Situated on the opposite side of the river to all the trendy bars and clubs on Riverside is The Waterfront. A grimy, run down building with a lackluster interior and a floor that your feet will stick to all night long. But don't let that put you off! During the week it is used as a music venue and although you'll never see the likes of Oasis play there, it does attract great up and coming bands. It also offers local bands a chance to showcase their talent with nights organised by local promoters. At the weekends the venue is used as a club that generally caters for the 'alternative' Norwich scene. Friday nights tend to alternate each week between 80's and 90's theme, which may sound cheesy but the DJ's actually play decent music from those decades. It is nothing like your typical Flares or Reflex nightclubs. Every Saturday in the main room downstairs is a club night called Meltdown, which tends to play alternative music catering for the indie/emo/punk/rock/dance genres. Up stairs there are two rooms. One is a small café bar, which is great to as a chill out area as there are plenty of tables and chairs located around. The other room is larger which has a different set of DJ's each week will be a different themed night. Anything from New Electro to Britpop to Heavy Metal or Rap. There's rarely any trouble in The Waterfront and you'll always make a new friend each time you go there. Overall, it's a great night out with a quality friendly atmosphere! read more

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Despite the dated look and the sticky floor this is probably the best place to catch bands on their way up. With a capacity of about 750 it feels intimate even when full. Bar is not too pricey, possibly due to catering to a student crowd. Check what is on and give it a go. read more

Classic Norwich music venue that seems to have barely changed over the last two decades. Always a good place during the week to catch bands that aren't quite big enough to fill the LCR up at UEA and you often get some cracking gigs from people doing festival warm ups or first dates of a big tour. But while the venue is initimate enough to get right up close to the bands, it also suffers badly from overcrowding, bad sound if you're not right between the speakers and a tremendous crush at the bar. Having said that, if you're young/dedicated enough to fight to the front so you can nick the set list at the end of the gig, it's probably the best venue in Norwich. Friday and Saturday club nights are also a whole lot of fun. read more

A short walk from the main Norwich drag, off the tracks from where the boys start the fights and the girls fall over in short skirts and G-strings ready to be filmed by GMTV, lies the Waterfront. A hangout and refuge for all the alternative kids in the city, the students and the weirdos. As a result the Waterfront contains quite a mixed bag of people; from topless students Oi-ing along to the Fratellis, shy emo kids, metalheads, punks, ska-kids, indie kids and basically chilled out uber-cool urban dandies like yours truly. There is a good atmosphere amongst all the patrons and the enormous dancefloor is very accomodating. The Waterfront also hosts all mid-size bands on their tours of the British Isles. The Waterfront is pretty large, consisting of one large room, a smaller room with differing themes weekly and a couple of smaller areas for quiet drinks; a refuge for those of us not quite up to the rigours of dancing like in the good old days. The music played on my own visit was generally chart friendly indie, some atrocious, some older and more acceptable like the Pixies. HEll, if the kids love the Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chilli Peppers who am I to argue? At such moments it's an opportunity to pop out for a cigarette, now this is a whole new challenge. In order to smoke one must enter a tiny yard, packed full of people, it's a little like trying to smoke at rush hour on the tube; they could really do with improving this. On the whole a perfectly good night was had by all, a pleasent enough establishment that failed to charge anywhere close to London nightclub bar prices, a welcome difference. Was I to live in Norwich I wouldn't be here very often if at all, but on a visit I'd be willing to come again. read more

The University of East Anglia's second music venue The Waterfront is not situated on campus but a couple of miles away just on the outskirts of the Norwich City Centre. It has a capacity of 700, which is about right and not too cramped on sell out nights. You can get really close to the band in this venue so you really feel part of the occasion. There is also a large upstairs stage and dancefloor as well as a chill out bar, which are all open on club nights. The monthly 80's night (with 70's upstairs) is worth a visit but gets very busy so expect queues. read more

This is a pretty good nightclub to go to. Its drinks prices are reasonable, though the choice is Carling, Carling, Carling.. The music policy on a Saturday night is good, with a rotating style in the 2nd room each week, which helps to make it a good place to go, week in, week out. The downstairs music is generally mainstream indie/electro/rock, which is always good, and this is proven by the consistently high attendance numbers. read more

Conveniently down at Norwich's waterfront (the clue was in the title I guess), it plays hosts to gigs of all types and regular club nights (including 80's and Britpop). It doesn't look like the classiest of venues, painted all back and withh your feet sticking to the floor, but chances are you'll have a good night. read more

I've been here 3 times to see bands. Staff are okay. The downsides are the high price for a 'coathanger' to put coats/bags on at 1.50 (or that was what I was charged anyway) and it can get too hot and crowded. read more

Pros: Location is away from Prince of Wales Road, so not too cramped. Drinks are a fair price. Good bands regularly on. Decent aircon. Cons: Avoid if dancing on crushed beer cans and bottles is not your thing. Dance floor slippery when wet. No effort made to clean up. Toilets not very clean. Smoking area is extremely cramped and dangerously overcrowded. read more

A good place for a gig, the capacity doesnt exceed 800 I dont think so very well managable. The drinks prices are cheap and very well stewarded with regards to security. The gigs and events on at the waterfront are varied and well organised. I feel safe and happy at this venue. read more

they hold some very good music events, the security is mostly very good, and i always felt quite safe. the prices are quite high especially if its a major even but this is kind of expected. its defo not for everyone as it can get very busy and so hard to find people , so if you tend to be nervous in a crowd stay away. but for those who love to mosh to some hard core rock, best place for it. read more