The Face Bar

You head down to Ambrose Place and there's The Face Bar — the sort of place that's become a genuine fixture for anyone who cares about live music in Reading. It's packed most nights when there's something on, which tells you everything you need to know. The room's got that comfortable, unpretentious feel where you can actually chat to people without shouting yourself hoarse, but there's enough buzz that it never feels dead. Whether you're catching a local band or a touring act, it's become one of the places in town where things actually happen rather than just exist.