Unveiling Europe's Finest Independent Music Venues
Embarking on a tour across Europe can be a thrilling experience for musicians. However, navigating the vibrant live music scene and identifying the best venues to showcase your talent can be a daunting task. That's why we've curated the ultimate venue guide, featuring over 100 top-notch venues, to assist you in planning your tour seamlessly.
Within this comprehensive guide, you'll discover valuable information about financial compensation, application processes, preferred genres, locations, venue specifications, and more. From intimate cafes to grand concert halls, we've handpicked the finest establishments for your consideration. Read on to explore our top recommendations.
If this guide is helpful for you, don’t forget to check out our Festival Guide as well, ensuring you have a complete resource for your music journey.
If you're unsure how to reach out to these venues directly, schedule a call with us, and we'll provide access to our comprehensive database, assisting you in efficiently planning your tour.
Take a Sneak Peek at the Featured Venues:
Not sure how to reach the venues? Don’t struggle alone, let us help you Plan Your Tour.
And here’s a rundown of the venues we covered:
Die Börse
The sociocultural center die börse is an integral part of Wuppertal's cultural life. Having started as early as 1974, the plan was always to make culture accessible and tangible for all classes and age groups.
Music events range from young rock bands to established greats from world music or jazz, offering a space for various cultural initiatives and reflecting the diversity of a local cultural scene.
Herman Schulz Café
Cloud Clan e.V. is a collective of creatives nurturing seeds in Arts and Culture. If you’re looking for a place to play a gig, search no more, consider Hermann Schulz your open living room!
Just hit them up with your proposal, artists are always welcome in their beautiful café.
Watch our latest Live Session made in Berlin!
Café Bar Treppenhaus
Rorschach, Switzerland - Website
Treppenhaus is a cross-generational meeting place. From concerts to Jazz evenings to children's events, there’s always something for everyone.
If you’re looking for a warm and friendly place to play, this is it. They book all kinds of music styles, so everyone is welcome here!
ACU
Ultrecht, Netherlands - Website
ACU is a political-cultural center in the Voorstraat, directly in the center of Utrecht. ACU is non-commercial, independent from the municipality’s agenda, and fully run by volunteers. ACU has found its niche as is for more than 40 years integral part of Utrecht’s cultural and political scene.
ACU is host to a wide range of activities: café, vegan restaurant, concerts, disco nights, political events, jam sessions, benefit events, parties, movies, library, and a meeting place for political and cultural initiatives.
Club VEB
Looking to support smaller - unknown musicians and organize events where everyone is able to come, this volunteer-driven collective holds concerts every Wednesday at Kulturfabrik Löseke e.V. (KUFA) free of entrance.
The project stands for a musical diversity that ranges from well-done pop, off the charts, to various rock genres such as punk, indie, stoner and modern jazz, to artists from the electronic category. Every now and then these genre boundaries are also mixed and transcended.
Don’t worry if you think you’re “too small”, they welcome smaller artists and are happy to give you a stage, it’s also possible to play as a supporting act.
In addition, if you’re touring, they offer acommodation at their residence in a nice, independent, subcultural space in Hildesheim.
CHEKOV
This collective run by volunteers has created a self-governing space in the heart of Cottbus, right on the Spree.
This is the perfect place to relax, discuss and get hands-on. Hosting a wide variety of events, everyone in their community helps everyone to create a solidary point of contact, focused in a progressive, informal and non-commercial culture.
El Beledia
Burgdorf, Switzerland - Website
This small venue, supported by volunteers, is always looking for musicians who play acoustically, musicians with political or funny lyrics, rock, punk (which is of course, acoustically difficult) and really anything that sets the mood.
Rockerill
Abandoned to its sad fate following the decline of the steel industry, the La Providence plant has recently come back to life and redeveloped into an urban center dedicated to popular, social and alternative cultures.
The Rockerill Production non-profit organization gives the opportunity to come and discover this magnificent site, a high place of historical and industrial heritage in the Charleroi basin, thanks to the cultural and artistic events in fields as varied as rock music, electronics, visual and digital arts, theatre, cinema, dance and street arts.
Fidler’s Green
After 2 years of no concerts due to the pandemic, the Irish pub is back and better than ever! And they are looking for you! Solos/Duos/Trios playing Folk, Singer Songwriter, Fingerpicking artists, Blues, Country, and Punk. Even Doom, Cold Wave or analog Disco sound performances are welcome, just no drums, please.
GET YOUR OWN LIVE SESSION
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GET YOUR OWN LIVE SESSION 〰️
‘T Stamineeke Webbekom
Café ‘T Stamineeke organizes many events, but the live performances in Webbekom are the biggest success. This authentic café has a capacity for 40 people inside - and outside - a cozy terrace for the summer that can hold up to 70 people.
Looking for upcoming artists focusing on Jazz, Folk, SingerSongwriter, Retro, and every genre without a lot of drum/heavy electric power.
They’ll be waiting with a respectful listening audience and warm hearts for every musician.
Music Lab
Brno, Czech Republic - Website
Music Lab is an open cultural space for music, theater, dance and film. Situated underneath the Music Faculty of the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno.Having emerged as a meet-up place for all musicians and music lovers to give Brno a high-quality music scene based on Jam Sessions, Music Lab has become one of the best music clubs not only in Brno, but also in the whole Czech republic, hosting numerous famous bands and artists.
Focusing on jazz, groove, funky, latino, and swing bands, this club welcomes anybody who wants to present his art.
Watch our Live Sessions made in Prage!
Horstklub
Credit: Donato Caspari
Kreuzlingen, Switzerland - Website
Horst is a self-organized music club for all genres of rock’n’roll.
The club has become a hotspot for garage rock: a popular destination for the local young rock enthusiasts, and other guests that come from much further afield.
If you’re looking for a venue that has maintained the very essence of rock and roll music, Horst is the place to be.
PANKE CULTURE
This casual garden setup by a brick factory covered in street art, for drinks, sandwiches & DJ music is the house for OG Berlin DIY club culture.
Panke’s club hosts performances and events ranging from early reggae to late bass music, inviting for a musical journey through different periods of hip-hop, dub and beat music worldwide.
SIDECAR
SIDECAR is a reference venue in Barcelona’s music scene. Since 1982 on the frontline and, thanks to its very careful programming of both concerts and DJ sets, it’s a place where all the creative trends in the city converge. A small club by size but very big on impact. A place where one must go to enjoy the best music in town at close quarters.
Best known for their rock & indie offer, truth is they go from reggae to queerhouse, from dream pop to death metal. They will play almost any style (except cover bands).
With more than 5000 concerts, DJ sessions, exhibitions and presentatios, they’ve been rocking Barcelona’s underground for 40 years.
O’Casey’s
Den Haag, Netherlands - Website
A place with soul and history in the heart of The Hague, awarded multiple times as the Best Pub in the world! With plenty of room for everyone, they got 2 stages with full PA, drums and mics for bands. It’s Plug & play style, so leave all worries behind because you’re sure to have a nice crowd and a good time in O’Casey’s.
Scholars Lounge
The Scholars Lounge is an authentic Irish pub established both in Rome and Munich, you can count on live music every week, with rock and sports as the main component.
Doña
Doña is a passion project born of friendship & a shared love for high-quality, magical Mezcal, community living & music.
Mix all those fabulous feels into a unique environment and you get a small but mighty bar that also identifies as an arts space, celebrating empowered feminine energy &, most importantly of all, a champion for independent creativity.
Doña is committed to providing a safe space for all!
Birdland59
The non-profit association Jazz-Club Ettlingen e. V. has been running the jazz cellar Birdland59 under the music school Ettlingen. With over 30 concerts a year, they offer friends of jazz a varied program.
From workshops to festivals and jam sessions, they also arrange jazz bands by subscribing to a membership for major urban events such as Marktfest and Sternlesmarkt.
Peer23
Peer23 eV is a non-commercial association founded in 2013. The main idea behind them is to provide socially and creatively active people with uncomplicated workplaces, studios, workshops, and seminar rooms.
Promoting subculture, creating a space away from the mainstream and consumer society for all those who are looking for a conscious life and are not afraid of alternative ways of thinking and living.
A place of love without pressure and competition - with and for each other.
Kassette
Come and play under the chandelier in the living room of this cozy bar!
PLAN YOUR RELEASE
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PLAN YOUR RELEASE 〰️
Kokolores
The youth culture association Kokolores e.V was founded in 1993, and since then, the club has made a name for itself in the alternative music scene.
The members of the association create a varied offer, which is reflected in concerts, a café and high-quality cultural projects such as readings or panel discussions. In addition to the rooms for workshops, where everyone is welcome to present and live out their kind of culture, there is also a band rehearsal room, a workshop and a photo laboratory.
The principle of youthful self-government and independence is always in the foreground. This is not about profit, but about respectful cooperation.
Café Carina
The Cafe Carina is an artist and music café in the station building "Josefstädter Straße" designed by Otto Wagner.
The café is a place of individual artistic freedom, which offers a very mixed program through the self-organization of the organizers, with their main focus on live music
Café Carina supports local bands a lot but also brings international artists to the capital of music. Due to a lot of self-organization by the hosts, genres are well mixed. Throughout the year all kinds of styles get on stage: Alternative/Indie, Rock, Blues, Pop, Metal, Punk, Jazz…
This is the place to be for everyone who likes live concerts. 300 days a year.
Outback Wolkersdorf
Wolkersdorf, Austria - Website
Outback Wolkersdorf is a youth center primarily known for its concerts, where both young local bands and up-and-coming international acts have regularly been able to demonstrate their skills.
Even after 20 years of operation, the "Outback" sees itself as a leisure space away from all other demands of school, family and/or work, where everyone can meet friends and spend their free time regardless of their origin, religion, or financial situation.
Tunnel Vienna Live
Bar, restaurant, jazz cellar, with more than 700m² large bar offers enough space and technical equipment for concerts and Jam sessions every week.
Fania Live
There’s always a reason to celebrate at FaniaLive! This global latin - soul - rock club celebrates culture like no other.
Join the party!
Blue Garage
This small music hall has a great sound and the people that run it are all about the music! With rock, blues, jazz and cabaret as their main focus, this venue has space for everyone.
KIFF Aarau
The KIFF - culture in the feed factory is now 30 years of interim use in the former feed factory in Aarau.
The KIFF organizes rock, pop, hip hop, indie, world, metal concerts as well as parties, comedy and literary events in two event rooms (hall and foyer) and runs a bar (silo) as a separate room and smoking. A studio tower with 12 studios and the factory palace also belong to the KIFF.
GET YOUR OWN LIVE SESSION
〰️
GET YOUR OWN LIVE SESSION 〰️
Sedel
Concerts and parties take place at the Sedel every week. Hardcore, metal, electronic music, garage rock, punk, jazz: the club knows no reservations, independence counts. One focus, however, lies in the "underground".
Atelier210
L'atelier 210 is a place of creation, dissemination and reflection, a space that is associated with multidisciplinary artistic projects; music, dance, theatre, performance, meetings, debates, etc. The heterogeneity of the proposed forms establishes the character of the places. It tries to offer a unique live experience to spectators.
Watch our Live Session made in Brussels!
Blues-sphere
Blues-sphere is a label that organizes blues concerts in Liège, seeking through Black roots, blues et musique d'afrique to communicate the simple pleasure of an original emotion.
Le Botanique
Le Botanique is a cultural centre dedicated to live music and art exhibitions.
Centered on discovering new music and helping emerging artists launch their career, they have on average 300 concerts, 10 exhibitions and 100 residencies a year, aiming to create space for creativity and artistic development.
In addition, Le Botanique has its own music festival, which takes place in May every year. Boasting an eclectic line-up with international and local musicians.
Bistrot Culture
The Bistrot Culture is a magnificent room, an essential place of conviviality and cultural sharing. A showcase of all cultures. Totally atypical place, with an eclectic program, open to all.
Rap, Theater, Humor, Rock, Stoner, Jazz, French Songs, Poetry, Swing, Slams, Reading, Electronic Music, pretty much anything and everything, are all welcome, so you will always find an evening for you.
Le Kibele
The Kibele has a vaulted cellar (50 seats) with sound and light equipment, including an acoustic piano, to promote 2 different shows each evening. Reggae, jazz, world music, gypsy, turkish, greek, rock, electro music but also café-théâtre are performed all year round.
Le Motel
This cozy indie bar and music venue located in a small, tucked-away backstreet is the Paris indie hotspot. With a DJ or live band most nights of the week, the interior is plastered with old concert posters, vintage couches and there is always plenty of beer flowing.
If this is your vibe, send them an email! Le Motel has been the house of many great artists!
Watch our Live Session made in Paris!
Sunset / Sunside
Sunset is dedicated to electric jazz, magnet jazz and world music, and Sunside is devoted to acoustic jazz. Sunset and Sunside form a single complex in Europe with two clubs open 7 days a week with two concerts every night.
Sunset - Sunside, two Jazz Clubs in Paris with a constant quality in programming, a true reflection of the topicality of jazz. A must for the most prestigious musicians, but also a perpetual desire to continue to make you discover new musicians and the new musical currents close to jazz.
Caveau des Oubliettes
The Caveau des Oubliettes is a live music club. In its cellar, hosts concerts Wednesday to Sunday followed by Jam Sessions and open stages.
Whether you play Jazz, swing, soul, funk, blues, fusion, world music, all musical genres are represented in this mythical and historic place in Paris.
Cinetol
Amsterdam, Netherlands - Website
Cinetol is a small pop stage where artists get to know their audience and get the chance to perform their work.
With an open attitude to the outside world and always open to collaborations with individuals, artists or organizations to set up programs, Cinetol is a place where you as an artist come to learn further: experience is gained, learned from our craftsmanship and played for an audience that likes to be surprised.
Was originally a place for the pop/rock genre, but is certainly open to other genres, striving for (social) reality in the field of diversity and inclusiveness in the program, public and personnel.
Watch our Live Session made in Amsterdam!
De Nieuwe Anita
Amsterdam, Netherlands - Website
De Nieuwe Anita is a place where artists of all colors can live their dream, a relatively small stage for starting or touring musicians, try-outs, stand up comedians, film screenings, literary nights or lectures, provided a cosy atmosphere and a great audience.
Although they try to keep an alternative profile, they are a well known venue throughout the city and beyond.
Hofman
Utrecht, Netherlands - Website
This restaurant hosts Hofman Live every Thursday night where various bands play the roof off from 21:30 followed by a vinyl DJ from Utrecht to round off your music evening. But if jazz is more your thing, there’s also live jazz playing every Sunday afternoon.
LOPPEN
Loppen is a small alternative concert venue, housed in an old army hall, in Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen run collectively and volunteer-based. Since 1973 it has welcomed alternative, aggressive, provocative and danceable music.
Starting in the underground local scene, it has over the years started to attract international names and up-and-coming bands. Genres featured are mostly, alternative rock and punk, but also features reggae, hip hop, americana, blues, electronic, country, folk, roots, soul, jazz, and everything in between.
