Skip to content
City Centre · Small

The Anvil

Bournemouth's Tuesday-night free open mic at 78 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8AE — independent music pub, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

Venue at a glance The Anvil · Bournemouth
~120
Capacity
standingsmall
Varies
Live music
flexibleper week
Start time
doorsnightly
Full
Backline
on stagegear
Rock
Books
originals+3 more
Verified
Directory status
openGX directory

Want to play here?

See booking info, or visit the venue's website.

Last updated: 4 June 2026

The Anvil — Quick Facts

Bournemouth's Tuesday-night free open mic at 78 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8AE — independent music pub, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

✓ Verified openLast verified Source: theanvilbournemouth.co.uk
The Details

Everything you need before you book

Capacity~120 standing
Live nightsContact venue
Curfew
Sound limiter
Outdoor stageNo
OriginalsYes

Where

The Anvil 78 Holdenhurst Road
City Centre
Bournemouth BH8 8AE

Genres

Rock Metal Punk Alternative

Is this your venue?

Claim your listing to update details, respond to artists, and manage bookings.

Claim This Venue

Free account · No credit card · 30 seconds

  • Edit your profile
  • Set your fee range
  • Receive artist enquiries
  • Update backline & capacity

Booking Information

See contact details, fee range, payment terms and how to submit your music to this venue.

Sign up free to view

Free account · No credit card · 30 seconds

  • Booking email & phone
  • Fee range per act
  • How far ahead to book
  • Payment terms
Spotted something wrong with this listing? Closed, changed capacity, different backline? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.

What's on Stage

Equipment and backline available at this venue. We verify and update this section regularly.

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

About The Anvil

The Anvil is a grassroots music venue in City Centre, Bournemouth with a standing capacity of approximately 120. Full backline is on stage including drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, PA and vocal mics, plus an in-house sound engineer — so you can travel light.

The Anvil books Rock, Metal, Punk, Alternative acts. Both original music and covers are welcome. This listing is part of the Bournemouth venue directory.

The Anvil is Bournemouth's premier rock bar and grassroots live-music venue, in the Lansdowne area on Holdenhurst Road near the station and the university halls. Decked out in rock-and-roll style, it pairs an extensive rock jukebox and rock DJ nights with regular live gigs spanning heavy metal, punk, alternative and classic rock, and stays open late (typically 5pm until the early hours). Alongside the music there is a pool table, a chill-out area and a big range of beers, ciders and over 100 spirits. With a small-room capacity it is an intimate, high-energy stage that is a fixture of the south-coast rock scene and a reliable home for original and covers bands alike.

Have you played here? Was the backline info accurate? One tap, no sign-up required.

Find The Anvil

78 Holdenhurst Road, City Centre, Bournemouth, BH8 8AE

What should you charge for a gig here? Check live UK rates by role, city and venue size. Based on 3,798 verified rate observations.
Try the Rate Calculator

Common Questions

Seven things people ask about booking The Anvil.

Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, PA and vocal mics. In-house sound engineer included. Bring your own instrument and pedals. Looking for other venues with full backline? Browse Bournemouth venues and filter by backline.
The Anvil books Rock, Metal, Punk, Alternative. Both original music and covers are welcome. Browse artist profiles by genre on GigXchange.
Sign up free on GigXchange to view The Anvil’s booking contact, fee range, and submission process. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music or EPK. Check current UK fee benchmarks before quoting.
The Anvil has a standing capacity of approximately 120, classed as a small venue. See all Bournemouth venues for size comparisons.
Yes — The Anvil hosts open mic nights. Check the listing for day, time, and signup details on the Bournemouth Open Mic Finder.
78 Holdenhurst Road, City Centre, Bournemouth, BH8 8AE. See the map below for directions. Browse more Bournemouth venues nearby.
Fee ranges are available to signed-up artists on GigXchange. Grassroots venue fees in Bournemouth vary by event type, band size, and whether the deal is a flat fee or door split. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current UK percentiles.

More Bournemouth venues

Browse all grassroots venues in Bournemouth or search the full UK directory.

Looking for paid bookings in Bournemouth?

Naumaan
Founder & Builder

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

Did you know? The UK is one of the world’s largest music markets, behind only the US and Japan.
Email me directly →