Glasgow’s best live music venues

As the UK's first UNESCO City of Music, Glasgow thrives culturally on creative arts and has the music venues to prove it

Masses of world-famous bands and musicians from over the years came from Glasgow: Lewis Capaldi, Simple Minds, Belle & Sebastian, CHVRCHES, Deacon Blue, Lulu… the list goes on. If the people really do make Glasgow, then the log of iconic musicians born there make it a truly incredible place.

But the success of artists like Primal Scream or Franz Ferdinand would not have been without the aid of various venues scattered around Glasgow. As the first UNESCO City of Music in the UK and third in the world when awarded the title in 2008, Glasgow’s musical reputation proceeds itself. The honour of being a UNESCO City of Music means Glasgow thrives culturally on creative arts, and if you consider its huge annual festivals like TRNSMT and Celtic Connections plus the healthy crowd of classical music fans the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) and Scottish Opera rein in, you’ll surely agree that’s true.

Below, we explore some of Glasgow’s best live music venues in order of capacity. Several of the choice picks on this list have been around since the 19th century and played a vital part in not just popularising Scottish trad and folk music, but introducing indie, jazz and rock firmly into the city’s repertoire.

Let’s dive in, but don’t forget to check out our handy Local Guide to find out what’s on in a city closest to home.

SWG3

Where is it? 100 Eastvale Pl, Glasgow, G3 8QG

Capacity: 6,875 across all live music spaces

What can I expect to see there? SWG3 is a unique venue in that it’s split up into different spaces of varying sizes where events can take place. These include Galvanizers, TV Studio, Warehouse, The Poetry Club, and Galvanizers Yard, plus some other rooms suitable for daytime activities such as Zinc Bar and Photography Studio. Established in 2005, SWG3 celebrated its 20th birthday this year and rejoiced the occasion with a new sculpture which was placed in the venue’s community garden. SWG3 is widely credited for revitalising warehouse spaces into multi-faceted venues, giving each live event a totally unique look and feel to another going on next door. Stop by for thumping DJ sets and wild depictions of Scottish house music.

Find out more about SWG3 and its listings here

O2 Academy Glasgow

Where is it? 121 Eglinton St, Glasgow, G5 9NT

Capacity: 2,500

What can I expect to see there? The O2 Academy Glasgow is another of the city’s venues that was originally intended as a church. In 1825, the building was built and known as United Secession Church before it changed into Bedford Cinema in 1921. However, after it was destroyed by a fire by 1922, it was swiftly rebuilt and known still as a cinema. It wasn’t until roughly 1973 when that changed – after a quick stint as a bingo hall, it finally solidified its status as a music venue. Deacon Blue launched it after its mass renovation in 2003 (it’s a Category B building) and the space has since hosted stars such as Jacob Collier, Chappell Roan, The Killers, Clairo, Florence + the Machine, beabadoobee and many more. With ample standing and sitting room here, this venue’s a rite of passage for music lovers in Glasgow.

Find out more about O2 Academy Glasgow and its listings here

Barrowland Ballroom

Where is it? 244 Gallowgate, Glasgow, G4 0TT

Capacity: 1,900

What can I expect to see there? Fondly nicknamed The Barras, Barrowland Ballroom used to be a haven for ballroom dancers and big bands in its early days from 1934 onwards. Now, it’s a vital part of Glaswegian musical culture with its original sprung dance floor, plus, it’s known widely for its illustrious neon, spangled logo on the outside wall. But it’s not to say the venue didn’t suffer some hardships – a nasty fire broke out there in 1958 and destroyed the entire place. It’s believed it cost around £100,000 to rebuild entirely and around 100 firefighters were needed at the scene. It would not be until 1960 when the newly built Barrowland Ballroom reopened, but it was a happy sight indeed. Some top players have performed over the years in this iconic venue including David Bowie, Muse, Foo Fighters, Manic Street Preachers, and even Sabrina Carpenter.

Find out more about Barrowland Ballroom and its listings here

St Luke’s

Where is it? 17 Bain St, Glasgow, G40 2JZ

Capacity: 700

What can I expect to see there? St Luke’s was awarded Best Live Music Venue in 2017 by the Glasgow Awards, and rightly so. Right next to the Barras, this former church was built between 1836 and 1837. Glasgow is a big place and would’ve felt gargantuan to those in the early 19th century who had modest modes of transport, so St Luke’s was a small parish church intended for those who couldn’t make it easily to the larger version elsewhere in the city. Up until 1924 the building had faced some controversy – many did not want it to be a parish church anymore – but everything was put on hold when a fire broke out and left the place largely dilapidated. Although it was still somewhat in use thereafter for church proceedings, it took until 2013 for the venue to be restored as accurately as possible to match its original glory, and now it operates as an ornate live music venue as well as a bar and restaurant. Artists who have played there recently include Lambrini Girls, The Murder Capital and Imelda May.

Find out more about St Lukes and its listings here

Oran Mor

Where is it? Byres Rd, Glasgow, G12 8QX

Capacity: 500

What can I expect to see there? When you hear Oran Mor, think cosy converted church used for intimate gigs and unbeatable vibes. Sitting opposite the Glasgow Bonatic Gardens, this little venue was first established in 1862 as Kelvinside Parish Church, as it was known at the time. It was built on the premise that there would soon be new residents in the area, and they would need a place to worship. The spire of the church, which has previously been described as an Italian gothic pyramid, is said to have been the first of its kind to reflect foreign influence in Glasgow. The inside of the church still maintains a spooky atmosphere given the eleven heads carved into the walls which are dotted about the place, but that just amplifies its quirkiness as a gig venue. Oran Mor often hosts gigs as part of Celtic Connections and will be doing so again this June.

Find out more about Oran Mor and its listings here

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut

Where is it? 272A St Vincent St, Glasgow, G2 5RL

Capacity: 300

What can I expect to see there? Over 30 years ago, in 1993, Oasis were discovered by Creation Records co-owner Alan McGee when they performed as a last-minute addition to the lineup at Glasgow’s small but mighty music venue, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut. The rest is history. King Tuts has long been regarded as one of the crowning jewel venues of Glasgow, giving not just Oasis their debut, but also Manic Street Preachers in 1991, Blur in 1990, Biffy Clyro in 1999 and many more. Today, stars from every corner of the industry come to King Tut’s to showcase their talent to Scotland and, more often than not, boost their stardom along the way. Recent artists who have come to King Tut’s include Fred Again…, Griff, Brooke Combe, Olivia Dean and The Mary Wallopers.

Find out more about King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and its listings here

Attic Bar

Where is it? 490 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow, G2 3LW

Capacity: 150

What can I expect to see there? This one’s small ‘n sweet but very much a central and convenient gig spot to reach. Located inside the city’s rowdy Garage nightclub, Attic Bar is a little upstairs venue and one of three in the building (the other two include The Garage and G2). Across all three rooms, the club boasts hosting over 200 bands at the facility ever year. Over the years, The Garage has hosted huge names going from Prince to One Direction, but Attic Bar is where you’ll see some less established acts with buckets of potential. And, fitting for a central nightclub, everywhere you look here is adorned with bright lights, glitter balls and some cool design choices – check out the main staircase as you walk in to learn about the truckload of bands who’ve played on The Garage’s stages before.

Find out more about Attic Bar and its listings here