Some of the Best Music Venues Around the World

Music has been uniting people and bridging cultures ever since we started banging on rocks, dancing around fire, and blowing through the bones of cave bears 40,000 years ago. Thousands of years later, you can go anywhere in the world and catch a show by artists in any genre, from soaking in the best symphonic orchestras to shuffling to the hardest electro DJs.

Watch a living legend make history at a sprawling arena concert or discover a local band before they explode out of the underground. From experimental emerging artists to the biggest pop stars in the world, fans have turned the best venues and amphitheaters into international music icons. So if you’re looking to see a great live show in a completely unique environment, catch a concert at one of my favorite music venues from around the world.


Paradiso - Amsterdam
One of the best places to catch Amsterdam events and concerts is at a beautiful 19th-century church that’s been converted into a massive venue and nightclub. Paradiso attracts some of the biggest pop, rock, and electronic artists in the world and the acts that have graced the stage here read like a history of the Grammy Hall of Fame. Past performances have included rock legends like The Rolling Stones, U2, Pink Floyd, and Metallica, as well as international pop stars like Adele and Lady Gaga.

Columbia Halle – Berlin
While Berlin is crowded with nightclubs and music venues, Columbia Halle stands out from the rest. With ultra-modern designs and second story balconies to hide away in, this venue brings out thousands of fans for Berlin events and concerts ranging from Gotye to M83 to Snoop Dogg (or Lion, or whatever it is he goes by today). Columbia Halle boasts some of the best acoustics in Europe and its dazzling lightshows make for a multisensory musical experience.

Le Grand Rex - Paris
Doubling as an Art Deco style cinema from 1932, Le Grand Rex is also one of the best music venues in the city, as well as its largest. Crowds pack out the floor for the best concerts in Paris, under a ceiling made to look like a starry night sky. Past performers at Le Grand Rex include musical giants like Wilco, Tori Amos, Smashing Pumpkins, Tom Waits, and Radiohead.

The Congress Theater – Chicago
Once a 1920s movie palace, The Congress Theater is both an official landmark and one of the best venues for Chicago events and concerts. The theater is a work of art in its own right, with ornate decorations and a high domed interior that matches the elegance of some Italian palaces. Inside all that glitz, thousands of fans dance to music ranging from hip hop to house. Performances at the Congress have included concerts by a broad range of artists like Prince, Beastie Boys, Sufjan Stevens, and Skrillex.

Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles
As the capital of the music industry, there are plenty of places to catch concerts in Los Angeles. But for the biggest headlining artists and some of the best views of the city, fans flock to the Hollywood Bowl. This outdoor amphitheater in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills is scenically located beneath the iconic Hollywood sign and has been featured in over 20 films and television shows. Performances at the Bowl range from the classical music of the Los Angeles Philharmonic to the genre-shattering experimental sounds of Animal Collective. Past performances have included The Beatles, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Blink 182, and Coldplay. In addition to pop and rock concerts, the Bowl also hosts the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the annual
Playboy Jazz Festival.

Daniel Hogan is a writer at Party Earth - a global media and entertainment company that publishes reviews and listings of the best social experiences around the world including: bars in Paris, pubs in London, beaches in Ibiza, plazas in Rome, things to do in Los Angeles, festivals and concerts everywhere, and more.