This paper explores the rules and expectations of jazz gigs using a case study of a weekly jazz club, The Spin. The paper considers the expectations that audience members have of live jazz performances in relation to the venues in which they are performed, the experience of collective listening and the impact of personal factors and musical identities on motivation and enjoyment. Questionnaires, diaries, follow-up interviews and observations were used to collect data concerning the above themes, and thematic analysis offers insight into what the “rules” of jazz gigs might be, based on audience members' expectations and experiences of being at a live jazz performance. The “rules” of these events relate to quality, skill, other audience members, the venue and its management, the sense of community and, of course, the music itself.