Rocking at The Bodega
Whether you prefer the bombast of a stadium show or the intimacy of an independent, locally run venue, there are plenty of places to catch live music in Nottingham. So let’s look at some of the venues where you might see your favourite band or discover a new one.
Motorpoint Arena
Let’s start with the biggest. As well as being home to the Nottingham Panthers, the Motorpoint Arena hosts some of the biggest names to come through our fair city. It’s all about spectacle, with big rigs, pyrotechnics and top-notch stage production. The acts range from classic artists like Megadeth, Beyoncé and Squeeze to newcomers like Kneecap and Wolf Alice. And it’s not just bands: comedy nights and touring TV shows share the stage too.
motorpointarenanottingham.com
Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Stealth and The Palais
Now 45 years old, Rock City isn’t just an iconic venue in Notts: it’s revered worldwide and has hosted everyone from Nirvana to R.E.M. Along with its sister venues Rescue Rooms, Stealth and now The Palais, it continues to bring some of the best names to rooms of every size.
rock-city.co.uk | rescuerooms.com | stealthclub.komi.io | thepalais.co.uk
“The local bands of today could just turn out to be the big bands of tomorrow.”
— Marq Sutton, NottsRocks
Rough Trade
For twelve years now, Rough Trade has used its clout to bring in bands for launches, “evenings with” and signings. Above the record shop in the heart of Hockley, it frequently hosts touring and local bands as well. If you’re in any doubt about the calibre of acts, just visit and read the walls that everyone has signed.
roughtrade.com
The Bodega
If it’s new and up-and-coming bands you want to catch, look no further than The Bodega, a medium-sized room that still packs a punch. If you want to be the one who says “I saw them before they got big”, here’s your chance. It also hosts club nights, DJs and a quiz, and it’s popular with students.
bodeganottingham.com
The Grove and JT Soar
Two spaces that share a similar ethos are The Grove and JT Soar, grassroots venues that champion the thriving local scene as well as touring artists. Both also house recording facilities and practice rooms. Seeing bands in rooms like these doesn’t just support the bands; it allows the venues to keep doing what they do best. The local bands of today could just turn out to be the big bands of tomorrow.
thegrovenotts.co.uk | JT Soar
And there’s more…
There’s also Metronome, Saltbox, The Nest, The Angel, Bunkers Hill, The Salutation, The Boat Club, Fisher Gate Point and Billy Bootleggers, to name but a few. With a plethora of open mic nights and pop-up spaces, live music is never far away.
That’s without even mentioning our two flagship festivals, Hockley Hustle and Dot to Dot, both of which have been running for twenty years.
hockleyhustle.co.uk | dottodotfestival.co.uk
Whether you live in Nottingham or are just visiting, we’re truly spoilt for live music, every single day.