—
  • Open toMusicians
View details›

All 13 Sunderland open mics →

Support grassroots music in Sunderland

Grassroots venues are where every act you have ever paid to see started out. Sunderland still has 23 of them.

Wearside scene with grassroots Bunker heritage and a strong electronic and indie calendar. Venue or private-event hire? See Find a Band in Sunderland for rate ranges, the County Durham wedding corridor (Lumley Castle, Seaham Hall, Ramside Hall) and the Field Music-and-Futureheads-heritage indie/electronic specialist circuit. Sunderland's working calendar runs about 6 live nights weekly across Park Lane and the Bridges, with around 28 active venues programming live music monthly. Indie and electronic specialists clear an estimated 14% premium over comparable North-East cities thanks to the Wearside heritage. Planning a private party instead? See booking live entertainment in Sunderland for bands, singers and DJs for one-off occasions. Booking for the company rather than yourself? See corporate entertainment in Sunderland for Christmas parties, awards nights and conferences.

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.

Think of this as the city's noticeboard: 3 gigs across Sunderland in the next four weeks, alongside 23 grassroots venues and 13 regular open mic nights, updated daily from the rooms that host them. There is no algorithm and no paid placement. Independent - Sunderland and The Fire Station have the most on, and the sound leans rock and pop.

So go. Pick a night you would not normally choose, buy a ticket and a drink, and bring a friend. The sign-up below sends Sunderland listings to your inbox each week, and if you run a room here, claim your venue page to keep it accurate. Start small: Harbour View Pub hosts an open mic each Thursday.

Go to one this month

3 gigs listed in Sunderland over the next four weeks, with 23 grassroots venues and 13 regular open mic nights. Pick one you have not been to before - a ticket and a round at the bar is the most useful thing anyone can do for a room like these. If you only go out once, Saturdays have the most choice.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Sunderland

—

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 Sunderland. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

What lands in your inbox. Every Monday at noon, one email of Sunderland gigs for the week ahead, never more than two on the same night. When fewer than four Sunderland gigs fall in the week, the email reaches on to the next fortnight, then the month, so you still have something to choose from.

Why sign up. Small rooms post their dates in a dozen different places; the email is the one place Sunderland's gigs are all together. Right now Sunderland leans rock and pop. One click unsubscribes, any time.

Planning ahead? Gigs in Sunderland come and go each week; festivals are planned months ahead. One festival timeline holds the UK music festivals we have date-checked, by month, region and genre, and flags clashing weekends.

What's on in Sunderland — FAQs

Common questions about live music in Sunderland, answered with this week's live data.

Nothing is listed in Sunderland for this weekend (Fri 13 Nov – Sun 15 Nov) yet - see the next 28 days below, or the Sunderland open mics, which run every week.
Counting every upcoming date, there are 11 gigs listed in and around Sunderland - sixth of 7 against its nearest places with live music, behind the Newcastle area (283).
We currently list 3 gigs in Sunderland between 13 Nov and 11 Dec, across 2 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 every upcoming gig in Sunderland in the gig directory or every city we cover.
None of the Sunderland gigs currently listed are marked free entry, though many venues do not publish a price at all. Sunderland open mic nights are your reliable free option — most charge nothing to watch or to play.
Saturday, with 2 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Saturday: 2 gigs · Friday: 1 gig. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.
Right now: Independent - Sunderland, The Fire Station. In total we track 23 grassroots venues in Sunderland, of which 2 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Sunderland venue directory.
Sunderland has 13 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 Sunderland open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.
Most Sunderland 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. Sunderland still has 23 on our list. Music Venue Trust campaigns for them nationally; venues themselves hold TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS and navigate 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 Sunderland gig directory and it is reviewed before it goes live. 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.
Every What's On page, A–Z140 pages

What's On across the UKNearby:  Gateshead, Newcastle, Durham, Stockton-on-Tees

All 139 other cities, A–ZGigs
A
Aberdeen27Accrington7AldershotAmershamAylesburyAyr
B
BarnsleyBasildon11Bath23Bedford9Belfast95BerkhamstedBillericay2Birmingham188Blackburn3Blackpool25BoltonBorehamwoodBournemouth22BracknellBradford39BridgendBrighouseBrighton85Bristol105Broxbourne9Bushey
C
Cambridge17CannockCanterburyCardiff64Carlisle34Chelmsford6Cheltenham8CheshamCheshuntChesterColchesterCoventry29Crawley
D
Derby37DerryDoncaster3Dundee12DunfermlineDurham2
E
EastbourneEdinburgh121Egham6Epsom10Exeter15
F
Farnborough6Frome
G
GatesheadGlasgow298Gloucester2GrimsbyGuildford
H
HalifaxHarpendenHarrogateHastings12HatfieldHemel HempsteadHereford3HertfordHigh Wycombe13HitchinHoddesdonHuddersfieldHull35
I
Inverness16Ipswich12
L
LancasterLeeds89Leicester22Leigh-on-SeaLincoln7Liverpool180London520Luton8
M
Maidstone11Manchester310Margate4MarlowMiddlesbrough18Milton Keynes13
N
NewburyNewcastle109Newquay13Newry2Northampton18Norwich19Nottingham93Nuneaton
O
Oxford21
P
PaisleyPerthPeterborough11Plymouth8Portsmouth14Potters BarPreston31
R
Rawtenstall17Reading12RickmansworthRochdale
S
Scarborough14Sheffield57ShrewsburySouthampton55SouthportSt AlbansStevenageStirlingStockportStockton-on-Tees9Stoke-on-Trent16Sutton10Swansea9Swindon2
T
Telford7TorquayTringTunbridge Wells8
W
WakefieldWalsallWaterlooville4Watford16Welwyn Garden CityWeymouth3WhitbyWidnesWoking9Wolverhampton36WorcesterWorthingWrexham21
Y
York14

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Naumaan Zahid
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Live gigs across the UK, kept fresh. Spot something wrong or missing? Let me know and I’ll fix it.

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