01Introduction
Edinburgh is a city built on rock—literally. The volcanic crags, medieval closes, and underground vaults that define its architecture also define its music scene. While Glasgow often claims the spotlight for Scottish music (and fairly—it's a powerhouse), Edinburgh maintains a darker, more atmospheric rock underground that draws on centuries of gothic energy.
The Cowgate—a narrow street running through a canyon of buildings in the Old Town—is Edinburgh's rock artery. Here, venues occupy converted cellars and vaults that date back hundreds of years, their stone walls creating a natural reverb that no effects pedal can match. The atmosphere is unique: you're drinking and moshing in rooms where people have gathered since the 1600s.
Edinburgh's rock scene is smaller than Manchester's or London's, but what it lacks in size it compensates with character. The city attracts alternative types—drawn by its literary heritage, dark aesthetic, and the creative energy that peaks during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every August.
Scotland's Rock Heritage
02Cowgate & Grassmarket: The Rock Corridor
The Cowgate and its extension into the Grassmarket form Edinburgh's primary rock corridor. This canyon of ancient buildings, running below the Royal Mile, concentrates the city's essential rock bars and venues into a single walkable strip.
Bannerman's Bar — The Institution
212 Cowgate | STILL ACTIVE
Bannerman's is Edinburgh's most iconic rock bar. Built into the vaulted cellars beneath the Old Town, this venue has been the city's rock headquarters for decades. The back room hosts live bands most nights—local acts and touring bands playing on a tiny stage to a packed, passionate crowd. The front bar is a proper rock pub with an excellent whisky selection (this is Scotland) and walls covered in gig posters.
The venue's stone-vaulted architecture creates an atmosphere that's impossible to replicate. Low ceilings, stone walls, and candlelight—it feels like drinking in a medieval dungeon, which is essentially what you're doing.
Bannerman's has the best natural acoustics of any small venue in Scotland. The stone walls do something to the sound that money can't buy.
The Banshee Labyrinth — The Haunted Rock Bar
29-35 Niddry Street, Old Town | STILL ACTIVE
Billed as "Edinburgh's most haunted pub," the Banshee Labyrinth is built into the city's underground vaults—genuine 18th-century spaces with a long (and allegedly supernatural) history. Multiple rooms spread across different levels, with a dedicated rock/metal room, a cinema, and a live music space. The atmosphere is genuinely eerie and absolutely perfect for heavy music.
The Cas Rock Pub
Castle Hill / Grassmarket area | CHECK CURRENT STATUS
Named after Edinburgh's Castle Rock, this pub has served the city's alternative community as a reliable gathering point. Rock, punk, and metal on the speakers, friendly staff, and a crowd that ranges from tourists who stumbled in to leather-clad locals who've been drinking here for years.
Pro Tip
03Live Venues & the Wider Scene
Beyond the Cowgate bars, Edinburgh's rock scene includes dedicated live venues and a wider network of alternative spaces.
Studio 24 — The Alternative Venue
24 Calton Road | CHECK CURRENT STATUS
Studio 24 has been one of Edinburgh's key alternative venues, hosting rock, punk, metal, and goth nights alongside live shows. The space has gone through various incarnations and management changes but maintains its role as a home for music that's too heavy or weird for mainstream venues.
The Edinburgh Fringe Connection
Every August, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe transforms the city into the world's largest arts festival. For rock fans, this means unexpected shows in unusual venues—bands playing in church halls, comedians in rock bars, and the general sense that anything could happen anywhere. Many rock bars host special Fringe programming, and the late-night atmosphere after shows is electric.
The Scottish Metal Scene
Edinburgh sits within Scotland's broader metal ecosystem. Glasgow (45 minutes by train) has a larger live scene, and many Edinburgh metalheads make regular trips west. But Edinburgh's own metal nights—at Bannerman's, the Banshee Labyrinth, and various club nights—maintain a dedicated local following.
Edinburgh's vaults were built for heavy music. Literally—the stone absorbs everything and gives it back darker. It's the best place in Scotland to hear a distorted guitar.
Good to Know
04Practical Tips
Getting Around
Edinburgh's Old Town is compact and hilly. The rock bars are all walkable from each other:
- Cowgate / Grassmarket: Walk from Waverley station (10 minutes downhill) or any Royal Mile access point.
- Buses: Lothian Buses cover the wider city. Night buses run on weekends.
- From Glasgow: ScotRail trains run every 15 minutes, taking about 50 minutes.
Best Nights
- Friday–Saturday: Full programming at Bannerman's and all venues.
- Thursday: Good balance of atmosphere and accessibility.
- August: Fringe Festival transforms the city. Everything is busier, louder, and more expensive.
The Pilgrimage Checklist
- ☐ Bannerman's — Edinburgh's rock institution in medieval vaults
- ☐ Banshee Labyrinth — Haunted underground rock bar
- ☐ Cowgate bar crawl — Walk the entire rock corridor
- ☐ Whisky sampling — You're in Scotland. It would be rude not to.
Edinburgh Rock Culture
- Whisky: Scottish rock bars serve excellent whisky. Ask the bartender for a recommendation—they take this seriously and will steer you well.
- Weather: Edinburgh is cold, windy, and often wet. The Cowgate is sheltered by the buildings above, but dress warmly getting there.
- Prices: Cheaper than London, comparable to northern English cities. Pints run £4–6.
- Attitude: Edinburgh people are friendly but not immediately effusive. Buy someone a dram and conversation opens up fast.
Pro Tip
Related Guides
Continue your rock journey with these guides:
- Manchester Rock Bars — England's Northern rock capital
- Leeds Rock Bars — Yorkshire's rock heartland
- London Rock Bars — The UK's rock epicentre