The Ultimate Nottingham Gig Guide

From pop to indie to rock, Amrit Virdi provides incoming freshers with all the need-to-know info about Nottingham’s music scene.

Renowned for its thriving music scene and for being home to some of the UK’s biggest artists, including Jake Bugg and Sleaford Mods, Nottingham is the perfect city for music-loving students to call home. With a slew of venues offering live performances of all genres, Nottingham can safely be called one of the UK’s biggest music hubs.

What could be better than a venue that also doubles as an ice rink? Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, dubbed the biggest live entertainment venue in the East Midlands, is where one can find some of the biggest artists in the industry. Everyone from One Direction to The 1975 to Dolly Parton has played here, and in the next year, you can expect to find HAIM, Little Mix and Dua Lipa gracing the stage at the home of the Nottingham Panthers. About a fifth of its size but still providing the same – if not more – energy than the Motorpoint Arena, Rock City is a legendary venue, even housing the likes of Nirvana back in the day. Whilst you may be most familiar with its cheap and cheerful club nights, the iconic independent musical hub also offers a great gig. In the next year, you can find the likes of Declan McKenna, Tom Grennan, Yungblud, Bugzy Malone and Becky Hill performing here, along with many more big names and up-andcoming independent artists. Similar to Rock City, another local venue offering boozy gigs is The Bodega. With its beer garden and clubbing space, there is no doubt that you will find yourself attending one of their ‘Indie Wednesdays’ at some point in your university career. The venue also doubles as a host for intimate gigs, however, where up-andcoming and talented artists have the opportunity to showcase their work. It has been a starting place for many names that you may be familiar with: Coldplay, HAIM, Two Door Cinema Club, Charli XCX and many others have played here, before gradually working their way up to Nottingham’s bigger venues. The likes of Sea Girls and King No One can be found here within the next year.

On the same note, some even more intimate live music settings can be found at Nottingham’s Metronome and Rough Trade. The Metronome is a 400-capacity venue found in the city centre, while Rough Trade is an independent record store in Hockley, with album signings often being hosted in-store as well. What’s better than going to a gig and having the opportunity to freshen up your vinyl collection at the same time? Whether you’re looking to see chart-topping acts or discover a new up-and-coming artist, Nottingham has you covered for all your gigging needs!

By Amrit Virdi Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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