Brisbane’s With the Band: Our Top Twelve Spots for Live Tunes

If there’s one thing Brisbane is great at, it’s supporting our live music scene. With legacy and fledgling venues scattered throughout the city, no matter what type of tunes take your fancy; Brisbane has a home for it. With a bevy of different locations from West End to Fortitude Valley and beyond, start checking off this list of the best live music venues in Brisbane weekend by weekend.

The Triffid

Live music, food and drinks, The Triffid has it all. This WWII hangar has been reimagined (by former Powderfinger bassist, John Collins, no less!) into a destination for local and international acts. Part beer garden, part live music venue, careful thought and planning went into creating an acoustically sound, 800-person capacity venue. We also love visiting the Triffid on Tuesdays for trivia night - their music-themed trivia is a popular choice among the regulars who frequent this popular live music venue in Brisbane

7-9 Stratton Street, Newstead

The Tivoli

Modelled on the Paradis Latin in Paris, The Tivoli is one of Brisbane’s most beautiful venues. Retaining much of its original art deco aesthetic, this spacious event space has housed some of Australia’s biggest live music exports, as well as welcoming many international visitors to the stage. Events at the Tivoli can span music, and weddings, to immersive theatre experiences - there’s always something on at the Tiv. After one visit or intimate music show, you’ll understand why The Tivoli is a long-standing inclusion on our edit of the best live music venues in Brisbane.

52 Costin Street, Fortitude Valley

Princess Theatre 

At 133 years young, the Princess Theatre was rescued by Steve Sleswick, Dave Sleswick and Simon Wade (the owners of The Tivoli) alongside Brisbane businessman Steve Wilson. Reopening its doors in 2021 after a glow-up, the Princess has been restored to her previous glory and has reentered the live music venue scene in Brisbane. Brisbane’s oldest theatre and now sister venue to The Tivoli has seen many reinventions over her years, from a picture theatre to a rag merchant, a paper wholesaler and even an engineering firm, before returning to the entertainment scene. Featuring a state-of-the-art performance auditorium that holds a standing capacity of 900 or a seated capacity of 500, the Princess also includes four bars, a public cafe, private event spaces, a rehearsal room and an outdoor courtyard.

8 Annerley Road, Woolloongabba

The Wickham

The Wickham lives by a motto of ‘pub by day, party by night’, and this couldn’t be more evident in their roster of social events that will keep your calendar jam-packed with colourful fun! One of Brisbane’s best live music venues, The Wickham was established in 1885 and has just undergone a massive refresh, seeing the addition of weatherproofing to the beer garden and two fresh new indoor spaces. Ready to host a slew of fun events from bands, performances and drag shows, the Wickham is one of the best live music venues in Brisbane for a rowdy time! As an LGBTIQA+ space, this inclusive venue welcomes one and all for a fun and safe time within its rainbow walls.

308 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley

Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar 

Who the heck is Suzie Wong? We might not know, but we are sure that this is one of Brisbane’s best live music venues! This grungy little Hawaiian-inspired surf shack bar promises good times in droves, with live music happening five nights a week, so you can get your fix almost any time! From acoustic sets to country, rock ‘n’ roll or blues, Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar puts on a spectacular show every time. She’s a bit of a hidden gem on the Fortitude Valley bar and events scene, so make sure you duck into this bar the next time you’re wandering down Ann Street looking for something to do, or somewhere to go after work for happy hour.

678 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley

The Bearded Lady 

The Bearded Lady (or the ‘Beardo’, as she’s known to locals) is one of Brisbane’s long-term favourite live music venues. Bringing you a diverse mix of live music, food and drinks five days a week, The Bearded Lady is no stranger to unusual or unique music or performance events, which is truly something you’d expect from a venue located in the eclectic suburb of West End. We recommend checking out the event roster at this intimate live music space the next time you feel like getting out of the house.

138 Boundary Street, West End

Fortitude Music Hall

One of Brisbane’s newest venues, and Australia’s largest ballroom-style theatre, the Fortitude Music Hall truly takes centre stage when it comes to the best venues in our city. With a 3000-person standing capacity (1200 seated), this gorgeous building pays homage to iconic venues before its time; in particular Festival Hall, Cloudland and the Fillmore Philadelphia. With an art deco-inspired interior and the most stunning chandelier, this venue is bound to leave a lasting impression.

312 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

Lefty’s Music Hall

A popular spot amongst live-music lovers and bar-hoppers alike, Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall is one of Brisbane’s quirkiest spots to catch a gig. With the venue reopening in February after suddenly closing their doors in 2020, Lefty’s returned to continue serving southern-style food, whiskey and live tunes. If you’re a lover of rockabilly, country and Americana rock, this is the place to be.

15 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace

Black Bear Lodge

You’d be forgiven if you hadn’t quite stumbled upon Black Bear Lodge, despite its central location in the Valley Mall. Enter via an unassuming staircase and you’ll find yourself in a narrow bar with a distressed brick aesthetic and squishy, candlelit booths. Towards the back of the venue, separated by a heavy curtain is a cosy space for locals to soak up live music in a venue that feels like home.

Level 1, 322 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

Greaser

Housed in the underground cellars of the Prince Consort Hotel, Greaser is the perfect mix of grunge, rockabilly and American diner. With an entrance tucked discreetly down an alleyway off Brunswick Street, weave your way inside through the corridor to the exposed brick belly of this historic building. Brisbane’s up-and-coming bands find their feet with a healthy rotation of new and seasoned talent taking the stage every week… and there’s plenty of room to dance, too.

259 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

The Zoo

An absolute legacy in Brisbane live music, The Zoo has been home to live music since 1992. Independently owned, operated and booked by a female-led team for the past 29 years, this venue has been instrumental in nurturing Brisbane’s local music scene for many years. Tucked behind a narrow door and staircase in the heart of Fortitude Valley is one of Brisbane’s best live music venues. With a welcoming energy and experienced team of live music experts, it’s no surprise that The Zoo maintains its firm foothold in the Brisbane live music industry and will continue to do so, for many years to come. 

711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley

Loved our round-up of Brisbane's best live music venues and looking for more late-night fun? For an alfresco afternoon, check out our lineup of the city's coolest rooftop bars. To take your next bar crawl underground, we have a list of Brisbane's hidden bars.