Armando’s
Martinez – a microphone is a terrible thing to waste
“Save
Our Stages”
Shut
in The USA
(updated 17 May 2020)
by
Jamie Jobb
In
pandemic times of silent stages, one group has emerged from the
chaos: The National Independent Venue Association and its “Save
Our Stages” program. Clearly, this is an effort that ups the
stakes for audience assembly in 2020. Here’s NIVA’s thesis:
“These
entertainment hubs are critical to their local economies and tax
bases as employers, tourism destinations, and revenue generators for
neighboring businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and retail.
Independent venues exist in every state across the country; they were
the first to be closed, they will be the last to open. The economic
recovery process will extend past just reopening the front doors,
requiring solutions unique to the industry.”
With
that effort in mind, I’ve decided to publish this perpetual
work-in-progress and very incomplete list I’ve assembled over the
years of small music houses across the USA which were kindredly
spirited to the coffeehouses
of my youth. With Covid-19 shuttering public gatherings, it’s
unclear how many of these venues will survive any reopening. Topping
the list is Armando’s, our neighborhood music hall which closed
for
good in February 2020 – about a month before general
shelter-in-place orders were locally announced.
Anyone
with other clubs to list here should add (or subtract) them in the
comments and I’ll include any of those on future updates, once
doors can reopen and houses can begin to refill themselves. As this
began as a local project, the list begins in and around San
Francisco.
East
Bay
Armando's
- 707 Marina Vista - Martinez, CA
"open
to music" with a shut-up sign in Spanish
Now
– Permanently CLOSED
The
Empress Theater - 330 Virginia Street - Vallejo, CA
mixed
schedule of music, movies and other events
The
Rellik – 726 First Street – Benicia, CA
Tavern
and tapas bar serving live music five nights a week
Ashkenaz
- 1317 San Pablo Av. - Berkeley, CA
neighborhood
cultural center for international and domestic music
Subterranean
Arthouse - 2179 Bancroft - Berkeley, CA
lively
community art space and performance venue
La
Pena - 3105 Shattuck Av. - Berkeley, CA
neighborhood
cultural center for arts and social justice
Starry
Plough - 3101 Shattuck Av. - Berkeley, CA
"Irish
revolutionary watering hole"
The
Gilman - 924 Gilman St. - Berkeley, CA
all-ages
DIY music and art space
Jupiter
- 2151 Shattuck Av. - Berkeley, CA
courtyard
music and beer hall near arts/theater district
Freight
& Salvage - 2020 Addison St. - Berkeley CA
Venerable,
original "coffeehouse" "home of traditional music"
- third location
The
Back Room – 1984 Bonita Ave. - Berkeley, CA
Scaled-down
venue recalling the original “Freight” on San Pablo
Cheese
Board Collective Pizza - 1512 Shattuck Av- Berkeley CA
Free
music right on the street and only one kind of pizza with a line out
the door!
Uptown
Bar Club - 1928 Telegraph Av. - Oakland, CA
lively
music club and art gallery
Eli's
Mile High Club - 3639 Martin Luther King - Oakland, CA
raucous
bar, club, restaurant and art gallery
Duende
- 468 Nineteenth St. - Oakland, CA
Upscale
jazz bar and restaurant
Yoshi's
- 510 Embarcadero W - Oakland, CA
jazz
nightclub and sushi restaurant - second location
North
Bay
Fenix
- 919 Fourth St. - San Rafael, CA
Upscale
bar/restaurant with stage and studio
(flip
side of Armando's ... very very slick)
George's
- 842 Fourth St. - San Rafael, CA
"nightclub"
and pick-up spot with music
No
Name Bar - 757 Bridgeway - Sausalito, CA
notorious
"No Name" with no website and a cozy back room for music
The
New Trident - 558 Bridgeway - Sausalito, CA
not
the original, bayside deck dining with good music on Friday and
occasional Saturdays
Rancho
Nicasio - 1 Old Rancheria Rd. - Nicasio, CA
roadhouse
music in an historic roadhouse - second owners
19
Broadway - 17 Broadway - Fairfax, CA
neighborhood
bar and night club for blues rock funk soul
The
Sleeping Lady - 23 Broadway - Fairfax, CA
notorious
cafe with music in sleepy Fairfax - second location
Sweetwater
- 19 Corte Madera Av. - Mill Valley CA
"music
hall" and "roots music venue" with side cafe - second
location
142
Throckmorton - 142 Throckmorton - Mill Valley CA
revived
storefront theater now music and performance venue
The
Mystic Theater - 23 Petaluma Bl. N - Petaluma CA
Old
theater and music hall with a restaurant on the side
Hopmonk
Tavern - 224 Vintage Way - Novato CA
A
small chain restaurants with music room and patio stages, also in
Sonoma and Sebastopol
The
Last Day Saloon - 120 Fifth St. - Santa Rosa CA
Restaurant
bar and live music venue
Sonoma
Speakeasy/American Music Hall - 452 First Street E, Suite G - Sonoma
CA
blues,
rockabilly and jive seven nights a week
Napa
Valley Opera House - 1030 Main St. - Napa CA
aka
City Winery Napa: wide range of music, theatre, dance
Uptown
Theater - 1350 Third St. - Napa CA
converted
movie theater turned into big time music house
No
longer operating in North Bay/East Bay:
The
Lion's Share ("The Share"), The original Trident, Euphoria,
Charles Van Dame, River City, Uncle Charlie's, Ted's, Prince Charles
Inn, Knightsbridge, the Ark, The Barrel House, Jean's Bit of Bohemia,
The Blue Rock, Edgewater, the Cricket Club, Runway 5, San Rafael
Union Hall, Old Mill Saloon, Black Oak, Musicians Coffeehouse
San
Francisco
Cafe
du Nord - 2170 Market - San Francisco, CA
Hotel
Utah - 500 Fourth St. - San Francisco, CA
hallowed
home of Whoopi, Robin and The Marsh ...
Red
Poppy Art House - 2698 Folsom - San Francisco, CA
artist-run
storefront performance space
Rickshaw
Stop - 155 Fell St. - San Francisco, CA
former
tv studio transformed into performance space
Revolution
Cafe - 3248 22nd St. - San Francisco, CA
live
jazz and classical tunes music nightly
DNA
Lounge - 375 Eleventh St. - San Francisco, CA
live
late night music
Brainwash
- 1122 Folsom St. - San Francisco, CA
cafe
laundry and night club for comedy music and performance
The
Chapel - 77 Valencia St. - San Francisco, CA
former
funeral home transformed into restaurant/bar/music scene
Brick
& Mortar Music Hall - 1710 Mission St. - San Francisco, CA
lots
of different bands in an industrial setting
Bottom
of the Hill - 1233 Seventeenth St. - San Francisco, CA
Focused
on the musicians - neighborhood venue
Atlas
Cafe - 3049 Twentieth St. - San Francisco, CA
coffee
house with house band and DIY feel
Make
Out Room - 3225 22nd St. - San Francisco, CA
bar
night club late night menu
The
Independent - 628 Divisadero St. - San Francisco, CA
lively
music hall with cinema
Hemlock
Tavern - 1131 Polk St. - San Francisco, CA
wraparound
bar with a live performance room
Boom
Boom Room - 1601 Filmore St. - San Francisco, CA
blues,
boogie, soul, groove and funk
Coltrane
African Orthodox Church - 1286 Filmore St. - San Francisco, CA
Dedicated
to the jazz of John Coltrane and his legacy
Yoshi's
- 1330 Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
jazz
nightclub and sushi restaurant - third location
Slim's
- 333 Eleventh St. - San Francisco, CA
major
performance venue
Bimbo’s
- 125 Columbus Av. - San Francisco, CA
North
Beach hangout for comedy, music and Stage Door Johnnies
Biscuits
& Blues - 401 Mission St. - San Francisco, CA
premiere
San Francisco blues venue and restaurant
Great
America Music Hall - 859 O'Farrell St. - San Francisco, CA
venerable
West Coast institution in the Tenderloin
The
Fillmore - 1805 Geary Bl. - San Francisco, CA
The
venerable San Francisco music hall
San
Francisco Jazz Center - 201 Franklin St. - San Francisco, CA
new
structure dedicated to jazz acoustics
No
longer operating in The City:
Avalon,
Santa Venetia Armory, Jimbo's Bop City, Coffee & Confusion,
Hungry i, Purple Onion, Keystone Korner, Coffee Cantina, The Drinking
Gourd, The Both/And, the Jazz Workshop, The Black Hawk, The Matrix,
Buena Vista Studio
Other
Northern California
Douglas
Beach House - 307 Mirada Rd. - Half Moon Bay, CA
Oceanfront
live jazz since 1960s
Kuumbwa
Jazz Center - 320-2 Cedar St - Santa Cruz CA
40-year-old
non-profit pleasure society jazz hangout; “truly a listening room”
Rio
Theater - 1205 Soquel Av - Santa Cruz, CA
large
old movie house with cyclorama stage, over 900 seats!
Moe's
Alley - 1535 Commercial Wy - Santa Cruz, CA
expanded
from original blues format
The
Catalyst - 1011 Pacific Av. - Santa Cruz, CA
the
classic music hall in surf city
The
Crepe Place - 1134 Soquel Av - Santa Cruz CA
late-night
crepes and live music almost nightly
The
Hideout Saloon - 5029 Hwy 140 - Mariposa CA
old
time honky-tonk acoustic hangout for national touring bands
The
Cow Track - 850 N Yosemite Av - Oakdale CA
laid-back
lounge for live music in shuffleboard sports bar
Southern
California
The
Escondido - 410 Boyd St - Los Angeles CA
hideaway
for food and music seven days a week - no cover
Largo
- 432 N. Fairfax Av - Los Angeles CA
Active
hangout for improv, standup, lively music
The
Satellite - 1717 Silver Lake Blvd - Los Angeles, CA
Legendary
local hotspot where folks can “dance yourself clean”
The
Mint - 6010 W Pico Blvd - Los Angeles CA
home
of rhythm and blues, bluegrass and roots tunes
El
Rey - 5515 Wilshire Blvd - Los Angeles CA
former
movie house now popular live music venue
The
Wiltern - 3790 Wilshire Blvd - Los Angeles CA
Art
deco style venue with tiered standing room and balcony seating
Sonos
Studio - 145 N La Brea Av - Los Angeles Ca
Event
and exhibit space with musicians
Canter’s
Kibitz Room - 419 N Fairfax Av - Los Angeles CA
storied
music lounge of a 80-year-old Jewish deli open all night
World
Famous Barnyard - 9627 S Main St - Los Angeles CA
low-down
lively blues, soul, R&B, jazz - outdoor pop-up venue
no
website- Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm
The
Baked Potato - 3787 Cahuenga Blvd - Studio City CA
Jazz
and baked potatoes for almost 50 years. “Village Vanguard
West”
Vibrato
Grill Jazz - 2930 Beverly Glen Circle - Bel Air CA
Herb
Alpert’s nightspot with upscale menu, reservations
Hollywood
Bowl - 2301 N Highland Av -Hollywood CA
The
concert venue for LA with picnic tradition
The
Greek (Griffith Park) - 2700 N Vermont Av - Los Angeles CA
Smaller
outdoor venue in forest setting
The
Standard - 8300 Sunset Blvd - Hollywood CA
Upscale
hotel with music in Cactus Lounge and Pool Deck
http://www.standardhotels.com/hollywood/location
Hotel
Cafe - 1623 1/2 N. Cahuenga Blvd - Hollywood CA
singer-songwriter
hangout
The
Troubadour - 9081 Santa Monica Blvd - W Hollywood CA
Venerable
institution in Southern California music scene
Echo
Country Outpost - 1770 Glendale Blvd - Los Angeles CA
country
music playground and art gallery
McCabe’s
Guitar Shop - 3101 Pico Blvd - Santa Monica CA
venerable
folk-roots oasis
Harvelle's
Blues Club - 1432 Fourth St. - Santa Monica CA
lounge
dedicated to blues, jazz and soul near the beach since 1931
Trip
- 2101 Lincoln Blvd - Santa Monica CA
Free
shows and cheap grub seven nights a week - variety of live
entertainments
Big
Mama’s Rib Shack - 1453 N Lake Av - Pasadena CA
Texas
style ribs and offbeat blues on Saturday nights
Pete
Anderson’s Club 652 @ Burbank Moose Lodge - 1901 W Burbank Blvd -
Burbank CA
Tiny
tavern with blues on Monday nights
Curve
Line Space - 1577 Colorado Blvd - Eagle Rock CA
Gallery/frame
shop and jazz venue on Thursday nights
The
Casbah - 2501 Kettner Bl. - San Diego CA
Rock
club - second location - 200 seats
710
Beach Club - 710 Garnet Av - San Diego CA
beach
club and grill with live local music
Winston’s
Beach Club - 1921 Bacon St - San Diego CA
rowdy
beach bar with music to boot
Brick
By Brick - 1130 Buenos Av - San Diego CA
heavy-duty
rock and roll hall
Soma
- 3350 Sports Arena Blvd - San Diego CA
industrial
strength rock venue
Epicentre
- 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd - San Diego CA
regional
teen center and music hall
Belly
Up - 143 S Cedros Av - Solano Beach CA
live
music and event venue with restaurants
The
Voice Shop - 1296 N Wishon Av - Fresno CA
outpost
for musical outcasts in Fresno
The
colorful walls of Armando’s in better years
Washington
The
Old Edison - 5829 Cains Ct - Bow WA
oyster
shack/dance hall with live music three nights a week
Brick
Saloon - 100 W Pennsylvania Av - Roslyn WA
Oldest
roadhouse in state with live music on weekends
Gorge
Amphitheater - 754 Silica Rd - Quincy WA
huge
venue with famous bands and Columbia River Gorge views
The
Green Frog - 1015 N State St - Bellingham WA
community
gathering spot for good music and food
Soul
Food Coffee House - 15748 Redmond Way - Redmond WA
serious
coffee/tea shop with soul food, live music and tarot readings
Jazzbones
- 2803 Sixth Av - Tacoma WA
odd
mix of jazz, comedy and special events
Tula's
- 2214 Second Av - Seattle WA
jazz
club, restaurant, night club
The
Triple Door - 216 Union St - Seattle WA
Two
stages: touring national acts and smaller local venue
The
Crocodile - 2200 Second Av - Seattle WA
hip
hop hangout was launch pad for famous Seattle bands
Tractor
Tavern - 5213 Ballard Ave NW - Seattle WA
cowboy
honky tonk with wild mix of blues, rockabilly and roots music
Showbox
at the Market - 1426 First Av - and
Showbox
SoDo - 1700 First Av S - Seattle WA
unique
and varied lineup of touring bands since 1939
Cafe
Racer - 5828 Roosevelt Way NE - Seattle WA
neighborhood
coffeehouse/bar with improv jazz jams
The
Royal Room - 5000 Rainier Av S - Seattle WA
diverse
soundstage and recording spot for jazz & blues with
bar/restaurant
Columbia
City Theater - 4916 Rainier Av S - Seattle WA
1917
vaudeville house restored as local band venue
The
Highline - 210 Broadway Av E - Seattle WA
vegan
heavy metal dive with 25 tap beers with music/comedy
Q
Nightclub - 1426 Broadway - Seattle WA
electronic
music hangout and dance hall
The
Vera Project - 305 Warren Av N - Seattle WA
unique
all age venue for popular music, run by kids
Oregon
The
Half Penny - 3743 Commercial St - Salem OR
Irish
pub with live music three nights a week
McMenamin’s
Rock Creek Tavern - 10000 NW Old Cornelius Pass Rd - Hillsboro OR
recurring
resurrections have kept this place running for over 80 years
Johnny
B’s - 120 E Sixth St - Medford OR
lively
bar for local live music
Crystal
Ballroom - 1332 W Burnside St - Portland OR
touring
bands and singer/songwriters call it home
Doug
Fir Lounge - 830 E Burnside St - Portland OR
space
age log cabin with live music up close
Valentines
- 232 SW Ankeny St - Portland OR
very
small speakeasy tucked away downtown
Duff’s
Garage Lounge - 2530 NE 82nd Av - Portland OR
comedy, blues and roots music, seven nights a week
comedy, blues and roots music, seven nights a week
Mississippi
Studios - 3939 N Mississippi Av - Portland OR
former
church with great acoustics, perfect for live shows
Aladdin
Theater - 3017 SE Milwaukee Av - Portland, OR
Live
music, local radio show and comedy in old vaudeville house
Gemini
Bar & Grill - 456 N State St - Lake Oswego OR
full
bar and restaurant with live music on weekends
Wow
Hall - 291 W. Eighth Av - Eugene, OR
multi-purpose
community arts center in ex Woodmen Of The World hall
Sam
Bond’s Garage - 407 Blair - Eugene OR
eclectic
mix of bands seven nights a week in oddball neighborhood bar
Hult
Performing Arts Center - 1 Eugene Center - Eugene OR
major
performing arts center with various venues inside
Cozmic
- 199 W Eighth St - Eugene OR
ex
auto dealer/pizza shop now organic restaurant and music venue
McDonald
Theater - 1010 Willamette St - Eugene, OR
Large
hall with various seating arrangements for touring and local bands
New
Orleans
Neutral
Ground Coffeehouse - 5110 Danneel St. - New Orleans LA
Eiffel
Society - 2040 St. Charles Av - New Orleans LA
The
Circle Bar - 1032 St. Charles Av - New Orleans LA
One-Eyed
Jacks - 615 Toulouse St - New Orleans LA
400
person concert room in Quarter with touring alternative acts
Blue
Nile - 532 Frenchman St. - New Orleans LA
The
Maison - 508 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA
The
Three Muses - 536 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA
The
Apple Barrel - 609 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA
(no
website)
The
Spotted Cat - 623 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA
(no
website)
Snug
Harbor - 626 Frenchman St - New Orleans LA
Vaughn's
Lounge - 4229 Dauphine St. - New Orleans LA
(no
website: Kermit Ruffins on Thursday BBQ)
Bacchanal
- 600 Portland Av - New Orleans LA
Republic
- 828 Peters St - New Orleans LA
Preservation
Hall - 726 St. Peter St - New Orleans LA
House
of Blues - 225 Decatur St - New Orleans LA
Art
House on the Levee - 4725 Dauphine St - New Orleans LA
Tipitina's
- 501 Napoleon Av - New Orleans LA
Chickie
Wah Wah - 2828 Canal St. - New Orleans LA
Rosy’s
Jazz Hall - 500 Valence - New Orleans LA
once
a legendary music club, now a wedding venue (with music)
Jazz
National Park - various venues - New Orleans LA
a
division of the National Park Service!
Quoted
at Armando’s: Dylan stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues
again
Memphis
Nocturnal
- 1588 Madison Av. - Memphis TN
Midtown
DIY electronic music venue - no website
Wild
Bill's - 1580 Vollintine Av. Memphis TN
best
authentic blues bar = no website
Mr.
Handy's Blues Hall - 182 Beale - Memphis TN
authentic
Beale blues bar
Handy
Park Pavilion - 200 Beale - Memphis TN
Large
and small stages in public park on Beale named for W.C. Handy
Newby's
- 539 S Highland St - Memphis TN
mature
college hangout on Highland Strip
Hi-Tone
Cafe - 1913 Poplar Av. - Memphis TN
alternative
music scene hangout, 300 shows a year
Blues
City Cafe - 138 Beale St. - Memphis TN
cafe
featuring nightly live novelty acts and fusion bands
original
name "Doe's Eat Place"
Alfred's
- 197 Beale - Memphis TN
bbq
bar with dancing and live rock
Lafayette's
Music Room - 2119 Madison Av - Memphis TN
Venerable
venue in rejuvenated Overton Square
Newby's
- 539 S Highland St. - Memphis TN
restaurant
with wide range of music including experimental jazz with
two
stages: theater and bar
BB
King's Blues Club - 143 Beale St. Memphis TN
(with
branches in Orlando, West Palm Beach, Nashville and Las Vegas)
restaurant
with top lineup of modern blues/R&B
Minglewood
Hall - 1555 Madison Av. - Memphis TN
famous
Midtown concert hall and blue song namesake
Mud
Island Amphitheater - 125
North Front Street
-
Memphis TN
Big
amphitheater on island in river just off downtown
Nashville
Ryman
Auditorium - 116 Fifth Av N - Nashville TN
"Mother
Church of Country Music" and original home of the Opry
Bluebird
Cafe - 4104 Hillsboro Pike - Nashville TN
Nashville’s
songwriters showcase with two live shows every night
Crossroads
- 419 Broadway - Nashville TN
neighborhood
bar with classic country and rock&roll seven nights a week
The
Stage - 412 Broadway - Nashville TN
live
country seven days a week with large dance floor
Robert’s
Western World - 416B Broadway - Nashville TN
traditional
country showcase with four shows a day, seven days a week
Music
City Roots - 8400 Highway 100 - Nashville, TN
weekly
two-hour radio show live from the Loveless Cafe
Third
& Lindsey - 818 Third Av. S - Nashville, TN
big-time
national touring band's bar and grill
The
Basement - 1604 Eighth Av S - Nashville TN
Under
Grimey's record store
Exit/In
- 2208 Elliston PL - Nashville TN
wide
range of odd music
The
Cannery Ballroom - 1 Cannery Row - Nashville TN
Multi-use
event hall with lounge and ballroom venues
Marathon
Music Works - 1402 Clinton St - Nashville TN
large
new multi-use venue in Marathon Village
The
Tin Roof - 1516 Demonbreun St - Nashville TN
one
of a chain of Tin Roof venues all over the place
Franklin
Theater - 419 Main St. - Franklin, TN
large
venue for touring bands and live theater
City
Winery Nashville - 609 Lafayette ST - Nashville TN
southern
venue of national chain
Other
Tennessee
Paramount
Center for the Arts - 518 State St - Bristol TN
main
performing arts center in “birthplace of country music”
Kimbro’s
Cafe - 214 S Margin St - Franklin TN
songwriter’s
mecca with big meal menu
Puckett’s
Grocery - 4142 Old Hillsboro Rd - Leiper’s Fork TN
southern
BBQ smokehouse with live music
Underground
at Crown & Goose - 123 S Central St - Knoxville TN
night
club four nights a week with raw bar tied to pub upstairs
Virginia
Wolf
Trap National Park - 1551 Trap Rd - Vienna VA
National
Park dedicated to full range of cultural performance
Star
Hill - 5391 Three Notch’d Rd - Charlottesville VA
roadhouse
and brewery with lively concert schedule
Jammin'
Java - 227 Maple Ave E - Vienna, VA
Music
Club & Cafe
Iota
Club and Cafe - 2832 Wilson Blvd - Arlington VA
Cafe
during day, music hall at night - all tickets sold at the do
Clementine
- 153 S Main St - Harrisonburg VA
downtown
restaurant featuring live music, film and community events
Dogtown
Roadhouse - 302 S Locust St - Floyd VA
Tap
beer, wood-fired pizza with live music four nights a week
Capital
Ale House Music Hall - 623 E Main St - Richmond VA
Serious
brew pubs with next-door music hall with lively mix of music
Cary
Street Cafe - 2631 W Cary St - Richmond VA
full
menu hippie bar with bluegrass, reggae, rock and roots bands
Stoney
Badger Tavern - 3009 Old Forest Rd - Lynchburg VA
roadhouse
with limited live music schedule
State
Theater - 220 N Washington St - Falls Church VA
Refurbished
movie house, now 800 seat live band venue
The
Old Brogue - 760C Walker Rd - Great Falls VA
Old
Irish pub with live folk/acoustic music twice a week
Blue
Five - 312 Second St - Roanoke VA
blues,
jazz and rock three nights a week
Kirk
Avenue Music Hall - 22 Kirk Av SW - Roanoke VA
music
only no frills focus on stage and sound
Old
School Concerts - 40222 Fairfax St - Waterford VA
varied
ongoing series on two sites in this national historic landmark
Tidewater
Friends of Folk Music - 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd - Virginia Beach VA
twice
monthly concert series and coffeehouse - 41 year tradition!
The
Birchmere - 3701 Mount Vernon Av - Alexandria VA
Legendary
folk music hall with a "quiet please" sign
Kentucky
Thompson
House - 24 E Third St - Newport KY
four
stages and four bars in one house, outside Cincinnati
Southgate
House Revival - 111 E Sixth St - Newport KY
extensive
schedule of wide range of music
Kentucky
Coffeetree Cafe - 235 W Broadway - Frankfort KY
multi-purpose
coffeehouse in the community spirit
Willie’s
Locally Known - 805 N Broadway - Lexington KY
northside
boutique BBQ and listening room for singer/songwriters
Parlay
Social Club - 239 W Short St - Lexington KY
speakeasy
dance hall with serious drinks and live bands
Headliners
Music Hall - 1386 Lexington Rd - Louisville KY
home
for hip-hop, rock, metal and alternative bands
KCD
Theater - 4100 Springdale Rd - Louisville KY
on
campus of Kentucky Country Day School
Renfro
Valley Entertainment Center - 2389 Richmond St - Mt Vernon KY
55
acres of classic country, bluegrass and gospel music March thru
December
North
Carolina
Tressa’
Downtown Jazz & Blues - 28 Broadway - Asheville NC
live
jazz, blues, latin, R&B
The
Orange Peel - 101 Biltmore Av - Asheville NC
social
aid and pleasure club as a location!
Ziggy’s
- 170 W Ninth St - Winston-Salem NC
thousand
seat night club for live reggae and roots bands
no
website
Juggling
Gypsy Cafe - 1612 Castle St - Wilmington SC
restaurant/hookah
bar with movies, belly dancing, drum circles and live music
54
West - 3960 Hwy 54 - Graham NC
lively
venue for touring acts and local songwriters
The
Visulite Theater - 1615 Elizabeth Av - Charlotte NC
active
venue for big time and local bands
Fillmore
- 820 Hamilton St - Charlotte NC
large
open floor with side seating
South
Carolina
Newberry
Opera House - 1201 McKibben St - Newberry SC
wide
variety of music in a magnificent restoration
Music
Farm - 1022 Senate St - Columbia SC
concert/event
management venue for their own acts
Art
Bar - 1211 Park St - Columbia SC
eclectic
roadhouse with lively rock schedule
Blues
Boulevard - 300 River St - Greenville SC
live
jazz and blues five nights a week in upscale bistro
The
Handlebar - 304 E Stone Av - Greenville SC
"listening
room, pub and cafe"
Music
Farm - 32 Ann St - Charleston SC
concert/event
management venue for their own acts
The
Pour House - 1977 Maybank Hwy - Charleston SC
jazz
rock and roots brewpub with soul
The
Bowery - 110 Ninth Av N - Myrtle Beach SC
cold
drinks and live music on the beach, since 1944
Georgia
Smith’s
Olde Bar - 1578 Piedmont Rd - Atlanta GA
comedy
and live music on two stages
Apache
Cafe - 64 Third St NW - Atlanta GA
music,
poetry and other performance with good food, midtown
The
Earl - 488 Flat Shoals Rd - Atlanta GA
neighborhood
night club and alternative music venue
Rialto
Center for the Arts - 33 /Gilmer St SE - Atlanta GA
premiere
Georgia State University facility in downtown Atlanta
The
Tabernacle - 152 Luckie St NW - Atlanta GA
former
church and House of Blues reborn, large downtown venue
The
Loft - 1374 W Peachtree St - Atlanta GA
midtown
live music venue located in Center State Theater complex
The
Fox - 660 Peachtree St NE - Atlanta GA
Large
live venue for top touring acts and other events
Blind
Willie’s - 828 N Highland Av - Atlanta GA
Blind
Willie McTell’s historic blues house with blues menu
Variety
Playhouse - 1099 Euclid Av NE - Atlanta GA
versatile
performance space for big name acts
Eyedrum
- 88 Forsyth St SW - Atlanta GA
experimental
art and music venue in downtown arts district
Aaron’s
Amphitheater - 2002 Lakewood Av SE - Atlanta GA
room
for 12,000 under the starts for big name bands
Cafe
290 - 290 Hilderbrand Dr - Sandy Springs GA
“Atlanta’s
Legend in Jazz”
Steve’s
Live Music - 234 Hilderbrand Dr - Sandy Springs GA
small
club with full bar and lively schedule of many “cultural forms of
music”
Dixie
Tavern - 2349 Windy Hill Rd - Marietta GA
heavy
country in a strip mall
120
Tavern & Music Hall - 1440 Roswell Rd - Marietta GA
roadhouse
grub and music hall with “farm-to-table burgers”
Sweetwater
Bar and Grill - 2920 Old Norcross Rd - Duluth GA
hangout
for local musicians
40
Watt Club - 285 W. Washington St - Athens GA
home
base for REM and other Georgia bands
The
Foundry - 295 E. Doughtery St - Athens GA
live
music, cocktails and grits in a reclaimed old iron mill
Mill
Town Music Hall - - 1031 Alabama Av - Bremen GA
wholesome
country music in west Georgia
The
Crazy Bull - 473 Second St - Macon GA
three
floors of different venues in downtown Macon
Whiskey
River - 4570 Pio Nono Av - Macon GA
22,000
square foot honky tonk nightclub and entertainment complex
Eddie's
Attic - 515-B N. McDonough St. - Decatur GA
Singer/songwriters
and other live music, also has a "shut up" sign
Alabama
On
the Rocks - 110 N Court St - Florence AL
live
music many night in Muscle Shoals regional pub
Workplay
- 500 23rd St S - Birmingham, AL
artist/musician/performance
collaboration space
Iron
City - 513 Twenty-Second St S - Birmingham AL
Grill with lively schedule of live music
Grill with lively schedule of live music
Ona’s
Music Room - 2801 Second Av S - Birmingham AL
Upgrade
small jazz club in Pepper Place neighborhood
The
Bottletree - 3719 Third Av S - Birmingham, AL
indie-rock
music hangout with massage chairs!
Oak
Mountain Amphitheater - 1000 Amphitheater Rd - Pelam AL
Prime
Alabama venue for big time bands south of Birmingham
Green
Bar - 2209 Fourth St - Tuscaloosa AL
formerly
Little Willie’s jazz club - now “original music venue”
Piccolo
Lounge - 241 S College St - Auburn AL
live
jazz on weekends, upscale hotel bar/restaurant
Rock
Bottom American Pub - 2430 E Blvd - Montgomery AL
sports
bar grub and limited live music
Soul
Kitchen Music Hall - 219 Dauphin St - Mobile AL
“best
place in Mobile to see live music”
Veets
- 66 S Royal St - Mobile AL
Country/blues/rock
party bar downtown on Mobile’s Mardi Gras route
Mississippi
Proud
Larry’s - 211 S Lamar - Oxford MS
Ole
Miss hangout with craft beers, pizza and pasta, plus live blues
Ground
Zero Blues Club - 387 Delta Av - Clarksdale MS
Epicenter
blues nightclub with extensive menu and rooms to rent
New
Roxy - 363 Issaquena Av - Clarksdale MS
movie
hall restored by community as music/event space
Red’s
Lounge - 395 Sunflower Av - Clarksdale MS
more
blues from Northern Mississippi juke joint
119
Underground - 119 S President St. - Jackson MS
Eclectic
menu with live music five nights a week
Hal
& Mal’s - 200 S Commerce St - Jackson MS
community-spirited
bar/dining room with three event/live music stages
Brickhaus
Brewtique - 2206 Front St. - Meridian MS
Live
music with a choice of over 60 southern craft beers
Thirsty
Hippo - 309 McLeod St. - Hattiesburg MS
Active
hotspot for Southern roots music
The
Shed - 15094 Mills Road - Gulfport MS
live
blues served with ribs and other BBQ
http://theshedbbq.com/music/l/gulfport-ms/
One
Hundred Men Debating Benevolent Association - 303 Union St - Bay St.
Louis MS
live
local blues since 1894, still a “chitlin’ circuit” hotspot on
the Mississippi Blues Trail
http://www.100menhall.org/about-us/
Florida
Will's
Pub - 1042 N Mills Av - Orlando FL
"basically
a neighborhood bar colonized by the music community"
The
Social - 54 N Orange Av - Orlando, FL
The
Beacham - 46 N Orange Av - Orlando FL
The
Bull - 18 SW First Av - Gainesville FL
downtown
bar dedicated to jazz, Latin and local music
The
Salt - 2222 NW Sixth St - Gainesville FL
live
performance theater with grocery/general store
The
High Dive - 210 SW Second Av - Gainesville FL
downtown
live music/event venue with beer garden
1982
Bar - 919 W University Av - Gainesville FL
bar
and cafe with live music, standup, and other shows
Back
Yard Bar at Boca Fiesta - 232 SE First St - Gainesville FL
downtown
patio of Mexican restaurant for dancing and music
Loosey’s
Downtown - 120 SW First Av - Gainesville FL
downtown
dive bar with live music on patio
BackStage
Lounge - 1315 S Main St - Gainesville FL
lounge
with live music - no website
The
Atlantic Nightspot - 15 N Main - Gainesville FL
student
punk dancehall north side of downtown
The
Thomas Center - 302 NE Sixth Av - Gainesville FL
neighborhood
cultural center with live music in Jewel Box
B
Sharps JaZZ Society - 648 W Brevard St - Tallahassee FL
Nightclub
dedicated to African American church women!
Bradfordville
Blues Club - 7152 Moses Lane - Tallahassee FL
Backroads
blues club for top talent on a hill north of Tallahassee
Club
Downunder - A303 Oglesby Union FSU - Tallahassee FL
On
campus music spot in FSU Student Union
The
Orpheum - 1915 E Seventh Av - Tampa, FL
mecca
for night life in Ybor City
Churchill's
Pub - 5501 NE Second Av - Miami FL -
"a
sort of English pub" formerly C&H Pub
Performing
Arts Exchange: PAX - 404 NW 26th St - Miami FL
Grand
Central - 697 N Miami Av - Miami FL
Lafayette's
Music Room - 550 S Rosemary Av - Palm Beach FL
Second
location for a Memphis restaurant/music hall
1904
Music Hall - 19 N. Ocean St - Jacksonville FL
Underbelly
- 113 E Bay St - Jacksonville FL
good
food and music downtown
Jack
Rabbits - 1528 Hendricks Av - Jacksonville FL
The
Plaza Live - 425 N Bumby Av - Orlando, FL
The
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall - 777 N Tamiami Trail - Sarasota FL
The
Tuna - 4 Charles St - Key West FL
Raw
bar/restaurant with live music nightly
Margaritaville
- 500 Duval St - Key West FL
One-band-a-week
plays this family friendly landmark named after a song
Hog’s
Breath Saloon - 400 Front St - Key West FL
Three
live acts every night of the week at the end of the road
Green
Parrot Bar - 601 Whitehead St - Key West FL
"a
sunny place for shady people"
New
York City
Birdland
- 315 W 44th St. - New York City, NY
Smalls
Jazz Club - 183 W. Tenth St. - New York City, NY
The
Bitter End - 147 Bleecker St. - New York City, NY
Cafe
Wha? - 115 MacDougal St. - New York City, NY
The
Blue Note - 131 W Third St. - New York City, NY
Village
Vanguard - 178 Seventh Ave S - New York City, NY
The
Living Room - 154 Ludlow St. - New York City, NY
City
Winery New York - 155 Varick St. - New York City, NY
chain
of food and shows
Goodbye
Blue Monday - 1087 Broadway - New York City, NY
"music,
art, antiques"
Bowery
Ballroom - 6 Delancey St. - New York City, NY
The
Allen Room - 70 Lincoln Center Pl. - New York City, NY
Fort
Useless - 36 Ditmars Street - Brooklyn, NY
"event
venue and art gallery" "songwriter salon"
Secret
Project Robot - 389 Melrose St. - Brooklyn NY
not
a venue, a collective bunch of Bushwick artists, musicians
Brooklyn
Fire Proof - 119 Ingraham St. - Brooklyn, NY
kinda
like the Sawtooth with a cafe and odd music, readings, shows
Big
Snow Buffalo Lodge - 89 Varet St. - Brooklyn, NY
artspace/showspace/recordingstudio/rehearsalspace
No
longer in NYC: The Bottom Line, The Gaslight Cafe, The Village
Gate,
Cafe Society, Gerdes Folk City, The Five Spot Cafe
Other
East Coast
Cafe
Lena - 47 Philadelphia St. - Saratoga Springs, NY
Maxwell's
- 1039 Washington St. - Hoboken, NJ
World
Cafe Live - 3025 Walnut St. - Philadelphia PA
9:30
Club - 815 V St NW - Washington, DC
Ram's
Head - 33 West St. - Annapolis, MD
roadhouse
with a lively lineup of national acts
Club
Passim - 47 Palmer St. - Cambridge MA
The
old Club 47 where Joan Baez began her career)
Iron
Horse Music Hall - 20 Center St. - Northampton, MA
Narrows
Center for the Arts - 16 Anawan St. - Fall River, MA
non-profit
art and music center touring acts in 300 seat house
Space
- 538 Congress St - Portland ME
gallery/alternative
arts venue
The
Strand - - Rockland, ME
live
music and wide-ranged performance venue
Jonathan's
- 92 Bournes Ln. - Qgunquit, ME
restaurant
and special event venue with touring acts
The
Music Hall Loft - 28 Chestnut St. - Portsmouth, NH
restored
historic structure with curated series of music theater dance film
Infinity
Music Hall - 20 Greenwoods Road W., Norfolk CT
bistro
and concert hall featured on pbs.
Chicago
Old
Town School of Folk Music - 4544 N Lincoln Av. - Chicago, IL
two
concert halls and varied schedule along with a school
City
Winery - 1200 W Randolph St. - Chicago, IL
Chicago
outpost of NYC chain
Schubas
- 3159 N. Southport Av - Chicago, IL
upscale
home of acoustic bands
Lincoln
Hall - 2424 N Lincoln Av - Chicago IL
hotspot
in hopping neighborhood
The
Empty Bottle - 1035 N. Western Av. - Chicago, IL
alternative
music friendly dance hall in Ukrainian neighborhood
The
Hideout - 1354 W Wabansia Av - Chicago IL
19th
Century Shanty club for independent music
Buddy
Guy’s Legends - 700 S Wabash Av - Chicago IL
Buddy’s
cajun blues joint in South Loop
Double
Door - 1572 N Milwaukee Av - Chicago IL
raucous
rock house in Wicker Park neighborhood
The
Metro/Smart Bar - 3730 N Clark St - Chicago IL
storied
rock nightclub and basement disco north of Wrigley Field
Michigan
The
Ark Coffee House - 316 S. Main St. - Ann Arbor, MI
Wisconsin
Stoughton
Opera House - 381 E Main St. - Stoughton, WI
historic
facility run by City of Stoughton
Minnesota
First
Avenue - 701 First Av N - Minneapolis MN
Ohio
River Roasters Coffee - 102 West Main St. - Pomeroy, OH
A savvy urban coffeehouse well off the beaten path
The Kent Stage - 175 E Main St. - Kent, OH
former
vaudeville house converted into large folk music hall
The
Outpost - 4962 State Rt 43 - Kent OH
Rock
roadhouse south of Kent State campus
Dusty
Armadillo - 3147 State Rt 44 - Rootstown OH
Country
roadhouse with bar grub south of town
Akron
Civic Theater - 182 S Main St - Akron OH
Storied
venue and architectural gem, features “atmospheric theater”
also
see:
Palace
Theater - 233 W Center St - Marion OH
performing
arts center and “atmospheric theater”
Agora
Theater & Ballroom - 5000 Euclid Av - Cleveland OH
Long-running
local institution featuring a blend of old and new bands
Woodlands
Tavern - 1200 W. Third Av. - Columbus, OH
neighborhood
craft beer hall and music venue
Pennsylvania
Media
Theater - 104 E State St. - Media, PA
center
for the performing arts
Sellersville
Theater - 24 W Temple Av. - Sellersville, PA
performance
venue connected with Washington House Restaurant
West Virginia
Metropolitan
Theater - 369 High St. - Morgantown, WV
restored
former vaudeville and movie house
Bryan
Walker removes mic stands as Armando’s shutters
St.
Louis
Venice
Cafe - 1903 Pestalozzi St. - St. Louis, MO
rock
pub with music
Soulard
Crossroads - 2201 S Seventh St. - St. Louis, MO
food,
comedy, poetry and original talent
Off
Broadway - 3509 Lemp Av. - St. Louis, MO
fully
schedule neighborhood music hall
The
Beale on Broadway - 701 S. Broadway - St. Louis, MO
blues
bar in Soulard District
Jefferson
Warehouse - 2501 S Jefferson Av. - St. Louis, MO
local
live music, art and community events
2720
Cherokee Performing Arts Center - 2720 Cherokee St. - St. Louis, MO
large
"oasis" for music, art, culture
Koken
Art Factory - 2500 Ohio Av. - St. Louis, MO
huge
special event space for the arts
Lemp
Neighborhood Arts Center - 3301 Lemp - St. Louis, MO
non-profit
youth-oriented world music
mushmaus
- 2700 Cherokee St. - St. Louis, MO
DIY
artists performance space for multimedia
The
Jive and Wail - 1227 Washington Ave. - St. Louis, MO
"dueling
piano bar"
The
Old Rock House - 1200 S Seventh St. - St. Louis, MO
storefront
concert venue
Blueberry
Hill - 6504 Delmar Bl. - University City, MO
where
Chuck Berry plays The Duck Room
Other
Missouri
Mojo's
- 1013 Park Avenue - Columbia, MO
The
Blue Note - 17 N. Ninth Street -Columbia, MO
Lupus
General Store - Main Street - Lupus, MO
Austin
Moody
Theater - 310 Willie Nelson Blvd - Austin TX
home
stage for Austin City Limits, across the street from City Hall
Continental
Club - 1315 S. Congress - Austin TX
famous
downstairs night club also features smaller upstairs Gallery
Stubb's
BBQ - 801 Red River St - Austin TX
former
Lubbock institution now relocated in Austin
Carousel
Lounge - 1110 E 52nd St - Austin TX
grassroots
venue for local independent bands
Victory
Grill - 1104 E Eleventh St - Austin TX
old
time blues and jazz hot spot and museum for live music
Hole
in the Wall - 2538 Guadalupe - Austin TX
primarily
a college bar for the UT crowd, storied venue
Ginny’s
Little Longhorn - 5434 Burnet Rd - Austin TX
North
Austin dive bar for roots/country music
Paramount
Theater - 713 Congress Av - Austin TX
majestic
old vaudeville house now with mixed offerings/touring acts
Elephant
Room - 315 Congress Av - Austin TX
live
jazz downtown seven nights a week
Sahara
Lounge - 1413 Webberville Rd - Austin TX
Unique
remix of African, Brazilian, blues, country, swing, etc.
The
White Horse - 500 Comal St - Austin TX
Country
and Conjunto shows open every day
Emo’s
- 2015 E Riverside Dr. - Austin, TX
formerly
Antones, in its second location
Cactus
Cafe - 2247 Guadalupe St. - Austin TX
Live
music on campus of University of Texas
Other
Southwest
Dosey
Doe - 25911 I-45-N - Houston, TX
more
than one listening room in Houston
Cain's
Ballroom - 423 N Main St. - Tulsa, OK
broad
range of bands in large ballroom, no seats
Other
West
The
Loving Cup - 188 California Av - Reno NV
neighborhood
social club and bar with comedy, live music
Garage
on Beck - 1199 Beck St - Salt Lake City UT
grille
and jazz joint, plus other styles
Colorado
Founders
Hall - 200 E Baseline Rd - Lafayette CO
Center
for Colorado Music Festival - “music for all … for life”
Nissi’s
- 2675 Northpark Dr - Lafayette CO
jazz,
rock, comedy, dancing along with a full menu and bar
Little
Bear Saloon - 28075 Hwy 74 - Evergreen CO
live
music for over 40 years in former church now a classic western saloon
Fox
Theater - 1135 13th St. Boulder CO
world-class
live music venue for large crowds
Motif
Westside - 2432 Cucharras St - Colorado Springs CO
serious
chow and cocktails, with live jazz three nights a week
Tennysons
Tap - 8th and Tennyson - Colorado Springs CO
neighborhood
live music bar and recording studio/art gallery
Front
Range BBQ - 2330 W Colorado Av - Colorado Springs CO
blues,
bluegrass and other smokehouse music
Ziggie’s
- 4923 W 38 Av - Denver CO
live
music seven nights a week, poets hangout
* * *
More
research needed for: Denver, Houston, Dallas, Louisiana, Minneapolis,
Michigan, Chicago
Lost
Music Venues of New York City:
Update
on DC area, including Birchmere:
Other
links:
