Live Music entertainment in Europe
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A
Szimpla
This distressed-looking, very unflashy place remains one of the most popular drinking venues south of VI Liszt Ferenc tér, with live music Tuesday to Thursday evenings.
reviewed
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B
Sala el Sol
This opened in 1979, just in time for la movida, and quickly established itself as a leading stage for all the icons of the era, such as Nacha Pop and Alaska y los Pegamoides. La movida may have faded into history, but it lives on at El Sol, where the music rocks and rolls and usually resurrects the ’70s and ’80s while soul and funk also get a run. It’s a terrific venue and opening times vary – most concerts start around 11pm but can be as ‘early’ as 10pm. Check the website (which also allows you to book online) for upcoming acts.
reviewed
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C
Botanic Inn
The ‘Bot’ is the second pillar of Malone Rd’s unholy trinity of student pubs, along with the ‘Eg’ and the ‘Welly Park’ (Wellington Park). The latter has sadly been renovated into airport-departure-lounge anonymity, but the Bot is still a wild place, with dancing in the upstairs Top of the Bot club Wednesday to Saturday (people queue down the street to get in), live acoustic music in the Back Bar on Monday and Wednesday, and big-screen sport when there’s a match on.
reviewed
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D
Arena
A former slaughterhouse turned music and film venue, Arena is one of the city’s quirkier places to see live acts. Hard rock, rock, metal, reggae and soul (along with cinema) can be seen on its outdoor stage from May to September; over winter bands are presented in one of its two indoor halls. ‘Iceberg’, a particularly popular German-British 1970s new-wave bash, is held here once a month.
reviewed
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E
Irish Times
A congenial and genuinely Irish pub that attracts a very international crowd. There's live music (including lots that's Irish) from about 21:30 to 00:30 on Friday and Saturday; Thursday may be karaoke night; and Sunday features a trivia quiz with prizes (21:00). Major sports events - shown on the two wide screens - often push Saturday and Sunday opening back to kick-off time.
reviewed
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F
Federal Association of World Travellers
A wonderfully eclectic basement bar in which you feel you've gate-crashed a surrealists' house party, and been welcomed in. It's decorated as though various members have returned from the four corners of the earth bearing one object as a contribution to the furnishings. Just open the big black gate, follow the lights that come on, and listen for the music, which is live every night.
reviewed
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G
A Baîuca
On a good night, walking into A Baîuca is like gatecrashing a family party. It’s a special place with fado vadio, where locals take a turn and spectators hiss if anyone dares to chat during the singing. The food stops around 10pm but the fado goes on until midnight. Reserve ahead.
reviewed
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H
Yorckschlösschen
Cosy and knick-knack-laden, Olaf Dähmlows's institution has been open since 1885 and plied an all-ages, all-comers crowd of jazz and blues lovers with tunes and booze for over 30 years. Toe-tapping bands invade several times weekly, but there's also a pool table, a garden for chilling, cold beer on tap and German comfort food served till 1am.
reviewed
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I
Cavern Club
It's a reconstruction, and not even on the same spot, but the 'world's most famous club' is still a great spot to see local bands.
reviewed
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J
Celtic Cross
If Víking beer isn’t doing it for you, head for a pint of Guinness at Celtic Cross. It is done up like a funeral parlour and features bands in the basement at weekends.
reviewed
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K
Music Bar Anděl
By day a cool, hip cafe, the Anděl is transformed after dark into a rocking live-music venue featuring the best of touring Czech bands and occasional international acts. It also has a good vegetarian menu.
reviewed
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L
Caffè Librarium Nostrum
A modish Castello bar with panoramic seating on top of Cagliari’s medieval ramparts. Occasional live music jacks up the atmosphere in the brick-lined interior.
reviewed
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M
Tetería El Harén
A large teahouse that rambles over several floors with lots of private nooks. Live music Thursday to Saturday evenings.
reviewed
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N
Onda Pasadena
A congenial combination of older and younger audiences mingle on Tuesdays to listen to jazz, while handclapping is all the rage on Thursdays when flamenco gigs take over.
reviewed
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Che Guevara
Has dancing or live music in a fun saloon-club with 1950s pin-ups and a commie-Cuba theme.
reviewed
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O
Circolo degli Artisti
One of Rome's nightlife venues that hits the spot, Circolo is the place for alternative music gigs. Friday night cracks open the electronica and house for gay night – Omogenic – and Saturday sees the fun-packed Screamadelica (punk-funk, ska and new wave), usually also featuring a live band. There's even a cool garden bar and admission is either free or a snip.
reviewed
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P
Darüşşifa
The Darüşşifa or Bimarhane was built as a mental hospital by Ilduş Hatun, wife of the İlkhanid Sultan Olcaytu, in 1309 and may have been the first place to try to treat mental disorders with music.
The İlkhans were the successors to Ghengis Khan's Mongols, who had defeated the Anatolian Seljuks. Their architecture reflects motifs borrowed from many conquered peoples and the building is based on the plan of a Seljuk medrese. Today the building is often used for exhibitions, concerts and events.
reviewed
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Q
Café Amsterdam
At the time of writing, Reykjavík was reeling with shock as one of the city's oldest venues went bankrupt and a second pronounced that it no longer wanted to stage live bands! But the Reykjavík scene is robust and strangely organic, and other venues are already beginning to emerge.
Café Amsterdam has been around for aeons, but it now seems to be evolving as the new place to catch up-and-coming bands, and there are frequent live performances at various bars, pubs and clubs, including Nelly's, Sirkus and NASA.
reviewed
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R
Peniche El Alamein
Strung with terracotta pots of flowers, this deep-purple boat is a lovely spot on the Seine to sip away summer evenings. Sit amid tulips and enjoy live bands; flyers are stuck on the lamppost at the front. Less hectic than Paris’ other floating clubs moored here, hence the older crowd, its sound spans jazz, world and Piaf-style chansons.
reviewed
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S
Olympic Café
This community bar in the Goutte d’Or neighbourhood is the best place in Paris to catch live African music along with jazz and reggae groups. The monthly program also includes events at the Lavoir Moderne Parisien, another springboard for young talent down the road. African specialities are available for lunch and dinner.
reviewed
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T
Barış Türkü Cafe & Disco
The Barış was the flavour of the month when we visited, and it's easy to see why. Housed in a historic mansion, this atmosphere-laden café-bar-disco-restaurant has a happening buzz and is a magnet for students of both sexes who come here to flirt, gossip, puff a nargileh, dance and listen to live bands (three times a week). If hunger beckons after swigging more than a few glasses of Efes in the basement, you can order an excellent yayla kebap (kebap with yoghurt) to restore balance to the brain.
reviewed
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U
La Boca del Lobo
Known for offering mostly rock and alternative concerts, La Boca del Lobo (The Wolf’s Mouth) is as dark as its name suggests and has broadened its horizons to include just about anything – roots, reggae, jazz, soul, ska, flamenco, funk and fusion. Amid all the variety are some mainstays – Wednesdays at 11pm are set aside for a roots and groove jam session, for example. Concerts start between 9.30pm and 11pm (check the website) Wednesday to Saturday and DJs take over until closing time.
reviewed
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V
WUK
WUK (Werkstätten und Kulturhaus; Workshop and Culture House) is many things to many people. Basically a space for art (government subsidised but free to pursue an independent course), it hosts a huge array of events in its concert hall. International and local rock acts vie with clubbing nights, classical concerts, film evenings, theatre and even children’s shows. Women’s groups, temporary exhibitions and practical skills workshops are also on site, along with a smoky cafe with a fabulous cobbled courtyard.
reviewed
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W
Lucerna Music Bar
Nostalgia reigns supreme at this atmospheric old theatre, now looking a little dog-eared, with anything from Beatles tribute bands to mainly Czech artists playing jazz, blues, pop, rock and more on midweek nights. But the most popular event is the regular 1980s and '90s video party held every Friday and Saturday night, which pulls in huge crowds of young locals bopping along to Duran Duran and Gary Numan.
reviewed
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X
Maina
Maina is out there, geographically speaking. But that does not seem to stop hordes of music-lovers from showing up, feasting on modern, fusion fare and jamming to trendy tunes. Local bands and DJs are on the programme, and the music runs the gamut, including some styles we’ve never heard of (intelligent lounge? femme-punk?). But it’s a daring, innovative place, and the fact that it’s out in the docklands makes it all the edgier.
reviewed