The three sisters can't recall when or why they started playing, the music’s always just been there. In their late teens, the sisters joined forces with their dad, who for decades was a one man band playing old blues and country tunes for a living. This foundation of classic "roots music and Americana" settled in their hearts, but also awoke the urge of breaking the rules of traditional music. Baskery is a band built on what three people can do together and it's all about turning the music on its head, blending the straightforwardness of punk with the subtlety of singer/ songwriting. The first album, "Fall Among Thieves" (2008) was recorded in Stockholm, co-produced by Lasse Mårtén (Pink, 'Peter, Bjorn and John', Kelly Clarkson, Lykke Li, Primal Scream ). "New Friends" (2011) the follow up, the band referred to it as the "gypsy album" since it was mainly tracked on the road in various hotel rooms and band apartments, then mixed in Berlin by Blackpete (Depeche Mode, Joe Jackson, Peter Fox). As a contrast to the first two albums which took several months to make, the third one "Little Wild Life" (2013) was recorded during ten days in an old dance studio converted to a studio in former east Berlin, co-produced by Matt Wignall (Cold War Kids, J. Roddy Walston, Wargirl). All three albums received great acclaim by the press and are released in numerous countries. The releases in combination with relentless touring have given the band a reputation as one of the music scene's most noticeable live acts.

All the way from Canada, Dennis Ellsworth returns to the UK with his brilliant four piece band. One of Canada's most respected songwriters, he has collaborated with people including Josh Finlayson and Andy Maize (Skydiggers), Gord Downie (The Tragically Hip), Donovan Woods, Rose Cousins, Leeroy Stagger, John Smith, and David Barbe (Drive-by Truckers / Sugar). Signed to Tonic Records and Cymba Publishing his music has appeared in tv shows for Netflix, CBC, HBO and the award winning film, The New Romantic, and on stage he is absolutely magnetic. His recent albums Modern Hope and Hardcore Freewheelin' gained many accolades and have been nominated in the prestigious East Coast Music Awards.

The Cureheads & Siouxsie and the Budgees tour together for their joint 'Story of Goth' tour. Premier tributes to the Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees.

The Bevis Frond (guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire Nick Saloman) have ultimately become the UK's leading underground psychedelic rock band. Their music is an iconoclastic collision of distinctly British psychedelia, space-rock, grunge, slow-burning soulful laments, even grizzled folk and more than occasional moments of sublime pop genius.

The Heretics + Eels Eels Eels Live at The Portland Arms, Cambridge

This is an e-ticket! No physical ticket will be sent! Your name will be down on the door! Beyond the Grave and Rancid Offal Booking are pleased to present Czech gore grind legends Gutalax live at The Portland Arms on Wednesday 16th Sept. Joining them will be the UK's very own snuff grind merchants Basement Torture Killings as well as Slamchesters Coprocephalic Mutation. An additional support will be announced in due course

A bubbling swamp curse of unholy ass shake, Jim Jones All Stars is the latest project from garage godfather Jim Jones.

Bloody Knees Presented by Outbreak Fest. This is an 18+ event

With a career now spanning six decades, Robyn Hitchcock remains a truly one-of-a-kind artist –surrealist rock ’n’ roller, iconic troubadour, guitarist, poet, painter, performer. An unparalleled, deeply individualistic songwriter and stylist, Hitchcock has traversed myriad genres with humor, intelligence, and originality over more than thirty albums and seemingly infinite live performances. From The Soft Boys’ proto-psych-punk and The Egyptians’ Dadaist pop to solo masterpieces like 1984’s milestone I Often Dream of Trains and 1990’s Eye, Hitchcock has crafted a strikingly original oeuvre rife with sagacious observation, astringent wit, recurring marine life, mechanized rail services, cheese, Clint Eastwood, and innumerable finely drawn characters real and imagined. Blending folk and psychedelia with a wry British nihilism, Robyn describes his songs as ‘paintings you can listen to’. His most recent album The Man Upstairs is a bittersweet love letter to a vanishing world. Produced by legendary folk-rock svengali Joe Boyd (Pink Floyd, Nick Drake) the album was critically acclaimed by MOJO, Uncut and The Quietus. This TalkingGigs event gives you a chance not only to hear Robyn perform and tell tales in his unique style but also to hear him talk about his music and career and even ask him the question that has always intrigued you.

Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders takes the freaked improvisation of Alexander's long-running instrumental band - DWLVS / Dire Wolves - into the world of song. Heady songwriting, ethereal jazz and krauty blues stomps are all featured. The Lidders include members of Elkhorn and Bardo Pond and are currently based in Philadelphia PA. Alexander has been frittering around the edges of the psychedelic underground for several decades, having played in a host of groups like Jackie-O Motherfucker, The Iditarod, and Black Forest/Black Sea. He has also been an arts venue programming director, booking agent, record label owner, FM radio disc jockey, tour manager, espresso bar cafe owner, and curator of several international music festivals such as Terrastock. He has worked in arts museums from Baltimore to Providence to Pittsburgh to San Francisco. Jeffrey also followed the Grateful Dead as a taper, coast to coast, for most of the 1980s. He is also a free-form radio DJ with current programs on both Camp Radio and NQRA.

Jake Martin is one of the UK's most exciting and hard-working solo acoustic artists. Known for his raw energy, heartfelt song-writing, and powerful live performances, Jake plays every show as if it might be his last: the result is an electric atmosphere with guaranteed crowd-wide singalongs. Over the past several years, Jake has toured relentlessly, taking his music across the UK, mainland Europe, the USA, and Australia. His high-energy blend of acoustic punk and melodic indie-folk, paired with sharp storytelling and offbeat humour, has earned him a loyal following and slots alongside some of the biggest names in the scene. Jake has played some of the UK's biggest festivals, including Boomtown, Beautiful Days, Rebellion Festival, 2000 Trees and Manchester Punk Festival and has shared stages with Frank Turner, Pet Needs, Beans On Toast, Ferocious Dog, Gaz Brookfield, Mark Chadwick (The Levellers), New Model Army, and Will Varley to name a few.

Hard to believe we know but it is true, Kirk Brandon has now been leading Spear of Destiny for over 37 years. Spear of Destiny were formed in 1983 after the demise of Kirk Brandon’s post punk iconic rockers Theatre of Hate. (Brandon had also, before TOH, been the main man in every punk rockers favourite band of that era The Pack)

Headliner: Twitch of The Death Nerve Terra Ominous Moon Colossloth Vulgaris Erectomy +1 other! This is an e-ticket. Your name will be down on the door!

A night of noisy Post Rock courtesy of 3 absolutely blistering hot bands doing amazing things. AV Sunset are a Northampton-based instrumental post rock band. Following their highly praised debut Album 'Disconnections' in 2023, AV Sunset return in 2026 with their 2nd offering. In anticipation this show promises to showcase new material and old for a storming sonic soundscape. Details are a post-rock band from Essex. 2 superb EPs in to their less than 1 year of existence they have been tearing rooves off venues around the East with their powerful mix of angular riffs, tangible melody and a hefty slab of noise. Xenonaut appeared in Feb 2026 with their immense debut single 'Lost to slow decay'. A bold statement of intent from a talented trio of multi-instrumentalists. Expect instrument swapping and triumphant metal riffs weaving throughout what will be a very early opportunity to see a band clearly destined for a great future.

Freya is using science to try and make her life more successful. Although she only got a 2:2 from the University of Brighton, so perhaps she shouldnt back herself on that ability. With over 50K followers online and millions of views, her science jokes are quickly becoming a cult favourite.

Tadiwa Mahlunge is one of comedy's fastest-rising stars. The Times (★★★★) hailed him as one of the Top 3 Stars of Tomorrow. The Scotsman (★★★★) praised him as already looking like the complete, fully rounded package". The Skinny ★★★★ called him impressively accomplished and infectiously funny. Tipped as one of the must-see comics (Rolling Stone), Tadiwa has appeared on ITV2's Stand Up Sketch Show, Comedy Central, Dave, and BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz.

Get ready to lose your voice and relive the golden era of pop-punk as this high-octane, dual-headline show is a full-throttle tribute to blink-182 and Green Day, delivering wall-to-wall anthems, nonstop energy, and pure nostalgic chaos. Expect two full sets packed with the songs that defined a generation from blinks cheeky, fast-paced punk hooks to Green Days rebellious, fist-in-the-air classics.

Get ready for REPEAT's Cambridge summer shindig! Exact details TBC but expect sounds new and old, hip, happening and maybe hapless too. Hurrah. Proudly supporting Love Music Hate Racism

British singer-songwriter Tom Mcrae, along with his regular touring musicians ‘The Standing Band’, has been quietly moving up the ranks of the most respected songwriters in the world today after releasing 7 critically acclaimed studio albums over the last 15 years and writing for a variety of artists and singers. Mcrae’s eponymous debut album in 2000 was nominated for a The Mercury Prize, a Q Magazine Award, and a Brit, and the subsequent two years of touring cemented his reputation as one the most entertaining and powerful artists touring today. Mcrae’s second album, Just Like Blood, released to wide acclaim, with every track being licensed for TV and film use, his style of music fitting perfectly the darker output of LA’s film studios. Since then, Essex-born Mcrae has released five more albums, relocated internationally three times and set up his own label Buzztree Studios in Cornwall- and there’s no sign that he’s going to be slowing down anytime soon. Mcrae and his tour mates, The Standing Band, a collection of incredible musicians and loyal friends, released their latest record ‘Did I Sleep and Miss The Boarder’ this Autumn. The album and its accompanying tour have further added to the cult that is rapidly springing up around this talented and dedicated artist and his ragtag band. For an artist working in a genre often considered by the music press to be ‘sensitive and self-indulgent’, Mcrae possesses the talent to blow the roof off a venue with his passionate performances, as well as the innate ability forge a strong humorous bond with his audience.

Britains only MORRISSEY tribute act

Throwing Muses’ lynchpin, Kristin Hersh’s prolific career has seen her heralded queen of the alternative release. Her tenth studio album, Possible Dust Clouds is a highly personalised sociopathic gem delivered as a futuristic rewriting of how music works, a melodious breeze with a tail wind of venomous din.

Brown Horse make twangy and thoughtful indie rock, delicately arranged, but unafraid of building a yowling wall of guitars, accordion, banjo and pedal steel. Distorted, teary-eyed and country-tinged, this is music for long lonely drives and late, late nights in strange places.

Dirty, sweet, rock n' roll from London, UK. New album 'Promised Land' out now.

Phil is a man desperate to hold on to his youth, except the regrets, which he will now lay bare ... well most of them anyway. As heard on BBC Radio 4. Following three sold-out Edinburgh Fringe runs, multiple award nominations, over 20 million views on TikTok, selling out London's Soho Theatre and a UK tour, Phil brings us his latest work-in-progress show. "Phil Green is the real deal....he wows the room into gushes of laughter" British Comedy Guide ★★★★ The List ★★★★ North West End ★★★★ Theatre & Arts Review

Rob Auton is back at Cambridge Fringe, bringing you his brand new WIP. THIS IS MY NEW SHOW FOR 2026/27. IT IS A STORY ABOUT ME BEING AN ESTATE AGENT ON THE PLANET JUPITER. I AM DOING IT AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE IN AUGUST AND AM DOING A LOT OF WORK IN PROGRESS SHOWS TO GET THE SHOW HOW I WANT IT TO BE. End of capitals. I would love you to come to a work in progress, if they were football matches they would be friendlies. Hopefully they are a productive laugh.

A punchline-heavy stand-up hour about how fat men are portrayed in film, TV and comedy and what that does to you, when you grow up inside those stories. From wheezing sidekicks and cautionary tales, to sexless best friends, Stuart Thomas dismantles the cliches with sharp writing and high-energy delivery. This isnt a lecture it's a mischievous, joke-dense show about taking up space unapologetically. 'Made me laugh a lot' (Kate Copstick, Scotsman). Finalist: Beat the Frog World Series.

E-Ticket for the Oxidised Razor gig at the Portland Arms on the 30th July. THIS IS AN E-TICKET! NO PHYSICAL TICKET IS SENT! YOUR NAME WILL BE DOWN ON THE DOOR!

You've never been to a talk show like this! Be My Guest flips the format on its head when the booked guests are stuck in traffic, the audience becomes the show. Hosted by Ria Lina (QI, Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You, The News Quiz), it's fearless crowdwork, spontaneous storytelling, and the kind of sharp, warm hosting that makes strangers hilarious. No script. No safety net. Just a room full of people who turned out to be fascinating.

Geoff is back at Cambridge Fringe and bringing his brand new work in progress show. As a rare right-winger, Geoff Norcott is a unique voice in British comedy. Having appeared on Live at the Apollo, Mash Report, Mock the Week and Question Time he's built up a significant live following with sell-out Edinburgh runs and two national tours. Operating outside the usual comedic commentary on politics and social issues, Geoff has carved a real niche for himself. With a documentary, bespoke TV formats plus a UK and international tour on the horizon, 2019 is set to be an even bigger year.

Tiff thinks once sex is out the way it's easier to be clear headed. Maybe the UN should only meet up after they've had a good shag Join Tiff for a show about sexiness, mortality, class, ageing parents, pole fitness, entrainment, witches, formula one, umarells, farting and online angels As seen on JFL, Mock The Week, The Bugle, House Of Games, Have A Word, Game Face, People Just Do Nothing and that movie with a killer sloth Emotionally intelligent, witty and quietly powerful ★★★★★ Mail On Sunday 'A fantastic hour of bold comedy, by a comic at the top of her game' ★★★★★ Broadway Baby 'As always, she's frighteningly honest and hilarious' ★★★★★ Daily Express'

The Rabbitts craft music that blurs the lines between folk, alternative, and atmospheric pop. Known for their delicate harmonies, immersive arrangements, and a sound described as “ethereal and understated” (BBC Radio 6), they create songs that feel both intimate and cinematic. Critics have called their work “hypnotic... crafting a meditative spell” (Obscure Sound) and “intricately lush and completely captivating” (Podcart). The Norwich-based band began 2026 with an immersive and isolated creative retreat in the mountains. They now have a new album set for release on November 13th 2026. This show is part of their UK album release tour, where songs from the new album will be performed for the first time alongside a few old favourites. This tour follows on from their 2025 tour which sold out multiple shows around the UK, and the release of ‘Orbital Collection’, a series of four EPs the band released over the course of 12 months. The Rabbitts are an ever-evolving group who are constantly creating and rarely staying still. Presented by Silver Birch Sound. All ages. Under 16's must be accompanied by a parent or guardian

Famous First Words is THE devilishly addictive live singing gameshow that's been selling out shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow. The game is fast, frenetic, fun to play, hilarious to watch and includes all of your singalong favourites! How does it work A song gets played, and if you Know the lyrics Have the bottle and got the timing Then simply step up to grab the mic and the glory, at Famous First Words.

New silly stand up show from enchanting human shaped hurricane (Edinburgh Reviews) Ruby Carr. Best Show nominee Leicester Comedy Festival 2026 Ruby has been promised a Hollywood smile from her dentist in 32 weeks. The NHS only has 12 to fix her OCD. Working on her teeth and her brain all means one thing, there's a lot going on in her head. The plan is simple: fix her teeth, fix her life, so that she can move up a metaphorical floor in her head and finally fix that pesky mental health. Fizzy with energy and so funny off the cuff (Chortle) Ruby commands the stage with a radiant, infectious energy (SLEEC REVIEWS) Carr definitely knows how to work a crowd enjoyable and funny very silly (Broadway Baby) The best thing about this show is how much fun Ruby Carr looks like she's having, and it's quite infectious... frequently ridiculous and silly... a great comedian - (One4Review)

The 'sharply witty, almost sexily cerebral" (The Telegraph) stand-up and tour-support for Jack Dee brings a WIP of his best material in advance of recording a special. As heard on BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz and The Now Show. Co-host of the Gig Pigs podcast with Ivo Graham. So technically clever that it's almost beautiful...a career-defining show. ★★★★★ Broadway Baby "Breakneck pace with surprising turns in eloquent comic's wonderful new hour" ★★★★ - The List A storming show from the whimsical funnyman The Sunday Times The Times Top Jokes of Edinburgh 2024 "Excellent...dynamite Interstellar routine which I wish I had written!" - Mark Kermode "5 comedians to see if you like James Acaster" - Edinburgh Evening News

Call it prairie noir or Canadiana desert rock: Toronto's Abigail Lapell sings haunting, gorgeous modern folk songs. She's won three Canadian Folk Music Awards, including English Songwriter of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year, reaching #1 on Canadian folk radio and over 48 million streams across digital platforms. Lapell tours widely across North America and Europe, performing on vocals, piano, harmonica and finger style guitar. Her JUNO-nominated album, Anniversary, was released May 2024 on Outside Music. Last year, Lapell released Anniversary & More Songs About Love, an extended companion to Anniversary. Presented by Folklore Sessions This is an 18+ event

Alex Franklin: Kiss Me x Heyyy gurl! U up x What if we kissed Right now Xx xXx Xx xxX X X x x (kissing) Wow. That was wonderful. Until we meet again. Brighton Fringe Best Comedy Show Nominee 2024. As seen / heard on Channel 4 / HBO Max / BBC Radio Emma Plowright: Work in Progress Funny women content creator award nominee Emma Plowright brings you 30 minutes of her most unnerving stand up.

A piping hot work-in-progress stand-up show by Eddy Hare. "A special talent" Rolling Stone BBC New Comedy Award Nominee ★★★★ The Skinny ★★★★ Broadway Baby ★★★★ One4Review ★★★★ Broadway World

Francis of Delirium is a Luxembourg-based indie rock duo formed by Canadian-born singer-songwriter Jana Bahrich and drummer/producer Chris Hewett.

Baba Yaga's Hut Presents: Smote SMOTE, once a solo endeavor by Daniel Foggin, now expanded to a fuller ensemble blends traditional instrumentation - creaking strings, funeral drums, somber winds - with thunderous synth work and desolate guitar to craft drone and dirge. The new album “A Grand Stream” (Rocket Recordings 2024) is a full-scale psychic voyage into the ether and a drone-and-repetition-fuelled series of incantations that takes simple, primal ingredients and utilises them for the purposes of aural sorcery, summoning spectres and revelations aplenty in its wake. Smote’s austerity is one that refreshingly escapes the usual trappings of avant-garde music, simply by the force of its elemental vitality and its grounding of negative aural space. Its overpowering wall of sound still holds enough natural grace that it escapes the oppressive abusiveness of, say, Swans, and yet it is relentless in its forward thrust. “A Grand Stream” takes the band - one who’ve always eschewed the cliches and stumbling blocks of all contemporary psych rock in favour of their own unique and wyrd vision - into a realm in which they transcend through willpower and skill alike into something preternaturally thrilling and intimidating, mapping out their own crepuscular new territory in the paranormal. This is an 18+ event

Mr B invented chap-Hop in the summer of 2007, having drunk too much sherry and inadvertently created a new culture. Since then, he has travelled the world, spreading his beats, rhymes and manners. He has recorded 13 albums and has rapped for Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight and for Rob Da Bank, Steve Lamacq, Claudia Winkleman, Tom Robinson, Shaun Keaveny on the radio and for Zoe Ball on Sky TV. He has been described as ‘a cross between the home service and Run DMC’ by Evening Standard. ‘Too funny and dope’ (Nile Rodgers).

Yes she's headlining her own gig but years of audiences saying "you should do comedy" has worn her down. She does do comedy and this month she's going to prove it. Supporting Ali Warwood will be: Alex Hylton, Matt Hollis and we have Steve McLean as guest MC. There will be beautiful Oscars pizzas available and the best drinks you can think of. See you there!

Harvs Le Toad is bringing his Between Lilypads Tour to The Portland Arms in celebration of his new album Between Lilypads, released via Vinyl Digital.

We've finally managed to get Esther Manito booked and we can't ruddy wait. She will be supported by John Tothill, Alex Freimuller and Chris Ford. Ali Warwood will host the show and there's all the drinks and Pizza you could possibly need (for a price). See you there

Ticket for the Cambridge leg of the Isles of Suffering UK tour. Plesae note that this is an e-ticket! No physical ticket is sent! Your name will be down on the door!

E-TICKET for the Fossilization/Phobocosm Cambridge gig at the Portland Arms on the 23rd August NO PHYSICAL TICKET IS SENT OUT! YOUR NAME WILL BE DOWN ON THE DOOR!

Formed in York in 2013, King No-One introduced themselves busking original material in the cold, rain drenched streets across the UK. As word spread they built their live reputation with blistering shows across the nations favourite small venues before exploding as one of the biggest live emerging guitar bands in the country.

After a sold out, rave reviewed tour last year Esther Manito is back working up her new show As seen on Live at the Apollo and The Stand Up Sketch Show, The show also features a performance from Will Robbins of The Lovely Boys.