Top live music venues in Cornwall


Musician Ben Howard performing at the Eden Project.

From homegrown acts to household names, Cornwall’s music scene is expanding. Wherever you are, you’re never too far from live music of some description. With laid-back free performances in pubs and beach cafes and a range of unusual  which attract some of the bigger names, if live music’s your thing, there’s plenty of choice. Here are a few of our favourite live music venues in Cornwall.

Gylly Beach Café, Falmouth 

Gylly Beach Cafe plays host to live bands every Sunday evening. It’s free, no need to book, just turn up (it can get busy, so it’s worth getting there early if you can). Their ‘Roast on the Coast’ is a popular option, too – just £10 for a roast dinner and a drink – and in the summer they have a fantastic BBQ.

Blue Bar, Porthtowan 

You’ll find a range of live music performances at Blue Bar, including regular open mic nights, and special gigs during the summer. There’s a good menu, too. But the best thing about Blue Bar has to be the location: it’s right on Porthtowan beach. Bag one of the window seats if you can or sit outside and soak it up when it’s warm.

Eden Project, near St Austell  

The Eden Sessions attract big name acts, such as Elton John, Ben Howard, P J Harvey, Elbow, Manic Street Preachers and Paloma Faith, just to name a few! Tickets often sell out quickly, so it’s worth signing up for the mailing list to find out as soon as the acts are announced.

The Eden Project attracts some great live acts down to perform in Cornwall
Ben Howard on stage as part of the Eden Sessions

Princess Pavillion, Falmouth 

The Princess Pavillion has live music every week. Acts range from some of the UK’s best tribute bands to popular bands from the late 90s/early 2000s such as Reef and Turin Brakes.

Lusty Glaze, Newquay

Morcheeba, Newton Faulkner and Elbow frontman Guy Garvey are just a few of the top acts who’ve graced the stage as part of Lusty Glaze‘s Sundowner Sessions. In some ways, you can’t help but feel sorry for the artists, who have to compete with the spectacular backdrop of the sea – the sunsets here can be magnificent.

But they don’t just do outdoor gigs – their Woodburner Sessions are a great choice during the autumn and winter. True, you won’t find the big names playing here then, but you can relax and enjoy some great food while listening to some of the best local singer/songwriters around.

Lusty Glaze is an atmospheric place to go to a gig
Guy Garvey performing at Lusty Glaze

The Watering Hole, Perranporth 

The Watering Hole has an enviable location right on Perranporth beach. One of the most popular laid-back live music venues in Cornwall, it’s a great place to go for a night out as a couple, or if you’re holidaying with friends. Faithless, Scouting for Girls, Toploader and The Darkness have all recently played here.

The Watering Hole at Perranporth attracts some top bands
Watching the sun go down over the sea at Perranporth while listening to one of your favourite bands. Does life get any better than this?

 Hall for Cornwall

Located in Truro, Hall for Cornwall is one of Cornwall’s biggest venues. There’s a range of performances to choose from, from theatre to comedy, plus a variety of tribute acts and well-known local bands such as the People’s String Foundation.

Hall for Cornwall is a great place to see live music in Cornwall
The People’s String Foundation

 

Where’s your favourite live music venue in Cornwall? We’d love to hear your suggestions! Leave a comment below, post on our Facebook page or tweet @Bosinver.

ps: We haven’t forgotten about music festivals in Cornwall – watch out for another blog post, coming soon.

Share this post:

Red cow with a red heart clipart

Here are some more posts you may like


Action Nan and the rest of the team are always busy writing posts that we think you’ll like – from top tips on where to take the kids, to what’s likely to be going on in the local area when you stay – we’ve got it all in our blog!