THE CIRCL8 TIMES

The 8 Show has always been about shining a light on the music being made across Chester, Wrexham, The Wirral and the surrounding towns that feed into this strange and…

The tribute night for Paul Hickman on the 28th of March brings the Chester scene together in a way that feels true to the man it honours. Paul spent years…

Gig Preview: This Functional City at St Mary’s on the 6th of June: Some promoters build nights while others build a sense of possibility. This Functional City have been leaning…

Shemboid began as a rebirth. At the turn of the millennium, after stepping away from smoking and drugs, a different kind of hunger arrived for Shem Sharples... Sharper, clearer, and…

Chester’s creative undercurrent has a habit of throwing up projects that don’t sit neatly in any one category, and this week’s trio is a perfect example of that. From psych‑driven…

Chester’s live calendar is already starting to take shape, and the first half of 2026 is looking stronger than anyone expected. Big names passing through small rooms, folk outsiders finding…

The year has barely found its feet and already the local scene has been through it. Chester started 2026 in mourning, gathering itself after the loss of people who shaped…

Will Riding: 'My Duvet Knows It’s Christmas' (IMAGE CREDIT: WINNIE AT WOWSERS PHOTOGRAPHY) Chester songwriter Will Riding has long been a champion of the city’s grassroots scene. Whether hosting open…

December in Chester is alive with music. As the lights go up and the nights draw in, the city’s venues become gathering places... rooms where sound and community collide. This…

From Chester’s rehearsal rooms to Wrexham’s rising stages, the Northwest keeps proving that its sound is alive, restless, and impossible to pin down. This week, Circl8 tunes into three stories…