From epic outdoor amphitheaters to historic concert halls, these cool concert venues are worth the trip.
There’sno greater tone of together - as - one unitythan being in a packed venue singing along toyour favorite artist — and surelyyour townhas a club , theater , or bowl that ’s honest to call the skillful in the orbit . But sometimes you desire to up the ante andtravel to a venuethat ’s peculiar for both an hearing and an artist : steeped in chronicle , surrounded by beauty , or plant in a community known for its live music conniption .
If you travel for shows , you ’re not alone : concord to AAA and Bread Financial , three in five millennials and Gen Z members have traveled or are planning to journey more than 50 international mile for live events including concert , sporting upshot , comedy display , and book readings . short ton of ink was spilled on the late influx oftravelers for Taylor Swift ’s Eras tour , but the truth is that traveling for show has been part of the concert - going custom for generation : just ask anyone you ’ve ever seen wearing a thankful Dead or Phish shirt . They ’ll regale you with tales of parking lot burritos , near - miss lay out times , and the smashing locus in the US—20 of which are also listed below , so you do n’t need to model through a bearded gallant ’s ramble about whether or not heady burritos should include bean ( they utterly should ) .
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Morrison , ColoradoRed Rocks is the gold standard of iconic euphony locale in America , full stop . Any hard-core music devotee that has the resources has made the pilgrim’s journey to the spectacular 9,525 - someone locale , which is instantly recognizable from its monolithic natural rock walls , and any creative person that act Red Rocks for the first time look at it a sort of graduation to the next level of celebrity . It ’s not genre - specific either : this past year ’s agenda include EDM staples like Porter Robinson and Zedd and also veteran soldier rockers like John Fogerty .
The Gorge
George , WashingtonOnce Red Rocks is spoil off the bucket list , most medicine fan ' next - most - important stop is often The Gorge in George , Washington . This 27,500 - capacity amphitheater overlook ( surprise ! ) a gorge , with move cliffs , running water , and the sense that you ’re in music heaven in the middle of nowhere . You sort of are : one of the downsides of the Gorge is there ’s not a gross ton of substructure around it , which have in mind you ’re in all probability going to camp either onsite or in a side pot . The upside , though , is that the party does n’t take to stop whether you ’re there for Luke Combs or Dave Matthews .
The John Anson Ford Amphitheater
Hollywood , CaliforniaIf you ’re shocked that our outdoor - theater selection for LA is n’t the far more iconic Hollywood Bowl ( which is also a smashing place to see a show ! ) then you ’ve never been to the Ford : the 1,200 - soul venue is near the Bowl and also a partner with the LA Phil , but offers a much more intimate and equally beautiful experience . Alt - rock music groundbreaker Beck climbed up the cliff that swear out as the unresolved - air dramaturgy ’s backdrop during a show last year , and Finneas recently scheduled a particular one - off show at the Ford as well .
Sphere
Las Vegas , NevadaThere ’s literally nowhere in the world like Las Vegas ’s Sphere , an 18,000 - capacity venue built inside a gigantic sector seeable from the Vegas Strip , with a locus that admit an immersive , nearly 360 - level projection screen and over 160,000 speakers function - build for intellect - blow phone . Over the trend of residencies — from U2 and Phish to Dead & Co and The Eagles since it opened in 2023 — that screen has been transform into the Vegas landscape , a video - game - esque rainbow route , the inside of a frank ’s mouth ( thank you , Phish ) , and , ironically , some of the venues on this very list . The possibilities are eternal , and the upcomingNew Years residency from EDM creative person Anymawill also open up the genre that can experiment with the tech as well . And it ’s not just for euphony — the Sphere has also host nature pic , a U2 documentary , andsporting events .
Preservation Hall
New Orleans , LouisianaThough the tiny Preservation Hall locale has only existed in the French Quarter of New Orleans since 1961 , the traditions celebrated there stretch out back for generations : on any given nighttime you ’re probable to retrieve veteran New Orleans horn player and Isaac Bashevis Singer and percussionist play with no electric elaboration to a room of stone - restrained medicine fan often moved to bust by the constitutive nature of the medicine . far-famed fan who have record with the ever - changing Preservation Hall Jazz Band start the gamut from the Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire to the Rolling Stones ; it ’s not a rarity to recover a famous rooter among the reverent crowds that take the 100 - person elbow room for doubly - nightly execution .
Brooklyn Bowl
New York City , New YorkNew York is n’t lacking in the classic - venue category , and surely some who interpret this list will bewail that we did n’t include Madison Square Garden or the Beacon Theater or the Mercury Lounge . But for our money the Brooklyn Bowl is the best locale in NYC . establish by beloved concert promoter Peter Shapiro , it ’s not just a intercrossed bowling skittle alley / restaurant / music venue but is shockingly great at all three function , which stand for you could seize wings and strike a few strikes before getting down to anything from Taylor Swift dance company to jam - country guitar - slinger Daniel Donato . The Bowl ’s now a dealership : the Las Vegas fix is totally worth a sojourn as well .
Meow Wolf
Santa Fe , New MexicoIt ’s impossible to describe Meow Wolf to someone who ’s never been : the creative person collective create multi - room immersive psychedelic experiences ( also inVegas , Denver , andTexas)that feel completely transportive and exceedingly creative . So it ’s no surprise that the locale that exists within their inaugural Santa Fe campus books avant garde artists like Buckethead and indie darlings like Soccer Mommy as well as stain - art workshops and mask - make classes . If you ’re going there for a show at night you ’ll want to pass the mean solar day exploring the art first .
930 Club
Washington , DCSince 1980 , band on their way up have block by the 930 club , which means that it ’s hosted many eras of alt - rock music darling include REM ( in its early days as a 200 - individual room in its old fix ) , Smashing Pumpkins ( who give the current 1200 - cap location in 1996 ) , and MJ Lenderman ( who sell out a show there this October . ) Great sightlines and audio have made it a careen mainstay : Billboard , Rolling Stone , andPollstarhave all shout out it the best way of its size in the world .
Stubbs BBQ
Austin , TexasIt ’s really , really , really hard to name just one Greco-Roman venue in Austin — sometimes moot the live euphony capital of the world — and there are lots of nominees for skillful locus in the city . That list admit the Continental Club ( dark , dingy , sweaty , electric ) , ACL Live ( pristine , astonishing sound , with child sightlines ) , and Hotel Vegas ( outdoors , cheap beer , psychedelic ) . But Stubbs has them all work over : it ’s located on Red River street in the heart of Downtown , and the slope of the viewing area for the outdoor stage makes the 2500 - person blank ( which has hosted Metallica , Arcade Fire , and Lizzo among zillions of others ) feel small , while the indoor stage ( which has a 200 - 300 person capacity ) has occasional local acts and a weekly gospel brunch . Added bonus : instead of tepid pizza or bad burgers like so many venues , Stubbs BBQ dish up , well , Stubbs BBQ , meaning you’re able to get a crazy - unspoiled sausage balloon roll as a bed for your Shiner Bocks .
The Caverns
Pelham , TennesseeSure , perhaps you ’ve seen an underground show , but have you ever seen a show … underground ? That ’s what you ’ll get at The Caverns , an absolutely breathless 1,200 - mortal venue about two hours from Nashville . The venue is in genuine caverns , so the hearing and the band are surrounded by rock walls for , well , rocking . late show let in the bluegrass Cavefest ( with The Sweet Lilies and beloved banjoist Bela Fleck ) , and electro Breuer .
First Avenue
Minneapolis , MinnesotaSome venues are must - visits specifically for the legendary artist that made the stage their home on the way up , and First Avenue is by all odds one of those billet . The 1,200 - someone space will incessantly be known as the home club of Prince , and therefore a must - visit for anyone who considers funk an crucial part of their life . It ’s worth noting that The Replacements , David Byrne , and the Fugees all wrap through there back in the day , too . Of course they still book must - see acts like PJ Harvey and Juvenile , but as a must - visit mecca , it ’s all about the Purple One .
Stone Pony
Asbury Park , New JerseyIn just the way that First Avenue will forever and a day be associated with Prince , the diminutive Stone Pony in Asbury Park , New Jersey will always be the home plate to the Boss . Bruce Springsteen and his stripe ignore their teeth here and occasionally amount back for surprise visits . Every act that ’s ever been inspired by Springsteen has also come to pay their respect , including super - producer / Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff , who throws his Shadow of the City festival outside the Pony every summer .
The Greek Theater
Berkeley , CaliforniaNorthern California ’s most beloved amphitheater is right on campus at UC Berkeley and is a favorite of enceinte turn looking for a slightly more internal experience . 8,500 people can smoosh their way of life into the place , which is about half the sizing of the venues that recent acts like Kaytranada and Leon Bridges are playing on the rest of their current tours . Getting in can be a painful sensation — since the whole space is often sold as oecumenical entrance money , line jump hours before shows , and there ’s a whole culture of can - you - or - can’t - you reserve a space — but the cool - out NorCal air ( both vibration and climate wise ) make up for any frustration .
The Riviera Theater
Chicago , IllinoisThe roots of the blue run deep through Chicago , and if you ’re there on a medicine trip you ’ll definitely need to pop into one of the old idle words nightspot in townspeople . ( The Green Mill , though now slightly of a tourist trap , is the classic , but there are ton of other options as well . ) The Riviera — eff as The Riv — is one of those gorgeous onetime theaters that demand to be seen to be believe ; a 2,500 - cap spot that has hosted Weyes Blood and Cuco and often hosts residencies from local heroes Wilco . The Gallic Renaissance architecture of the building mean both a beautiful ceiling and great sightlines , though if you ’re prone to vertigo you may want to find tail end on the floor rather than the extremist - sloped mezzanine .
Nectar’s
Burlington , VermontIf there ’s a jammy bone in your body , you ’ve probably , at some point , endeavor to get to Nectar ’s , the namesake of Phish ’s classical “ A Picture of Nectar , ” and a mecca for jamband sports fan ever since that set broke through in the ' 90s . Phish a little fuddy - duddy for you ? Well , millennial jamband heroes Goose have played there nine times , and the stage has hosted other up - and - comers including Eggy and Magic Beans .
The Ryman
Nashville , TennesseeNashville is one of the country ’s great music cities , and its history runs at the same time with The Ryman , formerly the home base of the Grand Ole Opry and still one of the most important venues in the world for anyone with a act of nasal twang in their picking . latterly - rising artist like Sierra Farrell and Marcus King have had breakthrough shows there in the past few years . If country is n’t your thing but you still want to go through the history , they have tours of the room as well as prove from out - of - writing style stars like Vulfpek funkster Cory Wong and popster Shawn Mendes .
Waikiki Shell
Honolulu , HawaiiUnlike most of the oblation on this list , the twist of the Shell is n’t its history , or the layout of the venue , it ’s that it ’s in Honolulu , Hawaii , mean if one of your faves is make for this 8,500 - person locus you have the perfect apology to visit the island . The location ca n’t be dead : Waikiki Beach is right across the street and you ’ve get down a view of Diamond Head while looking at the stage . Plus , they do get bragging acts : Incubus and comedian Matt Rife have both played there recently .
The Fabulous Fox
St Louis , MissouriBeloved by both artists and fan for its jaw - dropping 1920s - era architecture and artistry , the Fox has something incredible everywhere you look , from the Siamese Byzantine - contrive tremendous lobby complete with monolithic column and a carpet originally spell from Czechoslovakia to the restore one - ton chandelier that hangs in the 4,500 - strong main auditorium . In add-on to human action like Sturgill Simpson and Khruangbin , the venue host many touring Broadway productions as well as standup clowning from Iliza Schelsinger and Tom Segura , among many others .
El Club
Detroit , MichiganDetroit ’s reputation for magic griminess is bolstered by El Club , which , since 2016 , has become a bent for anyone trying to catch the next - big - affair coming through Motor City . Brockhampton , Doja Cat , and Billie Eilish took this stage on their way of life up , play to 450 fan lucky enough to translate the assignment early : you never jazz what sphere superstar you may see next .
Tabernacle
Atlanta , GeorgiaOpened as a church in 1911 ( of course ) , the Tabernacle has become a can’t - miss live - music venue for bands touring through the Southern US . 2,600 the great unwashed can fit out in the universal admission floor and encompassing , seated balcony , giving it both a club and a theatre atmosphere depending on who ’s playing , which can be anyone from Elle King to Becky G to the Hives .
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