11 Great Bars, Restaurants & Venues for Live Music in the Capital Region
Bars with an inviting, intimate space. Large venues that can accommodate major headliners. Country music, classic music, get-up-and-dance music. Albany has it all - see below for prime performance venues for live music!
The Palace Theatre: A Prime Entertainment Venue
The Palace Theatre has an Austrian Baroque design that lends it a nostalgic and classically beautiful air. The classic design doesn't limit the variety of acts held at the theatre, however: you'll find everything from symphonies to rock concerts at this venue.
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Savoy Taproom: Enjoy Craft Cocktails and Music
Savoy Taproom is an upscale jazz bar with comfortable dining, an outdoor patio, and an extensive food menu. The formal dining room was once the Savoy Room at Justin's, bringing back the nostalgia of live music and late night bars on Lark Street. Head to the back for an up-close performance!
Rivers Casino: Entertainment for All
Rivers Casino is the place to go if you are looking for either good food or incredible entertainment. In the mood for an upbeat dance party? Rivers Casino has it. Maybe you'd like a cooler tempo with jazz music during dinner? They have that too. Rivers Casino also carries their own events such as music tours.
Emack & Bolio's: Ice Cream & Live Tunes
Oftentimes, changing seasons means that ice cream shops close up and we are left with pints at grocery stores. Luckily, Emack & Bolio's keeps summer alive throughout the year. Offering their delicious ice cream, they have live music every Friday and Saturday throughout the year. Find a bit of summer during colder months as you enjoy some great tunes with your frozen treat.
Cohoes Music Hall: A Vintage Atmosphere & Great Events
If you are searching for a beautiful venue in the Capital Region, look no further! Cohoes Music Hall has many events throughout the year as bands put on live performances. With a venue being open for over 150 years, you are guaranteed to enjoy a show here! There are a handful of dining options around the area too.
The Egg: A Popular Performing Arts Center
The Egg is one of the foremost performing arts venues in the Capital Region. With everything from world-renowned orchestras to some of today's biggest artists, there are options to sate every musical taste. The Egg features two theatres, the Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre, which seats just under 1,000 guests, and the Lewis A. Swyer Theatre, which seats just under 500 guests.
MVP Arena: Come See the Biggest Performances
Perhaps one of the largest and most well-known live music venues in the Capital Region, the MVP Arena (former Times Union Center) can accommodate between 6,000 to 17,500 people. The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, and many other big names have graced this stage.
Empire Live Albany: Discover Two Stages of Awesome Music
Empire Live in Albany is a two-floor performance venue with a robust history of shows spanning every genre. Empire Live, the more spacious upstairs venue, has a capacity of 1,000 and two bars. Empire Underground, their basement venue, is literally underground, has a capacity of 350 guests, and gives a more intimate vibe to shows.
Parish Public House: Good Food, Drinks & Music Await
If enjoying Louisiana-style food while seeing great bands sounds appealing, then the Parish Public House is probably the place for you! A parish in Louisiana is akin to a county in New York - this is where the name comes from. This establishment brings in a variety of rock, jazz, jam, hip-hop, bluegrass, country, and other musicians.
The Fuze Box: Dance All Night to Indie & Punk Rock
Specializing in punk and indie rock shows, this retro-themed Albany bar is a live music hotspot and is also considered to be one of the most LGBTQ-friendly establishments in the area. If you want to dance along to the music this is the place for you!
Massry Center for the Arts: Listen to the Sweet Sounds of Orchestral & Chamber Music
Located at the College of Saint Rose, the Massry Center is a medium-sized performance hall known for its cutting-edge acoustics and lineup of distinguished musicians and orchestras from across the planet.