Prices and FAQs

All of our live events are available to view and purchase through our website and on occasion, other official outlets. Tickets purchased through our website are powered by our official ticketing partner, Gigantic. Upon purchase, you’ll receive an email from them. Tickets are not available to purchase over the telephone.

We do not have a box office at the venues however on occasion we may be able to sell tickets on the door subject to availability. This will be advertised on our socials and with venue signage. Contact us on the day of the show to check before you travel.

If an event is sold out, we are unable to sell any more tickets or process any ticket exchanges/resales.

Yes, if you have an authentic and valid ticket, issued originally via one of the official ticketing outlets. However, we cannot validate re-sale tickets from sites such as Viagogo, Seatwave, StubHub, GetMeIn etc so purchasing from these sites is at your own risk.

If you wish to resell your ticket or change the name on it, please contact your original ticket provider.

If you have a ticketing query, you will need to contact your ticketing provider directly. We cannot resolve your ticketing problem at the venue. If your ticket was purchased through the Performance Venues website, you will need to contact our ticketing partner, Gigantic, who have a help centre here.

E-tickets can be scanned directly from your phone. We will need the square QR code visible in order to scan it at the doors to validate entry. We cannot accept emails or other forms of proof of purchase, only a valid QR code from an authorised ticket provider will allow entry.

Bongo’s Bingo events are 18+, however, the majority of our gigs are 14+. Each listing is subject to individual age requirements so please check our website and the ticket page before purchasing.

Ticket-holders will not be admitted to the event or receive a refund if they cannot present valid ID when asked upon arrival.

We operate a challenge 25 policy at our bars. Challenge 25 is a policy whereby anyone buying alcohol who appears to be below the age of 25, seven years above the age required to buy alcohol in the UK, can be asked to provide an acceptable form of ID.

We advise that every customer under 25 brings a valid ID

No. Once you have entered the venue, re-entry is not permitted.

All set times released are subject to change, please check social media channels or event pages on our website on the day of the event for the most up-to-date running order.

No, we do not allow outside food and drink to be consumed on-site.

You can find our full prohibited items list here.

Our bars are card payment/contactless only. We do not accept cash.

Our venues do not have a strict dress code. All that we ask is that you refrain from wearing tracksuits and football shirts. If you wear a hat or sunglasses we may ask you to remove them.

You can find our full prohibited items list here.

No. Crowd-surfing, drink-throwing, illegal smoking, and other such things are likely to result in us saying goodnight and ejecting you from the venue… And unfortunately you won’t get a refund on your tickets.

It might be. We have ear plugs available at the Octagon. Just ask one of the bar staff or at the cloakroom when you drop you coat off.

We reserve the right to conduct security searches on entry and exit of the premises. This policy is in place to maintain the safety of our customers and to prevent illegal activity. Anybody found in possession of illegal or contraband goods may be liable for prosecution. Refusal to be searched may lead to ejection and indefinite exclusion from the premises.

We reserve the right to refuse admission without a reason, so if you behave inappropriately in the queue, we might refuse you entry without a refund.

We also reserve the right to request that you leave the venue should we believe that you or someone in your company has behaved inappropriately. We have a zero tolerance policy to anyone being rude or abusive to any of our team or any of our other customers. In all circumstances where you have been requested to leave the venue, no refunds will be available for you or anyone who leaves with you.

Performance Venues operates a zero-tolerance policy with regard to illegal drugs. Anyone found to be taking or distributing illegal substances will be ejected and potentially reported to the authorities.

However, if you have taken something and start to feel unwell please tell a member of staff immediately. We have trained medics present at most of our gigs and other large events, and you will be treated on the premises initially.

You can find our full prohibited items list here.

Smartphones are permitted but professional cameras with a detachable zoom lens are not. At certain events, the promoter may request a ban on all photography and signs to this effect will be displayed at all entrances.

If an official venue photographer is present at any of our events, performance venues reserves the right to use any photographs taken for marketing purposes and you agree to your image being used in this way as a condition of entry.

If you bring a laptop it will need to be in a bag and checked into the cloakroom.

We will not take any liability for any damages to your equipment.

You can find our full prohibited items list here.

Due to the high demand for tables at Bongo’s Bingo, they operate on a first-come-first-served basis, to make it fair for everyone. If you are coming as part of a large group or would like to sit at a table we would recommend getting to the venue early.

We do make exceptions for guests with accessibility requirements. If you do have access needs, please head to our accessibility page and fill in the form with evidence of needs, here.

If you have an access requirement and need assistance with your visit, head to our accessibility page here.

Yes, you can find our full prohibited items list here.

We ask that all attendees limit the size of their bags to that of an A4 sheet (21cm x 30cm x 19cm). One small bag is permitted per person. This policy ensures that we can provide a safe and comfortable environment for everyone, while also minimising potential disruptions.

All bags will be subject to search by our security team, upon arrival at the venue.

Our cloakroom facilities at the octagon are located down the foyer stairs immediately opposite the front doors. We take coats and bags up to the size of an A4 sheet.

Please email performancevenues@sheffield.ac.uk with a description of the item, and we will arrange a time for collection.

All lost property items are kept for 2 weeks before being taken to charity.

For information on how to get to our venues can be found here

The nearest car park is in the Durham Road Q-Park located directly opposite the octagon which provides 24hr secure parking, however, we would encourage guests to travel by public transport where possible. If you do use the Q-Park, rather than taking a ticket from the barrier gate, it’s easier to tap in with your debit card. You can then tap out at the exit gate rather than having to queue up to pay for your ticket after the show. It costs the same but is much quicker.

There are covered bike racks located to the left hand side of the Q-Park multi-storey car park, Durham Road which is directly opposite the Octagon. Please do not lock your bikes to any railings on campus.

We have a smoking area at the Octagon located outside our café bar on the terrace. E-cigarettes or vapes must also only be used here.

Certain artists will have merchandise available to buy, our merchandise stand is located at the back of the main space.

We’re always keen to hear your ideas and welcome any feedback you have. We send feedback forms to ticket buyers after shows and welcome any suggestions on making every visit a great experience. You can also drop us an email with suggestions at performancevenues@sheffield.ac.uk.

All information can be found on our hire spaces page or you can contact one of our event managers at performancevenues@sheffield.ac.uk.

We are always looking for brilliant staff to join the team here, to enquire you can drop us an email at performancevenues@sheffield.ac.uk or see our opportunities careers page here.

All of our safety information, including what to do in the occurrence of facing harassment at our venues, can be found here.

Strobe lighting, lighting that produces stroboscopic effects, smoke machines and other theatrical effects may be used during shows in our venues. We will put up any signage relating to this up in our venues before an event.

For safety, all persons are subject to searches as a condition of entry for all live events. This may include the use of metal detection devices, and detection dogs.

CCTV is located throughout the venue and externally which is monitored before, throughout, and after any event.

Tickets to our curated series are listed in 3 brackets:

University of Sheffield Concerts:

Full price / Concessions & University Staff / Under 30s & Students

Enable US Festival:

Full price / Concessions & Under 30s / University Staff & Students

Concession tickets are available to people with a disability or impairment, people in receipt of state benefits and senior citizens.

Yes you can buy tickets on the door for any Concerts or Enable US event. However the University of Sheffield Concerts series events are £3 more On The Door – advance ticket sales go off sale on the day of the event.

Tickets for the University of Sheffield Concerts Series and Enable US Festival can also be purchased over the phone on 0333 666 3366 – this is free of charge

Concert length can differ from each concert but generally our evening concerts are 90 minutes long, plus a 20 minute interval. Our lunchtime and rush-hour concerts generally last between 45 minutes to an hour, and run without a break in the middle.

Our evening concerts usually start at 19:30, Rush-Hour Concerts at 17:45 and Lunchtime Concerts at 13:10. Doors open 30 minutes before the concert start time. Sometimes timings can change so check individual event listings too.

Don’t panic. Depending on the event, you’ll either just need to wait for a break in the music for our ushers to let you in, or you can just walk in. For Lunchtime and Rush Hour concerts members of the audience are invited to arrive and leave at any point during the concert.

Drinks are available to purchase from doors to the start of the performance, and then during the interval. Our bar often runs a interval drinks pre-order.

For many of our events we will provide a free programme, either printed or digitally with some information about the music. Alongside this, we run many talks and Q&As so keep an eye out on the event listing for these.

Please get in contact with us if you have any more questions!

Absolutely! Children are welcome at all our concerts, unless we state otherwise. Children who can sit on their parents’ laps are free.

Unfortunately we are unable to offer refunds on tickets unless a performance is cancelled or changed considerably (for example a change in date).