The Portsmouth Alternative Scene

The Portsmouth Alternative Scene

Clubs:

Connection: My Thursday indie night at The Dockyard Bar, previously at Scandals and Zanzi.

Delight: The Monday alternative night at Popworld

Resurgence: Goth, Post-Punk Alt 80s at The Loft, Albert Road

Pubs:

There seems to be no one main alternative pub these days, instead there are several scattered around:

The Deco is the local rock/metal pub, and is a very friendly place run by lovely people

The Honest Politician also has a fairly alternative clientele, and before covid I was doing Scandals Reunion nights there once a year

The Fat Fox is a popular alternative/student pub that also puts on bands, with the Atrium bar above it.

Little Johnny Russells A popular venue with the older alternative crowd, they also run local cafe/restaurant The Belle Isle.

Gig Venues:

The Guildhall: Occasionally puts on bigger "alternative" bands.

The Pyramids: Quite often puts on mid-range alternative bands (Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, The Coral etc) via PVC.

The Wedgewood Rooms: Has a very good reputation, especially for getting alternative bands before they get big and getting "scoops"- Oasis, Killers, Primal Scream etc. - any band touted as being "on the way up" will almost inevitably play The Wedgewood Rooms. They also put on metal/punk/emo bands, local band nights and club nights.