One of the biggest attractions or events for any city is when there are live musical performances. Every city understands the value of such performances and their need for society to continuously evolve and, therefore, there are plenty of venues that allow for bands and rock stars to come down and do their thing. However, there is also a long list of private joints that have regular live band performances with a lot of focus on the constantly changing music scene in the city, and the world.
In the city of Brisbane, a number of live music rooms make sure that you get exactly what you are looking for – fresh music, good food and some great drinks to make the evening complete. Here’s a look at some of the names that would appear near the top of that list.
The Beetle Bar
Rock music aficionados throng to this little room in the busy part of Brisbane. This part of Upper Roma Street, where The Beetle Bar finds a home, has been host to some fantastic rock music joints throughout history. Today, the bar is all about combining the latest music scene in Australia with the biggest upcoming bands and putting them in a beautiful building with fine brickwork and hardwood beams lining the place.
Black Bear Lodge
There are those who enjoyed the old establishment that served a similar purpose, at the location of the Black Bear Lodge. However, they too will agree that the new place has added more things to the charm and beauty of the establishment. There’s a bigger bar with a small stage in front of the venue while the original stage remains where it is. The smaller stage is for casual performances, when people like to bring their game to the stage on weekends.
There are scheduled shows for some evenings such as the Happy Campers performance, which is a collection of song writers coming together on Sunday evening.
Brisbane Jazz Club
The name says it all – if its Jazz music, of the highest quality, you are looking for, then this is the place to be. This Kangaroo Point venue is ideal for small performances but the only thing small about its performances is the size. In terms of quality and brilliance, the club can boast of bringing in the likes of Church and Gotye to perform. There are, once again, regular scheduled performances every month and you can check ahead to find out what lies in wait for you.
The Dowse Bar
In terms of small venues, the Dowse Bar is one of the most popular live music venues in all of Brisbane. The joint is bang across the Suncorp Stadium and has a fantastic atmosphere that, somehow, drags songwriters to its doorstep. Wednesday nights are open-house nights and that’s when these bards get crowing with their brand of music.
Ric’s Bar
If you are looking for a cosy little bar that has live performances, then this is definitely not the place for you. Ric’s bar is notorious for its live and loud performances with bands that throw themselves at your face all the time. For any young band to become famous, they need to have played at Ric’s Bar which is almost like a baptism by fire for them. The bar’s entry is free and if you are looking to let your hair down and get into some head banging music, then this is the place to be.
If you are looking for music to go with your drinks, then there’s nothing better than having it played live. There are plenty of options all over the city to take you into a new world of live music but as far as these joints are concerned, you are guaranteed to have a fantastic time from the moment you step in through their doors.
CLARENCE BERGMAN – author
When Clarence moved to Brisbane in 2008, he was in the healthcare industry and began looking for nursing homes in Brisbane, to work in. New to the city, he barely knew anyone and hanging out at these live music shows was what he did for a good few months. Over time, Clarence began developing his favourite haunts after numerous trysts with different places. Today, he continues to be a massive music fan and loves listening to newcomers trying to break onto the music scene in the country.