Bude's free-entry music venue
Bar Thirty Five is one of Bude's most active live music venues. Most weekends — Friday and Saturday nights — we host an act in the bar room: acoustic duos, full bands, solo singer-songwriters, sea shanty groups, and tribute acts. Entry is free. There's no separate stage area or roped-off section; the music happens in the room with everyone, the way it should be.
Across the year we host a few hundred performances. Some are regulars who play monthly; some are touring acts passing through Cornwall; many are debut nights for emerging Cornish musicians cutting their teeth in front of a real, attentive crowd.
Annual highlights
The Bude Sea Shanty Festival
Every summer Bar Thirty Five takes part in Bude's Sea Shanty Festival — one of the most atmospheric weekends in the Cornish music calendar. We host shanty crews from across the West Country, the bar fills with harmonies, and the courtyard becomes a singalong. Free to drop in.
The Christmas Concert
Our December tradition. A full evening of music in early-to-mid December featuring some of our favourite acts of the year. Walk-in, free entry, mince pies behind the bar.
Open mic & emerging artist nights
We host occasional open mic and showcase nights to give newer Cornish musicians a proper room. Email us if you want to be in the lineup.
The kinds of acts we book
- Acoustic duos — guitar-and-vocals, ideal for the lounge atmosphere
- Indie and alt-pop bands — full setups in the bar room
- Sea shanty crews — Cornish folk traditions, especially in summer
- Tribute acts — occasional themed nights (rock, ska, 80s)
- Singer-songwriters — original material, often debut performances
- DJs — for late-night sets after the live act
What to expect on a live music night
Doors are open from late afternoon as a regular bar. The act usually starts between 9pm and 9:30pm and plays two sets with a break. The room fills from around 8pm onwards — earlier in summer, slightly later off-season. Free entry means the room is mixed: locals, holidaymakers, surfers, and visiting families with grown-up kids.
You can sit at the bar, grab a sofa in the lounge, take a booth, or stand at the back. There's no stage, no barriers, no security pat-down. It's just a properly lit room, a good PA, and the act in the middle of the crowd.
For musicians: how to get a booking
We're always open to hearing from Cornwall-based artists, touring acts coming through the South West, and bands looking for a Bude date as part of a wider run. To pitch:
- Email barthirtyfive@hotmail.com with the subject "Live Music Booking"
- Include 2–3 links to your music (Spotify / Bandcamp / SoundCloud / YouTube)
- Say what you're after: paid date, support slot, debut showcase, etc.
- Add any availability windows you have in the next 3 months
We pay genuinely (no door-split-only-deals), supply the PA, and can usually offer a guarantee for known acts.
Other live music venues in Bude
If you're spending a few nights in town and want to make a music week of it, Bude has a small but active scene. The Barrel runs Friday-night and Sunday-afternoon sets in their micropub. The Preston Gate Inn at Poughill puts on regular Friday nights. The Wyldes Cornwall hosts bigger ticketed gigs out of town. We're the central, free-entry option in Bude itself.
See who's on next
Upcoming gigs are listed on our What's On page. Walk-in only, free entry, full bar.