What's On in Edinburgh
Thursday 17 September 2026 · This weekend · City guide
Thursday in Edinburgh has a wonderfully restless energy, and the 17th of September 2026 is no exception — from the raw crunch of vintage rock to a five-pound comedy bargain and a freshers' night that promises to be the talk of the semester. Whether you're after something intimate and musical, something raucously funny, or something that keeps you dancing well past midnight, the city has laid out a genuinely brilliant spread tonight.
Highlights
Alice Faye | La Belle Angèle | 7:00pm | Check website | Category: Live Music — La Belle Angèle is one of Edinburgh's most cherished live music venues — all exposed stone and warm light — and it makes the perfect setting for Alice Faye to do her thing from 7:00pm. There is something about catching an artist in a room this size that feels genuinely special, the kind of gig you end up telling people about for weeks. Check the website for tickets before they slip away.
FLAMIN' GROOVIES | The Mash House | 7:00pm | Check website | Category: Live Music — If you have any fondness at all for the scrappy, joyful roots of rock and roll, the Flamin' Groovies at The Mash House is an unmissable Thursday night out. These San Francisco legends have been firing up stages for decades and they bring a loose, electric energy that feels thrillingly alive every single time. Doors from 7:00pm — check the website for tickets and do not sleep on this one.
Scotland's Top New Material Comedy Show: Cracking New Jokes! | Dragonfly | 8:00pm | £5 | Category: Comedy — For just £5, you get a front-row seat to the cutting edge of Scottish stand-up — jokes so fresh the comedians themselves are still figuring out what works, which makes for an evening that crackles with spontaneity and nervous brilliance. Dragonfly is a lovely spot to settle in with a drink and let the laughs wash over you from 8:00pm. Honestly, it is one of the best-value nights out in the city right now.
FRESHERS? SORTED | Sorted Thursdays | Why Not Freshers 2026 | Why Not Nightclub | 9:00pm | £8 | Category: Nightlife — Freshers' week has a particular kind of chaotic, fizzing energy that you can only really find once a year, and Why Not Nightclub is bottling it beautifully tonight from 9:00pm. At £8, this is the official invitation to meet your people, lose yourself on the dancefloor, and make the sort of memories that will still make you smile in third year. Get in early and make a night of it.
Sorted Thursdays @ Why Not | Why Not Nightclub | 10:30pm | £6 | Category: Nightlife — For those who like their Thursday nights to properly stretch into the small hours, Sorted Thursdays kicks off at 10:30pm at Why Not and keeps the energy sky-high for a brilliant £6. It is the kind of dependable, feel-good club night that Edinburgh students and night owls return to week after week, and for very good reason. Roll in from one of the earlier gigs and let the night take care of itself.
Full listings
| Event | Venue | Time | Price | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Music | |||||
| Alice Faye | La Belle Angèle | 7:00pm | Check website | Tickets | |
| FLAMIN' GROOVIES | The Mash House | 7:00pm | Check website | Tickets | |
| Nightlife | |||||
| FRESHERS? SORTED | Sorted Thursdays | Why Not Freshers 2026 | Why Not Nightclub | 9:00pm | £8 | Tickets | |
| Sorted Thursdays @ Why Not | Why Not Nightclub | 10:30pm | £6 | Tickets | |
| Comedy | |||||
| Scotland's Top New Material Comedy Show: Cracking New Jokes! | Dragonfly | 8:00pm | £5 | Tickets | |