Let's Get Live: Baltimore

Top 15 Places to Play In Baltimore

Trying to book some gigs this summer?  Just trying to check out some cool live music?  We’re here to help you find some venues with our series of blogs about some of the biggest cities in the music scene, starting with our own base of operations, Baltimore. 

Power Plant Live!

Located right near the Inner Harbor at 10 Market Place, Power Plant Live! is a popular hotspot for bars and music and often attracts some big names, though it also has some venues that will accommodate local talent.  Frankly, it’s pretty live.

Angels Rock Bar:  A Rock and Roll club with a cool atmosphere, Angels Rock Bar plays DJs most nights and has a summer concert series on Saturday Nights with bands starting at 10. Look at all the fancy stuff in the picture to the right.  Such Rock.  Much Roll.

Tin Roof:  Tin Roof calls itself a “live music joint ” and it is just that, featuring live bands every weekend!

Howl at the Moon:  A venue that promises high energy, they feature live bands that perform anything from rock to pop to hip-hop.

MEX:  A Tex-Mex bar which features live acoustic sets every Saturday night.

Ram's Head Live:   A very popular venue that attracts bigger acts, they do also have slots for smaller local acts.

Also of course, is Baltimore Soundstage, a venue that plays nationally touring artists and occasionally has local showcases!

There are also several great bars for live music in the area of Fell’s Point including:

Cat’s Eye Pub located in Historic Fell’s Point and offers great live music including jazz, open every day of the year.  Sounds like this cat’s eye doesn’t blink!

Bertha’s was the first sit-down dining room in Fell’s Point.  Known for her mussels, Bertha also has a history of providing a stage for jazz, blues, and rockabilly artists among others.

The Horse You Came In On Saloon at 1626 Thames St. is the oldest drinking establishment in Fell’s Point having opened before the American Revolution, they also offer live music every day.

The 8X10 is an established music venue that puts bands in a small intimate space with a balcony.


Station North has a few venues that are excellent place to gig or enjoy yourself for the night.
The Windup Space is a great venue with intimate local performances and also  a variety of other kinds of exhibits such as art or film.

The Crown is a comfortable venue for both performance and dining and features acts in indie, hip/hop and more!


Joe Squared is a great venue for music, but it also has some of the best and most creative pizzas around!

The Metro Gallery is a multi-functioning music performance and art gallery with great acts and an intimate space.

Finally in the Hampden area, one of the most popular Baltimore venues both for big and local acts, The Ottobar.  With a grungy atmosphere, ample space, and a relatively cheap bar, the Ottobar is one of the best places to play a gig in Baltimore.

No matter which venue, if you're playing a gig in Baltimore, you're going to have an electric experience filled with amped-up energy and intimacy with the crowd, and that is one reason why Baltimore's local music scene is one of the best in the country.