The Knowhere Guide

The Local Music Scene in Exeter, Devon*

Exeter, Devon Record Shops and Venues

Record Shops

• catilpilla record shop, not sure if it still exist,s
• Rooster Records on Fore Street is well worth a visit. They opened just before Christmas and as far as I'm concerned, they wipe the floor with the rest. Check out their amazing selection of vinyl and CDs. The guy in there is really friendly too.
• Rooster records on Fore St
• Solo in the guildhall always gd for a gander, ans sometimes cheaper than HMV and Virgin.
• Martian Records, Solo Music are good independents. the usual chains: HMV, Virgin, MusicZone (used to be called something else that went bust?)
• martians pretty good..solo for cheap singles from indie bands
• Reform Records, Fore Street
• Virgin megastores, MVC and woolworths...good and cheap with alot of selection.
• Mash Records in Axminster, down Silver Street. Sells all kinds of music, very good independant record shop.
• HMV
• reform is immense - u can get tickets and listings as well
• solo, martian
• Record & CD Fair held six times a year at St. George's Hall. It's the biggest in the South-West www.exeterrecordfair.com
• reform. no question.
• Martian in gandys street: CD's for £10 and less. There's a place in an arcade off Fore Street, past "Star Child" run by a "classic rock" dude, good prices-second hand cds and vinyl.
• the regular record fair in st georges market - always good for a bargain...
• martian is pretty good for alternative and obsure stuff that you can't fond anywhere else. solo is good too and i spose virgin
• martian records has the cheapest records in town.
• Martian Records.
• The Left Bank - Paris Street - Best shop in the world.
• martian records, gandy street.
• Reform next to timepeice is best for new hiphop and dance, virgin went down hill about a year ago
• Music Box - arcade off from fore street.best in city.
• virgin megastore or hmv both do student discount, and have a good selection with helpful and friendly staff
• Music Box, City Arcade, Fore Street
• Martian all the time!!!
• The Music Stop, off Fore Street in the arcade to the left as you go down the hill. Second hand but a good selection.
• I always have a nice chat with a bloke in solo about which gigs I'm going to next. But Martian is better, cheaper and have actually heard of some of the bands I like.
• Marshion Records in Gandy Street, most CDs are a tenna, great selection if your into most things, but not pop...
• Cherryside Traders StGeorges Market Fore Street Discounted Cd's,Records,Tapes And Dvd's
• Reform Records, Solo music, Martian Records
• Martian records on Gandy street, v cheap. Solo (just along from Body shop, in that little arcade that runs through from queen street to guildhall) can be worth a look.
• Solo, chain but still independent is great. Martian Records on Gandy Street is a bit whacky, but cheap. And thats what counts.
• Martian record (dunno if its still there) used to be great for the long lost vinyl, tape and cd, especially as theyll by them off you when you get bored of them!
• martian records, gandy street - most cds £10
• Binary star,
• Solo Records, Binary star.
• new Virgin Megastore, HMV and a couple of more alternative record shops
• Best record shop in town: BINARY STAR - noise/ indie/ industrial/ dance/ techno/ jungle/ trance/ ambient etc. etc. Mighty Force (rave shop, always pumping out the sounds) 100% vinyl; good shop, Bartholomew Arcade, Fore Street. Solo Records (cheap, indie), Guildhall Shopping Centre. HMV + Our Price, High Street. The Emporium (near swimming baths) = good cheap Rock and Indy.

Clubs (Dance Music) and Music Bars

• hot house and volts is now RIVA: COCKTAIL BAR AND NIGHTCLUB! it's under new management and i've had some amazing nights out there. Their cocktails are £3.50 before 11 and they are definately as good as hotel barcelonas. would recommend it to anyone, esp on a fri or sat!
• If you don't still have your own teeth, try Rococo. If you enjoy queueing, like the challenge of merely getting to the bar, and have some I.D., try Timepiece. If you're under 21, and a lecherous bloke, or a woman that likes to sleep around, try Arena. If you're a nutcase, or a woman who likes nutcases, or both, try Mambo's. If you like confined spaces, try Cavern Club. If you like even more confined spaces, try the upstairs of Amber Rooms. Or if you're called 'Amber', 'cause the irony would be pretty cool.... If you like a buzzing nightlife, give Exeter a miss.
• Rococo - Exeter's biggest club (not saying much), and the easiest place to get laid, especially if you're lax when it comes to upper age limits. Bouncers look about 60. Annoying black bloke in the toilets, who has a go at you if you don't pay him £1 to wash your hands. Timepiece - The most popular one, especially with students, and Exeter's relatively high emo population. Crowded as Hell, and about as well vamped out as a horse stable. Has its own burger bar. Cavern Club - About as big as my garden shed, but could be worse. Another indy/emo/alternative/student-type place. Bouncers don't ever seem to get off the door, illustrating how safe it is considered to be. Amber Rooms: Well, it has an upstairs part, open sometimes as late as 4am, making it Exeter's latest licensed bar/club. You can go into the bar, and sneak upstairs to the club, via a door, behind the Bouncers' backs (I know, 'cause I do this regularly, muahahahaha!), thus saving the £3 or £4 entry fee. Arena - Over 21? Then you're too old to go here. Ladies gain free entry, and a free glass of champagne, on Friday night, which sucks if you're not a lady, but I guess must be pretty cool if you are. However, the male: female ratio positively sucks, and any given woman is usually surrounded by about five lecherous blokes. Exeter's second chaviest club. Mambo's (formerly 'Warehouse'): Compensates for Exeter clubs' otherwise lack of violence. Bored of having teeth? Even more bored of having kneecaps? No problem at all, just take a night out here. One of the few clubs, the Bouncers of which I feel sorry for. Hell, they probably need to be as fit as footballers, the amount of running about they have to do. An absolute must, if you're a violent twat, or a woman who likes violent twats (or both, of course). Exeter is generally pretty rubbish, for nightlife, with places being annoyingly spread out (who likes walking a considerable distance, when pissed, thirsty and cold?), closing too early, and being very small. On the plus side, there aren't usually many fights (taking 'Mambo's' out of the equation, that is). Also: Butler's (a bar) reopens soon, and is apparently looking very nice, so that might be worth a look in....
• Arena is probably the best...Rococcos I wouldnt touch with a barge pole unless you are in2 grab a granny!!!
• Check out the Amber Rooms in Sidwell Street for great DJ's in the club and in the bar.
• Hothouse and volts is now closed, i actually liked it ! sad i know... and most of the clubs are now open till 3am here, so we are catching up !
• If you want hip hop and cheesy music..go to ARENA on friday or saturday nights..these are the busiest times..roccoco's is terrible..a medley of dance remixes and a playlist consisting of beyonce and 50 cent and nothing else..over 21's on friday..over 25 on saturday..dont even bother..its rubbish!!..same goes for warehouse, boxes and boogies..same old same old..same cheap crowd..but if thats your thing then you'd probably like it..but stay away from warehouse on a friday night because its absolutely dead!..the best club in exeter has to be timepiece by a long shot..bit classier (lol)..hip hop on thursday, indie/alternative on friday (which is by far the best night..got the best crowd..and if bands like franz, bloc party, the libertines, the kooks, razorlight get you going, chances are you'll enjoy yourself here..its the cool night some may say)..saturday is a mix..some indie/rock..some dance..some pop..again, its not too bad..but friday is the best..apart from that theres not much else..try the lemmy on a saturday..it says students only..but they'll probably let you in..thats good if you want to have a laugh. Cavern is good on weekends..good indie club..sometimes punk too..thats all in Exeter really!
• North Bridge Inn, a mixture of House, Hip-Hop, Breakbeats and Funky Beats on Thursdays fortnightly and Open Decks on alternate Thursdays. Jazz, Funk and Reggae on Sundays.
• Magelake in Uffculme
• The Pheonix Arts Centre has some great gigs and the new years eve party this year was bangin'. Think I saw Joss Stone there - Drinking not singin thankfully.
• timepiece on a friday night is good bcuz there seem 2 b less kids hanging around the area, altho exeter isnt that good. also amber rooms has just been refurbished and is pretty good bt keep it quiet else it will go downhill like timepiece...
• If your looking for fun with your mates just drinking than Timepiece is the way the go! If your looking for cheesy tunes to dance to than Arena or Rococo's is the place!. Best pub has to be Imperial - Can't believe no-ones mentioned it before!!! Drinks are just over a £1
• Timepiece -not on a friday tho
• All shite except the Cavern.
• Three Fat Fish-Funk on a friday/sat sometimes Timepiece; variety of music, good balcony/garden bar thing. Everything else can be a bit "cheesy"
• though exeter has picked up a little in recent years, we still pale in comparison to most cities. because of the incredibly out-dated licensing laws most clubs close at 1.30-2am... the main clubs are Arena (which is basically a cattle market), Hothouse (has its name for a reason - not for the overly sweaty!), Warehouse, Boxes and Boogies (three clubs in one big building, something for everyone), and of course Timepiece. timepiece is probably your best bet, the have a really relaxed dress code - you can walk in on a saturday night wearing jeans and your knackered but oh-so-comfy trainers! who wants to look like they're on their way to a job interview anyway?! also the cavern is always worth a visit! if you're after bars then the phoenix arts centre and the picture house bar are fabulous!
• timepiece is probably the best. stay away from the quay if underage kids and tacky music piss u off, but its not bad for a laugh and u can finish off a nite out there.
• There are a few; Roccoco (painfully cheesey, Arena (just painful), Warehouse, Boxers and boogies (can be fun when very drunk, but only occasionly) Timepiece (its feel's the inside of a fairground ride and they use speakers with the power of earphones. Hothouse/Volts (Very cheap) They Lemmy (uni night club, can fit 1500 people but they put at least 500 more then that. However this is all exeter has. You may think your town doesn't have as much, but Exeter is isolated, there's nowhere to go and as a uni student I can tell you most of us seem to hate this place! People from London find this place too pathetic to cope with.
• All shite apart from Timepeace, but if you like the hassel of fights every night and a danger of drowning in the river Hothouse/valts and wearhouse are worth a gander.
• Exeter has possibly the worst nightclubs in the world. Every single DJ seems to have the same record collection - and it's a terrible wedding party styley one. Argghh its a nightmare! None of the clubs have even an ounce of personality. Stay in, or go to Bristol.
• Slimepiece, the Cave.
• FUCK the cavern with a 10 foot pole the only place to go in exeter is the Metzo on the main road
• Exeters nite life is pretty poor. timepiece is the only club verging on ok. hothouse is only bearable if you are extremely drunk, but even then terrible. the cavern hosts some good new years parties along with the phoenix. warehouse, boxes and arena-poor!
• timepiece
• timepeice is "fresh", but stay away cus it's getting to busy, everywhere on the key, arena, and rococoos!! are collectivly the pissholes of the planet
• Timepiece
• all the crap down on the quay, esp volts and hothouse, seedy little s**tholes, arena is reasonable and timepiece is pretty cool
• Timepiece on a sunday, though the men are a bit grabby.
• Only 1 good club in Exeter and even thats getting shit!!! Timepiece is excellent on friday nights!! Collision baby!!!
• Timepiece on a tuesday night!
• The Timepiece still rocks.
• THE CAVERN. I have been to both Arena and Hothouse once and never, ever again. I once got accosted by a townie outside arena, asked if I would take him home and almost vomited on my feet. I haven't been back since. And Hothouse smells like wet dog.
• Timepiece,little castle street,amazing.
• hahahaha Hothouse...in one word NO!!!! don't do it
• NOT HOTHOUSE. Timepiece is friendly and there aren't too many nasty people in there. The Phoenix when it hosts parties.
• Get hold of a free copy of monthly listings magazine "The List" (from retailers all over town) - that's all I use to find out what's on!
• All awful!! but Rococco's is over 25's at weekends, Arena is good but NO atmospere at all. Hothouse takes its name from everyone sweating to death, but Volts downstairs gets better after few pints. Cavern, drum and Bass, good but smells of pee. Warehouse, best mix of chart music, but stroppy bouncers and more marines you knew existed! Timepiece can vary in its quality, better midweek and a more studenty place, great bar downstairs if you dont fancy dancing. Torquay/ Plymouth for serious clubbing!!
• HotHouse and Volts is probably the better of a bad crop. Thanks to the old farts in the council and there antique licence laws.
• Exeter has been known for its rather limited nightlife for quite a while. with the majority of residents leaving the city for greener fields. STOP PRESS!!!!! hang on, how long has it been since you have visited Exeter? well you're in for a shock ....... the long awaited decent night out has arrived. ARENA the club on everyones lips yes a decent clud in Exeter i think you will agree. With a top quality club you are bound for a top quality night, but sexy people need only try for the ARENA is not for the faint hearted. Now for the lot of you who are underage forget it your not going to get in, they are bring the older age groups back out clubing again... i must admit i didn,t expect this type of club in Exeter but i was happily surprised. So for all you lot who have put Exeter down and thought of us as as have a second class night-out its time to check again.... they can prove that they are the best with a beda nomination under their belts aswell... ARENA has put Exeter on the map. So there!!!!!!
• the youngest person to ever enter a club must have been at hothouse
• They are totally, utterly the worst clubs anywhere. This doesn't really detract from Exeter's better points but tourists beware.
• Exeter has the worst selection of clubs in the county! Only for you if you enjoy a night out with underage and underclothed kids who should be at home with their ovaltine. The Mint's good though for a free boogie and it's open until 1.00 am, bit cramped though.
• Cavern club, queen street
• I spent 3 years at exeter as a student. keep away from all the quay clubs unless you want a novelty night like 80's. we always went to timepiece as it seemed most fun, casual, at home etc.
• I have been living in Exeter for the whole 20 years of my life, and currently am studying in Copenhagen. I have missed Exeter so much since my stay here and I don't think people really appreciate it! Yes the night clubs are pretty small but they have a great friendly atmosphere. Hothouse and Volts is a great place to go if you're between 18-30 and want a good cheap time! Mainstream Chart music upstairs (which is cool if you're not into grunge or indie and like to dress up on a Friday or Saturday night as no jeans or trainers allowed upstairs in Hothouse although dresscode is less stricter downstairs in Volts) and hardcore dance downstairs! Also there is Rococo's for over 21's or 25's depending which night you go which has a friendly much more mature atmosphere! Warehouse is certainly for the younger crowd!! But with great dance music and great foam parties when they have them! Boxes is a lot more Indie with a more relaxed dress code and Boogies the 70's retro club which is great for a laugh, especially if you want to get your flares out!!! Timepiece is pretty good but full of students!! But all in all I'd say the clubs were great. It's a great place to catch up with friends cause you're bound to know someone if you have lived here a long time!!
• The best club in town is Timepiece in a new location, about ten yards from where it used to be.
• Wahehouse & Boxes, Hothouse & Volts, the Cavern, Timepiece and the relatively new Rococcos - all have dodgy nights and are quite small but you'll probably have some of the best nights of your lives here! The vodka's cheap and the music's cheesey!
• Warehouse at the Quay (student). Timepiece by the court/library.
• Boxes, on the Quay. Free for students before 10 on Friday (Indy night) + Saturdays (bit of everything). Timepiece on Thursdays (Indy, rock) Little Castle Street.
• Boxes is an OK club (over 18s) on Friday (indie) night. A bit Kevvey on Saturdays, but still full of 16 year old girlies! Way-hay!
• The Cavern: in Gandy Street - open for daytime as a pub, but gigs most evening: mainly hardcore etc, but world music, indie rock, folk etc etc. Lots of free nights, sometimes paying tho.

Live Music Venues

• the village inn always have bands, its a great pub in the hub of exwick, all music for all taste,s. its also frequented by the human clock, alias kevin bedford. he times his arrival at the pub for 11am on the dot and times his departure a few mins before 1pm to arrive home dead on 1pm mon-fri you always see him same time every weekday.
• The Hub, Cavern Club.
• Cavern, Phoenix, Lemmy, Great Hall,
• Cavern
• North Bridge Inn live music three days a week... Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, sometimes Saturdays and Tuesdays as well.
• The Double locks only have Folk/Blues anything else is considered Heresy.
• Phoenix Exeter Thursday 9th June Westcott and Rodway
• cavern has 2 b the daddy. without it, exeter wouldn't have a music scene at all.
• The uni hold great live gigs! (lemmie/great hall) Westpoint also hold some great gigs - recently had Muse and stereophonics!
• cavern, uni, westpoint
• The Cavern is wicked for music. Dub and reggae to thrash. cool venue/club.
• the Great hall/ the lemon grove (in the uni), The Cavern, Three Fat Fish. It really depends what you listen to.
• Cavern
• The North Bridge Inn is now well known on the indie/folk/rock circuit. Saw Attila the Stockbroker there and Robb Johnson...
• Cavern: most known pretty sound place. Angel: opposite Central Station. Bands on a Wed, Jam night on a Thur. Good place, small but boss can be abit wierd (not good wierd though). The Bowling Green: past the odeon. Good for your blues-rock. The Phoenix: off Gandy Street, small but good names, sometimes!
• the cavern has had some cracking bands playing - i believe muse played there a few times in their early years! westpoint, killerton and powderham have been getting some good bookings of the more charty stuff, we've had elton john, blue, robbie williams, the stereophonics and busted are due to play some point over the summer. hurrah.
• Three fat fish acoustic sessions make for a half decent night out
• cavern and phoenix are the best in exeter, but they r the best of a pile of shit so thats not saying much. NEVER enter the cavern toilets...
• The arts centre, the uni nightclub, the Cavern bar...all are very small and disapointing. if you have serious musical taste then you will go insane down here.
• west point is where the biggest bamds will play although it must be the shittest venue in england (it is just a huge barn).
• you often gotta go far 4 the bigger bands (bristol, cardiff, plymouth even)
• Cavern
• 3 fat fish, formerly the exchange, hosts some very good nites, especially chameleon on the first saturday of every month. If you like good quality music, i.e jazz and punk mixed with a lot of house then this is the place to be. very cool atmosphere.
• north bridge inn for music of ALL types. saw electronic groove poetry last week.... whatever that is.
• Caven and lemongrove are good for smaller bands, though they both have sweat dripping from the walls when their busy
• Cavern, roadhouse, and the Phoenix
• Uni, just saw feeder there in march, westpoint for big acts, and the cavern where my mates the buffseeds have done tons of gigs
• North Bridge Inn
• Cavern when bands play
• The Cavern has all you need in the way of Punk and Rock.
• The Cavern is the best, you actually get to be close to the band, the security is nil so you can get into the dressing room and force yourself upon the band, its easy to get stuff signed and it is over-run with nice people. Also the Phoenix when it has decent gigs, occasionally the Uni but they are veering towards Toploader. They impressively had the Roadrage tour there though.
• Phoenix and Cavern are by far the best
• The Cavern on punk nights and weekends is definitely the best.
• Get hold of a free copy of monthly listings magazine "The List" (from retailers all over town) - that's all I use to find out what's on!
• Cavern for Indie types, Drum and Bass. Uni venues host variety of well knowns. For bigger acts (Oasis, Manics, Robbie Williams) try getting bus to Westpoint, cattle market by day, musical extravaganza by night!! (smells of manure though)
• if you want alternative bands go to the cavern
• the cavern off queen st best in local and national indie talent and more besides
• The Cavern has become very DJ-oriented these day. Don't miss the band nights when they're on, however - great atmosphere.
• the cavern is cracking for punk stuff on thursdays . also some gigs at the arts centre, newly done up on gandy street
• The Cavern has a lot of bands on as do many pubs! You can always check the Express & Echo (local paper) for an up to date list of whats on. Vines and the Valiant are also known for their live music!! Vines and The Cavern in Gandy St and The Valiant in Cowick Street.
• the Cavern and a number of pubs do "band nights", e.g. the Exchange
• Dix-Neuf Brasserie & Bar in Queen Street is fast becoming THE Jazz/Blues centre of the South West. Live music every Wednesday and Friday nights with some of the liveliest and most entertaining acts in the county. Ex-session musician Paul Tongs is a regular performer we like him so much we sent him his favourite Yamaha Piano all the way from Guernsey!! Good food, excellent atmosphere and we don't even charge you to get in!!!
• Cavern Club

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Last updated: 2008-05-15