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What's On in Edinburgh

Thursday 05 November 2026 · This weekend · City guide

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Edinburgh throws open its doors on Thursday the fifth of November with a lineup that spans shadowy rock venues, gilt-edged theatres, and late-night dance floors — proof, if you needed it, that this city never does things by halves. From cult legends making triumphant returns to five-pound laughs and underground beats echoing through ancient stone, there is something tonight with your name on it. Button up against the November chill and dive in.

Highlights

Alabama 3 — The gloriously genre-defying outfit behind the Sopranos theme rolls into The Caves at 7:00pm, and if you have never seen Alabama 3 live, this is the night to fix that. They blend country, blues, acid house and gospel into something utterly unlike anything else, and a subterranean Edinburgh venue carved out of old stone is just about the perfect setting for their fire-and-brimstone spectacle. Check the website for tickets — and do not leave it too long.

LENE LOVICH UK 2026 TOUR — New Wave icon Lene Lovich brings her singular, otherworldly stage presence to Bannermans at 7:00pm, and this is genuinely a rare chance to witness a trailblazer who helped define an era. Her voice is unlike anyone else who has ever picked up a microphone, and Bannermans' intimate, rock-soaked atmosphere will make every note feel like it was sung just for you. Check the website for prices and availability — a night like this has a habit of selling out.

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical — This wildly inventive, Olivier Award-winning show — built around one of the most audacious wartime deceptions in history — arrives at the magnificent Kings Theatre Edinburgh for a 7:30pm curtain. Wickedly funny and unexpectedly moving, it turns a stranger-than-fiction true story into a song-filled thrill ride that has had audiences on their feet night after night. Check the website for tickets, and consider this your cultural highlight of the week.

Underground Connect Instalment II: DeadRising — Beneath the cobbles of Edinburgh's Old Town, The Banshee Labyrinth hosts the second instalment of Underground Connect at 7:00pm, with DeadRising bringing heavy, visceral live music to one of the city's most atmospheric venues. Tickets are priced between £5 and £12, making this one of the most accessible gigs in town tonight. If you like your music loud, dark, and served with a side of gothic stonework, this is exactly where you need to be.

£5 Comedy Show with Scotland's Best Comedians Doing New Jokes! — For the price of a pint, you can spend your Thursday evening watching some of Scotland's sharpest comedians field-test brand new material at Dragonfly from 8:00pm. There is a wonderful fringe-style energy to these nights — the jokes are fresh, the risks are real, and you occasionally get to say you heard a future classic before the rest of the world caught on. At just £5, it is the city's best bargain of the evening.

Sorted Thursdays @ Why Not — When the gig venues empty out, Why Not Nightclub picks up the baton at 10:30pm with Sorted Thursdays, the kind of dependable, high-energy club night that turns a midweek evening into a full-blown occasion. At £6 on the door, it is the affordable late option for anyone whose night is only just getting started. Roll in, find the dance floor, and let Thursday do its worst.

Full listings

EventVenueTimePriceLink
Live Music
Underground Connect Instalment II: DeadRisingThe Banshee Labyrinth7:00pm£5–£12Tickets
Alabama 3The Caves7:00pmCheck websiteTickets
LENE LOVICH UK 2026 TOURBannermans7:00pmCheck websiteTickets
Nightlife
Sorted Thursdays @ Why NotWhy Not Nightclub10:30pm£6Tickets
Comedy
£5 Comedy Show with Scotland's Best Comedians Doing New Jokes!Dragonfly8:00pm£5Tickets
The Comedy Cellar Edinburgh Live Stand-Up ComedyThe Canons Gait8:00pm£12Tickets
Arts & Theatre
Operation Mincemeat: A New MusicalKings Theatre Edinburgh7:30pmCheck websiteTickets
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