About The Smokehouse

The Smokehouse is an intimate 88-capacity live music venue in the heart of Ipswich’s vibrant multicultural quarter. Since opening in 2016 The Smokehouse has hosted over 200 acts per year curated by local, regional, and national artists and promoters. The venue is run by the team at Brighten The Corners.

In December 2018 The Smokehouse set up its own promotions arm called The Smokehouse Presents to showcase Ipswich as a viable gigging destination for established touring artists including This Is The Kit, Andy Bell, Sink Ya Teeth, Bessie Turner, Field Music, Warmduscher, Rozi Plain, Snapped Ankles, Robyn Hitchcock, Trash Kit, Coach Party and many more. The Smokehouse Presents was replaced by Brighten The Corners Presents and continues to bring an exciting curation of gigs to Ipswich.

2019 and 2021 also saw The Smokehouse team curate Sound City Ipswich, a multi-venue festival and music industry conference bringing exciting upcoming national and regional artists to the town. 2019’s one-day festival saw highlights in The Murder Capital, Emma-Jean Thackray, Gaffa Tape Sandy, Novelist and W. H. Lung, while 2021’s expanded two-day festival included acts such as Working Men’s Club, Alabaster Deplume, Big Joanie and Billie Marten who with many other artists left a lasting impression on the audience. Since 2023, Brighten The Corners Festival has been independently showcasing the best of emerging music across the UK and bringing it to Ipswich.

Since reopening in September 2021 after the pandemic shut down venues nationwide, The Smokehouse has a packed schedule of gigs and events welcoming artists from all corners of the UK and beyond, with no sign of slowing down soon. Take a look at what we’ve got coming up here.