The Showbar

16/09/2026

14/09/2026

This Thursday we're excited to introduce Coralie, an up-and-coming ‘folksy’ singer-songwriter, currently studying music at the University of Southampton.

Expect hints of Laura Marling, Joni Mitchell and Adrianne Lenker with a sound rooted in the folk tradition yet undeniably modern.

Bar open from 5, Happy Hour til 6.30, music from 7.30pm!

07/09/2026

This weekend we're excited to host 10 acts as part of Swanage Folk Festival Fringe!

Saturday 12 September
2pm - Kelp!
An eclectic group of local men who have discovered the pleasure of singing shanties and songs of the sea. Their raw enthusiasm always proves infectious.

3.15pm - Sophie Wright & Richard Wirdnam
Accordion, guitar and vocal duo playing traditional and contemporary folk music, old ballads, foot tapping tunes and jolly joiner-inners.

4.30pm - Peter Cooper & Julian Harrow - ‘A Fondness for Melancholy (Part Deux)
A celebration of this most British of emotions, a few rays of sunshine and twinkles of humour amongst the rain drops.

5.45pm - The Amy Hopwood Trio
Expect an eclectic selection of extraordinary songs from the new album, alongside older favourites and some more traditional folk.

7.30pm - St Fian
St. Fian play a genre bending blend of trad and contemporary music, to make you laugh, dance, think twice and maybe even shed a tear.

Sunday 13th September
2.00pm - ‘Wareham Whalers’
Rocking the boat with their powerful shanties since 2004, as they would have been sung for work on board ship and for the rare moments of recovery down below.

3.15pm - Goldefynche’
Trad Folktronica duo singing English Folk songs from 13th to 19th Centuries, updated with synthesisers, vocoders and ambient samples.

4.30pm - Alongshore
Blends traditional and original song, archive material and field recordings into a soundscape of coastal lives-past, present, and future.

5.30pm - Time & Tide Theatre – ‘Who’s Afear’d’
Tells stories of Dorset folk (both men and women) who have gone beyond the call of duty and shown that in extremis, they were not ‘afear’d’.

7.30pm - Greyhounds Leap
Purbeck duo ‘Greyhound’s Leap’ brings together Luke Russ on guitar & Sunny Angel on double bass to play a mix of skiffle, folk and bluegrass. A Showbar favourite!

Bar open from 1pm both days - all events are free, but please bring some cash for the collection buckets and if you'd like a Festival Fringe Wristband to show your support, bring a fiver!

More details at https://swanagefolkfestival.com/festival-fringe/

06/09/2026

This Thursday's Record Club is on the theme of 'Soundtracks', curated by Paul B, who'll introduce the first album at 7.30pm.

Feel free to bring your own tracks to play, on vinyl or CD. Dig out your John Williams, Ennio Morricone, John Barry, Michael Nyman, Vangelis, David Holmes, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis...

Swanage Record Club are a friendly bunch, new members are always welcome (it's free and totally informal) or just come along and listen in from the other end of the bar!

Thursday, 10th September - bar open from 5, Happy Hour til 6.30, music starts 7, first album introduced at 7.30pm.

05/09/2026

Want to show off in front of this view? Our Open Mic night is this Tuesday 8 September from 7.30pm - Swanage Bay is our backdrop!

All you need to bring is your talent and an instrument if you need one - we supply the PA, a microphone and lots of encouragement!

Show Off @ The Showbar is hosted by RYLO on the second Tuesday of every month!

01/09/2026

On Weds 2 September Jai Danton brings us the Season Finale of this summer's Sunset Sessions.

Jai's live DJ mixes of the world's best chillout music capture the atmosphere of Balaeric resorts and have given us some fantastically relaxed evenings with our own iconic views over Swanage Bay.

Come and join us for the last session of the season - bar open from 5, Happy Hour til 6.30, music from 7.30pm.

30/08/2026

The Pent-Up House Trio live inThe Showbar this Tuesday, 1st September.

The Trio, (Rob Mills - sax, Rick Foot - bass, Rob Howes - piano) will be joined by Finlay Calder on Trombone and Malcolm Orgee on Latin Percussion.

"This month we will be featuring music by Charlie Mingus, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, as well as our usual smattering of ‘moderns’. Be there or be square!"

Bar open from 5, Happy Hout til 6.30, music from 7.15pm. Free entry!

25/08/2026

This Sunday is a ukulele special!

Join us in the Studio for an interactive, hands-on session led by two professional ukulele workshop practitioners. Workshop 1 is designed for absolute beginners and requires zero musical experience or note-reading skills.

Workshop 2 is for players with basic experience, designed to help you build confidence, expand your chord vocabulary, improve your strumming, and make chord changes smoother and more natural.

Then in the evening the bar is open to everyone for The Uke Collective - definitely not your average ukulele group! With a full rhythm section, this eclectic uke ensemble takes you on a musical journey from the funk of James Brown to the electronic grooves of Kraftwerk, the timeless songs of The Eagles, the anthems of U2, and much more! Feel free to bring a uke and join in!

Book your workshops at https://themowlem.com/event/ukulele-workshops - bar open at 5, Uke Collective from 7pm!

24/08/2026

This Thursday, join us for Oscar's Quiz!

It's the busiest, biggest quiz in town, always fun, always a winner!

Bring a team of up to 6, £2 per person, the questions start at 8pm - prizes for the top three teams!