Wondering where to find the best music venues near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top music venues in Charlotte, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you're looking to rock the night away.
1. Snug Harbor
Topping the list is Snug Harbor. Located at 1228 Gordon St. in Plaza Midwood, the bar is the highest-rated music venue in Charlotte, boasting 4.5 stars out of 59 reviews on Yelp. All concerts are 18 and older, and Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays are all 21 and up. Upcoming bands include Jeff the Brotherhood, Spirit System, MILO & The Ruby Yacht House Band and more. Check out its calendar here.
2. Barreled at the Lift
Next up is Barreled at the Lift, situated at 1600 E. Woodlawn Road, Suite 130, in the Montford area. With four stars out of 67 reviews on Yelp, the hookah bar and music venue has proven to be a local favorite. The space, whose decor is modeled after the 1920s, has hosted artists like DJs Amalgam and Nurotik. Check out the cocktail menu, which includes cucumber gin fizz, a strawberry mint Hendrick's cocktail, strawberry vodka with cucumber and champagne.
3. The Evening Muse
NoDa's The Evening Muse, located at 3227 N. Davidson St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the music venue and bar four stars out of 60 reviews. Open since 2001, the establishment has hosted thousands of independent acts. On the calendar, upcoming performers include Taylor Phelan, Donovan Woods and the Opposition and Ryan Montbleau, among others.
Visitors can expect drinks like the Peachy Canadian, made with espresso soda sweetened with local peach and maple sauce, shaken and garnished with cucumber and agave maple.
4. Visulite Theatre
Visulite Theatre, a music venue in Elizabeth, is another go-to, with four stars out of 57 Yelp reviews. Upcoming performances include the School of Rock, Joseph with Kelsey Kopecky, CBDB with Maradeen, Nevermind by the Nirvana Tribute Band and more. (Find the full listing of future performers here.) Head over to 1615 Elizabeth Ave. to see for yourself.
5. Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
And then there's Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, an uptown favorite with four stars out of 40 reviews. The outdoor performance space will soon host Troye Sivan, Breaking Benjamin and Maxwell. Stop by 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd. the next time you're in the mood for live music.
Yelper Kelly C. wrote, "This venue is amazing. ... The lawn is a good size (actually fit a lot more people than I had imagined) and you can actually see the performer's face from your spot! Acoustics were perfect, the crowd is friendly, and you can grab a slice of pizza or a beer while you wait for your Uber to pick you up after the show. Plus, tickets are affordable!"
