What’s On in Nottingham & the East Midlands 2026 & 2027: Live Music & Events
Posted on Tuesday 16th June 2026 at 11:00
Written by
Will Rabjohns
What's On in Nottingham & the East Midlands 2026 & 2027: Live Music, Concerts & Events
Updated June 2026. Looking for the best live events happening across Nottingham and the East Midlands in 2026 and early 2027? From major arena tours and city-centre gigs to festivals and one-off shows, this guide highlights the standout live experiences coming to the region and where to catch them.
Discover what’s on across Nottingham and the East Midlands, from huge arena concerts and outdoor festivals to grassroots gigs and unmissable live events.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- Major concerts and tours coming to Nottingham and the East Midlands
- Standout shows and limited-date runs to book early
- Regional highlights from Nottingham, Lincoln, Derby and Leicester
- A practical FAQ to help plan your live events calendar
Standout gigs & tours across Nottingham & the East Midlands
GARETH MALONE
SING-A-LONG-A-GARETH: AT THE MOVIES
When: Sunday 18th October 2026 (Nottingham Playhouse)
TV’s choral maestro Gareth Malone leads a cinema-themed sing-along experience at Nottingham Playhouse this October.
ANTONY SZMIEREK
DECODING BIRDSONG UK TOUR
When: Friday 9th October 2026 (The Level, Nottingham)
Manchester’s acclaimed poet-turned-musician Antony Szmierek brings his Decoding Birdsong tour to The Level this October.
LIME GARDEN
MAYBE NOT TONIGHT TOUR 2026
When: Saturday 17th October 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
Indie four-piece Lime Garden bring their sharp hooks and off-kilter indie charm to Rescue Rooms this October.
PRIMAL SCREAM
XTRMNTR
When: Wednesday 9th September 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Primal Scream return to Rock City this September to celebrate their era-defining XTRMNTR, bringing a set packed with boundary-pushing classics and fierce live energy.
YARD ACT
YOU'RE GONNA NEED A LITTLE MUSIC TOUR
When: Monday 16th & Tuesday 17th November 2026 (O2 Academy Leicester & Rock City, Nottingham)
Leeds favourites Yard Act bring their sharp, smart and unpredictable live show to Leicester and Nottingham this November.
THE MARY WALLOPERS
PADDYWHACKERY LIVE 2026
When: Monday 26th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Rowdy Irish folk outfit The Mary Wallopers bring their raucous Paddywhackery Live show to Rock City this October.
FAT DOG
When: Thursday 3rd December 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Known for chaotic, high-octane live shows, Fat Dog bring their explosive sound to Rock City this December.
ASH
1977 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS
When: Sunday 6th December 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Ash celebrate 30 years of their classic album 1977, bringing a set packed with indie-rock anthems to Nottingham.
RICK WAKEMAN
THE WIZARD OF PROG - ULTIMATE HIGHLIGHTS CONCERT TOUR FEAT THE ENGLISH ROCK ENSEMBLE
When: Friday 12th March 2027 (De Montfort Hall, Leicester)
Prog-rock legend Rick Wakeman brings The Wizard Of Prog to Leicester, performing ultimate highlights with The English Rock Ensemble.
BELLE & SEBASTIAN
PERFORMING TIGERMILK FOLLOWED BY A SECOND SET OF FAVOURITES
When: Friday 11th December 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Glasgow indie legends Belle & Sebastian perform debut album Tigermilk in full, then return for a second set of favourites.
ELECTRIC CALLBOY
TANZNEID WORLD TOUR
When: Sunday 24th January 2027 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
German electro-metalcore sensation Electric Callboy bring their high-octane Tanzneid World Tour to Motorpoint Arena this January.
RØRY
THE BLOODLETTING TOUR 2027 — PLUS DELILAH BON & MOTHICA
When: Tuesday 2nd February 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Fast-rising alt-pop force Røry brings The Bloodletting Tour to Rock City, supported by Delilah Bon and Mothica.
More gigs, festivals & events across the East Midlands
From outdoor festivals and immersive experiences to comedy tours and grassroots gigs, the East Midlands calendar is packed with reasons to get out and see something live.
SPLENDOUR FESTIVAL 2026
WITH THE WOMBATS, SNOW PATROL, PRIMAL SCREAM, THE FLAMING LIPS & MORE!
When: Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th July 2026 (Wollaton Hall, Nottingham)
SIMON BRODKIN: UNLEASHED
STAND-UP TOUR 2026/27
When: Friday 18th September 2026 - Friday 19th February 2027 (multiple locations)
BOILER ROOM: OVERMONO
When: Friday 26th June 2026 (Colwick Country Park, Nottingham)
WONDERLAND FESTIVAL 2026
ANNIE MAC, SAM DIVINE, BARBARA TUCKER & MORE!
When: Saturday 4th July 2026 (Newstead Abbey, Ravenshead)
COULD BE REAL TRIBUTE FESTIVAL
When: Sunday 5th July 2026 (Newstead Abbey, Nottingham)
DAY FEVER FESTIVAL
WITH VICKY MCCLURE, PADDY MCGUINNESS, BANDARAMA BRASS BAND & MORE!
When: Saturday 29th August 2026 (Nottingham Arboretum Bandstand)
ROSESHIRE FESTIVAL 2026
THE CHARLATANS, EMBRACE, BOYZLIFE & MORE
When: Saturday 29th - Sunday 30th August 2026 (Chester House Estate, Wellingborough)
EYRE LLEW - BLOOM Album Launch Show
A ONE-NIGHT-ONLY SHOWING OF BLOOM LIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME
When: Saturday 19th September 2026 (The Nest, Nottingham)
CALL OF THE WILD 2027
When: Thursday 27th – Sunday 30th May 2027 (Lincolnshire Showground)
GLASTONBUDGET 2027
When: Thursday 27th – Monday 31st May 2027 (Turnpost Farm, Leicestershire)
DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL NOTTINGHAM 2027
EARLYBIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
When: Sunday 30th May 2027 (various Nottingham venues)
See more events in Nottingham & the East Midlands
Festivals
- Nottingham Craft Beer Festival 2026 — Friday 19th – Saturday 20th June 2026 (Sneinton Market, Nottingham)
- International Day of Yoga — Sunday 21st June 2026 (Wollaton Hall, Nottingham)
- Rum & Reggae Festival — Saturday 27th June 2026 (Colwick Country Park, Nottingham)
- Clubland Live — Friday 3rd July 2026 (Newstead Abbey, Nottingham)
- Waterfront Festival 2026 — Saturday 4th July 2026 (Canalhouse, Nottingham)
- Onefest 2026 — Thursday 9th – Sunday 12th July 2026 (The Old Library, Mansfield)
- Gloworm Festival 2026 — Friday 7th – Sunday 9th August 2026 (Thoresby Park, Newark)
- Beach Life Festival 2026 — Saturday 8th August 2026 (Beachcomber Beach, Skegness)
- FAC51 The Haçienda — Saturday 22nd August 2026 (Wollaton Hall, Nottingham)
- The Long Road Festival of Country, Americana & Roots — Friday 28th – Sunday 30th August 2026 (Stanford Hall, Lutterworth)
- Foolhardy Folk Festival 2026 — Sunday 30th August 2026 (Nottingham Arboretum Bandstand)
- Mangata Festival 2026 — Saturday 5th September 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Crowded Festival 2026 — Saturday 3rd October 2026 (various Leicester venues)
- Hockley Hustle 2026 — Sunday 25th October 2026 (various Nottingham venues)
Live shows, tours & events
- Big Shed - England World Cup 2026 Fanzone Group Stage Games — Tuesday 23rd June 2026 (The Big Shed at The Trent Navigation, Nottingham)
- Watch Party: FIFA World Cup 2026 — Wednesday 17th – Saturday 27th June 2026 (The Nest, Nottingham)
- AC/DC UK — Friday 3rd July & Friday 11th September 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham & The Flowerpot, Derby)
- Butterfly Club — Wednesday 8th July – Wednesday 2nd December 2026 (The Drill, Lincoln)
- Heaven 17 — Friday 10th July 2026 (The Drill, Lincoln)
- Burghley House Battle Proms Picnic Concert — Saturday 11th July 2026 (Burghley House, Stamford)
- Beyond Van Gogh - The Immersive Experience — Saturday 18th July – Thursday 6th August 2026 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
- Derby Caribbean Carnival — Sunday 19th July 2026 (Osmaston Park, Derby)
- Beyond Monet - The Immersive Experience — Sunday 19th July – Friday 7th August 2026 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
- The Sword in the Stone — Thursday 30th July 2026 (Nottingham Castle)
- Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles — Monday 3rd August 2026 (Wollaton Hall, Nottingham)
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit & Benjamin Bunny — Tuesday 4th August 2026 (Nottingham Castle)
- Stiff Little Fingers — Friday 7th August 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Hayseed Dixie — Friday 14th August 2026 (The Devil’s Arse at Peak Cavern, Castleton)
- Nik Kershaw — Saturday 22nd August 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Newton Faulkner — Friday 28th August 2026 (The Devil’s Arse at Peak Cavern, Castleton)
- Anna Von Hausswolff — Tuesday 1st September 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Altered Images — Monday 7th September 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Gandeys Circus + Gandeys K-Pop Dragon Circus — Thursday 10th – Sunday 20th September 2026 (Wollaton Hall, Nottingham)
- Jon Anderson & the Band Geeks — Sunday 13th September 2026 (Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham)
- Spiritbox — Monday 14th September 2026 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
- The Dualers — Saturday 19th September 2026 (Athena, Leicester)
- Toby Lee — Saturday 19th September 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- The Five Hundred — Friday 25th September 2026 (Saltbox, Nottingham)
- Don Broco — Monday 28th September 2026 (The Engine Shed, Lincoln)
- Fear Factory — Friday 2nd October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Robert Jon & The Wreck — Saturday 3rd October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Amble — Monday 5th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Man/Woman/Chainsaw — Monday 5th October 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- (HED) PE & COLD — Tuesday 6th October 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Ferocious Dog — Thursday 8th October 2026 (The Drill, Lincoln)
- Goldie Lookin Chain — Thursday 8th & Friday 9th October 2026 (The Nest, Nottingham & The Engine Shed, Lincoln)
- YONAKA — Thursday 8th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Red Rum Club — Friday 9th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- John Bramwell (I Am Kloot) — Sunday 11th & Thursday 29th October 2026 (The International, Leicester & The Flowerpot, Derby)
- The Lemonheads — Sunday 11th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- The Amity Affliction — Monday 12th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Steve Hackett — Tuesday 13th & Friday 16th October 2026 (De Montfort Hall, Leicester & Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham)
- GANS — Thursday 15th October 2026 (The Hairy Dog, Derby)
- Courtney Barnett — Friday 16th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Huey Morgan, The Fun Lovin’ Criminal — Saturday 17th October 2026 (The Level, Nottingham)
- The Wonder Stuff & Inspiral Carpets — Saturday 17th & Thursday 29th October 2026 (O2 Academy Leicester & The Engine Shed, Lincoln)
- Jon Gomm — Sunday 18th October 2026 (The Drill, Lincoln)
- Damian Lewis — Sunday 18th & Friday 30th October 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham & The Drill, Lincoln)
- Fat Freddy’s Drop — Monday 19th October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Adult DVD — Thursday 22nd October 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Panchiko — Thursday 22nd October 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Reef — Thursday 22nd & Friday 23rd October 2026 (The Engine Shed, Lincoln & Roadmender Northampton)
- Deaf Havana — Tuesday 3rd November 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Cassia — Friday 6th November 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Deco — Saturday 7th November 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Bellowhead — Tuesday 10th November 2026 (De Montfort Hall, Leicester)
- OK Go — Wednesday 11th November 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Nick Heyward — Saturday 14th & Monday 16th November 2026 (Lincoln Cathedral & Peterborough Cathedral)
- Kid Kapichi — Wednesday 18th November 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- The Feeling — Wednesday 18th & Friday 27th November 2026 (The Drill, Lincoln & Roadmender Northampton)
- Ellie Sax — Thursday 19th November 2026 (The Drill, Lincoln)
- This Is Lorelei — Tuesday 24th November 2026 (The Bodega, Nottingham)
- Tony Hadley — Monday 30th November 2026 (Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham)
- UB40 Feat. Ali Campbell — Monday 30th November 2026 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
- Razorlight — Tuesday 1st December 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Big Country — Saturday 5th December 2026 (The Drill, Lincoln)
- Good Health Good Wealth — Saturday 5th December 2026 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Sweet — Thursday 17th December 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- The Fabulous Thunderbirds — Wednesday 3rd February 2027 (Metronome Nottingham)
- Theory Of A Deadman — Friday 5th February 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Amelia Coburn — Thursday 11th February 2027 (Metronome Nottingham)
- As Everything Unfolds — Friday 12th February 2027 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- Let’s Pop! — Thursday 18th February 2027 (Athena, Leicester)
- South Arcade — Thursday 18th February 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- The Bones of J.R. Jones — Friday 19th February 2027 (The Old Cold Store, Nottingham)
- Bury Tomorrow — Friday 19th February 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Steve ’n’ Seagulls — Sunday 28th February 2027 (The Drill, Lincoln)
- Editors — Monday 8th March 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- The Dead Daisies — Wednesday 10th March 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
- Rick Wakeman — Friday 12th March 2027 (De Montfort Hall, Leicester)
- TX2 — Friday 12th March 2027 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
- The Dubliners Encore — Thursday 18th & Wednesday 31st March 2027 (Derby Arena & Royal and Derngate, Northampton)
- Kim Wilde — Friday 26th March 2027 (Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham)
Regional highlights — Where to go in the East Midlands
Nottingham
Arena-scale shows at Motorpoint Arena, alongside a thriving mid-sized and grassroots scene across venues like Rock City, Royal Concert Hall and The Bodega.
Lincoln
Historic Lincoln offers a mix of distinctive venues, from former church space Southside and community arts hub The Drill to major summer events at the stunning Lincoln Castle.
Derby
Derby’s live scene ranges from larger touring productions at Derby Arena to more intimate shows and tribute nights at established local venues such as The Flowerpot.
Leicester
Leicester combines grassroots venues such as The Soundhouse and The Black Horse with larger headline spaces, including O2 Academy Leicester.
Venue spotlight: Metronome, Nottingham
Metronome hosts breakthrough BBC Introducing artists, established touring acts and standout comedy nights. Our venue guide covers everything you need to plan your visit, from transport tips and FAQs to upcoming gigs.
Explore the Metronome venue guideVenue spotlight: The Nest, Nottingham
From live music and street food festivals to sports fan zones and corporate events, The Nest’s modular layout adapts to every occasion. Our venue guide covers everything you need to plan your visit, from transport tips and FAQs to upcoming gigs.
Explore The Nest venue guideVenue spotlight: The Flowerpot, Derby
The Flowerpot in Derby is a nationally recognised live music venue and real ale pub, widely regarded as one of the best places to catch gigs in the city — particularly for fans of grassroots music and close-up performances.
Explore The Flowerpot venue guideVenue spotlight: The Grove, Nottingham
The Grove is one of the newest additions to Nottingham’s grassroots venue scene — a fresh events space already making its mark as a champion of the city’s independent music community. Regularly platforming rising local talent alongside emerging touring artists, The Grove is quickly becoming a key launchpad for Nottingham and the UK’s next wave of artists.
Explore the Grove venue guideVenue spotlight: Billy Bootleggers, Nottingham
Known for its intimate atmosphere and passionate crowds, Billy Bootleggers has built a reputation as a go-to destination for gigs in Nottingham, regularly showcasing local talent alongside emerging touring artists and unforgettable club nights.
Explore the Billy Bootleggers venue guide
Browse events by town or city:
NOTTINGHAM | LINCOLN | DERBY | LEICESTER | NORTHAMPTON | SKEGNESS | BUXTON | CASTLETON | MANSFIELD | CHESTERFIELD | NEWARK-ON-TRENT
Need to know — Nottingham & the East Midlands events
When do tickets usually go on sale?
Most tickets go on sale shortly after an announcement, often on Friday mornings. Popular concerts, comedy shows and festivals across the East Midlands can sell out quickly, so it's worth setting reminders and booking early.
What's the biggest concert venue in the East Midlands?
Motorpoint Arena Nottingham is the largest indoor concert venue in the East Midlands and hosts many of the world's biggest touring artists. Other major venues include Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall, Derby Arena and the iconic Rock City.
Which East Midlands venues are best for live music?
The East Midlands has a thriving live music scene, from major venues such as Motorpoint Arena Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, Derby Arena and Rock City to respected grassroots venues including The Bodega (Nottingham), The Drill (Lincoln) and The Flowerpot (Derby).
What festivals take place near Nottingham?
Popular festivals near Nottingham include Splendour Festival, Dot To Dot Festival and Hockley Hustle. Elsewhere in the region, Call of the Wild Festival and Rosedale Festival attract music fans from across the country each year.
Ready to explore more live events in the East Midlands?
Find all upcoming gigs, tours and festivals across Nottingham, Lincoln, and beyond.