Culture on Preston’s Riverside
We’re renowned for our quality music and arts events here at The Continental - in our dedicated event space: THE BOATYARD.
Some are ticketed, while others are free to enter. Take a look at the listings and follow the links to buy tickets.
Upcoming events.
A PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE like no other... ECLIPSE!
The current ECLIPSE production contains a selection of Floyd classics, including music from The Wall, Wish You Were Here, Meddle, Animals, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and The Division Bell. The second half of the show includes the whole of Floyd's epoch-making album, The Dark Side of the Moon.
Apart from a level of musicianship that is second to none, the performance includes spectacular multi-media and laser effects to provide the perfect backdrop for this wonderful music.
THE ALBUM LAUNCH
In 1993, Preston based songwriter and musician DAVE GARDNER was plucked from obscurity to sharing the stage with American songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson.
Dave is writing a book centred around the high profile UK Tours with The Kinks, Kris Kristofferson and Steve Hackett – Tales of the Road & The Wilderness will be published in Summer 2025. The evening will be a night of Roots based originals and adaptations of Traditional English Folk Songs. There will be stories and readings from the upcoming book.
The HELLFIRE PREACHERS frontman will be showcasing new songs that are featured on the brand new CD release - Tales Of The Road & The Wilderness Album.
In the Boatyard - entry is free.
BEN VINCE (Hessle Audio/Ecstatic/Where To Now?) is a composer and performer, known for his live improvised saxophone explorations and inventive techniques in creating new rhythms, textures and moods.
MILK EYED SIGH is a new collaboration comprising of long-time spars Cameron Molloy and Carl Brown. The live show also involves Luke French. The debut EP ‘Dog Verses’ was released in early Feb via Glint Music.
MOTHERSHIP - LED ZEPPELIN TRIBUTE, described in Classic Rock Magazine as "... the most authentic-sounding Zeppelin tribute in the UK" return to The Conti for over two hours of rock.
Join us for Achilles Last Stand, Going to California, Since I've Been Loving You, Kashmir, Black Dog, Heartbreaker, Misty Mountain Hop and much more.
Expect all the classics, but with one or two surprises thrown in, too! It might get loud!!
With DJs NEON EYES, TYRAMYX & TIM MELIA
Get ready for an afternoon of ITALO DISCO in the Beer Garden at The Continental
Expect a chilled vibe with the mid tempo sounds of electronic drums, synthesizers, vocoders and pop vocals. FREE ENTRY
Preston’s own Retro-pop quintet COUNTY PILOTS take to the Boatyard stage!
Following the success of their last headliner at the Continental, the Pilots are predicting their biggest show yet. With Beatles, Stones, Beach Boys, and Dylan records in hand, the local lads are ready for big things in 2025 with their vintage aesthetic and energetic live show.
PLUS SUPPORT TBC
MADHOUSE PROMOTIONS in association with DECIBEL TOURING present…
LA-based Death Metal masters SKELETAL REMAINS are the future of Death Metal!
If you want timeless and uncompromising Death Metal with class, look no further! Having toured with the likes of Obituary, Hatebreed, Municipal Waste, Power Trip, The Black Dahlia Murder, and many more, SKELETAL REMAINS have succeeded in building up a loyal following worldwide…
With special guests BLOODYARD these guys have not played in Preston for sometime and what a way to return!
The Conti plays host to the city’s freshest new music night, BOATYARD WEDNESDAYS!
Three of Lancashire’s most exciting up-and-coming live acts take to the stage for your next midweek music fix!
Vol. 2 showcases the talents of DILEMMAS, COLLECTORS, and NARCISSISTS
Thr00wback is a Tribute to (mostly) 00’s Pop Punk!
This five-piece band plays hits from the likes of:
GREEN DAY SUM 41 FALLOUT BOY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE NEW FOUND GLORY BLINK-182 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE PAPA ROACH ….and more!
If you’re ready for a full-on POP PUNK PARTY then be here on FRIDAY 20TH JUNE 2025!
A rockin’ good double-header featuring the music of THIN LIZZY and ZZ TOP!
TWIN LIZZY are a four piece tribute to Thin Lizzy and their iconic frontman Phil Lynott. The band faithfully recreates the energy and power of arguably one of the greatest rock bands of all time and has been described as the closest sounding tributes.
ZZ NOT are a tribute to ZZ TOP based in Merseyside. Featuring Rev Kev -guitar, Crusty Hill -bass and Frank Beer -drums. Playing all the hits and classics from the famous Texas trio live and rocking across the UK!
"Allegations" is the debut tour from ROB MULHOLLAND; seasoned stand-up comedian, podcaster (Dead Men Talking) and one of the kings of the North's burgeoning DIY comedy scene. A wild, high-energy barrage of belly laughs covering all the topics you're not really meant to talk about.
Not for the easily offended!
Another cracking show from TUFF LIFE BOOGIE!
DAILY TOLL are a super new band from Sydney, Australia, although you could easily imagine them to be an undiscovered New Zealand outfit whose only demo got taped over by a clumsy intern from the Flying Nun label in the late 80s. Yeah, that good!
PLUS! Tuff Life Boogie is honoured to be hosting bona-fide indie-pop legend PATRICK FITZGERALD's first show for a few years at The Continental!
THE SMITHS UTD bring the sound of The Smiths & Morrissey back to Preston in 2025 as part of a busy year touring the UK as one the best sounding tributes to this classic band!
The Smiths Utd recreate the sound and look to emulate their heroes down to the last detail, and have been hailed as one of the most authentic and enthusiastic tributes to one of the most influential bands in British popular music history.
ANOTHER GREAT SUNDAY AFTERNOON BIG BAND EVENT AT THE CONTINENTAL
The North West’s-acclaimed big band Northern Jazz Orchestra are now in their third decade and performing big hitting contemporary music, ranging from funk to swing, pop and jazz. Catch their mesmerising yet thrilling live show as they soar through arrangements from some of the greats.
Preston songwriter RICH CHANCE returns with his incredible band to perform hits from his album Robot Spider Zombie Dog, including Picture Show, Azalea Close, Joker Like Me and many more. A night of quirky, highly melodic and expertly executed entertainment with Rich and his band.
Get tickets quick, this show was a sell out the first time, and for good reason!
Comparisons have been made to Billy Joel, The Blockheads. Eels, Ben Folds, Randy Newman and many more.
CLASS OF ’79 are a Punk / New Wave super group whose musical pedigree is undeniable.
Members of The Rezillos- The UK Subs – Selecter – Godfathers - Eddie & the Hot Rods and Department S perform a stunning show that will take you back to the days when Punk rock / New Wave ruled the airwaves.
So strap yourself in for a nostalgic night of hits performed by four guys who have been there and got the T-shirt!
A GUY CALLED GERALD is 30+ years of dance music incarnate.
One of a few special producers who entered dance when it was jackin’ and has never let up. He released the first UK acid house record with Voodoo Ray in 1988 and achieved the rare feat of having not one but two dance tracks in the UK charts at the same time with Pacific State. He formed 808 State with a drum machine, a 303, 2 Roland SH101s and two other humans. Over the course of his career Gerald has collaborated with everyone from Frankie Knuckles and Goldie to Derrick May and Herbie Hancock.
Plus special guest DJs TONY CANNON and NICK ALMOND!
A comedy by Daniel Thackeray, based on an idea by Gareth Kavanagh
It's 1986. Sir Clive Sinclair, renowned British inventor of the first-ever home computer, the pocket calculator and the C5 electric vehicle, is on the verge of bankruptcy. His only option is meet rival billionaire Alan Sugar and convince him to save the day. But will it mean a deal with the devil?
"A lot of laughs and worth a trip down memory lane" - Manchester Evening News
"Interesting throughout... The central battle is an enjoyable one" - Oldham Chronicle
The World’s No.1 Tribute to Mötley Crüe!
Established in 2015, Mötley Crüde is Europe's longest running and crowned winners of the world's most authentic tribute to Mötley Crüe, as voted by the official Mötley Crüe global fanclub.
Get ready for a night of non-stop anthems, face-melting riffs, and enough anarchy to make even Nikki Sixx proud!
As close as it gets: NOBODY DOES IT BETTER!
The GUNS N' ROSES EXPERIENCE is a true professional International touring act that brings 80's Guns to life with a full on high-octane show as witnessed by hundreds of thousands back in the day of the classic line up.
AT THE CONTI, BLITZ and THE FERRET
TUFF LIFE BOOGIE presents a ginormous weekender in Preston that celebrates all strands of indie pop from C86 to the present day, classic jangle-meisters through to scratchy upstarts.
Just look at this line up :
Nightingales, Man from Delmonte, The Tubs, Desperate Journalist, Bradford, The Yummy Fur, Ex-Void, James King and The Lonewolves, The Jasmine Minks, The Room, Yaang, Melys, British Birds, Would Be Goods, David Lance Callahan, Sassyhiya, Moderate Rebels, Karen, The Cords, Dragged Up, National Park, Stuart Pearce, Crumbs, The Muldoons, Autocamper, The Train Set, Tigers and Flies, Big Other, Sweetpool, Brenda, Dragon Welding, Normal Service, Uhr, The Complaint That Creeps, RRRapid Kool, Hartley, Ginnel, Fat Frances, Callis, The Amber List, Vehicle, The Bordellos, Oort Clod, Oh Hippo, Captain Starlet, The Tearless Life.
Over 40 acts across three stages over three days.
Devoted to recreating the atmosphere of a live JOY DIVISION gig, TRANSMISSION emulate the sound of one of the most inventive, evocative and influential groups of their era. They were considered the pioneering band of the post-punk movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Forty years on you can still relive the dark, cavernous sound of Joy Division through Transmission, the UKs number one Joy Division tribute act.
Ingenious. Invisible. Insane.
One of the greatest science fiction tales of all time is adapted by Don't Go Into The Cellar!
Based on the classic H.G. Wells novella, Jonathan Goodwin plays a host of characters including the deranged scientist Griffin whose invisibility drug leads to his undertaking a murderous rampage across the Sussex countryside.
Tuff Life Boogie is delighted to present one of its all time favourite bands in Preston!
PROLAPSE formed in Leicester in the early 1990s and earned a cult following for their chaotic live sets, and tense and repetitious songs like Flex and Tina This Is Matthew Stone. They feature duelling vocalists Mick Derrick and Linda Steelyard, who play out an intense soap opera over a ferocious triple guitar assault and pummelling rhythm section. Their releases have included numerous singles and four albums on various labels, including Cherry Red and Radar, as well as recording four Peel sessions.
PLUS SUPPORT TBA!
One of the UK’s top tributes to THE POLICE!
Power trio FIVE-O are a Police tribute at the top of their game, playing with the same precision and energy that made The Police such a well-loved band.
Whether it’s The Police’s greatest hits or their deeper cuts, Five-O offer a show for casual fans and aficionados alike.
DE*PRESTON is a new series of lively all-dayers happening at The Continental which will challenge the widely-held notions that Preston is dull and Sundays are silent and grey.
The first one off the blocks is this terrifying DOOM/DRONE/NOISE edition featuring OMO, THRAA, DEATHBLOOM and POUND LAND with even more to be added!
70’s Vs 80’s Day Disco LIVE – Bank Holiday Boogie!
Are you more Disco or more Pop? Gloria Gaynor or Madonna? Donna Summer or Whitney Houston? Let's find out ...
Get ready to strut, spin, and sing your heart out!
This August Bank Holiday Weekend, we’re turning up the funk and cranking the synths for a daytime LIVE BAND disco showdown that’ll take you on a non-stop musical journey through the biggest hits of the 70’s and 80’s. Whether you’re a platform-shoed disco diva or a neon-loving pop king, this is your dancefloor battleground.
ONE EIGHTY TWO are the most authentic representation of the pop-punk legends blink-182. Bringing decades of experience and smashing out more than 30 years of material.
One Eighty Two will take you to California and back with an explosion of pop-punk anthems. With the iconic styles of Mark, Tom, and Travis replicated to a tee, from the much-loved stage banter to the most up-to-date image and sound, no stone is left unturned in the quest for Pop Punk Glory.
The Authentic Sound of THE DOORS!
The Doors Rising are a UK based Doors Tribute band capturing the sound, feel and experience of the psychedelic 60s.
Step back in time and re-live the music of The Doors recreated with stunning accuracy, using authentic instruments by true fans with an ear for the details.
Tickets strictly limited for this all-seated show!
STEELY DON is an eleven-piece band based here in the north and dedicated to playing the music of Steely Dan & Donald Fagen.
Their aim is to deliver authentic performances of back catalogue charts from the classic albums of these highly regarded musicians who worked with some of the finest session players of the day to produce music that blended elements of rock, jazz, Latin and R & B blues.
Past Events.
PART OF PRESTON JAZZ & IMPROVISATION FESTIVAL
GRAHAM MASSEY is a founding member of the seminal and internationally successful electronic group 808 STATE and his collaboration, remixing and production list reads like a “who’s who” of contemporary music from the past 30 years, including the likes of David Bowie, Quincy Jones, Bjork, Goldfrapp, SMD, Primal Scream, YMO and many others.
Plus support from 8-B1TCH
Demand for this FREE concert will be very high and tickets limited. GET YOUR FREE TICKET HERE
Award winning The Laughienda Comedy Club brings another huge night of comedy to Preston, headlined by the hilarious JOJO SUTHERLAND! 😂
In addition to being a TV warm-up act, and opening for Jonathan Pie on tour, Jojo Sutherland has also starred on BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and was a standout act on BBC Scotland's 'Comedians at the Kings'. Jojo's quick fire gags, and outrageously truthful storytelling ability has seen her gracing stages throughout Europe, The Middle East, Iceland and Australia! Jojo is also a repeat return favourite for the military comedy base tour, entertaining the troops stationed overseas. Jojo won the 2020 Scottish Comedy Award for Best Show and a finalist in British Comedian Of The Year 2021.
“A performer the audience could have watched all night” – The Herald
“Effortlessly funny” – Entertainment Focus
PART OF PRESTON JAZZ & IMPROVISATION FESTIVAL
PoVo is a northwest-based five-piece that combines the jazz-funk fusion of the 1970s and 80s with an improvisational ethos derived from today’s latest sounds.
The result is an irresistible electric groove that’s reminiscent of their musical roots - artists like Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Grover Washington, and the Yellowjackets - but with a unique feel that remains new and fresh.
FREE ENTRY with advance booking
ANOTHER GREAT SUNDAY AFTERNOON BIG BAND EVENT AT THE CONTINENTAL
Join the BwD Big Band for this fantastic Preston Jazz Fest fringe event. An unmissable afternoon of Jazz from this award winning local ensemble. Playing music from the likes of National Youth Jazz Orchestra, 8 bit big band and Ella Fitzgerald.
The UK’s #1 Tribute to BLACK SABBATH!
SABBOTAGE arrived on the scene in November 2014. Formed from the ashes of the already established Sabbath Tribute SNOWBLIND. Immediately, it was obvious that this band would become the most authentic and by far the best Black Sabbath tribute in the UK.
Plus special guests RUSTY APPER & THE LONE STAR RIVALS
PART OF PRESTON JAZZ & IMPROVISATION FESTIVAL
COLD BATH STREET have been one of the mainstays of this festival since it began as Preston Jam in 2017. For the group, known for its musical integrity, no-safety-net improvisations and championing of grassroots music making, 2025 marks the end of one era and the beginning of a fascinating new one.
No booking required, just turn up to watch
“Love that Jethro Tull sound that Cold Flame capture ever so well" Dan James, Radio Wales
Five piece band COLD FLAME perform a two hour plus set list that covers many of the classic Tull songs as well as some rarely performed Tull material from albums such as Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, Stand Up, Benefit, Songs from the Wood and Rock Island.
Damson Poets are in The Boatyard on the 28th May. This month they’re welcoming members of the Blackpool & Fylde Stanza Group as they read from their new anthology entitled ‘The Salt Margin’. All of the group read regularly at Damson Poets so it would be good to support them as well.
A mixture of new and more experienced readers so it’s an evening that belongs to everyone and if you just want to listen that’s great too.
An incredible Sunday double-header from TUFF LIFE BOOGIE!
TRUPA TRUPA are a post-punk band from Gdańsk, Poland, known for their unique blend of brooding alternative rock and psychedelic influences.
Championed by John Peel and the music press, Dave Jackson’s THE ROOM tick all the right boxes with their spiky, tightly-wound post punk sound.
THEY’RE BACK!
UTAH SAINTS have been making music, DJ-ing and playing gigs around the globe since the birth of House music and are made up of Tim Utah and Jez Willis. The world renowned duo have released 9 Top 40 UK hits, 4 of which hit the Top 10, they have sold over 2 million records worldwide.
Plus guest Unlocked DJs TONY CANNON & NICK ALMOND