OPEN BARS (49)
Franklin Music Hall (formerly Electric Factory)
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
Originally opened as the Electric Factory in 1968 at 22nd and Arch (hosting Jimi Hendrix, The Who), reopened at current location in 1995. Renamed Franklin Music Hall in 2018 after sale to The Bowery Presents. Capacity 2,500-3,000. Named 16th best venue in US by Consequence in 2016. Past headliners include David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Coldplay.
World Café Live
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
Nonprofit independent venue opened 2004, named after WXPN's NPR-syndicated "World Cafe" radio show. Two stages: 650-capacity Music Hall and 300-person Upstairs Live. Has hosted Billie Eilish, Alabama Shakes, Hozier, Brandi Carlile.
Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA)
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
Originally a 1908 nickelodeon called Crystal Palace, converted to theatre in 1965. Became concert venue in 1988. First Philadelphia venue to show Rocky Horror Picture Show (1976). Briefly known as "The Fillmore at TLA" 2006-2008. Capacity ~1,000.
Franklin Music Hall
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
Steeped in Philadelphia music lore, this venue has hosted iconic rock, punk, and metal acts for decades. Its storied past as the Electric Factory (from 1968) is legendary, and the venue remains a city staple for major touring rock and alternative bands.
The Tower Bar
🇺🇸San Diego, United States
Historic neighborhood bar and venue offering live music with focus on rock and alternative bands.
St. Andrew's Hall
🇺🇸Detroit, United States
Originally founded as a Scottish society meeting place, St. Andrew's Hall emerged as a key rock venue by the 1980s. It has hosted groundbreaking acts such as Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, and R.E.M.
The Roxy Theatre
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
Opened in September 1973 by Lou Adler and Elmer Valentine, The Roxy was designed to be a high-end counterpoint to the grittier Whisky. It is historically significant for bringing theatricality to the Strip, hosting the first U.S. production of "The Rocky Horror Show" in 1974, before it became a film phenomenon.
Bancroft Bar
🇺🇸San Diego, United States
Bastion for rock and punk music in East County. Hosts multiple bands in stacked shows.
The Asylum
🇬🇧Birmingham, United Kingdom
One of Birmingham's premier live music venues, hosting a wide range of rock, metal, and alternative acts, from established international bands to upcoming local artists.
The Lexington
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A "classic American rock lounge" famous for its bourbon selection. The upstairs venue is a key stop for touring indie bands and serves as a primary industry hangout.
Moonstep
🇯🇵Tokyo, Japan
Primarily a live house hosting underground punk and hardcore bands, but the 2nd-floor pub is a destination in itself. Wooden, creaky, DIY aesthetic feels like a squat or punk house in London or Berlin.
Hope and Anchor
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A historic pub in Upper Street with a basement music room that was crucial in the 1970s pub rock and punk scenes. A Grade II listed building. A historic pub atmosphere upstairs, with a recently refurbished basement live music venue featuring a new PA, enlarged stage, and lighting rig. The upstairs pub functions as a traditional pub, while the basement is a dedicated 80-capacity live music venue.
Irving Plaza
🇺🇸New York, United States
A historic ballroom-style venue with capacity of ~1,200. Irving Plaza has served many identities: a 1940s ballroom, a Polish community center, and from the late '70s onward, a crucial rock concert hall. Known for hosting diverse genres – punk, new wave, metal, alternative, pop – over different eras.
The Casbah
🇺🇸San Diego, United States
Legendary venue known for hosting major and emerging acts. Hosted Nirvana, Alanis Morissette, and Arcade Fire.
The World's End
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A world-famous pub and a North London landmark, reflecting the eclectic nature of Camden itself. Located just south of Camden Town tube station. Boasts two bars and a mezzanine balcony seating area. The central area is designed to reflect the open marketplace that once inhabited the location. The pub itself is a large, atmospheric space for drinkers, separate from The Underworld music venue located beneath it.
Hole in the Wall
🇺🇸Austin, United States
Known for supportive environment for local and touring acts. Launching pad for Spoon and Gary Clark Jr.
Mercury Lounge
🇺🇸New York, United States
A small club (250 capacity) in the Lower East Side. Mercury Lounge is known for breaking new bands since the 1990s in an intimate, no-frills environment. It was a linchpin of the early 2000s NYC rock revival.
Mississippi Studios
🇺🇸Portland, United States
Hybrid recording studio and live music venue. Integral to Portland's alternative music scene.
Razzmatazz
🇪🇸Barcelona, Spain
Razzmatazz occupies a massive industrial complex in the Poblenou district of Barcelona. Formerly known as Sala Zeleste (founded in 1973), it was reborn as Razzmatazz in 2000. The venue consists of five different halls, allowing it to host massive indie rock concerts and electronic club nights simultaneously.
Crystal Ballroom
🇺🇸Portland, United States
Historic venue known for its unique wood floor that bounces with the crowd. Hosted numerous national and local rock acts.
The Hatchet Inn
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Grade II listed 17th-century pub once famed for its gothic rock club nights; now renovated with beer garden and function rooms.
The Magic Stick
🇺🇸Detroit, United States
A mainstay of Detroit's rock and alternative scenes, The Magic Stick shares legacy with St. Andrew's Hall in showcasing new and established rock, punk, and indie acts. It is known for cultivating vibrant underground and emerging music scenes.
The Masonic Temple
🇺🇸Detroit, United States
The Masonic Temple is the largest Masonic Temple in the world and a prominent venue for live music in Detroit. It has hosted numerous rock concerts and is an important venue for the local music scene, including rock and alternative genres.
The Moore Theatre
🇺🇸Seattle, United States
Oldest operating theater in Seattle. Grand, seated venue with balcony, ornate architecture, large proscenium stage. 1,800 capacity—graduation stage for Seattle bands.
First Avenue
🇺🇸Minneapolis, United States
First Avenue occupies a stunning Art Deco Greyhound bus depot built in 1937. Converted into a music venue (The Depot) in 1970, it features curved walls and terrazzo floors that give the room a unique, bright acoustic character.
The Viper Room
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
The Viper Room represents the dark heart of the 1990s alternative scene, yet its physical structure holds a history spanning the entire 20th century. Built in 1921 as Young's Market, the building transformed through multiple incarnations: The Cotton Club (1940s), The Melody Room (1951-1969, a mobster hangout frequented by Bugsy Siegel and Mickey Cohen), Filthy McNasty's (1969-1980s, a "no-photos" celebrity sanctuary), and The Central (1980s-1993, famous for Tuesday jam sessions). Opened by Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco in August 1993 with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the 250-capacity venue was styled after 1920s Harlem jazz clubs.
Exit/In
🇺🇸Nashville, United States
Legendary Nashville venue deeply ingrained in rock history. Hosting premier cutting-edge acts for over 50 years.
3rd & Lindsley
🇺🇸Nashville, United States
Highly regarded mid-sized venue for blues, Americana, and rock performances. Attracts national touring acts.
The Basement East
🇺🇸Nashville, United States
Vibrant venue known for eclectic indie rock and alternative scene. Showcases emerging local talent.
Mercy Lounge
🇺🇸Nashville, United States
Part of Cannery complex. Strong presence in rock, alternative, and indie scenes with energetic shows.
Theatre of the Living Arts
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
A South Street institution since the 1960s, the TLA is known for its intimate club atmosphere and iconic marquee. It's a favorite stop for national and local acts in rock, punk, and indie, with a history stretching back to the city's musical golden age.
World Café Live
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
While better known for folk and jazz, World Café Live also books indie rock and alternative acts, especially in its upstairs "Upstairs Live" room.
The Flapper
🇬🇧Birmingham, United Kingdom
Independent live music venue and pub, known for its canalside location and support for local and touring rock/metal bands.
The Roundhouse
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Built in 1847 as a turntable engine shed for the London & North Western Railway, The Roundhouse is a masterpiece of Victorian industrial architecture. After falling into disuse, it was repurposed as an arts venue in 1964. Its circular structure and massive scale made it perfect for the immersive, experimental "happenings" of the 1960s counterculture.
Union Transfer
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
Union Transfer is celebrated for its excellent acoustics, spacious layout, and indie vibe, making it a premier spot for indie rock, alternative, and punk acts. It's beloved by both touring bands and local fans for providing a top-tier concert experience in a converted rail transfer station.
Moth Club
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Housed in an ex-servicemen's club (Memorable Order of Tin Hats), Moth Club retains its glittering gold ceiling and 1970s social club decor. The hipster favorite for cutting-edge indie and alternative comedy.
The Crocodile
🇺🇸Seattle, United States
Opened in 1991 in the Belltown neighborhood, the Crocodile Cafe (now The Crocodile) was the "living room" of the Seattle grunge explosion. Co-owned for a time by Peter Buck of R.E.M., it hosted Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Mudhoney in an intimate setting before they filled arenas. The venue was famous for its lack of pretension and close-knit community vibe.
The Black Heart
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
The Black Heart is a renowned rock and metal pub in Camden, often described as a "heavy metal hotspot". Nestled in a lamplit, brick-walled back alley near Camden Town Tube Station, it is about a fifteen-minute walk from King's Cross St. Pancras. The interior is decked out in exquisite all-goth attire; its walls painted black and smattered vibrantly with music artwork, fairy lights sparkling in the dimness, unisex bathroom stalls plastered with band stickers and extremely entertaining graffiti. The downstairs bar is a bustling social hub for metalheads and night-creatures from all walks of life, offering craft beers, shots (including the 'Lucky Sod' Irish liqueur), cocktails, and mocktails.
The Devonshire Arms
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Affectionately known as "The Dev," it is Camden Town's devoted home to the musical underground and one of London's leading goth and metal venues. Features a mock-Tudor façade and a buzzy and dark interior. It's described as a goth pub with serious attitude and a haven for goths and metalheads. A place where lovers of rock, goth, punk, and metal congregate.
Subside Bar
🇬🇧Birmingham, United Kingdom
Rock and alternative music bar known for its late-night hours and DJ sets.
The Mothers' Ruin
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Late-night dive bar with upstairs gig space and downstairs club (RATHOUSE), known for eclectic alternative nights.
The Crown
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Historic market-area pub with rock/metal soundtrack upstairs and 300-cap basement venue for gigs and club nights.
The Garage
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Opened in 1993, The Garage is a rite-of-passage venue for touring bands. It has hosted secret shows by The Killers and a seminal 1994 gig by Jeff Buckley.
The Fighting Cocks
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A rock 'n' roll bar and venue described as small in size but big in attitude. Proudly independent. A haven for the inked, the pierced and the damned. Has a rich musical history dating back to the 1930s (jazz, then rock 'n' roll jam sessions). Features a best jukebox ever, old school arcades, and pool. Offers a huge selection of draft and bottled beers, lavish cocktails, seductive real ales, troublesome shooters and the nuttiest drinks deals in town.
Arlene's Grocery
🇺🇸New York, United States
Retaining the façade of the Puerto Rican bodega/butcher shop it replaced, Arlene's Grocery helped transform the Lower East Side into a rock destination in the mid-90s.
Bar Vinil
🇪🇸Barcelona, Spain
Vinyl-centric indie/alternative lounge with retro décor and sofas.
Blondies
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
An excellent rock'n'roll dive bar with live music founded by Australian sisters Verity, Sharmaine, and Rochelle Cox. A down-and-dirty Mecca for music-lovers with delightfully wonky furnishings reflecting a DIY spirit. Known for insane music and a cultural hub for good vibes, great drinks, and even better company.
Debaser Strand
🇸🇪Stockholm, Sweden
Represents the modernization phase of Stockholm's rock scene. Brought higher production values and international booking power. Primary stage for 2000s indie rock explosion.
Dingwalls
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Opened in 1973, Dingwalls was instrumental in the punk timeline and Camden Lock's transformation into a music destination.
CLOSED BARS (62)
Mercy Lounge (Cannery Ballroom)
🇺🇸Nashville, United States
Opened January 2003 in historic 1883 flour mill/cannery building. Added 1,000-capacity Cannery Ballroom in 2005. Hosted Steven Tyler, White Stripes, Adele, Black Keys, Bon Jovi. Transformed into Cannery Hall in 2023.
The Rathskeller
🇺🇸Boston, United States
Kenmore Square cellar that launched The Cars, Pixies, Mission of Burma.
Ex'n'Pop
🇩🇪Berlin, Germany
Schöneberg living-room bar where Nick Cave, Einstürzende Neubauten & local post-punk bands jammed inches from the beer taps.
Le Phonographique
🇬🇧Leeds, United Kingdom
The Chestnut Cabaret
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
West Philadelphia rock club operating 1978-1994, later reopened as The Blockley (2009-2013). Hosted Billy Bragg, Butthole Surfers, MC 900 Ft. Jesus. The Pretenders played unannounced show here night before Live Aid 1985.
The Pound
🇺🇸San Francisco, United States
Ripley's
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
Another South Street club that was a major stop for rock and alternative acts in the late 20th century.
Tropic Club
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
The Banshee
🇬🇧Manchester, United Kingdom
Jekyll & Hyde
🇺🇸Portland, United States
Notable rock club from late 20th century Portland scene providing venue for punk, alternative, and rock shows.
The Pound
🇺🇸San Francisco, United States
Venue known for hosting punk and alternative bands.
The Intrepid Fox
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A historic pub with roots dating back to 1784, named after statesman Charles James Fox. Originally at 97-99 Wardour Street, it became a prominent goth and heavy metal venue by the 1970s. Known for its distinctive dark, goth-rock aesthetic, featuring black-painted interiors, a mock graveyard, and other macabre decorations. It was a key meeting point for the goth and metal scenes. After closure in 2006, it reopened at 15 St. Giles High Street (2007-2014) before final closure.
The Rock Garden
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Raji's
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
In the basement of the Hastings Hotel, Raji's was the quintessential dive venue that bridged post-punk and the alternative explosion. Known for low ceilings, intense heat, and sweat dripping from the walls.
Planet X
🇬🇧Liverpool, United Kingdom
The Magnet
🇬🇧Liverpool, United Kingdom
Circo Voador
🇧🇷Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jilly's Rockworld
🇬🇧Manchester, United Kingdom
The Channel
🇺🇸Boston, United States
1,700-cap South Boston rock bar where U2, Ramones, Metallica played early tours.
Re-bar
🇺🇸Seattle, United States
Eclectic venue bridging LGBTQ+ scene, art scene, and rock scene.
Club Quattro Nagoya (first site)
🇯🇵Nagoya, Japan
Doug Fir Lounge
🇺🇸Portland, United States
Known for log-cabin and rocket-ship aesthetics. Celebrated for booking touring indie and alternative rock bands.
Khyber Pass Pub
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
The Khyber became a landmark for the city's indie and alternative scenes in the 2000s, revered for its eclectic booking and dive-bar authenticity before closing in 2013.
The Vogue
🇺🇸Seattle, United States
Grunge fashion HQ and tiny stage that hosted Alice in Chains, Tad and Mudhoney.
The Warehouse
🇬🇧Liverpool, United Kingdom
Banana Hall
🇯🇵Osaka, Japan
Uonna Club
🇮🇹Rome, Italy
Via Labicana basement where Litfiba, CCCP and the Italian underground played inches from the bar counter.
Madame Wong's West
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
Esther Wong's expansion into the Westside, significantly larger than the Chinatown original (formerly The Fox and Hounds restaurant). Attracted different demographic and became major stop for touring acts.
The Square Club
🇬🇧Cardiff, United Kingdom
Coconut Teaszer
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
Hollywood nightclub at Sunset and Crescent Heights, crucial for the queer punk scene through "Does Your Mama Know?" nights and the grunge transition of the early 90s.
The Cooperage
🇬🇧Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
The Clarendon Hotel
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A large old pub/hotel complex in Hammersmith that became a legendary music venue. The Clarendon's upstairs Ballroom and downstairs Broadway bar were home to pivotal alternative music events from the late 1970s through 1988. Most famous as the host venue for Klub Foot, the epicenter of London's psychobilly scene throughout the 1980s.
The Barrel Organ
🇬🇧Birmingham, United Kingdom
J.C. Dobbs
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
A legendary South Street dive, J.C. Dobbs was a proving ground for local and national acts in the punk, indie, and alternative scenes, helping launch careers in the 1980s and early '90s before shutting its doors.
Jabberjaw
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
An all-ages coffeehouse with no liquor license, emphasizing music and community over alcohol sales. Epicenter of the "Coffeehouse Scum" scene and crucial for the Riot Grrrl movement in LA.
The Toucan Club
🇬🇧Cardiff, United Kingdom
Madame Satã
🇧🇷São Paulo, Brazil
Rock Stock
🇲🇽Mexico City, Mexico
La Batuta
🇨🇱Santiago, Chile
Rockotitlán
🇲🇽Mexico City, Mexico
Cemento
🇦🇷Buenos Aires, Argentina
Knaack Klub
🇩🇪Berlin, Germany
Prenzlauer-Berg institution that hosted Die Ärzte, Rammstein and countless indie showcases in its 70s/80s heyday.
Klub Park
🇵🇱Warsaw, Poland
Student-run wooden lodge on Pola Mokotowskie where rock bands and Juwenalia parties raged for decades.
J.C. Dobbs
🇺🇸Philadelphia, United States
South Street bar that booked Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Green Day pre-fame.
Medusa's
🇺🇸Chicago, United States
Wrigleyville all-ages goth/rock club famed for Nine Inch Nails & Ministry sets.
O'Banion's
🇺🇸Chicago, United States
River North punk bar where Naked Raygun, Ministry & Effigies played their first gigs.
Off Ramp Café
🇺🇸Seattle, United States
Club where Pearl Jam debuted (as Mookie Blaylock) and Soundgarden filmed videos.
Gold Rush
🇺🇸Nashville, United States
Elliston Place dive that fuelled Music City's rock underground and fed generations with "Gold Rush Burgers."
The Bristol Bridge Inn
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Pub-venue celebrated as a 'gem' of the late-70s alternative scene.
The Green Room
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Intimate alternative venue managed by Les and Rich in late-70s/early-80s.
The Falcon
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
An influential pub and music venue, particularly during the 1990s. A hub for London's Britpop and Shoegaze scenes, also important for the "Camden Lurch" indie bands.
The OK Hotel
🇺🇸Seattle, United States
Located beneath Alaskan Way Viaduct in Pioneer Square. Gritty, working-class establishment turned vital music venue. Raw, open space crucial for all-ages crowd and punk scene.
Madame Wong's
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
Chinese-restaurant-turned-rock bar that booked The Police, Oingo Boingo and The Go-Go's before they hit arenas.
Al's Bar
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
A fabled punk dive bar located in the Arts District of downtown L.A. in the American Hotel. Opened in the late 1970s, Al's Bar became the longest-running punk venue on the West Coast, known for its gritty atmosphere and nurturing of the underground art-punk scene.
Bristol Bierkeller
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Cavernous Bavarian-style rock bar; 1990s home to student alt nights and early shows by Nirvana & Arctic Monkeys.
Bull & Gate
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A Grade II listed pub with a long history as a music venue, particularly from the 1980s until 2013. Hosted a wide range of indie, rock, and alternative acts in its backroom venue, run by promoters like Jon Beast (Timebox/Hype!) and later Club Fandango.
Bunkr Parukářka
🇨🇿Prague, Czech Republic
Cold-war fallout shelter turned beer-&-rock bunker on Vítkov hill; famous for anarchic concerts and graffiti.
Cathay de Grande
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
A subterranean punk/New Wave club that operated in the 1980s beneath a Chinese restaurant in Hollywood. The Cathay de Grande was a hotbed for the early hardcore punk scene and the burgeoning alternative rock movement in L.A. Its mix of musical styles and notorious reputation (it was in a sketchy basement) made it both beloved and infamous.
Club Lingerie
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
A hip nightclub and live venue on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, active primarily in the 1980s. Club Lingerie was known for an eclectic booking policy – hosting rock, punk, funk, rap, and more. In the '80s music scene, it was a place where up-and-coming local bands and even national acts would play more intimate showcases, and it doubled as a trendy dance club on off-nights.
Mayfair Ballroom
🇬🇧Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Duchess of York
🇬🇧Leeds, United Kingdom
Edwards No. 8
🇬🇧Birmingham, United Kingdom
Multi-floor metal bar known for thunderous sound, cheap drinks and queue-round-the-block Fridays.