10 Music Venues in the Bay Area
Many people are willing to travel and go to great lengths to experience some of the best music venues in the world. While the Bay Area is not home to the Gorge Amphitheater or Red Rocks, it still has a variety of music venues to choose from if you are looking for live music. In no particular order, below are 10 music venues in the Bay Area for EDM and live music.
Jump to a specific venue by clicking below:
- Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
- The Independent
- The Midway
- Fox Theater Oakland
- The Catalyst Club
- The Greek Theatre Berkeley
- The Warfield
- Frost Amphitheater at Stanford
- San Jose City National Civic
- Chase Center
1. Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is one of the most well-known local music venues in the Bay Area for EDM. All genres are featured here, however, it is home to many EDM artists and the occasion EDM festival. Bill Graham has hosted both Breakaway SF and Wobbleland.
This space consists of two levels, lots of seating, a large GA floor section, and multiple levels of bathrooms. If you are going to attend an event at this music venue in the Bay Area, know that it is not in the best part of San Francisco. Be sure to Uber or pay for parking. The garage parking at the venue is close and reasonably priced. If you are looking to get food or drinks beforehand, opt for a neighboring area such as Hayes Valley, and then take transportation in.
2. The Independent
The Independent is one of the smaller music venues in the Bay Area I am mentioning in this list. It is a very intimate space, frequently hosting smaller up-and-coming artists. In the past, I have seen Evan GIIA and Daily Bread perform at this venue.
The venue has a full bar, one bathroom, and depending on the artists can get quite packed. It is located on Divisadero Street in the Nopa district, so street parking a few streets away is likely available. Because of its location, getting food and drinks before the show is easy and there are a variety of options. Even though most artists I have seen at The Independent identify as electronic, it hosts all genres.
3. The Midway
The Midway is more of a club venue, versus a live music venue in the Bay Area, and hosts various events throughout the year. It caters to an EDM and house music crowd, and may sometimes have pre-parties for festivals happening in the area.
The main stage can be indoor or outdoor depending on the act you are seeing, and many reviewers have complained that the sound quality here isn’t the best. For some added fun there are arcade games near the main room, and if you are planning on drinking, please note that it has a cash-only bar.
4. Fox Theater Oakland
The Fox Theater in Oakland is frequently regarded as one of the best live music venues in the Bay Area. It is a great size, feeling somewhat spacious but not too large that you can’t see what’s happening on the stage. There are a variety of genres that perform here, and overall, many people rated the sound quality of the venue very high.
The venue has well-informed staff and ushers, making the whole concert experience seamless. From quick, yet thorough, security and extremely clean bathrooms, individuals walk away from this venue with a very positive attitude.
Its location also makes it a great venue. With many bars in the area, you are set for before or after the concert socializing. The Fox Theater is also located only a block away from BART, making this a music venue that you can walk to if you are opting for public transportation.
5. The Catalyst Club
The Catalyst Club is the only Bay Area music venue mentioned that is located in Santa Cruz. For those that live in San Francisco, it may be a trek, but it is definitely worth it. Located in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz, you can make a day trip over the hill for the beach and some good food. Hit the local kava bar before the show, or try one of the many restaurants downtown.
The venue consists of two rooms, a main room and a smaller one that hosts newer artists. It is another intimate venue with a slew of artists ranging from EDM to Reggae, to cover bands. If you are looking to discover something new or want to go to a more affordable venue, this is a great spot to check out.
6. The Greek Theatre Berkeley
For those interested in visiting a music venue in Berkeley, the Greek Theatre is one of the best options. An outdoor venue, this theatre has all kinds of genres performed. Attendees can see beautiful trees and nature framing the stage, making it feel extra special.
It is located on the beautiful Berkeley campus, which means it is very protected. It also means that the average age of the crowd can sometimes skew younger depending on the act. If you are coming from south of Berkeley, know that you will likely have to pay a toll when crossing the bridge. You may also need to pay for parking if you choose to park on the campus versus parking on the street.
Because the Greek Theatre is on a college campus, there is a college town within walking distance from the venue. Here, there are a variety of food choices, making it easy to grab a bite to eat before the show. I recommend going early to avoid traffic and hanging out in the college town before making your way to the venue.
7. The Warfield
The Warfield gives off a speakeasy theater vibe, featuring all kinds of genres. It contains a nice bar and assigned seating, but because of its smaller size, only has a few bathrooms for use. For the most part, the floor is GA, and individuals have the option to buy balcony seating on the second level of the venue.
Similarly to Bill Graham, the Warfield is located in a questionable part of town right on Market Street. Because of this, I recommend getting food or drinks beforehand in a different district. If you are opting to drive your own vehicle, you can find garages in the area very easily with SpotHero. It allows you to prepay for parking and is what I have used in the past at this venue.
8. Frost Amphitheater at Stanford
Another Bay Area music venue located on a college campus is the Frost Amphitheater at Stanford. This is another very protected and beautiful venue located on the campus of Stanford University. It is a very spacious venue, with the majority of the ground covered in grass rather than just cement. This makes it the perfect live music venue for sitting and picnicking.
This music venue hosts a variety of genres and is conveniently located near downtown Palo Alto. You can go downtown for food and drinks beforehand, and then opt to either drive or Uber to the venue location. The last time I attended this venue, I had to pay for parking on the campus, which ended up being about $30.00.
9. San Jose City National Civic
One of the first music venues I attended for an EDM show was the San Jose City National Civic. This is one of the only venues in the southern part of the Bay Area that hosts EDM events and artists. It is a large venue with multiple bathrooms and floor levels. In the past, the entirety of the venue has been general admission. This allows flexibility on where individuals can choose to sit. There is also an area to refill water and hydration packs for free, so if you are attending an event be sure to bring your reusable water bottles and packs!
10. Chase Center
Last but not least, is the Chase Center. This is one of the newest music venues in the Bay Area, and hosts the Golden State Warriors basketball team. All genres make their way to the Chase Center, and it tends to host bigger names and more famous acts. Because it is newer, it is naturally extremely expensive. If you are interested in going to a show with GA seating options, this is not the one. However, every seat in this Bay Area music venue is a good one.
I would highly recommend drinking and eating before the venue rather than at the venue. If you are interested in drinking alcohol at the venue, be prepared to spend upwards of $20.00 on a drink. If you are looking to arrive early, I would recommend lining up at Dumpling Time, which is a restaurant outside of the stadium. It has delicious dim sum but does not take reservations. I was lucky enough to get a spot here the first time I saw a show at the Chase Center!
Because of its location plan accordingly. While it is still located in San Francisco, it is still far from everything. You will likely need to drive or Uber to get there and you can prepay for a parking pass beforehand to ease any worries about parking in a structure.
Whether you are looking for a show in Santa Cruz, or you are interested in drinking up to Berkeley, there are plenty of music venues in the Bay Area to choose from. This list hardly covers them all, and there is always more exploring to do. Drop a comment below and let me know which live music venue in the Bay Area is your favorite!
