This post was originally published on March 18, 2013, and updated on December 5, 2017.
Madrid is a city best known for its amazing monuments, long-standing traditions and incredible food, but the live music scene in the capital is growing bigger every year!
We can’t resist the opportunity to see great live music! Apart from the many amazing places to see live flamenco, and even a few grand auditoriums to catch some traditional Spanish music in the city, bars and clubs are hosting musicians for us to enjoy for free or with a low cover charge. Don’t miss a great night out and even better entertainment with our suggestions of the top 10 places to see live music in Madrid!
Café La Palma
This hip hangout in Malasaña has been cool since the Spanish youth movement in the 1980s. Café La Palma is a truly local spot for up and coming bands across multiple genres, including techno and electronic, house, pop, blues, jazz, acoustic and even Spanish hip-hop. They also have good DJ sessions on weekends and hold open mic nights every month. With two separate rooms with completely different environments, you can choose between the live concert hall or the cozier lounge for a more peaceful ambiance.
Address: Calle de la Palma, 62
Price: Average entry €6; some gigs are free
Blackbird Rock Bar
Located where the popular jazz club Café Populart once was, Blackbird is a newer face on the live music scene, but has already started to make a name for itself. If you’re looking to listen to true rock and blues, folk and country, this is the spot for you. It’s a cozy and intimate space, hosting upcoming artists and classic rock tribute bands, with familiar faces decorating the walls like Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Musically inclined? Bring your instrument (or your voice!) and join one of the regular jam sessions or karaoke nights they put on a couple times each month.
Address: Calle de las Huertas, 22
Price: Average entry €5; many free events
Honky Tonk
Open every night, 365 days a year, Honky Tonk is the place for all rock lovers to see live music in Madrid these days. It’s a spot where people of all ages come to enjoy rock music from the classics to the contemporaries. After the concerts are over, a live DJ plays sets until 5:30 am, ensuring that you have a great night for as long as you want to stay out!
Insider’s Tip: arrive early, as some of the pillars that support the building tend to restrict views from certain angles.
Address: Calle Covarrubias, 24
Price: Most events are free; €5 average entry for paid events
Wurlitzer Ballroom
Located in the heart of the city close to the Gran Via metro, Wurlitzer is for a more hardcore crew. Boasting genres like garage, punk rock, heavy metal and alternative, you’ll be transported back to the years of cool hair and teen angst. The music is loud and the beats are hard, but the crowd is always friendly and ready to dance. Drinks are reasonably priced and they even offer craft beer!
Address: Calle de las Tres Cruces, 12
Price: Free entry until 6 am (when they close!)
El Junco Jazz Club
Unlike most jazz clubs in Madrid, this spot plays mostly nuwave jazz, R&B and soul. American southern jazz, remixed classics and improvisation all happen at El Junco. If you’re ready to “get down on it,” this place has your name all over it. They host live music in Madrid Tuesday through Saturday and host regular jam sessions that anyone can join. Get there a little early and enjoy 2X1 drink specials!
Address: Plaza Santa Bárbara, 10
Price: Weekdays €6 with a beer included, weekends €10 with a cocktail included
Siroco
Check the calendar before you head to this popular spot, as they are always playing something new! You want it, Siroco’s got it. With two levels playing different kinds of music, you can hang around the upper floor for a more tranquil vibe or head downstairs for more intense, electronic sessions and dance all night long. Depending on what night of the week you come in, you might hear reggaeton, hip-hop, or even indie, plus plenty of local, Spanish artists.
Insider’s Tip: Become a member for discounts and perks like free entry, free stuff (t-shirts, drinks, etc.) and monthly specials.
Address: Calle San Dimas, 3
Price: Ranges from €5-13, drink included, with cheaper prices before 1:30 am
Galileo Galilei
Sister club to Madrid’s classic jazz house, Clamores, this large space hosts a whole lot more than just jazz. If you’re looking for something a little different, you can count on Galileo Galilei to provide it! With a wide variety of music ranging from Latin jazz, salsa, fusion and even flamenco, a night here is sure to have everyone up and dancing. Drinks can be a little pricey, but the quality of the artists makes it worthwhile.
Insider’s Tip: You can reserve a table and should do so if you want to secure a good spot to see a particular group or artist.
Address: Calle de Galileo, 100
Price: Ranges from €6-18, book in advance for the best price
Marula Café
It’s time to get funky. Marula Café is a hoppin’ bar that has become one of the best places to see live music in Madrid, with great vibes for dancing. Located in La Latina, this place is an underground joint where you can hear soul, funk, blues and disco every night of the week. They host a free hip-hop jam session every Sunday at 11 pm and local band Madafunk can be seen every Monday and Wednesday night, free of charge. With DJs spinning until the wee hours of the morning, it’s never a bad night at Marula.
Address: Calle de Caños Viejos, 3
Price: Free most nights; €6 and up for concerts, drink usually included
Moe
Just off of Castellana Street at the Cuzco metro is Moe, a low-key club with good music, good drinks and good sound. Soul, blues, rock and indie are usually playing, with live music concerts a couple times a week. Unlike most venues in Madrid, Moe has billiards tables, so you can get your game on while enjoying the chill atmosphere and great tunes. It’s also close to a lot of nightclubs, so if you’re planning to stay out until the sun comes up, it’s the perfect place to start.
Insider’s Tip: They don’t serve food, so be sure to eat beforehand. They also host a monthly concert for kids!
Address: Avenida de Alberto Alcocer, 32
Price: Most events are free; some concerts range from €6-10, drink included
Sala Caracol
This colorful and more modern space may be last on our list, but it is most certainly not the least! Located in Lavapies, a neighborhood known for its nightlife, Caracol has a very visible stage and fantastic acoustics. You will find all kinds of music here, including electronic, alternative, flamenco, house and even rock tribute bands. With a bar on each side of the room, the owners have maximized their small space to make it comfortable and not cramped. They also have awesome art!
Insider’s Tip: Entry fees don’t include drinks, so grab a couple at a bar around the corner before the show.
Address: Calle Bernadino Obregón, 18
Price: Ranges from €6-25, depending on artist; average price €10
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Seems like Madrid has a very good food as well as live music culture. Cool place