Glasgow is definitely THE place to be for music in Scotland and is right up there along with London and Manchester as having fantastic music scenes. Known, at the moment, as the home of Franz Ferdinand along with other legendary acts such as Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Travis, Glasgow is also the main stop in Scotland for bands touring the globe. With venues like the infamous Barrowlands and the SECC - not forgetting King Tuts, where Oasis were discovered - you are sure to find a gig of some sort every night of the year. Its not just touring bands either; Glasgow has a multitude of its own bands touring the literally hundreds of live music venues across Glasgow. With upcoming bands such as Dorian, The Fire and I, Attic Lights, the list goes on and on. So here you will find information on all the major music venues as well as links to sites providing information on who is playing when and where so you won't miss a thing.

Live Events and Tickets

For probably the best list of all major and upcoming local artists playing in Glasgow and Edinburgh check out Tickets Scotland who are also located under the Central Station Bridge in town where you can buy tickets.

If Tickets Scotland don't have the tickets you want you can try Ticket Master.

Music Venues -

Barrowlands

The most famous venue in Glasgow amongst fans and more notably among artists is the Barrowlands. Evolved from an old ballroom dancing establishment, the Barrowlands is famed for having a bouncing floor.. although I would think that a few thousand people jumping up and down is going to make any floor bounce! This venue is where you will see anybody who's anybody in the music world. Bands such as Travis, Placebo, Feeder, Radiohead and Oasis have played here. The list is too long to mention! The Barrowlands is located in the Eastern direction of the centre. If you walk along Argyll Street to the East, past the Tron clock tower and take the left road when it splits and you can't miss it after a few minutes walk.

The SECC

The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre is what happens when bands are too big for the Barrowlands. Bands like Radiohead and Green Day will play here just because it has a bigger capacity to the more favoured Barrowlands. Acoustically, the SECC can be quite bad as it is not designed for sound as much as other venues as it is basically just a huge space with a roof and a stage! Unlike the Barrowlands, the SECC has a seating portion as well as a standing area and usually uses two large TV screens to show its acts, which can be very handy when standing behind taller people. The SECC is located on the banks of the Clyde and cannot be missed if you walk along the Clyde to the West.

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

The Royal Concert Hall plays host to the more "classic" and established acts in popular music and classical arts of the past few decades. An all seating establishment which has seen acts like - Erasure, Joe Satriani, David Essex and Rigoletto. Seeing as the Concert Hall focuses on older well-established acts, ticket prices can be fairly expensive with most well known artists selling for at least £30 per ticket. Located right in the middle of the main centre in Glasgow right at the join between Sauchiehall Street and Buchanan Street.

The Clyde Auditorium aka Armadillo

An all seating smaller brother of the SECC located just alongside. The acts that play here are generally modern solo singers like Will Young and Daniel Beddingfield. Nicknamed the Armadillo because of its design and shape.

City Halls - home of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Recently renovated to become the home of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, this stylish and historic building lies within the Merchant City - a haven for modern and stylish pubs and restaurants.

Barfly

A great venue for local acts as well as small touring bands with a small stage and bar upstairs and the main stage and bar downstairs. Quite small but big enough for the acts that play there. Such acts to play there include Skin, Martin Grech and 3 Colours Red. A good sound system means the sound is excellent and is one of the best in Glasgow. Located beside the Clyde behind St Enoch Square.

ABC

A new venue for Glasgow that was renovated from an old cinema on Sauchiehall Street. Like the Barfly, ABC normally puts on smallish touring bands as well as local acts. Such acts include - Mew, Kula Shaker, The Cardigans and Snow Patrol. Two stages in one venue - ABC1 and ABC2.

The Garage

As well as a busy nightclub, the garage also turns its main dance floor into a stage for popular modern bands. Such acts to play there are - Terrorvision, The Bloodhound Gang and the legendary Rolf Harris as well as some up and coming local acts. Quite often The Garage puts on after-show parties after the gigs with free entry to ticket holders.

The Cathouse

A Rock and Heavy Metal club normally, but the Cathouse also puts on live acts from time to time. Normally these consist of smaller, lesser known touring bands that fit the rock/heavy metal genre as well as up and coming local acts. Located on Union Street near Central Station.

Ivory Blacks

Formerly Strawberry Fields, Ivory Blacks prides itself with putting on young new music from local bands and small touring bands. Located on Oswald Street near to Central Station.

Rockers

A small Rock club with a stage for gigs from local bands. Normally of Rock/Heavy Metal persuasion. Also Located near Central Station on Midland Street.

The Arches

Located on Midland Street, The Arches, as well as putting on many theatrical productions and club nights also puts on a diverse range of music ranging from anything DJ to rock. The Arches is quite a well known pub/bar, that’s also a popular gig venue. I haven’t actually been in the actual bar part of the venue, but I recently attended a gig there. Main entrance to the stage part is just off Mitchell Street. When you wander in there is a cloakroom on your left hand side and a mass of maze like corridors off to the right. When you go further up into the venue you find a good sized bar before the actual stage part and the toilets are located down some of the corridors behind this bar. Since Scotland is now non smoking, the arches have put up signs and an area for smokers to go before their concert starts, keep an eye out for these if you smoke as you will not be allowed to smoke anywhere inside the actual Arches itself. The stage sits at the end of a wide tall arch like (hence the name) corridor. It’s quite a sizeable area and you can see the stage fairly easily. The acoustics in here appear to be quite good so sound is not a problem. Usually a wide mix of artists play here, this venue is also used for art exhibitions and meetings/conferences.

Nice n' Sleazy's

A small venue downstairs which puts on many great acts, some well known in the neighbourhood and some not so well known. Also features acoustic nights every week where anyone can go up and play the guitar and sing. A venue very passionate about their music with a sound system that definitely puts it up there with the best of live music venues in Glasgow. Located on Sauchiehall Street across from the infamous Garage Nightclub

The 13th Note

A venue which prides itself on new music. This venue puts on live acts every night of the week, mainly from local unsigned acts. Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand used to organise a band night here. Located down from Argyll Street near the Merchant City.