The Forum Basement
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Welcome to the Forum Basement, our intimate, 50-capacity live music venue in Tunbridge Wells. We showcase a diverse range of talented artists from various genres, from country to punk rock and grunge.
At the Sussex, we have always been dedicated to supporting up-and-coming artists. Our tiny live music venue has had the privilege of hosting renowned acts like Soft Play (previously known as Slaves), Maisie Peters, Yonaka, and The Wytches for their early gigs.
Run in collaboration with the Tunbridge Wells Forum (an independent music venue), the Forum Basement in the Sussex Arms offers a warm and electrifying atmosphere. In addition to hosting gigs, we actively contribute to the live music scene in Tunbridge Wells by participating in events and festivals like Unfest and Local and Live.
Check out our complete gig listing below and book your tickets online today.
Whats On?
Interact with the polaroids to reveal their description, admission price and a booking link.
Open Mic Night
04/09/2025 - 7:30 pmAdmissison: £0
18+Open Mic nights return to the Forum Basement (located at the Sussex Arms)
Everyone’s welcome to come along and have a play. We’ll provide amps, PA and mics. So bring your voice/guitar/percussion/anything else you want.
Starts at 7:30. You can call or message the Sussex to reserve a slot, or just turn up on the night.
Irish & Trad Sessions
07/09/2025 - 4:00 pmAdmissison: £0
18+Irish Music at The Sussex Arms – Free Entry
The Sussex Arms are bringing the true Irish spirit to the Pantiles! Join us for an afternoon of live traditional Irish, Cornish, Folk, and old-time tunes with some of the county’s finest session players. If you’re a fan of the Pogues, the Dubliners, or new folk legends like Lankum, this is for you. Our handpicked Celtic Session band is here to bring ‘Trad’ back to where it belongs – in the heart of the pub.
So grab a pint of Guinness and watch the best ‘Trad’ this side of Dublin. Sláinte!
no:la
07/10/2025 - 7:30 pmAdmissison: £8
18+Since their formation in 2020, no:la has been creating a fusion of atmospheric trip-hop, jazz, indie, and synthpop. In 2021, the band released their first EP, Outlines, followed by the single BANGS in 2022. Now, no:la is kicking of a new chapter: they will release their second EP „blindly and fast“ on October 11, 2024. Given Nola’s affinity for the visual presentation of their lyrics, the release will be accompanied by three singles (“Some Parts,” “The Wolf,” “ADHD”) with music videos, as well as professionally crafted 3D artwork.
Blindly and fast deals with the feeling of being overwhelmed. It speaks of that moment when you realize that the outside world doesn’t align with what’s inside. When you can’t meet the expectations placed on you. The EP tells of the gap that forms when you sometimes have to respond faster than you even knew how to ask the questions. blindly and fast – that’s how it has to be sometimes.
no:la is made up of Jakob, Nola, Georg, and Anton, playing synth bass and electric bass, effected vocals, drums, and a synthesizer. They draw on the sound and spirit of ’90s/2000s trip-hop and transform it into modern electronic sounds, all of which are performed live.
Prismatiqk are Monaz Parry and Steven Horry – a multi-instrumentalist duo who make multi-genre, slickly self-produced pop with a synth-driven heart. Regular raiders of the dressing-up box, their live sets are a whirl of improvised choreo, sequins and confetti cannons, with tracks that swoop between dark and evocative EDM, scuzzy two-step, chillpop, dramatic drum and bass and effervescent space disco.
Milkshed.
10/10/2025 - 7:30 pmAdmissison: £6
18+Milkshed. is a new alt-rock trio influenced by icons like Nirvana and Queens of the Stone Age. Fiercely independent, their self-released debut EP was produced with Grammy-winner Adrian Bushby (Muse, Foo Fighters) and supported by the likes of BBC Introducing, Forever Loud and EARMILK who named them an artist to watch. After a series of live shows and slots at festivals including Glastonbury, their next EP was recorded live by Grammy-winning engineer Dyre Gormsen to capture the energy found at their shows. Recent singles have been championed by Radio X’s John Kennedy, Kerrie Cosh on BBC Introducing and playlisted by Amazing Radio.
Canned Pineapple
11/10/2025 - 7:30 pmAdmissison: £8
18+Canned Pineapple are a 5-piece scuzz pop outfit based in the UK.
The quintet consists of songwriters Seán Drury and Oakley Gardiner alongside guitarchitect prodigy Gabe Rice, sex cymbal Charlie Pringle and sub surfer Sam Cullen.
A band of brothers waggin’ out; Canned Pineapple is the result of interplanetary telekinesis between the great beyond and the great norm.
Over the last 3 years, the band have toured relentlessly worldwide. In 2024 they played their biggest shows ever hitting venues and festivals across the UK, US, and EU playing alongside timeless acts such as LCD Soundsystem, The National, and The Last Dinner Party.
With their second EP: ‘Big Break’ (out digitally and on vinyl March 21st 2025) the band are bringing more energy to the songs and to the stage than ever.
Canned Pineapple’s music found its way onto the airwaves with frequent plays on BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio X and BBC Sussex and Surrey while also having started 2025 with their second BBC Introducing Live Lounge. With praise from magazines such as Dork, So Young, and Clash, BBC Introducing have claimed their fan engagement to be “off the scale”.
The Kahunas ‘All Systems Go Tour’
12/10/2025 - 7:30 pmAdmissison: £10
18+Indie folk rock duo, The Kahunas bring emotive violin riffs, melodic harmonies and vocals, original lyrical content & digeridoo loops. The pair have been writing, recording and performing together for nearly 4 years. Their musical pendulum swings between upbeat dance folk rock and heart felt love songs. The Kahunas sound has been likened to bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Fotheringay and The Levellers
The Kahunas music reflects the places they have been, the people they have met and their amazing journey of being in a relationship, a band and living in a van together with their trusty side kick Roadie (Their little dog)!
The duo are now flying high on the festival circuit, playing at the likes of Boomtown, Beautiful Days and Sidmouth Folk Festival to name a few, this Autumn also embarking on their first UK headline Tour as well as having featured on BBC Introducing and playing live on BBC Radio.
“Indie Folk duo, The Kahunas blew me away”- Efestival Magazine (written for Beautiful Days Festival).
“Four to the Floor Euphoria”-Fiercely Bristol.
“Barnstorming, Wild-Roving, Folk Rock” – Fresh on the Net.
“Took the audience on an adventure to pastures new” – Jen Taylor, Ragged Bear Festival.
The Sussex Is Doomed II
24/10/2025 - 7:30 pmAdmissison: £
18+The Garden of England’s heaviest weekend returns for an autumn edition.
Bigger, heavier, more riffs.
Sludge, Stoner, Doom & more…
Full Line-up TBA soon!
Sterling Press
20/11/2025 - 7:30 pmAdmissison: £10
18+Sterling Press are a four-piece rock band from West London, merging gritty rock riffs with the infectious thud of dance-punk. The band – childhood neighbours & long time best friends Marlon, Ed, Greg, and Lucien – spent their formative years playing every dive London had to offer, bonding over shared obsessions with The Beatles & Blur. After living in Liverpool for a couple of years the boys became DJ’s at the iconic Jacaranda Club, hosting weekly indie disco parties and using the money they earned to buy synthesizers, providing the songwriting foundations for their new sound.
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