Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra

Jools Holland is playing Plymouth Pavilions on Saturday 19 December, with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra behind him. It's a Saturday night in the middle of December, so it sits right in that pre-Christmas window when the city starts to feel a bit festive.

If you're not familiar with the setup, it's not just Jools on the keys. He's fronting the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, a full band that brings the sound out from the piano and into a proper big-band arrangement. The set is built around rhythm and blues, and that's exactly what they do: a night of live music led by Jools on the ivories and backed by the orchestra. It's a full-band show, so you'll have the brass and the rhythm section filling out the room rather than just a small group.

It's a Saturday night, and the start time is 19:30, which gives you plenty of time to get sorted before it kicks off. The venue is Plymouth Pavilions, right here in the city, so it's an easy one to get to without having to venture far. If you're planning a night of it, that 19:30 start means you can have dinner first and still make it for the first note. The date is Saturday 19 December 2026, so it's a good one to keep in mind for the run-up to Christmas.