Swindon · the live music guide
Live Music in Swindon
Swindon, Wiltshire
Swindon's acts on GigXchange lean Alternative Rock, Rock and Blues. Of the 10 venues that list their live nights, 5 put on music on Saturdays and 4 on Fridays. Of the 5 with a known size, 2 are small rooms under 150 and 3 hold up to 500.
Updated 1 November 2026
01 — The short answer
SwindonLive music in Swindon
Swindon has 13 venues listing live music, 4 gigs in the next 30 days and 11 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.
Swindon's live music is a pub circuit with a rock venue at its centre - the Rolleston for bands, The Victoria in Old Town and a string of locals with jam nights and open mics.
The Rolleston is Swindon's rock venue in the town centre, with bands on Fridays and Saturdays. Up in Old Town, The Victoria mixes bands with comedy nights, and The Tuppenny runs a Thursday open mic. The Beehive, tucked behind the college, puts music on on Thursdays and Fridays, The Queens Tap has live music midweek and at weekends, and The Bakers Arms in Upper Stratton keeps a Thursday open mic and jam. In north Swindon, The Tawny Owl has a function room with Saturday music.
listing live music
| Gigsin the next 30 days · in Swindon | 4 |
| Open micsactive nights · in Swindon | 11 |
| On GigXchangeSwindon acts · with a profile you can browse | 5 |
02 — The scene
Live Music Scene Score — Swindon100
| Artists | 15 |
| Venues | 0 |
| Gigs 90d | 23 |
| Rates | 50 |
| Heritage | 0 |
| Activity | 0 |
03 — Rooms to know
4 roomsThe rooms to know
Swindon's band pub, its Old Town room and two locals where new players get a start.
| Rock pubThe Rolleston ArmsTown-centre pub and rock venue with bands on Fridays and Saturdays. Books: rock, covers.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Old Town pubThe VictoriaOld Town pub with live music and comedy. Books: indie, comedy, covers.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Music pubThe BeehivePub behind the college with live music on Thursdays and Fridays. Books: folk, blues, rock.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
| Jam pubThe Bakers ArmsUpper Stratton pub with a Thursday open mic and jam. Books: open mic, jam.Getting on: Direct with the venue |
04 — The week
Every weekLive music nights
Thursday is the big night in Swindon: 3 venues list live music and 2 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 Swindon.
Regular live music nights in Swindon
Venues that list live music on that night, plus open mics that run on it every week.
| Tuesday1 venue · 2 open mics - The Rolleston Arms, The Beehive |
| Wednesday1 venue · 2 open mics - The Queens Tap, The Victoria |
| Thursday3 venues · 2 open mics - The Bakers Arms, The Tuppenny |
| Friday4 venues · 1 open mic - Caffe Vialottie |
| Saturday5 venues · 0 open mics |
| Sunday0 venues · 1 open mic - The Tawny Owl |
05 — The scene
SwindonThe Swindon sound
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Swindon is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
| Town centreThe Rolleston carries the rock nights close to the railway town's old streets. |
| Old TownThe Victoria and The Tuppenny give the hilltop Old Town its comedy, bands and open mic. |
| Around the townThe Beehive, The Queens Tap, The Bakers Arms and The Tawny Owl keep music going in the neighbourhoods. |
| Room sizesSmall rooms under 150: 2 · mid-size up to 500: 3 · bigger stages: 0 - 5 rooms in Swindon with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Swindon venue directory. |
| The open mic circuit11 open mic nights run in Swindon - The Tawny Owl and The Wine Bar among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times. |
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Newbury, Oxford and Cheltenham.
| NearbyLive music in Newbury | |
| NearbyLive music in Oxford | |
| NearbyLive music in Cheltenham |
06 — Venues
13 roomsWhere live music happens
Live music in Swindon happens across 13 listed venues - Caffe Vialottie and Haydon Wick Club among them. Each card shows its size, its kit and its live nights.
Photo: Google Caffe VialottieBlunsdon St Andrew · SwindonHouse PA 
Haydon Wick ClubHaydon Wick · Swindon Cap tbc 
RollestonSwindon town centre · Swindon 400Cap 
The Bakers ArmsUpper Stratton · SwindonFull kit Cap tbc 
The BeehiveSwindonHouse PA Cap tbc 
The Plough InnOld Town · Swindon Cap tbc 
The PulpitOld Town · Swindon Cap tbc 
The Queens TapSwindonHouse PA 100Cap 
The Rolleston ArmsSwindonHouse PA 400Cap 
The Royal OakOld Town · Swindon Cap tbc Each card carries capacity, backline and opening hours. Browse them all on the Swindon venue directory, see what is booked on the Swindon gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
| All live music venues in Swindon |
07 — Gigs
Next 4The next 30 days Swindon
4 gigs are listed in Swindon for the next 30 days, from free pub sets to ticketed shows - rebuilt nightly from the gig directory.
Starts19:30 The Yacht Rock ExperienceWyvern Theatre · Central · Swindon 
The Gerry Cinna-Man ExperienceThe Victoria Swindon · Eastcott · SwindonTickets 20:00Fri 6 Nov 
BoyzlifeM.E.C.A. Swindon · Central · Swindon 19:30Sun 15 Nov 
What's Love Got to do With it - Tina Turner TributeWyvern Theatre · Queen's Park · Swindon 19:30Thu 26 Nov Every listing is a real Swindon date, rebuilt nightly from the Swindon gig directory. See the Swindon venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
| All Swindon gigs | |
| What's on in Swindon this weekthe weekly gig guide, by email |
08 — Next step
Pick yoursYour next step in Swindon
Whoever you are, Swindon 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 Swindon this weekthe Swindon gig guide, by email | |
| ArtistsHow to get gigspay, venues that book, how to pitch | |
| ArtistsOpen mics in Swindonfree stage time, night by night | |
| BookersBook live musicprices, steps, licensing | |
| BookersBooking live entertainment in Swindonbirthdays, weddings, private parties | |
| VenuesLive music venues in Swindonclaim 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 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 Swindonthe booking guide - every act size and event type | |
| What gigs pay in Swindonthe artist guide - the pay ladder and how to pitch | |
| The GX Indexevery UK fee table, open data |
10 — Compare
Nearest scenesHow Swindon compares
The Swindon area ranks seventh of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Bristol, Bath, Oxford, Reading, Cheltenham, Gloucester and High Wycombe. 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 | Bristol 35 open mics · 270 upcoming gigs | 86 |
| 02 | Bath 13 open mics · 59 upcoming gigs | 36 |
| 03 | Oxford 23 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs | 35 |
| 04 | Reading 17 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs | 31 |
| 05 | Cheltenham 19 open mics · 17 upcoming gigs | 27 |
| 06 | Gloucester 11 open mics · 7 upcoming gigs | 19 |
| 07 | Swindon This city 11 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs | 17 |
| 08 | High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs | 14 |
11 — Questions9 answersFrequently asked questions
12 — Keep exploring
SwindonMore of Swindon
More live music resources for Swindon 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 SwindonThe 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 Swindon. | |
| Upcoming Gigs in SwindonThe full Swindon gig calendar — touring shows, festivals, and venues hiring acts across the region. | |
| Open Mics in SwindonOpen mic nights near Swindon — directions, dates, and the grass-roots route into paid bookings. | |
| Swindon Rate BenchmarkWhat UK bands actually charge by city and gig type. Median fees from the live GigXchange Index. |
Everything live in Swindon — venues, open mics and upcoming gigs. Step-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Swindon. Artists and bands available around Swindon.
| GigsUpcoming gigs in Swindon — sorted by dateWhat's on in Swindon — the local gig directory. Upcoming gigs in Swindon, 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.Swindon gigs · UK gig directory |
| VenuesGrassroots venues, pubs and stages in SwindonCapacity, backline and booking contacts for Swindon venues. Grassroots venues, pubs and stages in Swindon. Capacity and backline specs where known. Re-verified on a rolling cycle. Claim your venue to keep it current.Swindon venues · For venues |
| Open MicsFree stage time — Swindon open mic nightsJust starting out? Swindon open mic nights, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Weekly open mic nights across Swindon. Filter by night of the week. Free stage time — walk in, sign up, play. The grassroots pipeline to paid gigs.Swindon open mics · UK open mic finder |
| GuidesHow to get gigs and book live music in SwindonStep-by-step playbooks for gigging and booking in Swindon. How to get gigs. How to book live music. Find a band in Swindon. Written for working musicians and venues.How to get gigs · How to book · Find a band |
| RatesWhat live acts earn in SwindonLive Swindon 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 |
The Wine Bar in Highworth hosts an open mic trad session every other Monday at 7.45pm.
| Every UK city scenethe city guides, A to Z |
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Live Music in Swindon
Swindon's live music is a pub circuit with a rock venue at its centre - the Rolleston for bands, The Victoria in Old Town and a string of locals with jam nights and open mics.
Last updated: 1 November 2026
Live Music in Swindon: the Short Answer
Swindon has 13 venues listing live music, 4 gigs in the next 30 days and 11 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.
Swindon's acts on GigXchange lean Alternative Rock, Rock and Blues. Of the 10 venues that list their live nights, 5 put on music on Saturdays and 4 on Fridays. Of the 5 with a known size, 2 are small rooms under 150 and 3 hold up to 500.
The Rolleston is Swindon's rock venue in the town centre, with bands on Fridays and Saturdays. Up in Old Town, The Victoria mixes bands with comedy nights, and The Tuppenny runs a Thursday open mic. The Beehive, tucked behind the college, puts music on on Thursdays and Fridays, The Queens Tap has live music midweek and at weekends, and The Bakers Arms in Upper Stratton keeps a Thursday open mic and jam. In north Swindon, The Tawny Owl has a function room with Saturday music.
The Swindon Rooms to Know
Swindon's band pub, its Old Town room and two locals where new players get a start. 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 Swindon
Thursday is the big night in Swindon: 3 venues list live music and 2 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 Swindon. How the UK gig week compares.
Regular live music nights in Swindon
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 3 1 venue
2 open mics The Rolleston ArmsThe Beehive - Wed 3 1 venue
2 open mics The Queens TapThe Victoria - Thu 5 3 venues
2 open mics The Bakers ArmsThe Tuppenny - Fri 5 4 venues
1 open mic Caffe Vialottie - Sat 5 5 venues
0 open mics - Sun 1 0 venues
1 open mic The Tawny Owl
The Swindon Sound and Where It Happens
Every venue, gig and open mic we list in Swindon is on the map - zoom in to see where each part of the scene plays, then read what each area is known for.
The Rolleston carries the rock nights close to the railway town's old streets.
The Victoria and The Tuppenny give the hilltop Old Town its comedy, bands and open mic.
The Beehive, The Queens Tap, The Bakers Arms and The Tawny Owl keep music going in the neighbourhoods.
Small rooms under 150: 2 · mid-size up to 500: 3 · bigger stages: 0 - 5 rooms in Swindon with a known capacity. Every room's size and kit is on the Swindon venue directory.
11 open mic nights run in Swindon - The Tawny Owl and The Wine Bar among them. The way in for new acts: every night, with sign-up times.
Acts travel, and the next scene is one city over - Newbury, Oxford and Cheltenham.
Where Live Music Happens in Swindon
Live music in Swindon happens across 13 listed venues - Caffe Vialottie and Haydon Wick Club 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 Swindon venue directory, see what is booked on the Swindon gig directory, or check what the city pays in the GX Index.
The Next 30 Days in Swindon
4 gigs are listed in Swindon 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 Swindon date, rebuilt nightly from the Swindon gig directory. See the Swindon venues hosting them, or what these gigs pay in the GX Index.
Your Next Step in Swindon
Whoever you are, Swindon 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 Swindon
One figure from the GX Index - what acts are actually paid, the South West median where it rests on 20+ fees. The full prices and the pay guide are one click away.
How Swindon Compares
The Swindon area ranks seventh of 8 for live music venues against its 7 nearest city scenes - Bristol, Bath, Oxford, Reading, Cheltenham, Gloucester and High Wycombe. 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 Bristol 35 open mics · 270 upcoming gigs 86
- #2 Bath 13 open mics · 59 upcoming gigs 36
- #3 Oxford 23 open mics · 42 upcoming gigs 35
- #4 Reading 17 open mics · 50 upcoming gigs 31
- #5 Cheltenham 19 open mics · 17 upcoming gigs 27
- #6 Gloucester 11 open mics · 7 upcoming gigs 19
- #7 Swindon This city 11 open mics · 15 upcoming gigs 17
- #8 High Wycombe 12 open mics · 26 upcoming gigs 14
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to play Swindon?
Swindon pubs and Wiltshire party planners look for acts on GigXchange. Your profile is free - add your music and open nights. Make a free profile in a few minutes, add your sound and the dates you are free, and let Swindon bookers find you.