Lovers of all kinds of music can find something to match their taste on the Isle of Wight. The island has a long history of live music: The Who and Free famously recording live albums on the island, and the Isle of Wight Festival has hosted a variety of international stars every year since 1968, including Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix.
A second music festival, Bestival, has been running since 2004. It has won the UK Festival Awards Best Medium Sized Festival award several times. The island also plays host to several jazz and folk festivals throughout the year.
Isle of Wight live music
Live music venues are scattered across the island. Catch tribute bands, unsigned acts and up and coming artists. Local singers and groups also perform regularly. Popular music venues include The Bargeman’s Rest and the Castle Inn in Newport, the Union and the Anchor Inn in Cowes. In Ryde, there’s The Kasbah and King Lud. The Old Commercial, The Jubilee Bar and The Tap can all be found in Sandown, The Steamer Inn and Harry’s Bar in Shanklin and the Bugle in Yarmouth, to name but a few.
Music listings can be found in the Isle of Wight County Press.
