What's On in Nottingham and the East Midlands 2026 & 2027: Live Music, Concerts & Events
Posted on Tuesday 6th October 2026 at 16:00
Written by
Will Rabjohns
What's On in Nottingham and the East Midlands 2026 & 2027: Live Music, Concerts & Events
Updated October 2026. Looking for the best live events happening across Nottingham and the East Midlands in 2026 and 2027? From major arena tours and city-centre gigs to festivals and one-off shows, this guide highlights the standout live experiences coming to the region and where to catch them.
Discover what’s on across Nottingham and the East Midlands, from huge arena concerts and outdoor festivals to grassroots gigs and unmissable live events.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- Major concerts and tours coming to Nottingham and the East Midlands
- Standout shows and limited-date runs to book early
- Regional highlights from Nottingham, Lincoln, Derby and Leicester
- A practical FAQ to help plan your live events calendar
Standout gigs & tours across Nottingham & the East Midlands
N-DUBZ
THE LEGACY TOUR - IN THE ROUND
When: Monday 1st March 2027 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
Camden favourites N-Dubz take The Legacy Tour into the round at Motorpoint Arena next March.
PALACE
SPRING 2027 UK TOUR
When: Tuesday 11th May 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
London indie rockers Palace bring their soaring, atmospheric guitar sound to Rock City next May for a Nottingham headline show in support of their latest album, Ox.
DINOSAUR PILE-UP
UK TOUR 2027
When: Wednesday 24th March & Thursday 1st April 2027 (The Drill, Lincoln & The Palais, Nottingham)
Leeds rockers Dinosaur Pile-Up bring their huge riffs and grunge-fuelled hooks to Lincoln and Nottingham next spring on their UK tour.
SLEEPER
END OF THE WORLD TOUR + SPECIAL GUESTS TURIN BRAKES
When: Friday 12th March 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Britpop favourites Sleeper bring their End Of The World Tour to Rock City next March, with special guests Turin Brakes.
FAT DOG
UK & EU TOUR 2026
When: Sunday 15th November & Thursday 3rd December 2026 (O2 Academy2 Leicester & Rock City, Nottingham)
Known for chaotic, high-octane live shows, Fat Dog bring their explosive sound to Leicester and Nottingham this November and December.
DO NOTHING
FRIEND WORLD UK TOUR
When: Saturday 30th January 2027 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
Nottingham’s own Do Nothing play Rescue Rooms next January, bringing their wiry, deadpan post-punk to a hometown crowd.
KNEECAP
FENIAN WORLD TOUR
When: Saturday 12th December 2026 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
Belfast rap trio Kneecap bring their Fenian World Tour to Motorpoint Arena this December for a huge Nottingham night.
RIZZLE KICKS
PLUS RAFA AND MEELO
When: Monday 16th November 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
British pop-rap duo Rizzle Kicks bring their reunion tour and much-loved singalong hits to Rock City this November.
JAKE BUGG
ALAMO SOLO ACOUSTIC TOUR
When: Wednesday 18th November 2026 & Tuesday 23rd February 2027 (O2 Academy2 Leicester & Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham)
Nottingham’s Jake Bugg launches Alamo in Leicester this November, then plays a hometown Royal Concert Hall show in February.
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
PERFORMING TIGERMILK FOLLOWED BY A SECOND SET OF FAVOURITES
When: Friday 11th December 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Glasgow indie legends Belle and Sebastian perform debut album Tigermilk in full, then return for a second set of favourites.
THE SNUTS
JOY IN SHORT MOMENTS TOUR + THE KAIROS & THE ROOKS
When: Friday 27th November 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Scottish indie chart-toppers The Snuts bring their Joy In Short Moments tour to Rock City, with The Kairos and The Rooks.
PROFESSOR GREEN
LIVE AND AT YOUR SERVICE
When: Friday 4th June 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
Hackney rapper Professor Green brings Live And At Your Service to Rock City next June for a night of hits.
More gigs, festivals & events across the East Midlands
From outdoor festivals and comedy tours to grassroots gigs, the East Midlands calendar is packed with reasons to get out and see something live.
ERASURE
RADIO!! RADIO!! TOUR + SPECIAL GUESTS LADYTRON
When: Wednesday 5th May 2027 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
CORY WONG
FRETBOARD ODYSSEY + SPECIAL GUESTS
When: Wednesday 2nd December 2026 (Rock City, Nottingham)
GRAVEYARD & BLUES PILLS
EUROPEAN TOUR 2026/27 + SPIDERS
When: Thursday 25th March 2027 (The Palais, Nottingham)
RONI SIZE & REPRAZENT
NEW FORMS 30TH ANNIVERSARY + SPECIAL GUESTS: FABIO & GROOVERIDER
When: Friday 11th June 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
SEASICK STEVE
20 YEARS OUT OF THE DOG HOUSE TOUR
When: Friday 19th March 2027 (Rock City, Nottingham)
LANG LANG
MOZART, BEETHOVEN, ALBÉNIZ, GRANADOS & LISZT
When: Tuesday 3rd August 2027 (Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham)
SIMON BRODKIN: UNLEASHED
STAND-UP TOUR 2026/27
When: Thursday 5th November 2026 – Friday 19th February 2027 (multiple UK venues)
EYRE LLEW – BLOOM: THE HOMETOWN SHOW
PLUS SOBSCENE, MORAN, HAIVER & UNDER THE RADAR DJS
When: Sunday 15th November 2026 (The Nest, Nottingham)
GARETH MALONE
SING-A-LONG-A-GARETH: AT THE MOVIES
When: Sunday 18th October 2026 (Nottingham Playhouse)
HOCKLEY HUSTLE 2026
FINAL TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
When: Sunday 25th October 2026 (various Nottingham venues)
EM-CON NOTTINGHAM 2027
VIP PASSES AVAILABLE!
When: Saturday 31st July & Sunday 1st August 2027 (Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham)
MANGATA FESTIVAL 2027
HYOM, WORN OUT, MILLION MOONS & MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
When: Saturday 4th September 2027 (Rescue Rooms, Nottingham)
Regional highlights — Where to go in the East Midlands
Each venue guide below covers everything you need to plan your visit — from transport tips and FAQs to upcoming gigs.
Nottingham
Nottingham combines arena-scale shows at Motorpoint Arena and major performances at Royal Concert Hall with a thriving mid-sized and grassroots scene across venues like Rock City, The Bodega and The Old Cold Store.
Lincoln
Historic Lincoln offers a mix of distinctive venues, from former church space Southside and community arts hub The Drill to major summer events at the stunning Lincoln Castle.
Derby
Derby’s live scene ranges from larger touring productions at Derby Arena to more intimate shows and tribute nights at established local venues such as The Flowerpot.
Leicester
Leicester combines grassroots venues such as The Soundhouse and The Black Horse with larger headline spaces, including O2 Academy Leicester and De Montfort Hall.
Northampton
Northampton’s live calendar centres on the historic Royal and Derngate theatres and the Roadmender, a long-running independent venue for touring bands and club nights.
Browse events by town or city:
NOTTINGHAM | LINCOLN | DERBY | LEICESTER | NORTHAMPTON | SKEGNESS | BUXTON | MANSFIELD | CHESTERFIELD | NEWARK-ON-TRENT
Need to know — Nottingham & the East Midlands events
When do tickets usually go on sale?
Most tickets go on sale shortly after an announcement, often on Friday mornings. Popular concerts, comedy shows and festivals across the East Midlands can sell out quickly, so it's worth setting reminders and booking early.
What's the biggest concert venue in the East Midlands?
Motorpoint Arena Nottingham is the largest indoor concert venue in the East Midlands and hosts many of the world's biggest touring artists. Other major venues include Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall, Derby Arena and the iconic Rock City.
Which East Midlands venues are best for live music?
The East Midlands has a thriving live music scene, from major venues such as Motorpoint Arena Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, Derby Arena and Rock City to respected grassroots venues including The Bodega (Nottingham), The Drill (Lincoln) and The Flowerpot (Derby).
What festivals take place near Nottingham?
Popular festivals near Nottingham include Dot To Dot Festival and Hockley Hustle. Elsewhere in the region, Call of the Wild Festival and Glastonbudget attract music fans from across the country each year.
Ready to explore more live events in the East Midlands?
Find all upcoming gigs, tours and festivals across Nottingham, Lincoln, and beyond.