Live music in Leicester!

Leicester has a vibrant and exciting music scene, with events taking place almost every night of the week. Rock and pop, classical, touring artists and local up and comers all share stages across the city.
Venues range from the 2,000 seat De Montfort Hall, the 100-year old theatre setting of the Y through to pubs and bars like Duffys, Firebug and the Soundhouse. There’s also The International, which has taken on the mantle from the much missed Musician of showcasing exciting unsigned and touring bands from across the world.
This summer there is a wealth of fantastic talent taking to the stage and we’re wrapping up some of the best picks in this new blog. Take a look at our list and let us know if we’ve missed anything!
Friday 22 August
Sounds Of The Lioness – A tribute to Amy Winehouse at The International Tickets
The Flaneurs at Firebug Tickets
Eastfield Rail Punks, Tri Subversion, Dropping Like Flies at Duffys. £5 on the door
The Sydneys plus Aguyilike and Injury Output at The Big Difference Tickets
Saturday 23 August
David Wyatt Band at The International Tickets
Bonnie and the Jets plus Amy Dx Tickets
Home Grown Leicestershire featuring Tom Meighan and The South at Leicester Racecourse Tickets
Sunday 24 August
Bank Holiday Sunday Annual Alldayer at Firebug and Duffys FREE ENTRY!
Zero Plus One at The International Tickets
10 Years of 2Funky Complex, live music and DJs at 2Funky Music Café Tickets
monday 25 August
The Soundhouse takeover at The Cradock Arms featuring Anouk, Rob Mason, Paddy McCullough, John Fryer, Dean Welch, Northstar, Talking With Ghosts. Free entry from 1.30pm
Thursday 28 August
Nashville Nights: The Other Country, Dust & Debris, Leannan at The International Tickets
Friday 29 August
Ultimate Texas at The International Tickets
Ba’al, Cairns, Acceptance, Pluto Tickets
The Essence at 2Funky Music Café Tickets
Brewbeat on Jubilee Square. Free live music, craft ale food and cocktails
Saturday 30 August
Hellbent Forever and Counterfeit Kiss at The International Tickets
LUV LUV LUV: Alternative Pride Party at Firebug Tickets
Cyclops One, Freida, Above Your Station and Venus Attax at The Soundhouse Tickets
Formation Records presents Formfest 2025 at 2Funky Music Café Tickets
Brewbeat on Jubilee Square. Free live music, craft ale food and cocktails
Sunday 31 August
Highway 61 Revisited by Kenny Wilson and Friends at The International Tickets
Skeletal Family at Firebug Tickets
Brewbeat on Jubilee Square. Free live music, craft ale food and cocktails
Keep Flying, Eat Defeat, Fighting Evil is Cool!, Shackleford, and False Summits at Duffys. Tickets just £10 plus booking fee. Tickets
Tickets are just £10 + bf, which is just over £2 a band and an absolute STEAL for a line up this good.
Thursday 4 September
Skloss + The Dirt + Oscillator at The International. Tickets
Friday 5 September
Hotter Than Hell KISS tribute at O2 Academy. Tickets
Elvis Returns tribute act at 2Funky Music Café. Tickets
Saturday 6 September
Moretallica: Metallica tribute at The International. Tickets
All In The Planning Presents: GOO at The Big Difference. Tickets
Publicity | In From the Rain | Obi Denim at The Soundhouse. Tickets
Metal Fatigue at The Metal Monocle. Tickets
Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 September
HRH Sleaze at O2 Academy featuring Babylon A.D., Pretty Boy Floyd, Warrior Soul and Voltstorm Tickets
Sunday 7 September
Looma + Andy Griffiths + Bride Of The Blues at The International. Tickets
Tuesday 9 September
Alan Fletcher Back to School album tour at The International. Tickets
Wednesday 10 September
Franck Carducci and The Fantastic Squad at The International. Tickets
Thursday 11 September
Fortitude Valley plus Virginia’s Wolves and The Marlinas at Duffy’s. Tickets
Leicester Jazz House presents Arun Ghosh Quintet at The Y Theatre. Tickets
Friday 12 September
Limehouse Lizzy at the Y Theatre Tickets
IQ at the Y Theatre Tickets
The Herron Brothers plus JJ Lovegrove at Firebug. Tickets
Dayflower plus Leave Your Body Behind and Green Grango at The Big Difference. Tickets
Divide The Truth plus Lucid High and Arwassa at The Metal Monocle. FREE ENTRY
Saturday 13 September
Gypsy Pistoleros plus Spitting Feathers at Duffy’s. Tickets
Boilers and Friends at Firebug. More info
Never The Bride at The Soundhouse. Tickets
Earthbound, Mysticist, and Awaiting at The Metal Monocle. FREE ENTRY
Sunday 14 September
Classic Albums Live perform The Beatles White Album at the O2 Academy. Tickets
Emhc Collective Presents: Torture (USA) + Built Up On Hatred – Spawned From Hate – Bile Caster at Duffy’s. Tickets
Wednesday 17 September
Leicester International Music Festival 2025: Concert 1, ‘The Trout” at Hansom Hall. Tickets
Broken Narrative/ Mercy Falls/ Shallowdrown at Firebug. Tickets
Thursday 18 September
Leicester International Music Festival 2025: Concert 2, ‘The Wanderer’ at Hansom Hall. Tickets
Jo Quail at The Big Difference venue. Tickets
The Rose of Avalanche + Salvation & The spiritual bat at Duffy’s. Tickets
Friday 19 September
Blank Manuskript and Dandelion Charm at The International. Tickets
Reggae Winehouse at 2Funky Music Café. Tickets
Dopamine Carsh/ Bad Toaster/ The Marlinas/ St Brigids at Firebug. Tickets
Plastic Circus, Injury Detail, Canvas Tile at The Soundhouse Tickets
POGO and special guests at The Metal Monocle. FREE ENTRY
Saturday 20 September
The Antarctic Monkeys tribute at O2 Academy. Tickets
RnB vs Garage at the O2 Academy. Tickets
Leicester International Music Festival 2025: Festival Finale, Schubert String Quintet at Hansom Hall. Tickets
Who’s Next – Tribute To The Who at Duffy’s. Tickets
Idol Maiden: Iron Maiden tribute act at The International. Tickets
Blurd and NotRadioHead: tribute acts at The International. Tickets
Palms | Slowburn | Then it Exploded at The Soundhouse. Tickets
9 Carat Purple: Deep Purple tribute at The Shed. Tickets
Fu Fighters: Foo Fighters tribute at The Metal Monocle. Tickets
Sunday 21 September
◀◀ Rewind : The Journey of Soul, R&B and UK Garage Live! Tickets
The Book Of Genesis: Genesis tribute act at The International. Tickets
Thursday 25 September
Leicester Jazz House Presents: John Etheridge’s Blue Spirits Trio at Phoenix Cinema. Tickets
Friday 26 September
Hot Squash and Friends at Firebug. Tickets
Casey McQuillen Live in Leicester. Tickets
Vicious Nature, RattleSnakesband, Apollyon Rising at The Metal Monocle. FREE ENTRY
Friday 26 & Saturday 27 September
Crowded Festival. Independent Heavy Metal Festival across Firebug, Duffy’s and The Big Difference venue. Tickets
Saturday 27 September
Common Folk Festival at Various venues in Leicester.
Candlelight: Coldplay vs Ed Sheeran at The Guildhall. Tickets
The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican at The Soundhouse. Tickets
Johnny2Bad UB40 tribute at 2Funky Music Cafe. Tickets
V8 at The Metal Monocle. Tickets
Sunday 28 September
Leicester Raga Rhythms, Kathak, Indian Slide Guitar & Tabla Duet at the Sue Townsend Theatre. Tickets
The Phil Beer Trio at the Y Theatre Tickets
Tuesday 30 September
Leicester Philharmonia: Beethoven and Shostakovitch at De Montfort Hall. Tickets
open mics and guest spots
Tuesday nights at the Soundhouse.
Tuesday nights at King Richard III pub with Rhett Barrow
Wednesday nights at The Western with Joe Scott
Last Thursday of the month at the Real Ale Classroom.
Last Friday of the month at James Café Bistro.
Third Thursday of the month at Baton Rouge.