Barcelona Rocks! Discover the Live Music Venues

Urska Jaksa

Oct 14, 2019

Sala Apolo is a concert hall and night club, famous for its trendy Indie scene, good live music, and informal atmosphere. It's a place where new artists can get their kick start and a place to be if you're looking for performances of acclaimed Pop, Rock, Folk, and international Electronic music stars. Artists like  Coldplay, Tindersticks, Kings of Leon, The Killers, and Goo Goo Dolls  have already come up on the stage. It’s the busiest on Friday and Saturday, but if you want to go out on a Monday, a regular (although not live) event Nasty Mondays is a good choice. It plays Rock, Pop, Indie, Garage and Electric Rock from midnight to 5am. Box office early entry is 8€ and 16€ after 1am (free drink included). Tickets for the concerts can cost more and it’s recommended to buy them online in advance before they sell out.

Razzmatazz is a massive club with five distinctive rooms, DJ sessions and live concerts on a regular basis. There's Indie Rock in Razz Club, Techno and House in The Loft, Techno Pop in Lolita, Electro Pop in the Pop Bar. You can also find Hip Hop, Grime, Dancehall, R&B, Reggaeton, Afrobeat and Trap/Future Bass at Trill. Big acts who performed at Razzmatazz are (among others) Arctic Monkeys, Sum 41, Franz Ferdinand, The Gossip, Calvin Harris, Umek, Bastille, Ha*Ash, and Disturbed. Admission with a free drink on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays is 16€ and it usually gets you into all five rooms. You can also buy a ticket at the door unless the show is sold out. If you want to be safe, buy a ticket in pre-sale. For the exact opening time check the program on their website.

If guitar solos, bass riffs and drum beats are what you're looking for, there are a couple of spots you will surely enjoy.

Sidecar Factory Club is a unique spot, smaller in size, with an underground stage. It has hosted great Grunge and Indie Rock shows, local and international, and has been shaking the underground of Barcelona since 1982. The club opens on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 7pm to 6am. Ticket prices vary somewhere from 5 to 25€.

Big Bang is a good place for Rock fans. It’s open from Wednesday to Sunday with free entrance to all the events. Every Wednesday at 9pm, there's a concert covering Rock, Blues, Funk, and Soul. You can listen to open mic nights every Thursday and Sunday at 9pm and enjoy a Jazz concert and jam session every Friday and Saturday followed by a DJ session at 11pm.

Luz de Gas is a classy place to enjoy live music. This old music hall still has chandeliers to reflect its glamorous past, but it’s renovated and modern at the same time. It hosts international artists, benefit concerts and covers genres from Blues, Jazz, Disco, and Rock. Since 1995 it has seen more than 1000 performances. Alan Parsons Project, The Corrs, Antonio Orozco, Estopa, Duncan Dhu, Butterfly Effect, Juanes, Level 42, The Secrets, and Tam Tam Go are some of them. It’s open from Wednesday to Saturday. Live music starts at 1am and Club sessions with Pop, Rock, and Dance hits start just after the live concert around 2am. The closing time is between 5am and 6am. You will pay 18€ for admission which also includes a free drink.

Heliogàbal  is a good decision if you want to listen to live local bands and have a good night out in Gràcia. This is a small intimate venue and a place where the public meets with artists, groups and associations. It presents a unique cultural centre which is important for the revitalization of artistic life in Barcelona. It’s open from 10pm to 2am on Thursdays and from 10pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. The average ticket price is 7€.

Cover photo: Nicolagypsicola (Unsplash)

Read this next:

Pop vs. Rock: Pop Owns Social Media – But Rock Rocks Streaming

The Power of New Blood: Newcomer Rock Tours of 2020

Wild London: The Road to the Best Rock and Metal Venues