rise @ bluebird is our Acomb evening arts venue.
The space regularly plays host to live music, spoken word, art exhibitions, theatre, comedy, family- friendly nights and much more.
Rise aims to be a vibrant and independently-run creative hub, driven by love and support from the local community - and an ardent sense of adventure.
Pop down and check us out - we’re looking forward to you helping shape this place just as much as we do.
Gallery
What's on
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Gary Stewart Solo Album Tour
We are always thrilled to host Gary at rise, especially thrilled as this is the launch gig for his new solo album 'Use It or Lose It.' Tickets are selling fast!
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Under The Influence Presents Connor Selby
Selby almost stands alone in the world of contemporary music - no one is making the kind of music he is, no one really sounds like he does. The fast-rising star featured alongside a host of superstars on Dire Straits legend Mark Knopfler's 2024 charity single "Going Home" which featured Bruce Springsteen, Slash, David Gilmour, Sam Fender, Brian May, Nile Rogers. Connor was voted "Young Artist of the Year" at the UK Blues Awards for three consecutive years (2020,2021,2022) and was nominated in four categories in 2024. "I just want to be as authentic as possible in my music and how I present myself. That's fundamentally the main thing that drives me as an artist; wanting to be authentic. That's why I do it. Come and listen for yourselves, this is sure to be sell out.
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William Tyler
Please Please You & Brudenell Presents
William Tyler
+ Wolf Solent
William Tyler is a Nashville guitarist and composer. He spent years woodshedding and touring with Nashville groups like Lambchop and Silver Jews before breaking away to focus on his own version of instrumental guitar music.
This adopted son of Nashville emerged at the dawn of the last decade with a string of inquisitive albums that paired the measure of his country rearing and classical enthusiasm with his ardor for post-modern experimentation, field recordings and static drifts folded beneath exquisite melodies. Tyler dug Chet Atkins and Gavin Bryars, electroacoustic abstraction and endless boogie.
His productive little enclave of instrumental music has increasingly followed such catholic tastes, not only ushering new sounds and textures into the form but also critical new voices and perspectives.
And on the brilliant, bracing, and inexorably beautiful Time Indefinite, Tyler’s first solo album in five years, he steps at last into the widening gyre he helped create. The guitar serves as a starting point for an album that will make you reconsider not only Tyler but also the possibilities and reach of an entire field. A vortex of noise and harmony, ghosts and dreams, anguish and hope, Time Indefinite is not a great guitar record. It is a stunning record—a masterpiece of our collectively anxious time, really—by a great guitarist.
Along the way Tyler released a collab album with Fourtet's Kieran Hebden, the soundtrack to ace US indie film First Cow, a record with the awesome Marisa Anderson and at least a half dozen more albums of exploratory instrumental music.
An incredible creative streak exploring what can be done with a mix of the acoustic and the electronic. Dusty, bleepy and beautiful. - 11/09/2026
Doors and music from 7pm
DJ Nights
Free
Into the Groove
Another brilliant night of sing-along bangers from the Eighties, brilliant night of dancing too!
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Baps 'n' Bingo!
Dabbers at the ready, it’s the glitziest, glammest and silliest cabaret gameshow for all to partake in. We romp through the numbers with camp anthems, minigames, performances, conga lines, bum shake-offs, spot prizes, losers and winners with your loud and proud host, Dolly Trolley. Jam-packed, fun-filled and laughter guaranteed, you’ll be shouting 43 C’est La Vie and BINGO all day long… with the infamous MYSTERY PRIZES and of course BREAD!!!
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Judie Boom's Look Busy
When the robots have our jobs… what on earth will we do all day?
Blending stand-up, storytelling and a touch of joyful chaos, Look Busy dives into our automated future with humour and heart. It’s a show that gets people laughing, thinking and talking long after the lights go up.
- 24/09/2026
6.30pm - 8.30pm
Exhibition
Free
Exhibition Preview Night - Sarah Hall Baqai
Sarah is a mixed media, multidisciplinary artist whose work is inspired by traditional folk art and popular art forms which include theatre and street performance, stories and decorative arts. Playful and engaging, exuberant festivals and fiestas which bring people together, delight the senses and add colour to life inform much of her work with particular interest in Circus and fairground and folk traditions from around the world. Sarah trained as a graphic designer at the London College of Printing. Composition, design, typography and letterforms remain significant in much of her work. After a period of working in Andalucia, Spain, in the 1990's, she began experimenting with working in papier-mâché to create sculptural forms . This work led to exhibitions and major commissions for large scale installations in London and Paris fashion stores.
For this exhibition 'Bread and Circuses' Sarah has produced paintings which reflect her experience of behind the scenes preparation during rehearsals and performance at the Circus (Gifford's Circus and Gloucestershire & 'Fools Delight' Oxfordshire) together with lettering works related to Circus and cabaret and graphic work celebrating York and the Minster which celebrates 1400th anniversary of it's founding in 2027. As the evenings draw in, and the days shorten, willow lanterns will be introduced to the space, bringing light as we approach Halloween and bonfire night. Please come along and join us to view the work and to meet Sarah. Not to be missed. - 25/09/2026
Doors and music from 7pm
DJ Nights
Free
The Modern Age
A night celebrating the modern age - expect post millenial indie, indie pop, electroclash and new rave bangers...
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Groovetone
Delighted to welcome back Groovetone to rise and their eclectic mix of jazz, blues, funk and ska . Guaranteed to fill the dancefloor so get here early and bag a spot!
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The Sunday Social Comedy Club
Join us again for a good giggle at rise with the very funny John Pease and laughs from four other hilarious acts.
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Which Witch is Which? - storytelling with Lara McClure!
Stories of magic and mischief for Halloween
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Lilith: The Other Side of the Story
A dramatic, uplifting one -woman spoken word show. An exploration and
celebration of female power through the mythological character of Lilith.
Shocking, seductive and entertaining. - 03/10/2026
Doors and music from 7pm
DJ Nights
Free
The music of Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five
Speaks for itself we think - impossible not to dance tonight!
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Stu Freestone and the Lights
A Fusion of Spoken Word & Folk Music
Support from Isadora Darling
Stu Freestone has become a distinctive voice on the UK spoken-word scene. His work lives between grit and gentleness, written in a playful style rooted in everyday moments. Drawing from family stories, kitchen tables, pub corners, and stages across the country, his poetry celebrates ordinary lives with extraordinary care.
Stu Freestone And The Lights brings spoken word and folk together for a live show that moves between intimate storytelling and full-band energy. Stu’s poetry sits at the heart of it all, backed by guitar, accordion, drums and a collection of other sounds, building something that feels part gig, part poetry night and part late-night gathering around a table with good friends.
Expect rhythm, warmth, humour and heart. Poems that begin quietly and build.
Songs that swell around the words. Accordion weaving through guitar and drums. Moments that make you laugh, moments that catch you off guard, and moments that leave you staring into the middle distance for a second longer than you expected.
Words, music, stories mixed with a little bit of beautiful chaos.
Stu Freestone And The Lights turns ordinary stories into something bigger.
Not quite a gig.
Not quite a poetry night.
Something in between.
Come and step into the lights. - 16/10/2026
Doors and music from 7pm
DJ Nights
Free
On My Way
Our last evening of Northern Soul classics for the year - lets make it extra special! Dancing is of course required - a brilliant night to watch, learn, and participate!
- 22/10/2026
Doors from 7.30pm, show starts at 8.30pm
Theatre & Performing Arts
£10 plus booking fee
BookUnwritten the Literary Improv Show takes on a spooky twist
The Bluffs take classic short-form improv games and infuse them with storytelling flair.
Every show is completely unique, shaped by audience suggestions and spontaneous creativity.
Expect scenes inspired by classic literature. How will Dr Jekyll get on in their new job? Who is haunting Scrooge? Who will die before the story can get told? We may even have a spooky song....
An evening of laughter, surprises, and Halloween delights awaits.
Dress up if you dare!
The Bluffs are a dynamic improv troupe with a mix of theatrical, comedy, and musical backgrounds. From festival stages to panto and Theatresports, they bring years of collective experience to the stage—crafting fast-paced, unscripted stories that keep audiences laughing and guessing what’s next. - 23/10/2026
Doors and music from 7pm
DJ Nights
Free
BYO - new style!
This is the third installment of our themed BYO nights - this time, it's 'homes and places'.... A Town Called Malice, Penny Lane, No Sleep till Brooklyn, Vienna.....what are you bringing?! Book yoursel a half hour slot by contacting [email protected]
- 28/10/2026
6.15pm to 9pm
General
Pay what you feel advance booking. Suggested donation £8 + booking fee
BookSTEW - another serving
STEW is a new event designed to build community whilst raising funds for grassroots groups. It’s a space where we can come together, share a warming stew (hence the name), learn about one another's ideas, and make new connections.
How does the event work:
1. Join us from 6.15 pm, where you'll be invited to pull up a chair, settle in, get to know your neighbour and enjoy some hearty stew.
2. Hear from three people from across the city who will each have just four minutes to pitch their community grassroots project idea in front of the audience.
3. Cast your vote to decide which project will benefit York the most, and who should win the majority of funding.
Why come along?
At a time when society can feel divided, and people’s civil rights are being threatened, it's even more important to come together in solidarity, to connect over good food, and hear about the good work happening in your local area.
How ticketing and the prize pot work:
• 100% of the money you pay for your ticket will go into a prize pot, and we have 60 tickets available.
• This will be shared between the pitchers, with the majority going to the winner. -
A Posse of Prose Poems
Anne Caldwell, Oz Hardwick and Bob Beagrie.
Three poets who practice the art of prose poetry present an evening of performance and readings from their latest collections. -
Brilliant Burlesque!
We are delighted to welcome back our resident Burlesque Queen, Freida Nipples! New performers, so much fun, more details to follow...
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Christmas Cards & Gift Tags Lino Printing Workshop
A lovely relaxed evening of festive linocut printmaking
Come and join me for a gorgeous creative evening. You'll learn how to hand print your own unique Christmas cards and gift tags, and leave with a set of really special handmade cards and gift tags.
Join York based artist and creative director Susan Bradley to create your own unique linocut printed cards and gift tags, in this lovely relaxed festive workshop.
Susan works as a professional artist in York using linocut, letterpress and monoprinting techniques. She is an award-winning designer and has worked in creative fields (graphic, product, furniture and interior design) for over 20 years. -
Paper Christmas Tree Workshop
Talented designer Susan Bradley, joins us again to host a workshop where you can come and make a free standing tree from crepe paper, simple idea, stunning effect! Mince pies available as standard! All materials provided.
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Christmas Pottery Power with The Wilson Sisters
Come and get festive with our second Wilson Sisters workshop this year. Create and glaze a family of three ceramic Christmas trees for a gift or a gift to self! All trees will be fired in kilns and ready for collection before Christmas. Mulled wine and Bluebird mince pies will of course be available!
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DBC3
Live Dub Reggae Band. Featuring Dandy Dizzle & Nikki H, + DJs Minesh, Lady R & Jahhdan (from Tallulah Soundsystem)
- 26/11/2026
4.30pm - 8.30pm
Family Friendly Activities
Free
Christmas Makers' Fair Number One!
Our Christmas shopping evenings are back! We will, as usual, be host to an array of talented, local makers, have a choir, be raising awareness and money for a local charity and have mulled wine and frangipane mince pies on tap! All you need for your Christmas shopping needs!
- 10/12/2026
4.30pm - 8.30pm
Family Friendly Activities
Free
Christmas Makers' Fair Number Two!
Another evening of artists and makers', fund raising and frangipane mince pies! We can't wait already!
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Festive Baps & Buns Burlesque
Get ready for an evening of debauchery & glamour to hit Acomb, are you ready for it?! Keep your eyes peeled for further cast announcements…
More events coming soon!