The Knowhere Guide

The Local Music Scene in Bournemouth, Dorset*

Bournemouth, Dorset Record Shops and Venues

Record Shops

• southamton
• Avid Records near the Triangle has huge selection of second hand rock - good turnover. Snupeas in Boscome has massive cheap selection but most in poor condition. Essential Records near the town centre bus stops is the best place for new CDs.
• Essential Music, near Westover, Bournemouth.
• Essential music, Dragion Discs
• essential music
• hmv but the cheapest at the moment is mvc in poole in their sale
• Essential right by the bus ranks int he centre of town is the best independent for non-dance music in town. They always seem to have something i want for £5-7 on CD, recent purchases including PJ Harvey, DJ Format and The Ramones! Avid in the triangle district is quite good for vinyl. Sadly Stand Out closed down years ago but you can always drive to the original branch in Salisbury. other than that jump on the train and go to london...Sister Ray, Rought Trade, All Ages etc etc
• ESSENTIAL MUSIC IN BMOUTH IS AWFUL. AFTER GETTING DOWN THE STAIRS WITH A SMALL KID TO BUY SUM CDS THE 2MEMBERS OF STAFF REFUSED TO LET THE WEE LAD(3YRS OLD)USE THE BOG IN THE END HE DIDNT MAKE IT TO THE PUBLIC LOO N HAD TO URINATE IN THE STREET!!ROCK ON ESSSENTIAL MUSIC
• hmv best selection of cds dvds at reasonable prices,poundland in boscombe soverign centre sometimes a find
• Rare Groove Records in boscombe must be without doubt the best record shop in the south. For such a small shop you can pick up almost everything www.raregrooverecords.com check it out!
• YDNA surf skate sounds is selling punk/ska cd's and DVDs. Epitaph ones are £10.49 mostly. Their selection has grown recently and is expanding. Good place for alternative stuff generally! Website has stock info www.punkandska.co.uk
• MVC: Used to be the place to go as it sells other stuff than chart rubbish. But they closed it down damn it! WHY! Behind Birthdays, Near the Bus Stops: This is my fave record shop! Though I don't know it's name! Sells a good selection of rock. Very good, and sometimes you can get a bargain! Westbourne: There is a cool second hand cd, dvd shop which I like. The other week I bought 'In Utero' for a fiver! It's reallly good. Square Records: About 25 minutes drive from Bournemouth in Wimborne! It's really good though, sells Inde and Rock stuff aswell as Townie rubbish.
• Fm records they rule and they have the coolest doodles on the wall sorry no singles here but every band ever!
• Big Brother in Parkstone - I could waste all day in there. Loads of cool posters and huge selection of new but mostly used CD's, tapes etc
• Essential Music, down along the row of bus stops opposite WH smiths, jsut carry on walking, go thru the crowds of people waiting for a bus! its on your left, and also carry on walking to Jessops (photo shop) i work there!
• rare groove records had lots of selection behind richer sounds in boscombe
• rare groove records in boscome a new record shop selling us house , funky house , trance , hardhouse , r'n'b , hip hop , drum & bass , disco & mash up's is the best record shop in bornemouth
• hmmmmm..... hmv in the centre
• MVC in Westover Road - no competition!
• hmv
• cool record shop near the bus stations that sells cd's at really great affordable prices and chances are if you are looking for a particularly rare cd they will have it
• On corner of Ashley Road and Christchurch Road in Boscombe is a amall record shop called Snoop-Peas, (or something like it). Lots of secondhand stuff at fair prices
• Snupeas in Boscombe, Bus Stop Records in Westbourne and Carnival Records in Parkstone are all worth having a look in.
• Avid records in the triangle
• Essential Music near where all the cinemas are
• essential music near the square do good music and good prices
• destiny records is fucking amzing if u is in 2 dj!!!and the other usaual shops!!!!!!
• No where here sells the obscure American music I but so I tend to buy over the net, do find the odd thing in HMV however.
• bib brother in parkstone - great vibe, new and used gear.
• Uptown records once upon a time on Commercial Hill. Now, the little CD shop next to John Anthony in Gervis Place, cheaper than anywhere!
• essential music excellent
• Essential music. You get all new releases her for £9.99
• HMV only i'm afraid, avoid MVC due to the total lack of knowledge about anything
• Firstly if your a dj then you gotta check out elusive records & dj store in winton , www.elusiverecords.co.uk i believe is the website wicked shop!
• STRICTLY BEATS - old christchruch rd sells a lot of hard house - fantastic
• Essential Music. Good alternative selection at good prices. Go there for hip-hop and indie-rock.
• essential music- bmouth, red rock records- poole
• Stand Out has now closed down..that shop kicked ass!!
• Bournemouth has a distinct lack of 'good' record stores. Amazon.co.uk!
• standout, hmv and essential records are the best locally
• MVC...generally cheaper than the rest (definitely cheaper than HMV)!
• STANDOUT!!!
• HMV is really good
• brand new record shop in WINTON BOURNEMOUTH ELUSIVE RECORDS ALSO HAS SOME OTHER TASTY THINGS IN STORE DJ BOOKINGS-DJ EQUIP-SOUND & LIGHTING -RECORDING STUDIOS OPENING APRIL SO I HERE!
• Destiny Records - Good selection of Underground tunes, pretty decent prices. Solid State - Latest Hard House released on Vinyl, Watch out for Chris, the nasty fat camp guy that runs the store..he can be quite rude..what a queen!
• Avid records in The Triangle. Lots + lots + lots of second hand vinyl. All music styles. Has a few second hand CDs & videos as well, but is mainly vinyl orientated.
• House, US garage and Trance go to Solid State under M2 clothing. For D&B go to Destiny records on Christchurch road near the KFC. Stand Out and Phat Tracks are both near Destiny and sell everything. Up the road from Destiny is a dodgy hiphop shop which sells good battle records.
• Essential Music down on Gervis Place is bloody good - cheap cheap new CD's - I thought it was second hand stuff it was so cheap, have an excellent back catalogue of stuff and helpful staff - the two girls are very nice!
• Stand out is a great independant record store and has a load of rare CD's. Also suppliess some clothing. Good on for both Metallers and Dance freaks! its down old christchurch road near Horse Shoe common.
• HMV (very exspensive). MVC. Our Price x2.
• Recordelections - Winton - most excellent records, tapes and CD's wide variety but mainly rock
• Fat Trax has a good selection of Drum and Bass.
• Vibe Records has shut down.

Clubs (Dance Music) and Music Bars

• Bar Blue
• boscombe,bournemouth
• Frenzy on the Pier at the Showbar is Bournemouth's premier hard house event.
• Don't even bother going to the SPEARMINT RHINO! Went there for a stag do and it was an awful place. One of the English girls there had a right attitude. A bad atmosphere all round, avoid!
• Best Place ever to visit on a nite out in Bournemouth is Elements and Disco Fever the Biggest club in Bournemouth. Then theres the new club censo. Which was Berlins very good.
• For a great night out. Try the Triangle. Start the night at The Branksome Arms with a few cheap drinks. Then try the classy Zinq bar. A stylish coffee shop by day and a great bar at night. With friendly drag queens always looking for a laugh. Rubyz nightclub is a great gay club with a friendly welcoming atmosphere gay, straight or Bi you will have a fab night. Upstairs plays classic gay anthems and a mixture of chart and urban music. Downstairs plays harder dance music. Poppers on sale at the cloke room!! All in walking space from each other.
• The Villa Ska/punk/indie/metal/rock/alternative
• K1 is probably t6he most versatile venue in bournemouth with a stack load of new and existing nights from monday to sunday hers a shortlist but the best place to get on the guest list , check out the massive photo galleries , or find out whats on is the website = www.k1experience.com MON 4 ROOMS AVALIABLE FOR ,FUNCTIONS PRIVATE HIRE TUES : SALSA ADDICTION (used to be thursdays) WED : starting july NEW SKOOL BREAKS says it all ! THURS : starting july CANDY an all new R&B FLAVA FRI : from june 24th COCOSHEBEEN now joins K1 uks longest running D&B NIGHT ROOM1 check web for guests ROOM2 BREAKS& DIRTY HOUSE with bmths finest HAT&LLYAL,DOG&IZZY,CHAP ROOM 3 THE FIGUREHEADS live rapp&hiphop see it to believe it SAT: GOLD ROOM 1 DJ DODGE soulfull us house ROOM 2 HAT&LYALL breaks ROOM3 ARTWELL dancehall ,r&b ROOM 4 VIP MARTIN HOWES eclectic grooves SUNDAY : K1 COMEDY KLUB see web for listings
• CAMEL is a relatively new Moroccan type place with a real souk bar theme, come and smoke the various flavoured tobacco, some patrons have been known to drop their own stuff into the mix. My friend and i saw the most unbelievably beautiful Lebanese girl in there a few weeks ago.....jaw droppingly stunning. CONSORTIUM has great band nights every now and again, good acoustics nights and at other times a good mix of breakbeats, hiphop and drum n bass. Good clientele too, seems to stay remarkably free of the stag and hen fraternity. FRUIT on Old Christchurch Road is quite cool, loads of vodka variations, quite intimate and very comapct function room downstairs. K-BAR good for more obscure dance nights, i like this venue but it suffers the same curse that anything non-cheesy/mainstream suffers....loads of guys and hardly any girls! Good stand up comedy nights on Sundays for a fiver. Other than that keep your eyes peeled for FISH SEEKS BICYCLE a local events collective who throw ace parties and channel anything they make back into their set-up. Good beach parties at Branksome Chime in the summer. Obviously there are many, many other bars too, some good, other less so but the chav joints and so-called 'style bars' have had enough publicity.
• The Opera House, Boscombe. Thursdays are now Urban Underground, RnB, with Jay Rachet. Fridays are still going strong with Slinky, Saturdays are now Refresh with big acts like Pete Tong. Sat 30th is Junior Jack and Kid Creme. We also have a 4am licence over the summer every fri and saturday!
• Please can you add my event onto your site please. Shhh... A NIGHT OF SEXY HOUSE MUSIC Shhh... finally comes to Bournemouth on the first Saturday of every month @ Club Basic in Firvale Road, BH1 2JA. If you like uplifting vocal piano house tunes then this night is definately for you. Launch Party Sat 05th March 2005 Dj's Steve Chambers (gallery, turnmills) Dan Riggs (rare groove records) Dom Coquet (h.o.w toko) Si Brown (pornslippy) R.O.A.R 10PM till 3AM £3 Door Tax £2 with valid N.U.S Visit www.elitedjs.co.uk for free guest list
• OK, ignore going to the Opera House anymore on Saturdays! The police had to intervene with their drinking policies. They've changed it so it's not pay £15 and get free drinks, it's now, nothing really! Now don't know where to go on Saturday nights.......
• To anybody who likes Northern,crossover etc then Cagneys under The Hilton on Westover Rd is the place.Every 3rd saturday of the month starting April 16th.If you like a good night with no hassle and quality soul music from the 60's thru 90's then get down there.Tell 'em Dave M sent you.
• Shhh.. the brand new event in Bournemouth is set to cause a stir. The night boasts of the finest Djs in the country and focuses on quality house music. Definately 1 to watch out for. check www.elitedjs.co.uk for more info
• just wanted to inform you clubbers out there. Maison at the Show bar Pier Approach is now every month and not 2 weekly the next main event is 26th Feb then monthly after that. If you want some good funky house music this is the best place to go. Never missed a night there in 18 months Fantastic and a good crowd that go there . Its also on until 3a.m
• opera house fri nite slinky is the best place 2 be, sat nite gotta start off in moon in the square then 2 walkabout then off 2 element. circo's pretty good sunday nites. Avoid jumpin jaks unless u LOVE cheese
• The Opera House: It has under 18 nights in all the holidays. Usually on Mondays. Boys if you fancy a shag go there. It's Kackers galour! Me and a mate were walking past once and there was a HUGE queue outside of 12-15 year olds in denim mini skirts, pink halter necks, or for the more elegant just bras. Reebock classics, and gold chains. Townie girls for you there is a queue of Jeans, Classics, and undone checked shirts. Oooh and a hell of a lot of fake Burberry! Mmmm Classy!
• oppy house (the opera house to outies)
• Maison is quality if you like your House deep, dirty and jackin. It's fortnightly held at the showbar, but alternatively if your a cheesey bastard go to Elements.
• the Venue has reopened again- but its crap. The Zoo and Cage shut down long ago and were replaced by Elements and Circo- which are pretty good especially at weekends. Berlins is a great place for sleazy blokes and cheesy music- excellent on Tuesdays (student night) and Thursdays. The Brass House's drinks are a little pricey but the atmosphere is good- especially on Thursdays with Karkoe!! Toko and Bliss are pretty expensive but really nice, classy, fashionable bars- Toko being the better of the two. Slam has some young patrons especially at weekends- but the music is okay. Walkabout is class! Cheap drinks on Wed and Thursdays- definately worth a visit. Yates and Bar Med are pretty cool starting places too- if you go to Bar Med get a jug of Pineapple Cocktail!! AVOID Alcatraz and definately the Great Escape, Jumpin Jaks at the pier is also pretty crappy. All in all Bournemouth is a pretty darn cool place with some EXCELLENT clubs and bars!!
• the villa man. and club x. crazy goths!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
• the Hot House if its still there - Bournemouth's one and only hybrid of alternative metal/rock/indie/grunge with a surprisingly diverse age range in the crowd.
• Little Black Book at Cagneys Nightclub, Hilton Hotel, Westover Road, Bournemouth every month is a really funky night out. Great crowd up for loads of fun and crazy games happening all night. You can try speed dating too which is a laugh. Good drinks promos. Tickets reasonable price at £6/£5 NUS Check it out at www.nights2remember.co.uk
• elements,circo,opra house,slam,urban,jumping jacks,great escape,toko,bar med,bliss,gossip in canford cliffs is very very very gd,alcatraz,fyeo strip club!!!so is spear mint rhyno!!!!ambassidor!!!!!!redz.consortium,casa are all amzing!!and klute and bress and edwards!!!!!1
• Love Retro, the monthly 70's Disco and 80's pop night which has just started is pretty cool and a nice break from the full on comercial venues that dominate the Bournemouth clubbing scene. I think it's on the second Saturday of every month, but check the webiste at loveretro.co.uk to be sure as I wouldn't want to lead you up the garden path!
• Dont do clubbing...went to The Pit back in the early nineties...they had indie night and it was fantastic!
• The Villa nightclub, the only place I've found that plays decent music, and I've never had a bad night out there!
• The Opera House on a saturday night has been downgraded to chart and cheese. The place is less than half full and has no atmosphere. I thought Richard was supposed to be a business man. Obviously using it as a tax loss now! Very dissapointing, Bournemouth has lossed the best venue for a saturday night.
• K Bar, Great Escape or Klute for the more discerning locals
• Elements- wicked on Fridays, Saturdays and especially Wednesday which is the student night, has a nice atmosphere and music to suit every taste! Nice door staff, but don't go in big groups of lads, you won't get in! Berlins on a Saturday if you want a cheesey night, but as far as talent goes, both men and women are minging! Urban is cool cos it has video cameras in the toilets and you can watch the men being silly and vice a versa, even funnier when people don't realise they're on camera. Platinum is new, very nice. Opera House should be avoided like the plague! Unless you are a pill head in which case you deserve the shittiness of it.
• The Villa for some decent rock
• i have to agree that the opera house is the main attraction, but avoid Wednesdays school disco on the first wednesday of the month, also forget about thursdays, Elements is ok and has the usual monkeys working on the door, ignore them and you will enjoy the night
• The K1 bars,restaraunt & club superb decor exellent atmosphere the bars open 7 nights with mondays showing new & cult movies , wednesdays is mad with all ya can eat for a fiver - mexican,curries,latin very cool , Thursdays live jazz ! Fridays you got Danny Milano in BAR1 playing funky house in the VIP bar which is very tasty & YOU CAN HAVE IT FOR PRIVATE HIRE its MARTYN THE HAT plays funky breaks & beats Then you have the nightclub downstairs open til 2am with those cheeky chappies BOB POVEY & JON COOMER the purveyors playing the best in us house & garage not 70s& 80s Then theres saturday nights my god what a weekend DJ BOB POVEY playing the best latin house & us grooves you could possibly here & DJ LE CHAPEAU in THE V.I.P droping some exellent french house & if thats not enough then you can go down the club & check out the suberb quality soulfull us house & garage from DJ DODGE & reular guest GARETH COOKE top jock at the ministry of sound . & if thats not enough when the clubs finish the K1 bar reopens for THE BREAKFAST CLUB yes somewhere you can go from 2am untill 6AM to have a full english breaky ,coffee relax watch a film & listen to the chilled sounds supplied by Bournemouths best MR martyn the hat So if your in town & you aint checked the place out you dont know what your missing there websites cool tooooooo www.k1experience.com
• someone has deffinatley 4gotton bout JUMPIN JAKS!!!!!!!!!!!the best party in town! honest! its on the pier approach, right by beach, so if u get hot....... ha ha! they play all sorts of music from the 70's to now. all sorts of ages, whether your 18, or middle aged. very good night out, if u like a good laugh.
• BERLINS is the cheesy one - expensive since they had the re-ferb SLINKY - is the club 2 be at well done rich carr. Bliss and Toko r kool 4 u snobs - now open til 2am Elements is another classic, make sure u go 2 circo 4 the cheap drinks (£1.50)
• The Opera House!One of the best if not the best clubs in town. The atmosphere on a sat nite is amazing! Slam if ur lookin to get into a fight with a random person.
• THE VILLA KICKS TOWNIE BUTT!
• Opera House in Boscombe, Circo in Bournemouth (but someone just got shot in it). Stay away from 'The great Escape' and 'Alcatraz' in old christchurch rd they are £5 a time and quite frankly I'd rather go to 'the' Alcatraz than these places.
• go to urban and the old fire station, both brilliantly layed out clubs with world class dj's on most saturdays. (best on d'n'b and hip hop nights)
• The Opera House in Boscombe is good for a fun cheesy night on a Thursday (cue youthful clientele jokes!) cheap drinks galore! Also, check out Dicky Darr's school disco, first wednesday of every month. Wear school uniform, and party your pants off!
• The last BREAKFLUID was f****ing excellent - best ever! cant wait until the next one
• bloody marvellous place..such a good atmosphere and the wonmen are beatiful
• elements on wed night, suppose to be a student night, so how come the drinks are still soooooo expensive. No one mentioned opera house on Sat, sometimes overshadowed by slinky {Fri} but still v. good night, drinks V.V.V.V expensice1 Be warned!
• elements, circo., slam, bliss, bar med, urban etc../.....
• Elements, Urban, Opera House, Hype (where an excellent new DJ called John Chant plays!) and plenty of others. but they're all v expensive so but ur drinks sumwhere else perhaps?!
• The Zoo and Cage is now been re-named Elements, and has opened Circo, an ajoining bar offering drinks at £1.20 before 9pm!!!
• WELL I JUST CHECKED YOUR CLUB LISTINGS & NOTICED THEY WERE SLIGHTLY OUT OF DATE k-bar BOURNEMOUTH IS DEFINATELY NOT A 70S 80S VENUE INFACT THEY ARE THE SOUTHS ONLY GENUINE US GARAGE & HOUSE CLUB WITH SOME OF THE COUNTRIES FINEST DJS= DJ DODGE ,JON COOMER , BOB POVEY , GARY ELLIS,MARTYN THE HAT,JEREMY.B(M.O.S)GARETH COOKE (M.O.S) IF YOU REQUIRE A FULL UP TO DATE LISTINGS & ANY OTHER RELEVENT CLUB,PUB,BAR INFO MUSIC MAFIA ARE THE PEOPLE T 01202 317070
• Best and most well known is The Opera House (In Boscombe) ..Slinky on Friday night is of International standard with the best DJs in the World..Lighting system is pretty good..Sound not the best but kind of rock concert style relying on huge bank of speakers at the front of the dancefloor rather than "surround" experience. Damn good night though although drinks in the club are really expensive (You could still make a fortune selling drinks at half the price Richard!) - www.slinky.co.uk Other club worth a mention is The Pier Showbar..Friday night, Hard house called Cheeky Little Monkey. Zoo and Cage is shit.
• the villa is good, but be careful of some of the local girls- they can be evil!
• I'm a regular at Club Xclusive and The Villa which are the only alternative clubs in Bmth. The people are great and really friendly although don't go there if you ger squeamish at the sight of piercings!
• Showbar at the pier. Has superb big-beat night called Breakfluid once a month(ish). Has had Freddy Fresh, etc, etc.
• Cheeky Little Monkey at the Showbar is pumping. The Opra House is good especially Slinky night. If you want a quieter night but with music check out Bar Med.
• The Cage and Zoo. The Opera House.
• The Manor, Matchams Lane. Best night out in a chilled atmosphere.
• K club! Up the hill from the Moon, 70's and some 80's - small and lively
• Venue closed in Jan 1999. Now the major clubs as The CAGE & ZOO next to Slams Bar and the OPERA HOUSE in Boscombe
• Scafaros - a new gay pub/club has just opened on the sea front. Great atmos, and a great place for us exiled Londoners to party.
• probably one of the best night spots of the eighties. Today sees a change ...for the worse! The clubs now tend to be individual in their outlook towards music policies, not such a bad thing, but they all seem to have the same music policy!!
• Xtreme, the only "alternative" club has now closed, rumours abound about the re-opening of the Hot House but nothing ever seems to happen. Those wishing to meet mind boggling stupid teenage girls could do a lot worse than the Cage, Berlins or the Opera House. For completely of their head white trash try the Manor, just outside Bournemouth for bangin house and dilate pupils. The best option for a night out is the Show Bar on the pier approach. Various events on Saturday nights, Jazz Juice (70's Funk and Disco), Shake your Mini (Northern Soul MOD type thing) and The Big Beat Breakdown (Drum + Bass, Hip HoP and Big Beat)being the ones to look out for. Watch out for the high proportion of designer label clad "lads" who all look alike. Beware, it is very difficult to find any music other than bad house and garage.
• The cage is great as is the opera house although on Thursdays there often seem to be quite a few underage kids. The Fire Station is an excellent cheap and friendly place to go if you are a student or know some one who is. Berlins is bizzare with some good drinks promos.
• The Hothouse /Gardening Club and Gardening Hut closed ages ago due to lack of punters. Real shame.
• Extreme on Holdenhurst Road for indie fans. Alcatraz at Lansdowne pulls the foreign punters. Watch out for bump'n'hustle every month. Top rated night in the south (BIC/Pavillion).
• Unfortunately, Madisons has closed since the council decided that the floor was going to fall through but the Uni has just renovated the old Fire Station into a cafe / club / venue and has some top nights including Fridays which are organised in association with The Ministry. The Academy is still a top night with guests like Carl Cox.
• The Cage is actually a bloody good club, but it seems as if the people who have contributed so far aren't really into the mainstream club scene, preferring the minuscule Hothouse (more like a youth club than a nightclub), and the more ravey Madisons.
• The Hothouse Just north of station. (grunge, Indie, Rock, Alternative), Madisons still the best, Cage and Venue awful, also The Show Bar has good club nights.
  Last I heard the Hothouse club has been taken over by the Gardening Club (of Covent Garden fame) and has moved to another venue. Said to be good.
  The Hothouse is now called The Gardening Club with live music during the week and Club Nights at the weekends.
• The Venue (in a suburb of Poole called Parkstone) and Madisons in the town centre. The Cage, good club. The Venue has a breathaliser outside to see if your over the limit for driving - good idea.
• The Academy nightclub. Renovated by John Butterworth in 95 and now sold to Richard Carr this is once again a top nightclub with capacity for over 2000 people with one of the largest dance floors in the south. Bigger than the Cage and Madisons put together. "The Opera House", formally known as the Academy is the best club in the whole of the south. Thursdays: Hot N Horny. Student night. £2 to get in great music and open until 2am. Fridays: Kiss the Furture. Room 1 - uplifting house/hard house Room 2 - drum & bass £ 1 per shot £ 1.50 per bottle open until 3am. Saturdays: Curious Room 1 - the best house anthems and club classics Room 2 - Brip Pop and 80's classics £ 4 before 9.45pm open until 2am. It's the place to be if you like the club scene!!!!!!

Live Music Venues

• most pubs
• B.I.C. hosts the bigger peeps. BB.king recently played along with Bob Dylan. Expect bigger bands now as they just built an extension onto the main hall.
• The Consortium- formerly a bad ass skateshop, now a happening night spot- Previous guests include- Blak Twang, Aspects, Ugly Duckling, Vanilla Pod, MarkB and Blade, Nextmen- DMC Finals. The Firestation- has seen guests as Estelle, Skinny man, Rodney P- but the f**cker never shows up (that is a diss)Ugly Duckling, The Takeover Crew...
• Mr Smiths The villa
• mr smiths, good atmosphere good bands
• Shhh... the brand new night sets to take Bournemouth by storm. Launching on Saturday 5th March 2005 & then the first sat of the month thereafter. A night dedicated to quality House Music with the countries finest Dj's. Definately 1 to go to. check www.elitedjs.co.uk for full details
• Mr Smiths has alternative punk / metal and other nights on 7 days a week..check it out!
• Fusion, Mr Smiths, The Villa
• In the skater/goth/alternative shops there are always little black and white leaflets of local gigs at: The Villa: Always cool! Mr Smiths: Also very cool! The BIC(Bournemouth International Centre): Usually very crap but occassionaly we see the likes of InMe. If you go to school then you'll here about gigs at various village/memorial halls with good school bands playing!
• The stage they but up on the peir is awsome
• St Clements Church, St Clements Road, Boscombe.New venue. Home to Stromenti String Quartet, resident professional quartet specializing in accessible popular classics. Concert tickets tel 01202 773587
• Mr Smiths is great, O'Neils also good for late night drinking but band can get ignored a bit. Overall Mr Kyps in Boscombe. Best sound, best stage big room (200 max) room at th ebar even when full. Need I say more ? Better beer would help !
• Dear Friends We need your help! On 13 February at around 10pm in the Villa in Bournemouth there is a fantastic band competition. The band with the most fans will win a record deal! It will be just stunning. Have you heard of “FEVER TREE”? They are the most promising rock band in BOURNEMOUTH! If you like Stereophonix, Smashing Pumpkins or the Darkness you are in a great treat. Tickets are just £5 and you will be guaranteed a great nights entertainment as well as making sure that FEVER TREE the local band are getting the record deal that they deserve. After the concert you can enjoy a great party until 2am,same location!! Forget London, the great Rock Night happens here. Call now for your tickets. Thank you for your support. Kathleen Tel: 07708 922390 or 01202 757147 Email: kathleenschremmer@hotmail.com
• the villa man. and club x. crazy goths!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
• BIC mainly word has it the darkness are playing some time in december so the place must be good. Also smaller places such as Mr.Smiths and the villa if you fancy something alternative, or just plain opera house for a mad night at slinky, also the slinky balls are wicked, usually held at the BIC.
• Above the Punch and Judy on Westbourne Hill, a tiny nusic venue for local bands. Used to be great - wonder if it's still there....
• The Gander definitely!!!!
• Mr Smiths by the triangle is the best known for live music. Check out who is playing on www.livewirelistings.co.uk or www.where-r.co.uk, these are both usually up to date. ALso Mr Kyps can have really good acts on - its in poole and has a website.
• Mr.Smiths
• mister smiths up in the triangle has really good music from ska to rock to nu-metal to dub etc etc
• Mr Smiths, Triangle - From relaxed acoustic nights to a full on mosh! Something for everyone.
• The BIC I guess
• There's sometimes some good bands at the Villa or the Gander.
• mr kyps
• Mr Smiths is cool, and the place round the back of the Central Bars in Ashley Cross.
• the gander on the green when pronghorn are playing
• The Central in Parkstone. the music haunt of everyone from Bournemouth and Poole
• Try out the "hole in the wall" down an alley behind the army shop in Lansdowne Road, not easy to find. (Was an ex-servicemens club now totally revamped) Wendy 01202 319966
• BIC - is the main venue - recently held the slinky tour until bournemouth council cancelled it.... spoil sports
• Um..BIC
• vila, gander on the green has sum decent stuff
• BIC, we've had some awesome times at the BIC, almost as good as Brixton.
• jumpin jacks by the pier
• Mr Smith's, up on Poole Hill towards Westbourne always have a variety of musicians and bands. If you get the chance, go see Nick Harper, an amazing guitarist, which is even better in such a unique and intimate little venue. Something for everyone there. The BIC is OK sometimes, keep your eyes open for the little gems that pop up there now and again!
• COMING SOON K1
• Club X has lots of live bands throughout the entire week. My fave is The Gander which has recently had the downstairs stage area refurbished. The bands are (without exception) of a high quality, attracting tribute bands and original bands both local and from afar. Recent bands that have made an appearence are "Glorious", Kava Kava (Glastonbury), G13 and many more including the "Axl Rose" who appeared on Stars in their Eyes. Pop in and see us if you enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, brilliant music, good value for money food and friendly people!!! We're not as scary as we look!!!
• The BIC hosts concerts all the time.
• Feb 2000. I notice the live music scene is becoming a bit quiter recently. Hope it's just a seasonal thing. Still, we still have the old faithfuls like the Gander and Mr Smiths, which seems to have improved lately. My fave band Unforgiven Kingdom play those two venues (http:www.unforgivenkingdom.com) I was a bit peed off when I went to Club Xclusive last month after a gig at Mr Smiths only to be charges £4 to get in (I am a member and there was no live gig). Shan't be going again if that carries on. Poole still seems to be in front when it comes to rock venues, so come on Bournemouth, I love you madly, gimme some more metal!
• i read with tounge in cheek your music guide to bournemouth very good. but one amendment to the list is mr smiths is the place for live bands mostly tribute bands for example hear is the list we have seen in the last month its every bit as good as the brook more intimate,ÊÊ Tonight we had a cracking set from who's who tribute, we have the hamsters next sunday what more could one want? we have seen in the last month Hamish stuart, acdc tribute , areosmith tribute whitesnake the origial yes with mr marsden and co now called company of snakes limehouse lizzy an incredable band better than lizzy we think, whole lot of zep, the producers, The agency , Glen tillbrook yes him from squeeze, Julie stein (dear jon) 24carrot purple larry miller the phenomenal proud puppies the next pistols hugh cornwell (yes him from the stanglers)nick harper, we have due both steely dan tribute bands nearly dan and the dan steele orchestra , and more so maybe mr smiths for pub rock should be a definate mr smiths for the best pub rock tickets are from £6 for tribute bands.
• If you can get out to Southbourne then every Thursday and Sunday the MALT & HOPS pub has good live bands starting at roughly 8.30-9pm which fit into the pop and rock mould. No cover charge. Easy listening music is to be found further afield in Ringwoods FURLONG pub (a good Ringwood Brewery Pub) they have live music every Tuesday night and then at the weekends if you don't like the live music to be found in the pubs on Poole Quay front then go to the RED SHOOT pub up in Linwood in the New Forest. It's in the middle of nowhere, but it's popular and you get a good crowd there.
• Poole Arts centre (okay it's not Bournemouth but it's close)
• I agree the Gander is Excellent, go in and ask if they know Jade (me) - 'cos they will !!
• The Gardening Club has live music during the week.
• Hey! I went to Mr Smiths and quite like it... just a kind of pub with young bands playing... cool...
• There are loads of excellent young live bands in Bournemouth but hardly anywhere for them to play - if the pubs/ clubs got it together Bournemouth should be the next cool town for UK live music.
• There are far more rock pubs around, the most notable being the Steam House Cafe in Southourne. At present, places to be seen are Woodies, above the Criterion pub aka. the Cri.
• The Hot House the only real rock pub left. Except for the Gander on the Green, and perhaps Mr Smiths Piano Bar.
• Univeristy students Union
• BIC (Bournemouth International Centre)

The Knowhere Guide started out as a list of places to skateboard in the UK. It is a compilation of (unedited) information and views supplied by users like yourself. It is not a conventional tourist guide!

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Last updated: 2008-01-19