Every great music scene depends on venues willing to take chances. That’s exactly what The Donkey exists to do.
Our programme brings together touring artists, emerging local talent, club nights, festivals, charity events and independent promoters to create a calendar that’s as diverse as Leicester itself.
Whether you’re discovering a band for the first time or coming back to see an old favourite, every ticket supports the future of grassroots live music.
The Donkey has never just been another pub. For decades it’s been one of Leicester’s most important grassroots live music venues, giving local artists their first opportunities, welcoming touring bands from across the UK and beyond, and creating unforgettable nights for thousands of music fans.
Following a major renovation, The Donkey has reopened under new management in association with Jolly Pubs and Star Pubs. JJ and Ollie, the team behind The Cradock and The Clarendon, are working alongside some of Leicester’s best independent promoters to create a venue that puts live music back where it belongs: at the heart of the community.
JJ & Ollie Wainwright
Gaz & Jordan Birtles
While the building has evolved, our purpose hasn’t. We’re here to champion grassroots music and to support local creativity and to give artists a stage and audiences somewhere worth coming back to.
The musical heritage of The Donkey speaks for itself. Over the years, the legendary stage has welcomed countless local favourites, emerging artists and nationally recognised acts, including ska pioneer Laurel Aitken, whose legacy is honoured with the blue plaque outside our venue.
Our story is woven into Leicester’s music scene, and we’re proud to celebrate that history as we look to the future. Explore our History page to discover more about the artists, moments and memories that have helped make The Donkey what it is today.
Today, we’re proud to begin the next chapter at The Donkey. Kicking ass since 2005.
The team behind The Donkey will also be working with those who know the venue and the local scene best, as local music legend Gaz Birtles, whose work was central to The Donkey during the much-loved Warren and Zoe years, has returned to help shape the venue’s future. Gaz will continue to run the iconic Sunday Sessions.
His sons, Peri and Jordan Birtles, have joined him, alongside Gilroy Guedes, who together have spent the past 15 years touring the world. Jordan is a member of Hard Life, while Peri and Gilroy are highly accomplished sound and lighting engineers whose credits include live productions on Glastonbury Festival’s iconic Pyramid Stage, as well as recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios.
Together they bring a unique combination of experience, technical expertise and passion that perfectly reflects the venue’s ambition, honouring its heritage while embracing the future.
Gilroy Guedes & Peri Birtles
Warren McDonald
Warren McDonald took over the pub with his then partner Lisa Westbury and their young daughter Hope, and The Donkey began to establish itself as one of Leicester’s best-loved small live music venues. “Waz” brought with him an in-depth knowledge of bands and musicians, and became a legendary figure on Leicester’s music scene.
The Donkey’s live music story begins: around 300 people attended Gaz’s birthday, with six bands playing. The success inspired the idea of regular acoustic nights, which grew into the Friday and Saturday programme that would continue for over 15 years.
Laurel Aitken’s Band – The Jamaican-born singer was one of the founding figures of British ska, often known as the “Godfather of Ska”. His band’s appearance at The Donkey, not long before he died, connects the venue directly with the roots of Leicester’s ska and reggae scene.
M48 – Jordan and Nile Barrows’ teenage band played their first-ever gig at Gaz’s 50th birthday party at The Donkey. The friends were only around 13 and 15; they would later form By The Rivers, with Jordan subsequently playing with Easy Life/Hard Life.
In October Neville Staples of The Specials played at The Song Club.
The Launch of the Acoustic Nights: Gaz Birtles introduced ‘Song Club’ on the first Thursday of every month that became the bedrock of the venue. These nights primarily featured local acoustic acts, folk artists, and independent singer-songwriters.
The venue began forging its signature relationship with Ska, Roots, and Reggae acts during this time. Artists such as Pama International (who historically became the first new band signed to Trojan Records in 30 years in 2006) targeted intimate grassroots venues like The Donkey for regional touring.
James Maddock – Originally from Countesthorpe, the singer-songwriter moved to New York and built a devoted following, with Bruce Springsteen among his admirers.
Sally Barker – Acclaimed British folk singer-songwriter who later reached the final of The Voice UK, where she was mentored by Tom Jones.
Honeyboy Hickling & The DT’s – A strong roots/blues booking and an example of the energetic local and regional acts that sat alongside the bigger names.
2007 saw the start of a long relationship with local acts including Drugstore Cowboys, El Pussycat Ska, Kingsize, Freestyle Collective and Geoff Overon.
By 2008 the venue was attracting genuinely national touring artists while retaining its close connection with Leicester musicians.
Martin Stephenson – the first of several appearances at The Donkey for this former frontman of cult indie/roots band The Daintees, Stephenson became a respected and distinctive solo singer-songwriter.
John Power – Former frontman of The La’s and Cast, and one of the biggest names to play the Donkey. His appearance sold out the initial ticket allocation, with around 137 people attending.
Dawn Kinnard – An American singer-songwriter and one of Gaz’s first national touring bookings. The night before her Donkey appearance she performed on Later… with Jools Holland, helping turn an unknown booking into a memorable night of around 80 people.
Symarip – Pioneers of British ska and reggae, best known for the influential Skinhead Moonstomp.
High Llamas – art/pop band of cult status makes a rare live appearance. One of the best Donkey secret moments
Rhoda Dakar & Nick Welsh – featuring 2 Tone records, The Bodysnatchers, The Special AKA singer Rhoda Dakar
Donkey Records launch El Mahico album – The Donkey decided to help out local acts by paying for their albums to be pressed. El Mahico were the first band they chose.
Miles Hunt – ex Wonderstuff singer playing acoustic.
Roddy Radiation – ex guitarist of The Specials makes his debut, performing rockabilly ska.
First Donkey gigs by Leicester stalwarts, David Wyatt, Dawson Smith, John & Rick, Swaggar, Out of Karma, Dirty Backbeats, Rollo Markee, Daddy Longlegs, Kingston Town.
Seth Lakeman – One of Britain’s leading contemporary folk musicians, bringing traditional folk influences to a highly energetic modern sound.
Pete Molinari – British singer-songwriter whose blues, folk and Americana influences made him a natural fit for the Donkey’s intimate room.
John Martyn Night – A special tribute featuring Jersey Budd, Kev Hewick, Simon Gilroy, Sugarsnatch and others, showing the Donkey’s growing role in Leicester’s musical community.
Summer Sundae Fringe – with New Beautiful South, Kirkland Turn, M48, David Wyatt, Deap People. The first year of being part of the SS Fringe.
Los Pisteleros – featuring the cream of London’s session players, Bobby Valentino on violin, BJ Cole on pedal steel, Martin Belmont on guitar and Kevin Foster on bass. Top talent.
Charlie Chuck – Vic and Bob’s Big Night Out comedian performs a surreal night of comedy
Salsa Dance Classes started this year.
New Cool Collective – 9 piece jazz & latin band from Holland. Outstanding musicians. The Donkey was not worthy of such greatness!
First Donkey appearances by Leicester acts , Funk Soul Brother, The Atlantics, Dead Rock Stars, 2 Gentlemen Play Pop, The Moderators, Dan Britton & Chris Conway, Frankie & the Boys, Mick Ridgeways MOJO Hand, Howard Smith & the Razors and Uncle Frank.
New Regular nights – Bayou Club, Swazz, Early Doors, The In Crowd, Sunday Jazz Jam and Cool Jazz & Bossa Nova.
Fun Lovin’ Criminals – The New York band behind Scooby Snacks brought their distinctive mix of rock, funk, blues and hip-hop to the Donkey. The show sold out rapidly, with around 225 people attending. The Fun Lovin’ Criminals show demonstrated just how far the venue could punch above its size.
Alabama 3 Acoustic – the coolest acoustic act you’ll ever see. First booking of several at The Donkey over the years.
James Taylor Quartet – Highly regarded British jazz-funk and soul group whose show sold strongly in advance.
Emily Barker – Acclaimed folk and roots singer-songwriter whose atmospheric music brought a new audience to the venue.
David Ford – Respected British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, renowned for powerful solo performances.
Toploader – Multimillion selling, Dancing in The Moonlight – top ten stars make an appearance at The Donkey.
Hank Wangford & the Lonesome Cowboys – the Legendary singing gynecologist and London C&W star Hank brings his show to the first of many gigs at The Donkey. Legend!
New Regular nights – Midweek Mule Open Mike, Remember Vinyl, Green Collective, KGB Jazz, King Cobra Presents, Nowt Flash, The Toy Hearts, Tanni Brown, Little Night Terrors, Jersey Budd,
First Donkey appearances by Leicester acts ist, Produkty, Scaley Fuego, Buccaneers, Mr. Plow, Dead Rockstars, The Platforms, Austrian Stones and The Tony Webster Band,
The Slackers – New York ska, rocksteady and reggae veterans with a sound drawing on soul, dub, jazz and garage rock.
Alabama 3 – The Brixton collective behind Woke Up This Morning, blending country, blues, electronic music and acid house.
David Ford – A returning favourite whose intense solo performances had established a strong Donkey following.
The Lovely Eggs – Independent alternative rock duo known for their energetic and eccentric live shows.
The South – Continuing the musical legacy of The Beautiful South, bringing a substantial national following into the Donkey.
David Ford – Another strong return from one of the venue’s most popular singer-songwriters.
Skinny Lister – London folk-punk band combining traditional English influences with the energy of punk and the Pogues.
Raghu Dixit – Indian singer-songwriter whose appearance added an international/world-music dimension to the Donkey programme.
Alabama 3 – One of the Donkey’s most successful returning national acts, bringing their unique mixture of blues, country and electronic music back to the venue.
John Power – The La’s and Cast frontman returned for another intimate acoustic appearance.
James Hunter – Acclaimed British soul and R&B singer, known for his work with Van Morrison and his own Grammy-nominated recordings.
Urban Voodoo Machine – The London collective’s theatrical mixture of rock, blues, punk and cabaret became a particularly good match for the Donkey’s atmosphere.
James Hunter – A master of classic soul and R&B, bringing an authentic vintage sound to a packed Donkey.
Alabama 3 – Another return from the Brixton collective, by now firmly established among the venue’s major recurring bookings.
Raghu Dixit – The Indian singer-songwriter returned with his exuberant blend of folk, rock and world music.
John Power – Another appearance from one of the venue’s biggest recurring names.
By now the Donkey had developed its distinctive formula – respected touring artists alongside local bands, regular favourites and special events.
Jah Wobble – Legendary post-punk bassist, founder member of Public Image Ltd and later explorer of dub, reggae, electronic and world music.
Ian McNabb – Singer-songwriter and former frontman of The Icicle Works, bringing a substantial British rock back catalogue.
Urban Voodoo Machine – The theatrical gypsy-blues-rock collective returned for another strong Donkey show.
Sheelanagig – Energetic instrumental folk/world musicians whose performances regularly turned the Donkey into a dancing crowd.
Gaye Bykers on Acid – Leicester’s legendary grebo/garage-punk pioneers returned to their home city for a major Donkey show.
Urban Voodoo Machine – Another high-energy appearance from one of the venue’s favourite touring bands.
Sheelanagig – Returning with their exuberant mixture of folk, world music and instrumental virtuosity.
Bowie Night – Around 20 musicians came together for a special Donkey celebration of David Bowie, attracting roughly 180 people and demonstrating the strength of the venue’s own musical community.
O’Connell & Love – A well-received headline appearance from Alabama 3 vocalist, Larry Love and songwriter Brendan O’Connell.
Mystery Action – Leicester band who would become particularly important to the Donkey’s later story, with Blink and Steve eventually becoming part of the team that took over the venue.
November 2019 – Warren and Zoe leave The Donkey, ending the long period that began with Warren’s arrival in 2005.
Blink, Steve and Mike take over, with Blink and Steve from Leicester band Mystery Action bringing their own musical experience to the venue.
Roddy Radiation – Former member of The Specials and an important figure in British ska, connecting the Donkey with the tradition represented by earlier ska and reggae bookings.
Let’s Play Bowie – Another major Bowie celebration, selling out before the Covid shutdowns brought live music to a halt.
March 2020 – COVID changes everything. The new management had barely taken over before the venue was caught in the pandemic shutdowns, creating an unprecedented interruption to live music.
Live music returned under restrictions, with socially distanced shows marking the beginning of the venue’s recovery.
Drugstore Cowboys – One of the Donkey’s most enduring local favourites, returning for a sold-out show as live music cautiously resumed.
Fu Fu Sailors – A regular part of the Leicester live scene and representative of the local acts that continued to support the venue through its post-Covid recovery.
Restless / Mystery Action – Local favourites reflecting the Donkey’s continuing commitment to its own musical community.
Crazyhead – Legendary Leicester garage-punk/grebo band, bringing an important piece of the city’s alternative music history back to the Donkey.
Smoove & Turrell – North East soul/funk duo combining Northern Soul, funk, disco and modern production. Brought to you by Donkey collaborator Heath Palfrey “Uncle Eaf” and his FunkNation brand.
The New Mastersounds – Highly respected Leeds instrumental funk and soul group – again brought to you by FunkNation, and also The James Taylor Quartet.
Aziz Ibrahim – Acclaimed guitarist known for his work with The Stone Roses and Simply Red, as well as his own music.
Mike’s 50th – A full day of Donkey music and the debut/final gig of the “Midlife Crisis” pop-up band.
Buzzcocks – One of Britain’s defining punk bands, bringing genuine UK punk history into the Donkey’s intimate room.
Edgar Broughton – Veteran psychedelic/progressive rock musician and founder of the Edgar Broughton Band.
Jersey Budd – Leicester singer-songwriter and a long-standing part of the city’s musical community.
Tensheds / Harry Stafford & Guitar Shaped Hammers – A distinctive roots and alternative music double bill, representing the breadth of the Donkey’s later programme.
Roadrunner – Long-established Leicester rockers and Donkey favourites, with a particularly well-received, packed show.
Govannen – Celtic/folk-influenced band whose Donkey appearance packed the venue and led to a return later in the year.
Ruby & The Diamonds – A younger generation of performers, whose summer show packed the garden and demonstrated that the venue could still create the same intimate atmosphere for new artists.
Briana Corrigan – Former Beautiful South vocalist and acclaimed singer-songwriter. Her Donkey-promoted show moved to The International because of the venue’s circumstances, making it part of the story even though it wasn’t held at the pub.
Blink stepped away from the venture, leaving Mike to continue running the venue on his own for another year.
A blue plaque was unveiled at The Donkey in honour of Laurel Aitken, the “Godfather of Ska”, recognising his importance to Leicester’s ska history. The plaque was photographed at the pub in September 2025, and CAMRA records it as a permanent part of the venue’s music history.
After Mike’s period running the venue alone, The Donkey passed to Sam, who also owned the Bricklayers Arms and The Hind. This marked another change of direction before the venue entered its next chapter.
New owners JJ & Ollie
Brothers JJ and Ollie Wainwright, already experienced Leicester pub operators, take on the lease of The Donkey and begin a major refurbishment. The aim is to restore the building while putting live music back at the heart of the venue.
After stepping away from the venue following the Warren and Zoe years, Gaz Birtles returns to help shape its musical future, bringing his knowledge and experience from the Donkey’s most celebrated live-music era.
A new generation joins the story – Gaz’s sons Peri and Jordan Birtles, alongside Gilroy Guedes, join the new team. Between them they bring extensive touring, sound and lighting experience, including work at major venues and festivals. Jordan is a member of Hard Life, while Peri and Gilroy have worked on productions including Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage and recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios.
The local artists who made the venue a home
Alongside the headline acts, The Donkey was supported by a strong core of local and regional artists who returned regularly over the years. Many became familiar faces to Donkey audiences and an important part of the venue’s musical community.
Regular names appearing throughout the calendars include:
Drugstore Cowboys · Dawson Smith & The Dissenters · Andy Wales · David Wyatt Band · Freestyle · By the Rivers Kingsize · Kenny Wilson · Song Club · Hopscotch Boulevard · Out of Karma · El Pussycats · Status Trio · Daddy Long Legs · KGB Jazz · Mellow Maku · Cameron Hinds · Nowt Flash · The In Crowd · Nick Murphy · FunkNation · Midweek Mule · Swazz · Kingston Town · The Moonlights · The Cheeze · Bayou Club · The Atlantics · Vibrato & The Psychedelic Filberts · SOS Blues Band · Stereosonics · Jersey Budd · Clarksville Mountain Band · Tony Webster Band · Fu Fu Sailors · Wellard Willy · Mystery Action
These regulars are an important part of the story: alongside the nationally recognised touring artists, they helped make The Donkey a genuine home for Leicester’s live music community.
This timeline is a living, evolving record of The Donkey’s live music history. We know it can never capture every artist, every gig or every memorable night, so if you spot something we’ve missed, have a correction to suggest, or have a story or photograph to add, please get in touch.
And, most importantly, thank you to everyone who has played, promoted, booked, worked, supported and simply turned up over the years. From the artists who travelled from around the country to the local musicians who made the Donkey their home, every contribution has helped create the venue’s unique place in Leicester’s music scene.
Here’s to everyone who has been part of the story – and to the next chapter.