Live Music Venues in Boston

When Berklee Online Students Come Visit the Boston Campus of Berklee College of Music, They Often Ask, ‘Where Can I Hear Live Music in Boston?’

And students on the Boston campus of Berklee College of Music are often interested not just in where they can see live music, but where they can play it as well! The opportunities are too numerous and changing too frequently to provide an all-inclusive list, but here are the key spots to get your live music search started in Boston and the surrounding areas.

Berklee and Conservatory Venues

Berklee Performance Center, Capacity: 1,215
Jordan Hall, Capacity: 1,051
The Jackson Browne Stage (Berklee Dining Hall), Capacity: 400
Boston Conservatory Theatre, Capacity: 325
The Red Room at Cafe 939, Capacity: 200
Lee and Alma Berk Recital Hall, Capacity: 118
Seully Hall, Capacity: 100
Studio 401, Capacity: 100
Oliver Colvin Recital Hall, Capacity: 96
Houston Hall, Capacity: 50
David Friend Recital Hall, Capacity: 50
Zack Box Theater, Capacity: 50
The Loft, Capacity: 45

Large Music Venues in Boston and the Surrounding Area

Gillette Stadium (Foxboro), Capacity: 65,878
Boston Calling (Harvard Athletic Complex, Cambridge): 40,000
Fenway Park, Capacity: 37,755
Harvard Stadium (Allston), Capacity: 30,323
Xfinity Center (Mansfield): 19,900
TD Garden, Capacity: 19,580
The Hatch Shell, Capacity: 10,000
Agganis Arena, Capacity: 7,200
MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Capacity: 5,009
Leader Bank Pavillon, Capacity: 5,000
Boch Center – Wang Theatre, Capacity: 3,500
Roadrunner, Capacity: 3,500
Orpheum Theater, Capacity: 2,700
Symphony Hall, Capacity: 2,625
Opera House, Capacity: 2,600
Cape Cod Melody Tent (Hyannis), Capacity: 2,300
South Shore Music Circus (Cohasset), Capacity: 2,300
House of Blues, Capacity: 2,200
Chevalier Theatre (Medford), Capacity: 2,061
Royale, Capacity: 2,000
Big Night Live, Capacity: 2,000
North Shore Music Theatre (Beverly), Capacity: 1,500

Medium-Sized Venues in Boston and the Surrounding Area

The Wilbur, Capacity: 1,093
Sanders Theatre, Capacity: 1,000
Blackman Auditorium, Capacity: 1,000
The Paradise Rock Club, Capacity: 933
Coolidge Corner, Capacity: 900
The Cabot (Beverly), Capacity: 850
Cary Hall (Lexington), Capacity: 844
Somerville Theatre (Somerville), Capacity: 840
Emerson Paramount, Capacity: 596
The Middle East Downstairs (Cambridge), Capacity: 575
The Sinclair (Cambridge), Capacity: 525
Brighton Music Hall (Allston), Capacity: 500
Regent Theatre (Arlington), Capacity: 500
Crystal Ballroom (Somerville), Capacity: 500

More Intimate Venues in Boston and the Surrounding Area

Arts at the Armory (Somerville), Capacity: 395
Sonia (Cambridge), Capacity: 350
Shalin Lu Performance Center (Rockport), Capacity: 330
Great Scott (Allston), Capacity: 300
City Winery, Capacity: 300
The Center for the Arts (Natick), Capacity: 280
Bill’s Bar, Capacity: 247
Deep Cuts (Medford), Capacity: 240
Regattabar (Cambridge), Capacity: 225
The Rockwell (Somerville), Capacity: 203
The Middle East Upstairs (Cambridge), Capacity: 194
Union Tavern (Somerville), Capacity: 175
Scullers (Allston), Capacity: 175
Club Passim (Cambridge), Capacity: 110
Lizard Lounge (Cambridge), Capacity: 105
Wally’s Café Jazz Club, Capacity: 100
Cantab Lounge (Cambridge), Capacity: 100
Sally O’Brien’s (Somerville), Capacity: 100
Midway Café (Jamaica Plain), Capacity: 99
The Jungle Community Music Club (Somerville), Capacity: 85
The Burren (Somerville), Capacity: 80, seated; 100, standing
Lilypad (Cambridge), Capacity: 80
O’Brien’s Pub (Allston), Capacity: 75
McCarthy’s and Toad (Cambridge), Capacity: 62
Loretta’s Last Call, Capacity: 60 seated, 267 standing
The Plough and Stars (Cambridge), Capacity: 60
The Beehive, Capacity: 35

---