Putting on live music gigs since 1980, Nottingham’s Rock City has hosted legendary acts like Nirvana, David Bowie, Guns N’ Roses, Oasis and Blur to name just a few. Located just out of the town centre towards the university and near the Royal Concert Hall, Rock City hosts at least a couple of live gigs each week of the year.
Despite its name, the programming has moved with the times, focusing on metal and rock in the 80s, grunge and hip hop in the 90s and more modern indie and alternative sounds since the turn of the millennium.
Rock City
Rock City, Nottingham
Rock City
History
The club has won several awards during its illustrious history, including walking away with Kerrang!’s venue of the year award for a straight decade. The club is just a five-minute walk from our City Centre (Goldsmith Street) hotel, and neighbouring bar the Rescue Rooms is the perfect place for a pre-gig drink. If you’re looking for somewhere to eat before a gig, The Cornerhouse is just a minute’s walk away and includes Nando’s, TGI Fridays, Wagamama and several other bars and restaurants.
Spread across three rooms – the main hall, basement and the Black Cherry lounge – and with five bars, Rock City is one of the largest live music spaces in the region. Its appeal lies in its simplicity: the main room is a large black expanse equipped with a huge sound system and impressive lights. If you’re looking for a squeaky-clean live music experience, this isn’t for you. If you don’t mind your trainers getting a bit mucky and catching a live gig in all its raw glory, then make sure to look ahead for their gig listings and pick up your tickets.
The club is also home to several club nights including pop night Get Lucky every Friday and indie alternative disco Hey Hey Hey every Saturday night.
The venue continues to attract big names and up-and-coming talents, with DJ EZ, Franz Ferdinand and Brit Award-winners Belle and Sebastian all recently playing there.