Best Venues to Hear Live Music

Make your way to downtown Clearwater’s BayCare Sound in Coachman Park, a waterfront concert venue that features both covered and lawn seating. With amazing views as a backdrop, it's perfect for outdoor concerts and music festivals throughout the year.

For a big night out, check out the headliners at Clearwater’s ultra-modern Ruth Eckerd Hall. The venue's near-perfect acoustics receive rave reviews from artists and audiences alike and there's simply not a bad seat in the house. Join legions of avid fans who flock to hear such Rock and Roll legends as Ringo Starr and Peter Frampton. The nation's most popular performers wouldn't consider skipping this venue when they're on tour.

One of downtown St. Pete’s signature music venues, the historic Jannus Live, features major bands and some excellent covers in a standing room only venue  beneath the stars in a cozy, tucked-away courtyard. DJs and local acts round out the international and national tour lineup. Avid fans tout everything from the sound system and the balcony views to the drink carts and the vast array of musical styles.
 

The annual Rise Up Concert Series brings nationally touring acts to the St. Pete Pier, making Spa Beach a premier waterfront concert venue. Take in a variety of performers from all genres amid the fun, laid-back vibe of St. Pete.

The height of elegance, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Pete offers gripping performances ranging from Broadway musicals and comedy shows to classical concerts by The Florida Orchestra and singer-songwriter acts. Before the show, take in the views of Tampa Bay and The Dali Museum from the theater’s outdoor plaza.

Ruby's Elixir is a swank and sophisticated speakeasy with a Prohibition-era feel. Focusing on live music, mixology and conversation. With Pin-Up Art from the '40s & '50s and proper Ruby Red elegant lighting, an intimate stage showcases jazz and blues artists on any given night.

Don't miss Grammy-award winning acts at downtown Clearwater’s Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in a grand historical setting. This classical Mediterranean gem has hosted contemporary and classical performances since 1921.

Dunedin Brewery in Dunedin claims to be Florida’s oldest craft brewery. Pop in for a small-batch beer, a brewery tour or a nighttime musical performance. In any given week, the local and national acts span the gamut from funk and jazz to rock and bump.

Enjoy both intimate and large performances at the two venues housed in the Palladium Theater in downtown St. Pete. The 850-seat Hough Hall and the far more intimate candlelit 175-seat The Side Door cabaret deliver classical, jazz, blues, rock,country and opera performed by St. Petersburg Opera Company. But there's more: dance, comedy and literary events flesh out the robust offerings.

Originally built as a bank, the old-world Beaux Arts facade of the 705-seat Floridian Social Club serves up an interesting contrast to the facility's state-of-the-art tech and the contemporary bands (touring and local) that perform there, who couldn't possibly be any more 'with it.' Four full beverage bars ensure an extra good time for all. With a close-to-the-stage pit and an upstairs balcony overlooking all the live action, you'd be hard-pressed not to be in on it, wherever you end up. Come here to listen to music genres ranging from jazz and punk to rock and ska.

Cyclists peddling along the Pinellas Trail in Tarpon Springs won't want to miss the Neptune Lounge & Cyclery. The cyclery seduces in the daytime with great bikes and accessories while the Lounge comes alive in the evening hours with wine, cold beer and original music by local bands.

Wherever you are in St. Pete-Clearwater, there’s a tiki hut or beach bar around the corner. For example, get your live music fix seven days a week on Sunset Beach’s Ka’Tiki in Treasure Island. Walk up from the beach to enjoy a $3 cheeseburger and weekly specials for beer and cocktails as you listen to local bands. If you’re in Clearwater Beach, don't miss the legendary Shepard’s entertainment complex, at Shepard’s Beach Resort, which also has live music daily. If you're near Pass-A-Grille, check out the live music and great views at Paradise Grille, which brings in national and international musicians from the “trop rock” genre.