Live Music in Chester

The Beatles played Chester four times in a single run of consecutive Thursdays in 1962 and 1963, and the city's ABC Cinema later hosted The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience before closing its doors to live music for good with a Motorhead show in 1979. That history of pulling serious acts has a present-day echo across a compact but capable live circuit. The Live Rooms anchors the grassroots end of the spectrum with rock and dance nights, while Telford's Warehouse brings consistent weekly programming to its canalside setting. Alexander's in Rufus Court runs an open mic every Tuesday alongside regular booked performers, and Chester Cathedral hosts tribute nights and orchestral events in one of the city's most striking spaces. Chester also exports talent: alternative rock band Mansun formed here in 1995, and the city supports annual events including Chester Folk Festival and Deva Fest.