Aidan’s Pub: A local pub, and an eatery second. People often go to enjoy drinks and the every-now-and-then wholesome conversations with the friendly patrons and staff. They have a regular rotation of music live and local. 5 John St, Bristol. Sun, 11am – 1am. Mon – Sat, 11:30am – 1am. aidanspub.com.
Alchemy: Especially popular with the more hardcore audiences. It often has rock, or heavy metal bands, and prides itself on community engagement. Although it hosts all kinds of events in the Jewelry District, this is a music-forward locale. 171 Chestnut St, PVD. Fri – Sat, 9pm – 2am on days when there are shows. alchemyri.com
The Alley Cat: Sharing a backdoor entrance with the Dark Lady, they offer a wide variety when it comes to drinks, as well as priding themselves on welcoming vibes and live music. 17 Snow St, PVD. Mon – Thur, 7pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 4pm – 3am. Sun, 4pm – 1am. @thealleycatpvd
AS220: Locally famous unjuried art organization with a standing bar and regular shows of all types at both their main stage and black box theater. 115 Empire St, PVD. Closed Mon & Tues. Wed & Sun, 5pm – 1am. Thur – Sat, noon – 1am. as220.org
Aqua Providence: Mostly a summer thing, but one of the best places to have an EDM party in a pool. 1 Orms St, PVD. Fri, 5pm – 9pm. Sat, noon – 9pm. Sun, noon – 3pm. marriott.com/en-us/hotels/pvdri-providence-marriott-downtown
Black Sheep: American pub grub, cocktails & beers, offers a comfortable place to sit and enjoy music. 397 Westminster St, PVD. Mon – Thur, 4pm – 1am. Fri, 4pm – 2am. Sat, noon – 2am. Sun, noon – 1am. blacksheepri.com
The Blue Room: Gorgeous restaurant and lounge with live music. Recommended for the sophisticated folks who want a nice place to socialize and relax. 2197 Broad St, Cranston. Tue – Thur, 4pm – 10pm. Fri & Sat, 4pm – 11pm. theblueroom.com.
Buttonwoods Brewery: A brewery featuring handcrafted beers and a resident kitchen known as Screaming Unicorn, which cooks up delicious, elevated pub food. Live events and music can also be found here, in a high-ceilinged space with remarkable acoustics. 50 Sims Ave, PVD. Mon, 4pm – 8pm. Wed & Thur, 4pm – 8pm. Fri & Sat, noon – 10pm. Sun, noon – 8pm. buttonwoodsbrewery.com
Cady’s Tavern: Great place to visit by motorcycle. Roadhouse bar with live music, often covers, almost every night. 2168 Putnam Pike, Chepachet. Tue – Sun, noon – 10pm. cadystavern.com
Charlestown Rathskeller: Best known for kick-ass outdoor concerts, although smaller indoor live music is available throughout the year. 498A Old Coach Rd, Charlestown. Sun, Wed & Thur, noon – 10pm. Fri & Sat, noon – 1am. thecharlestownrathskeller.com
Colosseum: Multi-level space with dubstep parties and a penchant for provocatively dressed collegians. 180 Pine St, PVD. Fri & Sat, 10pm – 3am. colosseumpvd.com
Courthouse Center for the Arts: Lovely older building recently remodeled on the inside, with a particularly killer indoor sound system. 3481 Kingstown Rd, West Kingstown. Frequently open, this tends to be the kind of place you go for a specific show, so check. courthousearts.com
crib: Vibey music venue and nightclub featuring hip-hop, R&B, African, Caribbean, Latin, and dance music. 1070 North Main St, PVD. Hours vary and are show specific. It’s worth signing up for their text updates, as sometimes that’s the only way to find out about a show. cribpvd.com
Dockside (The Deck): Summer only, for music by the bay. 24 Waites Wharf, Newport. Fri & Sat, 9:30pm – 1am. atthedeck.com
EGO: An energetic gay bar with a dance floor and stage, and a rep for letting visitors shed all their inhibitions. 73 Richmond St, PVD. Sun & Thur, 10pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 10pm – 3am. egopvd.com
FMH (Fete Music Hall): A lively and entertaining place. Usually a show-specific destination, this has one of the most impressive ballrooms around and a beautiful, more intimate space. Part of “The Bend” a collection of walkable bars and event spaces in Olneyville. 103 Dike St, PVD. Sun – Thur, 1pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 1pm – 2am. fetemusic.com
Fish Co: A blast from the past reborn as a college haunt, with a water view. It skews toward DJs, but has a robust live music line-up too. 15 S Bridge St, PVD. Thur – 10pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 10pm – 2am. fishcopvd.com
The Galactic Theater: Delightfully weird lounge that hosts a variety of events from karaoke to comedy. It’s musician owned, and shows it with robust local bookings of some of those truly amazing musicians you never heard of. One of the best spots to find a new sound, while watching old black & white movies with the sound off. 440 Main St, Warren. Wed – Sat, 7pm – 1am. galactictheatre.com
GCB: (Graduate Student Bar at Brown) Note, this is a membership location – either sign up as one, or show up with one. Expect some heady conversation with welcoming strangers and super friendly bar staff. 42 Charlesfield St, PVD. Tue & Thur, 5pm – midnight. Wed, 5pm – 1am. Fri, 4pm – 1am. Sat, 7pm – midnight. gcbpvd.org
Gettie’s at the Bend: The former catering space next to Fete is part of the entertainment options “At the Bend.” It’s open regularly for shows as well as hosting some private events.
The George: Mostly a classy, upscale restaurant-bar, their speakeasy downstairs regularly has events or live tunes. 121 Washington St, PVD. Mon – Thur, 4pm – 10pm. Fri & Sat, 4pm – 11pm. Sun, 10am – 8pm. thegeorgerestaurantri.com
Grey Sail Tap Room: A cozy brewery built in an old historic home with a beautiful beer garden that goes on and on, with space for live music in the good weather. 65 Canal St, Westerly. Wed – Fri, 3pm – 8pm. Sat, noon – 8pm. Sun, noon – 6pm. greysailbrewing.com.
The Guild: Three locations, (location 1) 461 Main St, Pawtucket (location 2) 99 Water St Suite 2, Warren (location 3) Beer Garden Dyer St, off the pedestrian bridge. All three serve award-winning craft beer made right here in RI and host music of all sorts, especially covers and especially in the nice weather. The beer garden in PVD is adjacent to the popular I-195 District Park, where music events of all shapes and sizes can be found throughout the warmer seasons. theguildri.com
High Motor: Newly opened craft beer friendly restaurant has a dedicated back room that hosts events of all sorts, from comedy to spoken word, to live music a few times a month (originals only). 342 East Ave, Pawtucket. Mon – Fri, 4pm – 1am. Sat & Sun, noon – 1am. highmotorgrille.com
Hot Club: Live music is infrequent, but the bar-party vibe is constant. You can find the exact seat Ben Stiller used in There’s Something About Mary. DJ’s and karaoke are common. 25 Bridge St, PVD. Sun – Thur, noon – 1am. Fri & Sat, noon – 2am. hotclubprov.com
ISCO: Distillery, often with extra entertainment, especially in good weather when their spacious patio, adjacent to the artist commune The Steel Yard – and just as eclectic, is open. 1 Sims Ave #103, PVD. Thur & Fri, 5pm – 10pm. Sat, noon – 10pm. Sun, noon – 6pm. iscospirits.com
Java Madness: Coffee and frequent acoustic artists (so, not exactly a club, but a lovely space that honestly cherishes live music, generally in the afternoon). 134 Salt Pond Rd, Wakefield. Sun – Sat, 7am – 6pm. javamadness.com
Judge Roy Bean Saloon: Friendly, welcoming community. They serve a wide range of cocktails while you enjoy live music, close enough to smell the ocean. 1 State St, Bristol. Mon & Tue, 5pm – midnight. Wed, 11:30am – midnight. Thur – Sat, 11:30am – 1am. Sun, 11am – 1am. judgeroybeansaloon.com
Knickerbocker Cafe: You can call it “the Knick.” Locals do. It’s been a bastion of local and original independent music for South County and beyond for many years. 35 Railroad Ave, Westerly. Wed, 6:30pm – 10pm. Fri, 6:30pm – 11pm. Sat, 6pm – 12:30am. Sun, 6pm – midnight. knickmusic.com
Kulture: Nightclub attracting a trendy crowd with DJs, cocktails, beers, and other libations. For those who are fans of hip-hop, rap, drill and dancehall. 71 Richmond St, PVD. Fri & Sat, 10pm – 2am. linktr.ee/kulturepvd
Lang’s Bowlarama: Live music in their Nelson Center on occasion. Bowling all the time with a soothing ’60s vibe. 225 Niantic Ave, Cranston. Mon, 4pm – 10pm. Tue, noon – 11pm. Wed, 9am – 11pm. Thur & Fri, 10am – midnight. Sat, 9am – 1am. Sun, 9am – 10pm. langsbowlarama.com
The Last Resort: An ultimate party spot in northern RI. Swimming pool, tiki bar, sand volleyball, wedding/event tent, cabanas, live music, and more every weekend, year round. This place is especially hot during the summer months. 325 Farnum Pike, Smithfield. Thur, 8pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 4:30pm – 1am. thelastresortri.com
The Malted Barley: Large, relaxed bar offering rotating craft brews & gourmet soft pretzels, plus foosball and “strategically scheduled” live music sometimes. 334 Westminster St, PVD. Sun – Thur, noon – 11pm. Fri & Sat, noon – 1am. themaltedbarley.com
Medici Lounge: A welcoming group, with a variety of performances including a range of live music styles. Includes a 5-star restaurant, decor for days, and one of the larger spaces in DownCity. 172 Pine St, PVD. Thur, 4pm – 10pm. Fri & Sat, 4pm – 2am. Sun, hours vary. mediciprov.com
The Met: Local & national touring bands play at this music club for many genres. Just a few blocks away from Motif! This venue has a storied history and is run by Rich and Sarah Lupo, of the ole Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel. It may be the top place in RI to catch a Grateful Dead vibe, and is one of our bigger venues. 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. Tue – Sat, 6:30pm – 1am. themetri.com
Mirabar: Casual, lively gay bar & dance club featuring DJs, karaoke, drag shows, TV sports, and live music, with a casual, friendly bar staff. 15 Elbow St, PVD. Mon – Thur, 3pm – 1am. Fri, 3pm – 2am. Sat, 2pm – 2am. Sun, 1pm – 1am. mirabar.com
Mishnock Barn: An 18+ music venue, and open venue for other performances. You can also live out your lifelong dream and learn how to dance like a country star through their dance lessons. 200 Mishnock Rd, West Greenwich. Mon – Wed, 7pm – 11pm. Fri & Sat, 7pm – midnight. mishnockbarn.com
Moonshine Alley: Spacious club with food, drink, and a deep love of country music, making it our own little slice of Nashville in PVD. Offers private parties, events, and catering as well. 52 Pine St, PVD. Sun – Wed, 11:30am – 11pm. Thur, 11:30am – Midnight. Fri – Sat, 11:30am (Brunch ‘til 3pm) – 1am. Kitchen open until 10pm daily – get the Short Rib Grilled Cheese – you can thank us later. 21+ after 9pm daily. moonshinealley.com
Muldowney’s Pub: A classic dive bar, but they present live music regularly. Lots to do if live music isn’t your thing, like trivia, a pool table, and a jukebox. 121 Empire St, PVD. Mon – Thur, 3pm – 1am. Fri, 3pm – 2am. Sat, 2pm – 2am. Sun, noon – 1am. muldowneyspub.com.
Music Mansion: Cozy venue for live music, including things like recitals and a frequent host to Stone Soup Coffeehouse and other grassroots events. 88 Meeting St, PVD musicmansion.org
Myrtle: A popular small bar that doubles as a music venue. It hosts regular shows from mostly local artists. It also is a popular venue spot for funny, and whimsical themed performances, like avatar themed drag shows. With thoughtful decor, local brews, and a mini vintage shop, Myrtle is a bastion for the arts in EP. 135 Waterman Ave, East Providence. Tue & Wed, 6pm – midnight. Thur & Fri, 4pm – midnight. Sat, noon – midnight. Sun, noon – 10pm. givemyrtle.com
Narragansett Brewery: A large venue space, with an outside area for live music. Sponsor and host of many of the Battle of the Bands episodes, it’s an extra beautiful spot in good weather, nestled inside India Point Park. It’s also steeped in RI (and Jaws) lore and tradition. 271 Tockwotton St, PVD. Mon – Wed, 4pm – 10pm. Thur, noon- 10pm. Fri & Sat, noon – 11pm. Sun, noon – 9pm. narragansettbeer.com
Narragansett Cafe: Comfortable small-scale pub with live music and trivia nights. 25 Narragansett Ave, Jamestown. Sun – Thur, noon – midnight. Fri & Sat, noon – 1am. narragansettcafe.com
Narrows Center for the Arts: A large venue that greatly promotes the arts and rents out spaces for performers and artists, including classes, gallery shows, and more. One of the prestigious regional venues for unexpectedly popular touring bands. 16 Anawan St, Fall River, MA. Thur – Sat, noon – 5pm. narrowscenter.org
Newport Blues Cafe: A lively nightclub featuring talented rock and blues bands and an upstairs cafe. Featuring a super friendly staff and a nice, intimate setting. 286 Thames St, Newport. Fri & Sat, 8:30pm – 1am. newportblues.com
Nick-A-Nees: A comfortable, dog-friendly dive bar with a jukebox and pool tables and legendary casual support for local music greats. Especially fun in patio weather, but they squeeze in live music all year long. 75 South St, PVD. Sun – Thur, 3pm – midnight. Fri, 3pm – 1am. Sat, 3pm – 2am. bluegrassthroedown.com/nick-a-nees
News Cafe: Local dive bar offering cheap drinks, live entertainment, and a variety of musical performers, with a tendency toward shoegaze, emo, metal, and punk. This venue is small but mighty, with a well-earned reputation for supporting the local music community. 43 Broad St, Pawtucket. Mon – Sat, 2pm – 9pm. newscaferhodeisland.wordpress.com
Newport Vineyards: 60-acre vineyard founded in 1977 and featuring a restaurant, cafe, marketplace, tasting, and tank room. One of our more vibrant and varied spaces with healthy weekends of live music. 909 E Main Rd, Middletown. Wed, 11am – 8pm. Thur, 11am – 5pm. Fri & Sat, 11am – 9pm. Sun, 10am – 4pm. newportvineyards.com
Ocean Mist Beach Bar: A hip crowd lingers at this relaxed beach hangout with new American food, cold beer, and constant live music that typically caters to URI heavy-drinking crowds. 895 Matunuck Beach Rd, Wakefield. Mon – Fri, 10am – 1am. Sat & Sun, 9am – 1am. oceanmist.net
The Greenwich Odeum: Vintage venue showcasing concerts, comedy shows, and films in a restored, circa-1926 theater. Celebrating 100 years! 59 Main St, East Greenwich. Wed & Sat, 2pm – 6pm. Fri, 10am – 6pm. greenwichodeum.com
The Parlour: Legit local music haven. Legendary for their support of local bands, especially the surprisingly good ones, making it one of the few clubs left where you can wander in any night and expect to find great music you’d never heard of before. 1119 North Main St, PVD. Mon, 8pm – 1am. Tue – Thur, 6pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 5pm – 2am. Sun, 5pm – 1am. theparlourri.com
One Pelham East: Vibrant multi-level nightspot featuring live music and cover bands, dueling pianos, and a DJ-fueled dance floor. 270 Thames St, Newport. Fri, 3pm – 1am. Sat, 12:30pm – 1am. thepelham.com
Perks & Corks: Intimate, relaxed hangout offering coffee, martinis, and local wines, plus live music most nights. 62 High St, Westerly. Sun – Sat, noon – midnight. perksandcorks.com
Pivotal Brewing: An inclusive, open space known for brewing modern beer and hosting live music and other exciting events in a very activated section of breezy Bristol. 500 Wood St Building 111, Bristol. Wed & Thur, 4 – 9pm. Fri, 2 – 10pm. Sat, Noon – 10pm. Sun, Noon – 6pm. pivotalbrewing.com
Platforms Dance Club: Relaxed, long-running nightclub featuring live music acts and DJ-hosted dance parties, with a spacious, heated tent area known to be not cannabis unfriendly. And it’s currently for sale. 165 Poe St, PVD. Fri & Sat, 8pm – 2am. Sun, 4pm – 10pm. facebook.com/platfoms
Providence Eagle: Flags and an eagle painting adorn this unassuming, busy gay bar with dancing and lively leather events. Bring Your Own Feathers. 124 Snow St, PVD. Mon – Thur, 2pm – 1am. Fri, 2pm – 2am. Sat, noon – 2am. Sun, noon – 1am. providenceeagle.com
Pub on Park: Casual, roomy spot, featuring a bar and stage for live music, karaoke, and trivia – line dancing and swing also have their nights here to kick up your cowboy boots to. 655 Park Ave, Cranston. Mon – Sat, 3pm – 12:30am. Sun, 3pm – 11pm. pubonparkri.com
Pump House: Guitar shop that offers live music and cocktails, plus classes on instrument design. Shows are constant and curated by music lovers, for music lovers. 1464 Kingstown Rd, South Kingstown. Mon & Tue, 5:30pm – 9pm. Wed, 5pm – 11pm. Thur, 7pm – 11pm. Fri & Sat, 7pm – midnight. Sun, 6pm – 10pm. pumphousemusicworks.com
The Red Door: Popular bar featuring a wide selection of beer, cocktails, and bar bites, plus DJs and dancing and live music in an intimate space. In RI terms, “Where the Red Fez usetabe.” 49 Peck St, PVD. Mon, Wed & Thur, 5pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 5pm – 2am. Sun, 3pm – 10pm. reddoorpvd.com
Rooftop at the Providence G: Drinks, snacks, and light dinners are served with skyline views and regular live-music nights, comedy, and drag at this lively rooftop bar and lounge. 100 Dorrance St, PVD. Mon – Wed, 4pm – 10pm. Thur, 4pm – 11pm. Fri & Sat, 3pm – 2am. Sun, noon – 9pm. rooftopattheg.com
The Salon: Casual, bi-level nightspot offering pickleback shots, pinball, ping-pong, and a DJ-driven dance floor. Better bring your boogie shoes for this spot. 57 Eddy St, PVD. Thur, 7pm – 1am. Fri & Sat, 7pm – 2am. thesalonpvd.com
The Strand: Live music venue playing genres of all kinds. This venue also has the distinction of being Providence’s oldest theatre. Once called Lupo’s, it’s a destination venue with some of the biggest acts to pass through the state. 79 Washington St, PVD. Mon & Fri, noon – 6pm. thestrandri.com
T & T’s 133 Club Inc: Neighborhood pub that serves incredible food, plays live music and features pool tables for the competitive type. 29 Warren Ave, East Providence. Sun – Sat, 11:30am – 1am. the133club.com
Troop: A fun restaurant and catering company inspired by ’80s and ’90s pop culture. Features creative eats, beats, and drinks. 60 Valley St, PVD. Mon, Wed & Thur, 5pm – 1am. Fri, 10am – 4pm, 5pm – 2am. Sat, 9am – 4pm, 5pm – 2am. Sun, 9am – 4pm. trooppvd.com
Twin River Casino: Voted best blackjack by Casino Player Magazine, has every type of legal gambling imaginable and live music – both at the major concert level and at the they’ve-squeezed-a-band-in-the-corner-of-this-bar level. Open 24/7. 100 Twin River Rd, Lincoln. twinriver.com
Union Station: Located in the former Union Railroad Station and offers classic American tavern food, along with handcrafted beer brewed on-site. Once a hotspot for local bangers, it’s currently more restaurant than music venue or brewery, but is evolving under new ownership, so who knows what’s to come? 36 Exchange Terrace, PVD. Mon – Wed, 4pm – midnight. Thur, 11:30am – midnight. Fri, 11:30am – 2am. Sat, 11am – 2am. Sun, 11am – midnight. unionstationpvd.com
The United Theater: Historic theatre and event space. Features a mix of modern and classic films, live music, art galleries, and other events. Open specifically for films and events, see website for details. Tickets required. Clear bags and small clutches only. No unaccompanied minors. 5 Canal St, Westerly. unitedtheatre.org
The Uptown Theatre: Fully restored 1926 venue well suited to sit down and watch beautiful performances. All right smack-dab in the middle of beautiful Federal Hill. And hey, it’s a hundred years old! 270 Broadway, PVD. Wed & Thur, 11am – 5pm. uptownpvd.com
Vigilant Brewing: Often hosting live music, this brewery features an expansive outdoor seating area where they host fundraisers for good, local causes periodically during the summer. 44 Ballou Blvd, Bristol. Wed – Mon. Closed Tue. vigilantbrewing.com
Zeiterion: Southcoast Massachusetts’ premiere nonprofit performing arts center. This venue offers a variety of creative shows while keeping the vibe intimate. 684 Purchase St, New Bedford, MA. Wed – Sat, noon – 6pm. zeiterion.org