What’s On

Join us for a night of nostalgia and musical excellence as the renowned tribute to Marillion, StillMarillion takes the stage at The Portland Arms in Cambridge on Saturday, November 23rd.
Formed in 2008 in Scotland, StillMarillion pays homage to the classic Fish era of Marillion, faithfully recreating the magic of one of progressive rock’s most iconic bands. With a passion for preserving the essence of Marillion’s early years, StillMarillion captures the spirit and energy of Fish’s era with precision and dedication.
For this special show in Aberdeen, StillMarillion will delve deep into the archives of Marillion’s discography, treating fans to a classic Fish era setlist that will transport audiences back to the golden age of progressive rock. From the atmospheric landscapes of “Script for a Jester’s Tear” to the emotive storytelling of “Misplaced Childhood,” prepare to be swept away by a sonic journey through Marillion’s most beloved albums.
But the nostalgia doesn’t end there. StillMarillion will also pay tribute to Fish’s debut solo album, “Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors,” by performing select cuts from this seminal release. Experience the raw emotion and poetic lyricism that defined Fish’s solo career, as StillMarillion brings these songs to life with their own unique flair and passion.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness StillMarillion live at The Portland Arms, as they celebrate the music of Marillion and Fish in all its glory. Get ready for an unforgettable night of progressive rock bliss and immerse yourself in the timeless sounds of a bygone era.

Gig in association with Cambridge Jazz Festival

Mr Griff and The Grifters are an 8 piece powerhouse from Cambridge, playing all original music that captures the timeless spirt of funk and soul, guaranteed to get you moving. After a busy summer festival season, playing main stage at the Cambridge Club Festival, headlining Strawberry Fair, the Bedford River Festival and a storming set at Secret Garden Party, the band are excited to return to this years Cambridge Jazz Festival, to showcase some brand new material from their forthcoming 3rd album due for release in 2025. Since 2021 band leader Ian Griffith, a session drummer turned frontman, has created one of the freshest and most exciting new sounds to emerge from Cambridge in recent years.

Support comes from live improvised dance fusion trio Hench Hog. Led by the exceptional Trombone player Vijay Prakash (Brass Funkeys), Hench hog explore a rich tapestry of psychedelic jazz fusion, over seriously groovy dance beats. Join them at The Portland Arms to celebrate the end of another fantastic Cambridge Jazz Festival.

Cheap Dirty Horse are a big rowdy queer trash folk-punk band from Nottingham. Blending acoustic and electric guitar with banjo, accordion, bass, drums, and sometimes mandolin, they write energetic, joyful protest music. They sing about trans rights, dead billionaires, and the importance of doing the things you love. They sing about grief, washing machines, and stealing shit. Angry, but always empowering.

KL MB – Anarcha-folk punk-rap duo with aggressively political lyrics that focus on cathartic reclamation of power. Their music explores themes of forms of power, apathy, paganism, freedom, climate collapse, and the anxieties of living in late stage capitalism.

iburnpolice – Some little guy who does some sad songs, some very sexual songs, and sometimes electronic music, but is always gay

We’ve kept some guest list spots available for those who cannot afford a ticket, please DM us on instagram or email us at cheapdirtyhorse(at)gmail.com if you’d like to come but don’t have the money to.

https://instagram.com/cheap_dirty_horse
https://www.facebook.com/cheapdirtyhorse
https://tiktok.com/@cheapdirtyhorse

“Earth Day Blue” Tour 2024

Recorded in Abbey Road Studio 2 on Earth Day 2024, “Earth Day Blue” is the 14th studio album release from Nick Harper, the wildly talented and much loved singer-songwriter.

With John Leckie in the producer’s chair (Stone Roses, Radiohead, Muse etc.) and Tchad Blake mixing (Tom Waits, Crowded House, Peter Gabriel etc.), the album is a flash mob of high calibre talent assembled for a few hours’ collaboration in a very special space.

But this was not the first time Nick and John had been in session together in Studio 2. It was way back in 1973, in the very same room, that Nick was given his ‘big break’ in the world of music. The duo first ‘worked’ together when Nick, aged 8, recorded his first ever songs with John whilst Nick’s father Roy was recording his own seminal album “Lifemask” with Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. So the circle has been squared off and the journey is complete!

Our regular night of mirth featuring top comics from the national circuit.

Headline: Huge Davis

Combining his confident on stage presence, dark humour, surreal material and his one-of-kind customised keyboard, Huge has quickly risen to become one the most unique acts in the UK.

After reaching the finals of the Leicester Square Comedian of the Year, Amused Moose New National Comic Award, Hackney Empire New Act of the Year and the Musical Comedy Awards in 2018, Huge debuted his first show ‘The Carpark’ at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019. A complete sell-out, it received multiple five-star reviews and an Edinburgh Comedy Award Nomination for Best Newcomer. The show transferred to the Soho Theatre and was featured as Time Out’s No.1 comedy show to see.

Huge appears regularly on television, including appearances include 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Harry Hill’s Clubnite, Roast Battle, Jools Holland, Hypothetical, Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, Live at the Comedy Store, Comedians Giving Lectures and The Stand Up Sketch Show. Huge performs both in the UK and internationally, also supporting Phil Wang and Joe Lycett on their national tours.

Huge will be joined by Danny Clives, Chris Ali and one more act TBC.
MC – Ali Warwood.

INNER TERRESTRIALS – Obviously we couldn’t let our long-time friends and supporters, the Inner Terrestrials celebrate 30 years without inviting them to play in Cambridge for us! Formed in 1994, London’s legendary Inner Terrestrials are original pioneers of the UK Dub Punk sound – a stomping mix of Dub, Punk, Ska, Folk and general anarchic danceability – with lyrics that are more often than not aggressively political, covering subjects such as anarchism, animal rights, land ownership, the class system and war.

One of the hardest working bands around, they have gigged and toured extensively playing venues, festivals, squat parties, demos and protest sites all over the UK and Europe. Inner Terrestrials are the real deal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un1RAg8ILNc

http://innerterrestrials.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/innerterrestrials

KILLDREN – Killdren are a two-bit rave-punk band with a smelly attitude. Sitting uneasily between straight-up nihilism and fresh-faced naivety, Killdren pen politically charged slapstick anthems. They form the ideal soundtrack to the worst generation in history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmznV9gk8FU

https://www.killdren.com/
https://killdren.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/defonotkilldren

THE MINOR DISCOMFORT BAND – It’s a fuckin’ punk rock barn dance! This is going to be so special. A rare live performance by Ed, Zoe and Kai, current/former members of I.C.H., Casual Nausea, Faintest Idea, The Domestics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGgoWmOGe4Y

https://theminordiscomfortband.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheMinorDiscomfortBand

LAST GANG DJs – Punk, Ska & beyond…
http://www.facebook.com/LastGangInTownUK

A private gig of music to celebrate the life of Sharon Jayne Sullivan.

The expression of hard-fought optimism encapsulates The Good Kind, an album exploring themes of sexuality, relationships, community, and illness. Our Girl’s trademark dynamics permeate the record, from heavy guitars and soaring lead lines to ear worm choruses and intimate vocal moments. Filled with warmth and honesty, The Good Kind is a celebration of determination – of choosing to recommit to what matters, against all opposition. “A lot of the songs are about taking setbacks and turning them into superpowers” says drummer Lauren Wilson.

“I only realised then, when I thought it out loud,” begins singer/guitarist Soph Nathan on ‘Relief’, the first single released from the album, “And I feel better now”. This song is aptly named, invoking a long-awaited exhale – the feeling of finally emerging from a long and lonely period of uncertainty and self-doubt. Beginning with a single airy strum, Nathan’s reverb-drenched guitar attaches itself to Joshua Tyler’s grounding bass chords, as Wilson’s quietly insistent drum beat throws its weight behind Nathan’s words of reassurance: “You’ve gotta see it to believe it/ Well, I see it in you already.”

This song speaks honestly to the life-giving importance of queer community. From the warmth and immediacy of her delivery, Nathan could be comforting a friend. But as ‘Relief’ builds from that cautious opening to a determinedly, driving force, it becomes clear: these aren’t empty platitudes. Nathan believes in you, because she’s learned to believe in herself.

The Portland and Commoner’s comedy present something special…

Our infamous Gong Show is back! It’s where fresh comedic talent face off for laughs and glory.

With the audience in charge of the gong, anything can happen!

Topping off the night is the hilarious Annie McGrath, delivering a stand-up set so good it’ll have you ho-ho-howling with laughter.

You’d be a real Scrooge to miss it!

In a frankly unbelievable turn of events Hayley & Steve have been running good-ship Portland for 20 years this weekend!

To apologise/celebrate this fact (depending on your point of view) we will be having some of our favourite bands and people performing throughout the day for us starting with acoustic performances in the main bar before rocking it out in the venue during the evening.

It’s all free to attend, plus there will be giveaways, special deals and surprises throughout the day.
So come join us and party like it 2004 again!

Acts performing so far are…

MAIN BAR from 3pm
3pm: Rishi Karmadillo
https://www.youtube.com/@karmadildo/videos
3.45pm: Steve Adams
https://linktr.ee/stevenjadams
4.30pm: Benjamin B Sydes
https://linktr.ee/bsydes
5.15pm: Jazz & Friends
6pm: Old Man Boom
https://linktr.ee/oldmanboom
6.45pm: Darren Michelangelo Smith

IN THE VENUE from 8pm
Two Peas in a Pod
https://www.instagram.com/vanillapod1995
Ellie Walker & The Folly
https://www.instagram.com/elliewalker.music/
Pony Collaboration
https://theponycollaboration.bandcamp.com/

The Deep Blue are quietly outspoken with an air of rebelliousness and punk attitudes fused with hypnotically beautiful harmonies and intertwined instrumentations. Their lyrics range from small, detailed vignettes and musings to anthemic calls to arms, with strong elements of storytelling and always deeply personal and reflective. Coming together in lockdown, The Deep Blue burst onto the scene in May 2021 with the release of the first track from their debut EP “Taking on Water”. This led to key indie press such as Dork, The Line of Best Fit and Atwood Magazine clambering to get the inside scoop on Manchester’s hottest new band.

Fresh off the back of their sophomore EP, “Sugarcoat”, The Deep Blue embarked on a sparkling debut UK tour, selling out Camden Assembly, London and their home-coming show at Deaf Institute. “Sugarcoat” caught the ears of tastemakers such as Dork, Rodeo, Groupie and New Wave with the title track anointed ‘track of the month’ on Amazing Radio and receiving some meaty airtime on BBC Radio 6. This year the band have added Y Not, Tramlines, Victorious, Greenbelt and Underneath the Stars to their touring itinerary for summer including Truck Festival, having won the Band App vote to play. Winning votes came from respected indie industry tastemakers including So Young Magazine and John Kennedy of Radio X.

Dynamic and electrifying performances by students from Anglia Ruskin University’s Music Performance degree programme. The ARU Music Performance Showcase brings together some of the finest and freshest musical talent, performing in a variety of rock and pop music styles.

This evening’s show is your opportunity to come along and listen to our rising stars before they graduate and make their mark on the world of music.

The Eye

After years apart, The Eye have reformed for one night only, bringing their inimitable style off R’n’B, pop and rock, back to their spiritual home, The Famous Portland Arms.

All proceeds going to local charities.