Best Clubs in Exeter
Exeter has a lively nightlife scene driven in large part by the University of Exeter's student population. The city centre is compact, with clubs, live music venues, and bars all within easy walking distance. While smaller than nearby Bristol's scene, Exeter supports a solid circuit of venues covering electronic club nights, live music, and arts-led programming.
This guide covers the best nightlife venues in Exeter based on current programming, event volume, and genre coverage. All venue and event data is drawn from live listings on whatnightout.
Best for Club Nights
Exeter's club scene is led by Bomba's packed programme, with Move offering a more electronic focus and Fever covering the mainstream.
Bomba Exeter
City Centre
- Exeter's busiest nightclub
- Packed weekly programme
- Mix of electronic, pop, and party nights
Bomba is Exeter's busiest nightclub, with over 21 upcoming events at any given time. The venue programmes a packed schedule of club nights across house, electronic, pop, hip-hop, and party formats. Regular weekly nights and themed events make it the city's most reliable destination for a big night out.
Bomba caters to both the student crowd and the broader Exeter audience, offering a mix of genre-specific club nights and broader party events. Its high event volume and consistent programming make it a central fixture of Exeter's nightlife.
Move Exeter
City Centre
- Regular electronic music programming
- Active club night schedule
Move is a club venue in Exeter with around 15 upcoming events at any given time. The venue programmes club nights across electronic, house, drum and bass, and broader dance music formats. Move offers an alternative to Bomba with a focus on electronic genres.
The club hosts regular events from local promoters alongside themed nights and special events. Move fills an important role in Exeter's nightlife for those looking for electronic music in a dedicated club environment.
Fever Exeter
City Centre
- Mainstream club venue
- Regular weekend nights
Fever is a club venue in Exeter with around 9 upcoming events at any given time. The venue programmes mainstream club nights and party events across pop, house, and commercial dance music. It caters to the weekend clubbing market in the city.
Fever offers a more mainstream alternative to Move and Bomba, with themed nights and party events that appeal to a broad audience. It is a popular choice for big weekend nights out.
Best for Live Music
The Cavern's historic basement and Exeter Phoenix's arts programme provide the city's main live music offerings.
The Cavern
City Centre
- Long-running basement venue
- Early gigs by Coldplay and Muse
- Intimate live music setting
The Cavern is a long-running basement live music venue in Exeter with a history stretching back decades. The venue is notable for having hosted early gigs by Coldplay and Muse before they became internationally known. It continues to programme live music across rock, indie, punk, and alternative genres.
The intimate basement setting creates an atmosphere that suits live performance, and The Cavern remains an important grassroots venue in the South West. Programming focuses on live acts rather than DJ-led events, making it Exeter's primary destination for guitar-driven music.
Exeter Phoenix
City Centre
- Arts centre with live music programme
- Eclectic cultural events
- Indie, folk, jazz, and electronic bookings
Exeter Phoenix is an arts centre that hosts live music, film, club nights, and cultural events. The venue programmes around 5 events at any time across a range of formats, from live gigs and DJ nights to film screenings and arts events. Its arts centre setting gives it a distinct identity from Exeter's dedicated clubs.
Programming covers indie, electronic, folk, jazz, and experimental music alongside broader cultural events. Exeter Phoenix is an important part of the city's cultural infrastructure, offering a more eclectic and arts-focused alternative to the mainstream club circuit.
Best for Something Different
Beyond the mainstream club circuit, Exeter has venues offering grassroots gigs and arts-led programming.
The Cavern
City Centre
- Long-running basement venue
- Early gigs by Coldplay and Muse
- Intimate live music setting
The Cavern is a long-running basement live music venue in Exeter with a history stretching back decades. The venue is notable for having hosted early gigs by Coldplay and Muse before they became internationally known. It continues to programme live music across rock, indie, punk, and alternative genres.
The intimate basement setting creates an atmosphere that suits live performance, and The Cavern remains an important grassroots venue in the South West. Programming focuses on live acts rather than DJ-led events, making it Exeter's primary destination for guitar-driven music.
Exeter Phoenix
City Centre
- Arts centre with live music programme
- Eclectic cultural events
- Indie, folk, jazz, and electronic bookings
Exeter Phoenix is an arts centre that hosts live music, film, club nights, and cultural events. The venue programmes around 5 events at any time across a range of formats, from live gigs and DJ nights to film screenings and arts events. Its arts centre setting gives it a distinct identity from Exeter's dedicated clubs.
Programming covers indie, electronic, folk, jazz, and experimental music alongside broader cultural events. Exeter Phoenix is an important part of the city's cultural infrastructure, offering a more eclectic and arts-focused alternative to the mainstream club circuit.
Exeter's nightlife offers busy club nights, historic live music venues, and arts-led programming in a compact city centre. Browse all upcoming events in Exeter to find your next night out.
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