From live music to theatre and comedy, Brighton & Hove is always buzzing with a multitude of inspiring choices. So if you’re looking for a stimulating night out, read on for some good-to-know local information!

Brighton’s biggest purpose-built venue, the Brighton Centre, has seen a non-stop array of globally successful artists such as Radiohead, Blondie, Rihanna, Gorillaz and Kanye West play on its stage over the decades. It’s also the place to find some of the biggest names in comedy, as well as touring West End productions, TV shows and dance performances. It’s a big place hosting big names and it’s wise to book in advance.

A ten minute walk away in the North Laine, you’ll find Brighton Dome which, since its conversion to a performance venue in 1867, has hosted hundreds of internationally respected artists, writers, directors, musicians, actors and dancers from David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Ella Fitzgerald back in the day to Beyoncé, Stormzy and Dua Lipa in more recent years. Aside from being the main venue for Brighton Festival events, you’ll also find more comedy legends on stage here plus orchestral performances of all sounds and sizes.

Grassroots Music Venues

Concorde II is a much-loved live music venue on the beach heading towards the Marina, hosting names as iconic as the Foo Fighters to popular tribute bands such as Fleetwood Bac. Back along the beach between the two piers is Brighton Music Hall, an outdoor heated terrace where live performances are staged against the backdrop of the sea.

Smaller venues such as The Old Market, Komedia Brighton and Ironworks Studios also offer a diverse range of entertainment all year round, from stand-up comedy to author Q&A, cabaret and drag nights, quizzes, gigs and fundraising events. The Komedia is also home to an arthouse cinema and two cafés.

If it’s theatre you’re looking for, then check out what’s on at the Theatre Royal Brighton on New Road. Over the years, hundreds of West End plays, shows and musicals have all toured here. And from April to October, Brighton Open Air Theatre (BOAT) offers a full programme of outdoor entertainment in its alfresco theatre beneath the stars and leaves in Dyke Road Park.

Most of the venues mentioned here are fully accessible to people with disabilities or able to assist access if contacted in advance. Most venues also provide a free ticket to assistants accompanying deaf or disabled customers. Meanwhile, there are plenty of grassroots music venues around the city where you can catch performances of all kinds throughout the year, and especially during Brighton Festival, Brighton Fringe and the Great Escape.

And if you just want to dance the night away to some serious tunes, then DJs come from all over the UK and beyond to get Brighton up and on the dance floor! Head to the beach for Shooshh, Coalition and The Arch, or hop back up to Old Steine for Brighton’s legendary LGBTQ+ club, Revenge, and nearby neighbour, Patterns. And if you’re determined to catch a train home the same night, then Green Door Store is conveniently located right next to Brighton Station.