Live music is back, baby! In fact, it’s been back for some time, and now more than ever, we just can’t seem to get enough of that live gig magic. All week long, music halls, bars, churches, jazz clubs, theatres and more are jam-packed with music fans eagerly awaiting their favourite singer or band to take to the stage. Below, we’ve rounded up some of our top live music venues in Brisbane, so you’ll never miss a beat when it comes to the city’s vibrant music scene.
1. Lefty’s Music Hall, Petrie Terrace
Americana spirit thrives at Lefty’s Music Hall. The old-timey, saloon decor transports you to those country and blues bars you’d find in the Deep South. In terms of music, there’s a range of artists that take the stage here, including alternative, country, pop and rock bands and singers. Every Friday and Saturday, there’s usually two live music performances in the evening, with the first starting at 6:30pm and the later one at 10pm.
📍15 Caxton St, Petrie Terrace QLD 4000
2. Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley
Holding up to 3000 people, Fortitude Music Hall is one of the largest ballroom-styled venues in Australia. You might know this place as ‘The Fort’ — that music venue founded by the creators of The Triffid. Aside from comedy shows and boxing fights, it hosts huge music productions weekly. Jack White, Sum 41 and FINNEAS are some of the famous acts that have taken to the stage, as well as DJs like KAYTRANADA.
📍 312-318 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
3. The Triffid, Newstead
The Triffid is one of the most popular live music venues in Brisbane. The former WW2 aircraft hangar can fit up to 800 people and boasts a cool beer garden where you can grab a bite to eat too. On Wednesdays, there are free acoustic gigs starting from 6pm, and on Sunday afternoons, folk singer Clare Cowley takes to the stage to host a free gig featuring her musical friends.
📍7/9 Stratton St, Newstead QLD 4006
4. Brisbane City Hall, CBD
Brisbane City Hall is at the heart of Brisbane’s cultural and social events. Located in the CBD, the heritage-listed City Hall boasts marble staircases, vaulted ceilings and dazzling chandeliers. Therefore, it provides the gorgeous backdrop for music tributes, classical music concerts and free Lord Mayor’s City Hall Concerts, as well as conventions, meetings and panel discussions.
📍64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
5. Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point
Jazz cats in Brisbane know all about Brisbane Jazz Club. Nestled on the Brisbane River, the club is home to a resident big band featuring trumpets, saxes, trombones, piano, drums, bass, guitar and a vocalist. Legends like John Morrison, Jackie Cooper and John Hoffman have graced their stage, and there’s a live jazz show hosted almost every single night.
📍1 Annie St, Kangaroo Point QLD 4169
6. The Princess Theatre, Woolloongabba
For over 130 years, The Princess Theatre in Woolloongabba has hosted live music gigs as well as plays, productions and even community meetings. Past performers who’ve taken to the stage here include Archie Roach, Betty Crumble and Butterfingers. Nowadays, the dynamic space hosts several shows every week, including acoustic sets, big DJ productions, drag performances and more.
📍8 Annerley Rd, Woolloongabba QLD 4102
7. Brooklyn Standard, Brisbane City
Brooklyn Standard is the spot in Brisbane to enjoy a drink and a boogie to live music. To enter the dimly-lit brick cellar, you’ll pass through a secret laneway entrance. Inside, it’s a live-music haven from Monday to Saturday. From funk to soul, rock to R&B, bands of all genres jam on stage while concertgoers order a cocktail from the fully-stocked bar.
📍 Eagle Ln, Brisbane City QLD 4000
8. The Old Museum, Bowen Hills
Despite what the name may suggest, The Old Museum isn’t a museum, but a state-of-the-art performance centre in Bowen Hills. While the building was originally constructed as the Queensland Museum back in 1891, today, the venue hosts a variety of shows, including classical performances by the likes of Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra as well as themed gigs like ‘Carnivale‘ — a vibrant evening that showcases wind and brass sounds over carnival-style beats.
📍 480 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills QLD 4006
9. Riverstage, Brisbane City
It’s tough to top live entertainment outside, and Riverstage knows that all too well. This place holds some of the largest outdoor gigs in Brisbane, hosting international acts like Hozier and Two Door Cinema Club, as well as homegrown stars like Troye Sivan and Nick Ward. Every December, it also provides the stage for the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols — a festive evening of Christmas songs performed by an all-Australian line-up of superstars.
📍59 Gardens Point Rd, Brisbane City QLD 4000
10. St. John’s Cathedral, Brisbane City
St. John’s Cathedral is no stranger to hosting live music events. Alongside weekly sermons and community meetings, the cathedral also sets the stage for morning concerts featuring brass bands, singers, pianists and more. Catching a gig here is the perfect opportunity to admire the gorgeous Gothic architecture of this 100-year-old church that’s listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
📍373 Ann St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
11. Grand on Ann, Brisbane City
Grand on Ann is located inside the Masonic Memorial Centre Freemasons Queensland, a heritage-listed building in Brisbane’s Central Business District. The grandeur on display here is next level. Below the vaulted, coffered ceiling sits stepped seating made of original Queensland timbers, and a multi-coloured marble mosaic covers the floor. It makes for the ideal spot to catch a variety of live-music gigs in Brisbane.
📍 311 Ann St, Brisbane
12. Greaser, Fortitude Valley
Greaser is a basement bar that welcomes loads of up-and-coming indie stars every week. The graffiti-covered brick walls add to the edginess of it all and you’ll often find the bar staff headbanging along to the rock n’ roll tunes being played on stage. It’s open Wednesday to Saturday, and you can expect American classics on the food menu, including cheeseburgers, chicken wings and loaded fries.
📍59 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
13. The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
Sporting art deco designs and an old-world charm, The Tivoli is one of the most beautiful live music venues in Brisbane. It was built back in 1917 as the Adams Bakery but was finally transformed into the concert space we see today in 1988. Some of music’s brightest stars have performed here in the past, including Bob Dylan and Nick Cave, and Taylor Swift played her first ever Australian show here in 2009.
📍52 Costin St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
14. Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
When artists are looking for a smaller, more intimate gig setting in Brisbane, Black Bear Lodge is usually where they end up playing. Hidden away above the Brunswick Street Mall, the venue is the place to go if you fancy discovering a new artist among a smaller crowd of music lovers. Entry is usually free on Sundays, and you can expect to see a variety of artists take to the red velvet-curtained stage, from rappers to singer-songwriters, indie-folk bands and more.
📍1/322 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
15. Queensland Performing Arts Centre, South Bank District
For over 40 years, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, or QPAC for short, has been hosting live performances in Brisbane. Every year, over 1.5 million visitors head here to enjoy a workshop or show centered around the arts. In terms of live music, the Lyric Theatre (QPAC’s flagship) has outstanding acoustics, an orchestra pit, stalls and two balconies, making it the ideal host for ballets, musicals and gigs.
📍Melbourne St, South Brisbane QLD 4101
16. The Brightside, Fortitude Valley
It’s vibrant, diverse and a little off-the-wall — it’s The Brightside, of course! Pysch rock and punk bands are regular performers on their stage, but it’s not all just rock n roll. There’s often rap battles and tributes dedicated to the likes of Lana Del Rey and Luke Combs, as well as an open-air beer garden where you can hear music from the stage with an ice-cold beer in hand.
📍27 Warner St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
17. Suzie Wong’s Good Time Bar, Fortitude Valley
Suzie Wong’s Good Time Bar is a Hawaiian-inspired boozer where guests can hit the dance floor and boogie to live music five days a week. Every second Wednesday of the month, the bar invites punters to bring their own instruments and get on stage with their friends for a live jam session. But if you’d prefer to hear the professionals do their thing, there’s loads of bands and singers of many genres, from country to funk, that take to the stage weekly.
📍678 Ann St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4003
18. The Sound Garden, Fortitude Valley
The Sound Garden spans across two stories, and it’s well-known for the seven-metre indoor tree that sits next to the staircase. It’s one of those live music venues in Brisbane that promises a lively ambience no matter the day. There’s tons of brunch options to enjoy in the early afternoon. Then from 5:30pm onwards, bands play on stage while punters enjoy a cocktail, beer or wine (even the menus are made using repurposed 33′ vinyl records).
📍312-318 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006