Nightlife in Nottingham - A guide to nightclubs and going out in Nottingham (Part 1)

Published by Erasmusu Content — 3 years ago

Blog: Nottingham City Guide 2021: the ultimate guide
Tags: Erasmus blog Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

Being a large city with two universities, Nottingham is buzzing with a great nightlife. There are many Erasmus students and there really is something for everyone. During term time, you can go out any night of the week (including Sunday) although it is much more relaxed during the holidays.

Popular student clubs

For a real British student experience, you have to go to the most typical student clubs. Freshers week is the perfect period to experience them as there are events held at all of Nottingham’s hottest and biggest clubs, often with fancy dress or themes. It is a good idea to like all of the clubs’ facebook pages too because the information is usually put on there and you can often get in for free if you write your name on the facebook guestlists and click attending on the events. Be careful. Nights tend to get messy!

Ink

A relatively new club, Ink is popular with international and English students alike. Boasting an impressive sound system and the latest advanced lighting systems, it has 4 rooms, 8 bars and plays mostly electronic and commercial music. It has regular nights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and special occasions. You have to pay to get in and there is the possibility of getting in for free or for a discounted price with a free drink via the Facebook guestlist.

It is situated on Queen street in close proximity to the Old Market Square.

Events

Ink sessions

This is the Friday night event. Guaranteed entry tickets are £5 and you can also buy queue jump tickets for £6. They can be purchased on the Ink Fridays website but remember that entry after 11pm isn’t guaranteed for ticket holders. It is on from 10.30pm until 3.30am. If you put yourself on the Facebook guestlist and click attending on the event, you can get in for £5 on the door with a free drink.

Ink Saturday

This is the night on Saturdays. You can buy super early bird tickets for£5, early bird tickets for £6 or pay £7 for standard entry. There is also the facebook guestlist. If you put your name on it and click attending on the event, you can get in for free before 11.30pm. It is worth remembering that the tickets are all the same. The only difference is the price.

Ocean

An exclusively student venue, Ocean Wednesdays are famous amongst Trent Students. You will never have seen anything like Nottingham on a Wednesday night in your life. The streets are full of students in fancy dress, who often start drinking at five or six pm. This night is messy to say the least. Friday nights are the designated nights for the University of Nottingham (or Uni of, as everyone calls it).

The music is mostly pop and it tends to play a lot of ‘cheese’. Literally, anything goes. If you want to go here, entry tends to sell out fast so buy a ticket in advance! Also, as it is a student only club, you do need to bring your student ID to get in.

Events

Ocean Wednesdays

Fancy dress is obligatory. This is the designated Nottingham Trent student night and it tends to be for the sports clubs and societies even though anyone can go. The sports clubs and societies have a designated person authorised to reserve a book of tickets for their club/society. If you are a part of a club or society, you can buy a ticket from them.

Otherwise, a small amount of tickets are available online on the events section of the NTSU site. They go on sale on Mondays at 10am on a first come first served basis. Get in there fast because they have been known to sell out in seconds. Alternatively, you can buy them at the box office located in the Students’ Union building at City Campus. Tickets are from£4.50 and it’s open from 10.30pm until 3am. There are also extremely limited tickets on the door but this is not recommended as they sell out straight away.

Ocean Fridays

As well as being the venue for the University of Nottingham ‘Karni’ events, Friday nights are the designated nights for this University. It is open from 10.30pm until 3am and you can buy tickets online for £6. Again, Ocean is a very popular club and tickets tend to sell out. If you don’t manage to get one in time, don’t worry. Tickets can be purchased on the door from 9pm.

Karni (University of Nottingham)

What are Karni nights you might be asking yourself? Well Karnival is a student ran fundraising organisation at the University of Nottingham. They organise various activities in order to raise money for a good cause and this includes running events. In 2016, they raised over £2.4 million for charities all over the world which makes them the largest group of this kind outside the USA!

The events include a bar hop, which ends up at Ocean. They have themes and you are expected to dress up. Events at the University of Nottingham can be found on the website so keep an eye out if you would like to support a worthy cause and have fun doing it. Tickets are £6 and can be bought online, at the Students’ Union Box Office or from the Karni reps (students who represent the cause).

Pryzm

Another fairly new club, Pryzm has 6 different rooms including a Tiki bar and a Bavarian beer hall. There are nights on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and a wide range of cheap drink offers. This is a popular choice among students. Ticket prices vary, although you can often get in for free before a certain time via the facebook guestlist. The music is fairly commercial although it varies by room.

Events

Lemonade

This is Monday night’s event. It is the designated University of Nottingham night and you can expect to hear garage, grime, house, r’n’b and hip hop. There are also DJs and live acts. Drinks are from 1.50 all night and you have to pay entry. There is a Facebook guestlist but this does not grant you free entry. However, it is still worth putting your name on as it entitles you to a free drink before 11.30pm.

You can buy tickets from fatsoma.com. Super early bird tickets cost £3, early bird are £4, group tickets are £4 each (you have to be at least 5 people) and guaranteed entry tickets are £5. There is also the possibility of buying a VIP queue jump ticket for £6. Allocation on the door is not guaranteed so make sure to buy your tickets in advance.

It is ran from 10pm - 3.30 am.

Tape

This is Tuesday night’s event and it is the designated Nottingham Trent University night. You can expect to hear garage, grime, house, r’n’b and hip hop and DJs and live acts. There are often nights dedicated to specific artists. For example, in the past, there has been a Beyonce night and a Drake night.

Selected drinks are £1.50 all night. However unlike Lemonade, there is no Facebook guestlist for a free drink. You can buy tickets from fatsoma.com.Super early bird tickets cost £3, early bird are £4, group tickets are £4 each (you have to be at least 5 people) and guaranteed entry tickets are £5. There is also the possibility of buying a VIP queue jump ticket for £6.

The event is ran from 10pm - 3.30am.

Fresh Friday

Fresh Friday is the event on Friday nights. Music ranges from pop to r’n’b and house. Drinks are from £1.50 all night and you can get in for free before 11pm. However if you want to come later, it is £3 before midnight and £5 after. You can buy tickets for entry before midnight on their website or pay on the door.

It is ran from 10pm - 4am.

Playground

This is the event on Saturday nights. Expect to hear a variety of music, with house, r’n’b and house. All drinks are 50% off before 11pm. Entry is also free before 11pm but if you do decide to arrive later, you can buy a ticket on their website for £5, which gets your entry before midnight. Alternatively you can pay on the door. Admission before midnight is £7, £8 before 1am and £9 before 2am.

The night runs from 10pm - 4am.

Jongleurs Comedy

This is something a bit different. It is held on Saturday nights and is a stand up comedy night with 4 comedians. The show lasts for around 2 hours and doors open at 7pm, although the show itself does not start until 8.30pm.

It is a ticketless event. Instead, you need to show a confirmation email after purchasing admission online. A standard seat costs £16, or you have the option for paying for a seat and 2 drinks vouchers for £22. You can purchase them on the Jongleurs website, as well as on Prizms website.

There is a food menu, although all food must be ordered prior to the event. There are several curries, a chilli and traditional fish and chips, as well as puddings which include cheesecake, profiteroles and sticky toffee pudding. All main courses are either £9.50 or £10 and all puddings are £4.50.

The Bowery Club

Yet another popular student club, the Bowery plays hip-hop, r’n’b, house and rock music and if Friday and Saturday night haven’t succeeded in tiring you out, the Bowery also has a night on Sundays. Entrance tends to be paid although there is a Facebook guestlist.

Events

Off the Wall

This is the event on Friday nights at the Bowery. Music includes disco, funk, old school r’n’b, electro pop and guilty pleasures. There is a guestlist on Facebook for free entry before 11.30pm and drinks are from£2 all night long. If you are not on the guestlist, entry is £5. The event is ran from 10.30pm - 3.30am.

Aces

This is the event held on Saturday nights. It is known as being ‘Nottingham’s chicest night out’ and there are also nights held in Marbella and Ibiza! The music is mostly house and r’n’b and you should dress to impress.

You can reserve tables and put yourself on the guestlist on the phone. Alternatively, you can also access their guestlist on their website. Otherwise entry is £5 and despite the glamorous reputation, there are half price discounts before a certain time.

The event is on from 10pm - 4am.

Industry

This is the night on Sunday nights. The music is r’n’b and hip hop.

If you work in a Nottingham bar, you can get in for free if you bring a payslip. Otherwise, entry is £5. If it is a bank holiday, there is often a Facebook guestlist for free entry before 11pm.

It is held from 10pm - 4am.

Stealth

If you love house music and drums/bass, this is the place for you. There are other regular events all year round, as well as special events featuring well known artists and DJs. Entry and drinks are more expensive, although there are sometimes guestlists on Facebook.

Events

Stealth vs. Rescued.

Stealth is combined with Rescue Rooms every Saturday. You will hear an eclectic range of music including hip hop and throwbacks from the 90s. There is notably a Jamaican style barbecue on the terrace, facepainting, glitter and more that you wouldn’t usually find in the other clubs.

Entry is free before 10.15pm and there is a Facebook guestlist, which gets free entry for the first 200 people to enter before 11pm. There are also guestlist cards. Basically, each time you buy a drink, you collect a stamp and if you fill the card, you can bring the card next time for free entry.

It is on from 10pm - 5am.

Dollop

This night is not as regular and you will have to check the Dollop Facebook page for events. Events also run in London and internationally, although the events roots are in Nottingham. It is a night based on electronic music with previous guests including Skream and Jamie xx. It also runs on special events such as new year's eve.

Tickets are released when events are announced and you can buy them online via dollopdollop.com. Ticket prices will vary according to the event and who is playing but you will always need a ticket and entry is always paid. Tickets tend to sell out, so if you are interested in going to one of the events, it’s best to buy one in plenty of time.

Yeah yeah & what

This is a grime, bass, garage and jungle night. It also doesn’t run on regular nights through the week so it is best to keep an eye on the Facebook page for events. Previous guests include Big Narstie and Bugzy Malone.

You will need to buy a ticket in advance. They are available on alttickets.com. As they are special events, prices will vary.

The Level

The Nottingham Trent City Student Union building. It is a diner by day and transforms into a club every Saturday night.

Events

Climax

This is the event held on Saturday nights. Students from both universities are welcome and you are allowed to sign in two guests. Drinks are dirt cheap and everyone you meet is a student. Music is commercial and there is a pleasant and safe student atmosphere.

You can buy a ticket in advance for £4 or alternatively pay on the door (£4 before midnight or £5 after). The tickets are available at the box office in the Students’ Union building or can be purchased online at trentstudents.org (if you purchase them online, you are required to pay a booking fee).

Special events

In addition to Climax, there are also special events like the Christmas and end of year party, which tend to start during the day and don’t finish until the early hours of the morning. For special events, you are required to buy a ticket in advance as they sell out. For the daytime celebrations, you are not required to pay and anyone can go. There is always a great atmosphere and most Trent students tend to go.

Quids Inn

This isn’t really a club night. There is a more relaxed atmosphere. This is held on Thursday nights from 7pm until 11pm, is free and offers drinks from £1.

Live music venues

Nottingham is reknown for its live music scene, having brought various artists on the scene. There are daytime festivals, small gigs and huge concerts. From the biggest and most famous chart toppers to lesser known indie bands, if anything there is too much to choose from!

Rock City

Also with club nights every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, this is an enormous and reputable live venue. A diverse range of musicians perform here although as you may have guessed from its name; the music is mostly of an alternative genre. There are usually drinks offers. For club nights, you can either buy a ticket in advance or pay on the door and there are often guest lists to get in for free before a certain time.

As well as the main concert hall, there is the Black Cherry Lounge which has a slightly different atmosphere. There are comfortable leather armchairs but there is also a bar and dance floor. Special events take place here regularly such as burlesque nights and 90’s rock nights and on the club nights, they tend to play different music there.

Events

Crisis

This is the official University of Nottingham club night held on Wednesday nights and where the socials for the clubs and societies are often held. Although Rock City is known for rock and alternative music, the music includes chart music and cheesy pop. Tickets tend to sell out so make sure you buy one in advance.

A ticket expiring at 9pm costs £6 (plus a booking fee of 65p), a ticket expiring at 9.30pm costs £6.50 (plus the 65p booking fee) and a VIP ticket (expiring at 10.30pm) is available for £9.25 (plus the booking fee). Bear in mind this is a University of Nottingham student night so you will need to bring your student card proving that you attend this University. If you fail to do so, you may be refused entry.

There are drinks offers such as 2 jagerbombs for £3.50. The event is held from 9pm - 2am.

Tuned

This is the official Nottingham Trent University club night held on Thursday nights. However, this is a popular event and non Trent students also attend (you are not required to have a student ID to get in, although students do get priority). There is pop punk and alternative music, hip hop, rap and grime, as well as more popular music.

You can buy a ticket in advance. These are available at the bar at Quids Inn (at the Level, the City Students’ Union bar) from 8pm or at tunedtickets.com. Tickets online cost £5 and some include a ticket for a free jagerbomb, which is only valid up until a certain time. However if you buy your ticket at Quids Inn, it only costs £3. On the door, it is £5 all night. Selected drinks are two for one all night, so be careful. Things can get messy if you accidently end up with a lot of drinks! The event is held from 10pm - 3am.

Get Lucky

This is the event held on Friday nights. You can hear all the best chart music, plus some more old school classics. Advance tickets are available at getlucky-tickets.com for a drink and free entry before 10.30pm. Otherwise entry on the door is free before 11pm, free before 11.30pm for girls, £4 before midnight and £5 after. There are cocktails for just £2.50 all night and drinks are affordable. It is held from 10pm - 3am.

Hey Hey Hey

This is the Saturday night event. Expect to hear a lot of pop punk and alternative music. There is a Facebook guestlist for free entry before 11pm so make sure to like the facebook page. Also, the first 100 people on the guestlist to enter get a free drink (a jagerbomb). If you want to come later, entrance is £5. The event is held from 10pm - 3pm.

Rescue Rooms

As previously mentioned, this live music venue combines with Stealth every Saturday night for Stealth vs. Rescued. It also has club nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a pub quiz and karaoke night on Wednesday and acoustic rooms on Monday nights. For the club nights, there are a Facebook guestlist and drinks offers such as two for one on selected drinks on Tuesday nights. A variety of artists play here but the music tends to be alternative. There is also a kitchen, serving food (burgers and pizza) open from 4PM-10PM, Monday-Saturday.

Events

Acoustic Rooms

Every Monday, an open mic night is held at the Rescue Rooms. Expect to find some local talents, as well as some bigger acts. Jake Bugg, Amber Run and Beans on Toast have all played here… and you can too! Any aspiring musicians can [email protected] with 'Acoustic Rooms' as the subject for the opportunity to take part. Entry is free and anyone who plays gets a free drink. It starts at 8pm until late.

Pressure

This is the club night held on Tuesdays. There is a variety of music; from indie and alternative at the bar to a hip hop room upstairs! Sometimes there are special guests, which have included Kate Nash and Mumford and Sons. There are two for one drinks offers all night and entry is free. The event is held from 10pm - 3am.

Pub Quiz and Karaoke

For a more relaxed atmosphere, you can always check out the weekly pub quiz held on Wednesday nights. Every week, there is a different theme. You can find out what it is via the Facebook page. To participate, make sure you arrive before 8pm. It costs 50p, there are drinks offers and you could even win prizes.

If you get drunk enough you can participate in the karaoke later on. It’s perfect for a night of silliness. They have over 6,000 songs to choose from so you are sure to find something that appeals.

Club Tropicana

For throwbacks to the 80s and 90s, Thursday night is the night for you. With a limbo competition and fishbowls, you are sure to have a blast. Entry is free and there are drinks offers all night long (£4 cocktails, etc. ). It is held from 10pm - 3am.

Stealth vs. Rescued

Every Saturday night, the Rescue Rooms combine with Stealth for Stealth vs. Rescued (see Stealth).

Motorpoint Area

One of the UK’s biggest venues, this multi functional area hosts the creme de la creme of concerts, shows, sporting events and comedians. From a Metallica concert to Disney on Ice, there is something for everyone. Going to an ice hockey match to see the Nottingham Panthersplay is highly recommended as Ice skating is a huge sport in Nottingham. The area is integrated with theNational Ice Centreso you can also go ice skating here or have something to eat in one of the cafes and restaurants inside.

The Bodega

The Bodega is a popular music venue, bar and club with several club nights and a pub quiz. There is a lot of acoustic music although you will find other genres too. There is asociable hourfrom 4pm-7pm, Mondays to Thursdays with a selection of drinks starting at £2. Cocktails are two for £8 during happy hour.

Events

Original Sound Tracks

The Bodega on a Monday night will be heaven for all you film buffs out there with the DJs playing all the best film soundtracks. They also screen films, which you can vote for on their facebook page. There are happy hour drinks prices all night and entry is free. It runs from 10pm until late.

Never Mind The Bodega

If you want to chill out and enjoy a couple of drinks with friends, you can come down to the pop quiz held on Tuesday nights. It is always music themed, but the specifics are given via their facebook page. For example, there has been a hip hop quiz, indie, etc.

It costs 50p to take part and it is on from 8pm - 10pm. However bear in mind that sheets are distributed at 7.30pm so arrive in plenty of time. There are also various drinks offers all night.

Rev it up!

Every Wednesday you can expect to hear an eclectic range of music at the Bodega. You’ll probably discover some new tunes too. Entry is free and cocktails are 2 for £7. It also runs from 10pm until late.

Super Ape

Although "Rev it up!" is the usual Wednesday night, Sugar Ape brings you the best of pop punk and rock every first Wednesday of the month. With free shots of skittles vodka, sweets and a huge gorilla pouring shots down people’s throats, who really needs any more convincing? Expect some strange events going down. There have been doughnuts and cereal stations in the past and there are loads of drinks offers all night including jugs of ‘gorilla piss’ for £8 and doubles for £3.

If you buy a ticket in advance (£2), you also get a free shot of sambuca. If not, there is a facebook guestlist for £3 entry and a free shot before 11.30pm. Otherwise it costs £5.

Beer for the Soul

Every Thursday, this night of soul is held in the downstairs bar. There are many offers on beer, entry is free and it is held from 7pm - 10pm.

Hockney

Every fortnight, the Bodega brings you Hockney on a Thursday night. In association withDot to Dotfestival, you can expect to hear indie and classic alternative tunes although you can also hear funk and soul in the downstairs bar. This night prides itself on offering an alternative for people who are sick of hearing the same old commercial music.

There are endless drinks offers all night which include selected cans at £3 and a southern comfort and mixer for £2.50. Tickets can be bought in advance at alttickets.com for a reduced price of £3. Alternatively you can pay on the door - £4 before midnight or £5 after. If you are a high society or film society, you can get in for just £1 before 10pm. The event runs from 11pm - 3am.

The Pop Confessional

This is the event held on Friday nights. You can expect pop music from all eras and loads of drinks offers all night (£2.50 single house spirit and mixer, £3.50 for doubles). What stands out as different about this night, is the confessional booth, where you can come and confess your sins and be rewarded in turn with a shot of vodka.

Entry is free before 11pm, there is a facebook guest list for £3 before midnight. There is also discount admission for students and people in fancy dress! Otherwise, standard entry after midnight is £5. The event runs from 11pm - 3am.

What is Love?

Head down to the Bodega on a Saturday night for 90s bangers. Fancy dress is highly encouraged so put on your best dungarees because it’s all about the 90s. There are many drinks offers all night long (single house spirit and mixer at £2.50 with doubles at £3.50).

Entry costs £2 before midnight on the facebook guestlist or £4 afterwards. The event runs from 11pm - 3am.

The Maze

This venue features a lot of local bands and has a variety of regular nights. It is a smaller venue and music is generally alternative.

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Nightlife in Nottingham - A guide to nightclubs and going out in Nottingham (Part 1)

Published by Erasmusu Content — 3 years ago

Popular student clubs