The Best Live Music Venues In Brisbane

Put on your dancing shoes and check out Brisbane’s renowned live music scene.

From the early days of The Saints and the Go-Betweens, to the meteoric rise of Powderfinger and Regurgitator in the 1990s, to today’s homegrown heroes Violent Soho gracing the cover of Rolling Stone magazine — the Brisbane music scene has always raged strong.

Cheap rents in the early ’90s in the former ‘wasteland’ of Fortitude Valley sparked rehearsal spaces and venues throughout the area. The music scene flourished, buoyed by community radio station 4ZZZ, as well as attentive street press and the support of industry body QMusic.

This progress came under threat in the early 2000s when inhabitants of newly constructed residential buildings lodged noise complaints and threatened to destroy the very thing that drew them to the area.

But Brisbane’s music scene fought back. After consultation with residents, as well as music venues and businesses within Fortitude Valley, the area was zoned a special entertainment precinct in July 2006 — allowing the area to remain ‘loud and proud’.

Want to experience this magic for yourself? Get along to the following Brisbane music venues.

Brisbane concert venues

Nothing beats the enthralling production of a great concert in a spacious venue with a high-quality sound system and a like-minded crowd. Here are some of the best concert venues Brisbane has to offer.

1. The Zoo, Fortitude Valley

As one of the oldest and most beloved live music venues in Brisbane, The Zoo has become quite the cult venue.

Known for promoting up-and-coming bands and playing host to international favourites, such as The Pixies, Paul Kelly, and Silverchair (to name a few). There’s a bar inside, as well as pool tables if you fancy a game.

Band playing at The Zoo in Brisbane — The Zoo is one of the oldest and most beloved live music venues in Brisbane.

2. The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley

Fortitude Valley’s gorgeous 1917 Art Deco venue The Tivoli is a major touring act destination and is considered to be one of Australia’s most beautiful performance venues.

This performance space offers a decadent program of local and international work and has previously played host to many Australian music heroes, such as Powderfinger and Missy Higgins, along with major international artists like Bob Dylan and Taylor Swift.

Pink and purple stage lights at the Tivoli in Brisbane — The Tivoli has hosted the likes of Taylor Swift and Bob Dylan.

3. Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley

As the largest ballroom and theatre-styled (art-deco) venue in Australia, Fortitude Music Hall is inspired by some of the world’s most loved live music venues, while still paying homage to the venues of Brisbane’s past. This concert venue features an array of genres from rock to dance to classical to metal and everything in between.

The Flaming Lips playing at Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane. — Fortitude Music Hall is the largest ballroom and theatre-styled (art-deco) venue in Australia. (Image: Claudia Ciapocha)

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

4. Riverstage, Brisbane City

Located in the City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane City Council’s Riverstage outdoor venue hosts many local, national, and international concerts and events each year.

From family and community shows to large-scale music concerts such as Ed Sheeran and Florence and the Machine, a night dancing here under the stars is one for your Brisbane bucket list.

Other concert venues in Brisbane to consider are Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Powerhouse, The Princess Theatre, Crowbar (punk and hardcore metal), and Sirromet Winery for its Day on the Green events.

Riverstage Located in the City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane. — Riverstage is located in the City Botanic Gardens.

Bars and pubs with live music in Brisbane

For a late-night boogie with a cheeky beverage, here are some of the best Brisbane bars and pubs with live music.

5. Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley

Looking for cosy couch vibes? Head to Black Bear Lodge for live music, whisky, beer, and cocktails. With timber floors, distressed brick walls, dim lighting, and a red velvet-curtained stage, this is a warm and welcoming live music venue.

6. Doo-Bop Bar, Brisbane City

Doo-Bop Bar is a multi-level live music venue in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD offering two spaces to get your live music fix.

The Basement Bar has blues, soul, funk and rock on Friday and Saturday nights, while the Piano Bar on the ground level has Brisbane’s only dedicated piano acts, five nights a week.

Exterior of Doo-Bop Bar in Brisbane — Doo-Bop Bar has two spaces to get your live music fix.

7. Greaser, Fortitude Valley

An edgy basement bar in The Prince Consort Hotel, it’s gritty, it’s grimey — its Greaser. If this live music bar were a car, it’d be a 1938 Chevy. With graffiti-covered exposed brick walls and southern fried chicken to devour, it’s an exciting melting pot for undiscovered indie bands.

Greaser live music venue in Brisbane. — Greaser is an edgy basement bar.

8. The Junk Bar, Ashgrove

One of Brisbane’s best-kept secrets, The Junk Bar is a hole-in-the-wall bar famous for its unique, intimate, eclectic vibe, offering excellent live tunes and tasty cocktails in a relaxing vintage setting. If there’s not a live act playing, you can sink into a couch and listen to their hand-picked vinyl soundtrack.

Other Brisbane bars and pubs with live music to consider are The End Bar, Ric’s Bar, The Brightside Brisbane, Brooklyn Standard (blues, funk, and soul), Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar, The Sound Garden, O’Skulligans (a rock n roll lounge bar with a hint of Irish), It’s Still a Secret, The Outpost, and Press Club.

Inside The Junk Bar in Brisbane. — The Junk Bar is a hole-in-the-wall bar famous for its unique, intimate, eclectic vibe.

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Restaurants with live music

For dinner and show vibes, make a note of the following Brisbane restaurants offering live music.

9. The Triffid, Newstead

The Triffid is the brainchild of former Powderfinger bassist, John “JC" Collins. Once a WWII commercial hangar, it’s now a live music venue bringing the best of international, national, and local acts to Brisbane.

There’s also a beer garden where you can hang out day or night to catch a free gig and delicious food – including burgers, quesadillas and other pub fare classics.

Artist performing at The Triffid live music venue in Brisbane — The Triffid is one of the best live music venues in Brisbane. (Image: Will Wagner)

10. The Bearded Lady, West End

Fondly known as The Beardy, The Bearded Lady is an intimate small bar and live music venue for both emerging and established artists. The venue hosts concerts for a wide range of genres such as Cigány Weaver (folk-jazz) and 51st Avenue (electronic dance music).

The food menu is vegan and vegetarian friendly, including rice paper dumplings, nachos, and risotto.

Guitar and food at The Bearded Lady. — The Bearded Lady has a vegan and vegetarian-friendly menu.

11. Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point

Get up close and personal with Brisbane’s hottest live jazz bar – Brisbane Jazz Club. Soak up world-class music as you wine and dine in a legendary setting. With the Story Bridge lit up and piano fingers dancing across the keyboard, a night here is unforgettable.

12. Lefty’s Music Hall, Petrie Terrace

You’ll find old-timey Americana opulence on Caxton Street, thanks to Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall. What looks like a decadent saloon is home to the best local musical talent and American diner-style meals.

Interior of Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall in Brisbane. — Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall looks like a decadent saloon.

Other Brisbane restaurants with live music to consider are Wooly Mammoth Mane Stage, Johnny Ringo’s (country rock), and Queensport Tavern.

Check out our guide on Brisbane for more tips and travel advice.

When the winter chill settles in, an escape to Hamilton Island’s year-round tropical shores is the only acceptable coping mechanism.

As a heliophile with the cold tolerance of a Mediterranean house cat, the arrival of winter tends to spark a particular panic. How will I survive? Must I really start layering? What do you mean, Aperol season is over? But there are far better ways to spend the cooler months than sulking in the depths of your doona.

Enter, Hamilton Island. With its year-round sunshine and permanent on-holiday atmosphere, this Whitsundays favourite promises a veritable slice of summer in winter.

Think salt-stiff hair and the smug pleasure of devouring seafood beside the water while friends back home are defogging their windscreens. Here’s why Hamilton Island should figure into your winter plans.

1. Year-round summer weather

A woman hiking along the Passage Peak trail on Hamilton Island. — Hike under sunny winter skies on Hamilton Island. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

In the crisper months, Hamilton Island offers perfectly mild, sunny weather (17-24°C) that lends itself to morning swims and afternoon spritzes. Better still, you can enjoy the island’s outdoor adventures – from hiking to mountain biking – without the humidity or rain you’ll often find in summertime. With direct flights from most major Australian cities offering ease of access, Hamilton Island is the ideal place to flee the cold.

2. Getting active without the humidity

A buggy parked overlooking Hamilton Island’s golf course, with sweeping views of the sea at Whitsundays in winter. — Zip around Hamilton Island by buggy. (Image: Hamilton Island)

Whether you’re hiking up to Passage Peak or exploring the island by buggy, tropical Queensland humidity is nobody’s friend. The one way to guarantee you will avoid the inevitable stickiness and fluffy hair? Visit during winter. There’s plenty to be enjoyed, from sunrise yoga at The Sundays (exclusive to guests of The Sundays) to playing golf on Dent Island.

3. Hamilton Island Race Week

Yachts racing across the sparkling Whitsundays during Hamilton Island Race Week. — Feel the thrill of Hamilton Island Race Week. (Image: Salty Dingo)

Taking place in August, Hamilton Island Race Week is a destination in its own right that attracts spectators and racers from around the globe. Boating enthusiasts and thrill-seeking holidaymakers flock to the island, which is palpably energetic as the first yachts set off for Dent Passage from Hamilton Island Yacht Club. The annual action-packed week, taking place from 15 to 22 August in 2026, offers an exciting calendar of on- and off-water events – spanning everything from celebrity chef dinners to golfing comps and wine tastings.

4. Best time for snorkelling

A woman snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef. — Explore Hamilton Island’s winter waters. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

While the crowds on Hamilton Island may disperse with the cooler weather, the marine life certainly doesn’t. Winter is widely considered one of the best times to snorkel and dive in the Whitsundays.

It’s down to a number of reasons: excellent water visibility, higher chances of seeing whales as they migrate north and – best of all – no nasty stingers. This means no need to wear those notoriously unflattering full-body wetsuits visitors have to wear in warmer months. On top of all this, you’ll find calm seas ideal for sailing and Great Barrier Reef tours.

5. Fewer crowds

People kayaking. — Experience a quieter Hamilton Island on a kayaking adventure. (Image: Hamilton Island)

Winter is often the quietest time to visit Hamilton Island, with the peak season crowds thinned to a relaxed trickle. You can snorkel or dive straight off the reef-laced waters of Catseye Beach, then swap fins for a buggy and zip between One Tree Hill, the marina and sunset cocktails without the usual summer queues. Active days stretch from kayaking, sailing and jet skiing to hopping over to famous Whitehaven Beach to witness those breathtaking white swirls of silica sand. You won’t have to elbow your way to the front of the crowd to get a good snap.

6. Delicious dining

The interiors of Bommie Restaurant, featuring modern coastal design with warm lighting and elegant detailing. — Treat yourself to Bommie Restaurant’s fine dining featuring fresh, seasonal Aussie produce. (Image: Nikki To)

The food on Hamilton Island tastes just as good any time of year, and winter is still perfect weather for sundowners. Start with an iced tea Negroni at harbourside Bommie Deck, before transitioning to Bommie Restaurant for a fine-dining feast centering on seasonal Aussie ingredients. Or perhaps enjoy a more casual poolside evening at Sails Restaurant, where plates of chermoula chicken skewers, baked cauliflower steak and crispy sumac squid come served with ocean views. From family-friendly pub meals to elevated wine tastings, there’s something for everyone.

5. Clear skies for idyllic views

The golden hour across the Whitsundays in winter. — End your day with golden Hamilton Island sunsets over the water. (Image: Hamilton Island)

Never let a cloud rain on the parade of Hamilton Island’s spectacular scenery. Winter brings clearer skies and more stable weather to the Whitsundays, meaning your picture-perfect sunset at One Tree Hill is likely to remain that way. And after putting in the legwork to hike to a scenic lookout, the last thing you want is a vista hidden behind low cloud and haze.

To learn more about travelling to the Whitsundays in winter, visit hamitlonisland.com.au.

The best live music venues in Brisbane

Put on your dancing shoes and check out Brisbane’s renowned live music scene.