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Portsmouth · 30 venues · 15 with a PA

Grassroots Venues in Portsmouth

Every grassroots room in Portsmouth - capacity, backline, who books it.

By size: 7 small (under 150), 4 mid-size (150 to 499), 4 large (500+), 15 with no size listed. 26 of the 30 open rooms are verified. 0 with full backline, 0 with a sound engineer.

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What's onList your venue

Updated 12 November 2026

At a glance
Portsmouth
30
Grassroots
venues
in Portsmouth
In detail
House PA15 venues
Full backline0 venues
In-house engineer0 venues
Venue Score56 /100
01 — Find a venue
30 rooms
Pick your room
Size
Kit
Hire
City
Sort
Photo: Google 80 cap Bold ForesterSouthseaHouse PANo gigs listed yet Fareham LiveFarehamKit not listedNext gig:Wed 18 Nov The Yacht Rock Experience Cap tbc KOLASouthseaKit not listedNext gig:Fri 13 Nov Earthtone9 80Cap Lord John RussellSouthseaKit not listedNo gigs listed yet Cap tbc O'Neill's SouthseaSouthseaKit not listedNo gigs listed yet Cap tbc Pitt St SkateparkPortsmouthKit not listedNo gigs listed yet 6,000Cap Portsmouth GuildhallPortsmouthHouse PANo gigs listed yet 2,200Cap Portsmouth Irish ClubSouthseaKit not listedNo gigs listed yet Cap tbc Portsmouth Rail Social ClubFratton · PortsmouthKit not listedNo gigs listed yet 120Cap Rapscallions Port SolentPort Solent · PortsmouthHouse PANo gigs listed yet Cap tbc
02 — The scene
Venue Score
56
Out of
100
Solid — healthy coverage, building on genres. A dependable circuit for touring acts.
How it adds up (0-100)
Choice75
Coverage100
Backline0
PA50
Engineer0
Genres100
03 — Rooms + kit
Live data
What Portsmouth has
By size
Small under 1507 47%
Medium 150-4994 27%
Large 500+4 27%
Size not listed15

Rooms with no size listed show under every size in 01.

Kit
Bring your own15 50%
PA only15 50%
Full backline0 0%
This month
Added3
Removed0
Verified3
Re-verified4
04 — More of Portsmouth
Beyond the rooms
Gigs, mics + hire
Go next
Featured venueBold ForesterSouthsea · 80 cap
Portsmouth gigsWhat's on at these rooms, by date
What's on this weekEvery gig over the next seven days
Portsmouth open micsWeekly stage time, re-checked on a rolling cycle
Portsmouth music sceneVenues, rates, guides and gigs
Private hire

6 Portsmouth venues say on their own websites that they take private hire - parties, weddings and work events. Each card opens the venue’s rooms, capacities and how to enquire.

Fareham LivePrivate hireRapscallions SouthseaPrivate hireStrings Bar & VenuePrivate hireThe Golden EaglePrivate hireThe LoftPrivate hireFareham LivePrivate hireRapscallions SouthseaPrivate hireStrings Bar & VenuePrivate hireThe Golden EaglePrivate hireThe LoftPrivate hire
05 — Other cities
90 cities
Venues elsewhere
LondonGlasgowManchester
All cities, A–ZVenues
A
Aberdeen27Aberystwyth10Accrington12Aldershot16
B
Basildon21Bath36Bedford14Belfast77Billericay6Birmingham80Blackburn11Blackpool47Boston12Bournemouth30Bradford42Brighton94Bristol86Broxbourne12
C
Cambridge31Cardiff63Carlisle19Chelmsford13Cheltenham27Cirencester8Coventry46Crawley14
D
Derby38Derry14Doncaster19Dublin3Dundee35Durham17
E
Edinburgh118Egham17Epsom18Exeter48
F
Farnborough6
G
Glasgow168Gloucester21Grimsby11
H
Hastings24Hereford23High Wycombe14Horley4Hull32
I
Inverness29Ipswich35
L
Leeds92Leicester40Lincoln22Liverpool130London302Luton16
M
Maidstone22Manchester164Margate32Middlesbrough27Milton Keynes18
N
Newcastle75Newquay20Newry8Northampton26Norwich38Nottingham79
O
Oxford35
P
Peterborough22Plymouth34Preston28
R
Rawtenstall25Reading32
S
Scarborough17Sheffield94Southampton47Stockton-on-Tees16Stoke-on-Trent32Sunderland23Sutton14Swansea34Swindon19
T
Telford21Tunbridge Wells10
W
Waterlooville12Watford24Welshpool4Weymouth18Woking16Wolverhampton49Worthing1Wrexham31
Y
York48
Live music on stage: a band under the lights
Portsmouth Venues

Grassroots Venues in Portsmouth

30 grassroots music venues across Portsmouth. Capacity, backline, genres, booking info. Re-verified on a rolling cycle.

56/ 100
Portsmouth Venue Score
SolidHealthy coverage, building on genres. A dependable circuit for touring acts.
Choice75
Coverage100
Backline0
PA50
Engineer0
Genres100
Run a Portsmouth venue? Claim your page free — keep specs current

Last updated: 12 November 2026

30 Venues in Portsmouth

Portsmouth has 30 grassroots music venues listed on GigXchange, from a 60-capacity room to 6,000. Listings show the capacity, backline and PA where we hold them, plus opening times, so artists, agents and bookers can shortlist the right room before getting in touch.

Of the 30 Portsmouth venues, 15 provide a PA system; none lists full backline or an in-house engineer yet. See what these rooms have on over the next four weeks. Sign up free to view booking contacts and fee ranges.

30
grassroots venues hosting live music in Portsmouth
  • 15 provide a PA system · 0 offer full backline
  • 0 have an in-house sound engineer included
  • Booking contact, fee range and submission process available to signed-up artists
30
Venues
15
With PA
0
Full backline
0
In-house engineer
Last updated

What’s on in Portsmouth this week — or see what’s on across the UK.

Browse Portsmouth Venues

Search all 30 Portsmouth music venues by area, capacity, backline, PA, sound engineer or private hire. Every card shows the room size, what is on stage and the opening times we hold, and opens the venue’s own page with its booking information.

Showing 24 of 30 venues
c. 120
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Loft
Portsmouth › Southsea★★★★★ (—)
Southsea's Tuesday-night free open mic at 49 St James' Street, PO5 4LR — top-floor music venue, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.No gigs listed yet
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit
  • Guitar amp
  • Bass amp
  • Keys / keyboard
  • 2 vocal mics
  • In-house engineer
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
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View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Pelham Arms
Portsmouth › North End★★★★★ (—)
Portsmouth community pub with live events.No gigs listed yet
Private hire
  • PA system
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon14:00–23:00
  • Tue14:00–23:00
  • Wed14:00–23:00
  • Thu14:00–00:00
  • Fri12:00–00:00
  • Sat12:00–00:00
  • Sun12:00–22:30
View venue›
250
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Rifle Club
Southsea › Fratton★★★★★ (—)
250-capacity Southsea venue for local bands, touring acts and tribute showsNo gigs listed yet
  • 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 Spyglass Inn
Ventnor★★★★★ (—)
Isle of Wight inn with stunning views and music.No gigs listed yet
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon10:00–22:30
  • Tue10:00–22:30
  • Wed10:00–22:30
  • Thu10:00–22:30
  • Fri10:00–22:30
  • Sat10:00–22:30
  • Sun09:00–22:30
View venue›
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
The Three Tuns
Gosport › Elson, Gosport★★★★★ (—)
Gosport locals' pub with occasional live music.No gigs listed yet
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit (TBC)
  • Guitar amp (TBC)
  • Bass amp (TBC)
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon14:30–23:00
  • Tue14:30–23:00
  • Wed14:30–23:00
  • Thu14:30–23:00
  • Fri13:00–00:00
  • Sat12:00–00:00
  • Sun12:00–22:00
View venue›
c. 400
Photo: Google
Claim this venue
Wedgewood Rooms
Southsea★★★★★ (—)
400-cap rock, alt and punk Southsea venue.Next gig: Sat 14 Nov Young Knives
  • PA system (TBC)
  • Drum kit
  • Guitar amp
  • Bass amp
  • Keys / keyboard (TBC)
  • Vocal mics (TBC)
  • In-house engineer (TBC)
  • Mon—
  • Tue—
  • Wed—
  • Thu—
  • Fri—
  • Sat—
  • Sun—
View venue›

Venues You Can Hire in Portsmouth

6 Portsmouth venues say on their own websites that they take private hire - parties, weddings and work events. Each card opens the venue’s rooms, capacities and how to enquire.

Portsmouth Venue Scene in Numbers

Portsmouth’s 30 grassroots venues in one picture: how big the rooms are, what kit is on stage and how many take private hire. Use it to judge whether to bring your own backline and which size of room suits your draw before you start booking.

Grassroots venues · Portsmouth
30

From the
GigXchange venue directory

Room sizeof the 15 with a known capacity
7Small · under 150
4Medium · 150–499
4Large · 500+
What's on stageall 30 venues
15PA only
15Bring your own gear
15provide a PA
0have an in-house engineer
6take private hire
Rock · Indiemost-booked genres

How many grassroots music venues are in Portsmouth? GigXchange lists 30 grassroots music venues across Portsmouth. 50% provide a PA system.

Do Portsmouth venues provide equipment? The majority of Portsmouth venues are small (<150 capacity). Data from GigXchange’s verified Portsmouth venue directory.

Portsmouth Venue FAQs

10 answers about grassroots venues in Portsmouth, from how many there are and how big the rooms are to the kit they provide, booking a gig and listing your venue free - each answered from the venues listed here.

GigXchange lists 30 grassroots music venues in Portsmouth, from small pub back rooms to mid-size standing rooms. Each listing includes capacity, backline provision, genres booked, and verification status. Browse the full national directory at UK Venue Directory.
0 of 30 Portsmouth venues offer full backline (drums, guitar amp, bass amp, PA). 15 provide at least a PA system. Most expect artists to bring their own gear. Use the filters above to show only venues with backline.
6 Portsmouth venues state on their own websites that they take private hire for parties, weddings and work events, among them Fareham Live, Rapscallions Southsea and Strings Bar & Venue. Each venue page has a Private hire tab with its rooms, capacities and a link to enquire with the venue directly. Use the Private hire filter above to list them all.
Of the 15 Portsmouth venues with known capacity: 7 are small (under 150), 4 are medium (150–499), and 4 are large (500+). The majority of Portsmouth’s grassroots scene is intimate, small-room spaces.
Sign up free on GigXchange to view booking contacts, fee ranges, and submission processes for every Portsmouth venue. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music, EPK, or social profiles. Check current UK fee benchmarks before quoting.
Yes. GigXchange also runs the UK Open Mic Finder for Portsmouth, which lists weekly open mic nights with backline, day, and fee filters. Open mics are the main pathway from bedroom to stage for most grassroots artists. See also our guide on getting gigs in the UK.
The What’s On in Portsmouth page lists every gig we hold across these 30 venues over the next four weeks — dates, times, entry and ticket links, refreshed daily. For everything beyond that window, browse the Portsmouth gig directory.
The most commonly booked genres across Portsmouth’s 30 grassroots venues are rock, Indie, pop, acoustic, metal. Many venues accept both original music and covers. Browse artist profiles by genre to find acts for your venue.
Fees vary by venue size and event type. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current percentiles for Portsmouth by band size and venue type. Door splits are common at smaller venues; flat fees are more typical at mid-size rooms. The Musicians’ Union publishes recommended minimums.
Yes. Listing is free. If your venue is already in the directory, open its page and press Claim this venue (or create a free venue account) to self-edit your profile and manage bookings; if it is missing, email support@gigxchange.app and we will take a look. Venues with TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS can also list their music policy.
07 — Keep up with Portsmouth
Free, weekly
One email a week. Gigs near you.

Keep up with Portsmouth

One email a week with the gigs coming up at Portsmouth’s grassroots venues - new nights, open mics and shows worth catching. Free to join and easy to leave, and turning up is what keeps small rooms open.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Portsmouth

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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 Portsmouth. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

The rooms. Across the 15 rooms that list a capacity, the middle one holds about 250 and 7 hold under 150; the largest listed is Portsmouth Guildhall at 2,200. They spread across 8 areas, led by Southsea (14), North End (3) and Fratton (2).

What they book. Rock, acoustic and indie are the genres Portsmouth venues most often say they book, out of 34 genres listed. The acts that fit pitch best with a recent clip and a clear fee. 7 of these listings were added or re-checked over the last month.

Next steps. The Portsmouth gig directory shows which of these rooms are booking now, the Portsmouth open mics are where new acts get stage time, and the GX Index sets out the going rates. Booking acts for one? See live music for pubs, clubs and hotels.

More Cities

Venue guides for every UK city we cover, each with the same filters and capacity data, biggest scenes first. Useful when you are planning a run of dates or looking for a room beyond Portsmouth.

London302 Glasgow168 Manchester164 Liverpool130 Edinburgh118 Brighton94 Sheffield94 Leeds92 Bristol86 Birmingham80 Nottingham79 Belfast77 Newcastle75 Cardiff63 Wolverhampton49 Exeter48 York48 Blackpool47 Southampton47 Coventry46 Bradford42 Leicester40 Derby38 Norwich38 Bath36 Dundee35 Ipswich35 Oxford35 Plymouth34 Swansea34 Hull32 Margate32 Reading32 Stoke-on-Trent32 Cambridge31 Wrexham31 Bournemouth30 Inverness29 Preston28 Aberdeen27 Cheltenham27 Middlesbrough27 Northampton26 Rawtenstall25 Hastings24 Watford24 Hereford23 Sunderland23 Lincoln22 Maidstone22 Peterborough22 Basildon21 Gloucester21 Telford21 Newquay20 Carlisle19 Doncaster19 Swindon19 Epsom18 Milton Keynes18 Weymouth18 Durham17 Egham17 Scarborough17 Aldershot16 Luton16 Stockton-on-Tees16 Woking16 Bedford14 Crawley14 Derry14 High Wycombe14 Sutton14 Chelmsford13 Accrington12 Boston12 Broxbourne12 Waterlooville12 Blackburn11 Grimsby11 Aberystwyth10 Tunbridge Wells10 Cirencester8 Newry8 Billericay6 Farnborough6 Horley4 Welshpool4 Dublin3 Worthing1

Run a Portsmouth venue? List it free.

Listing is free. Already listed? Open your venue’s page and press Claim this venue to keep its capacity, kit and booking details up to date for the artists searching here. Missing? Email support@gigxchange.app and we will take a look.

For ArtistsFor VenuesFor AgentsFor PromotersFor OrganisersFor Fans
ForArtistsGet booked. Get paid. ForVenuesFill the calendar. ForAgentsRun your roster. ForPromotersBuild the bill. ForOrganisersBook acts for your event. ForFansFind tonight’s gigs.

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Venues like these feed the national Hardest Working Rooms table and every UK city's scene. Browse all UK venues.

Naumaan Zahid
Founder & Builder

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

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