Where to hear live music in the City Beautiful – Orlando Weekly

By Matthew Moyer on Fri, Apr 14, 2023 at 4:00 am
There is a multiplicity of choices for spots to check out live music in Orlando, from arena-rock megastars to young locals figuring it all out on the fly. Here’s a rundown of the prime spots around the City Beautiful, from arenas to intimate rooms.
The Abbey, 100 S. Eola Drive, 407-704-6103, abbeyorlando.com
This mid-size room is used as a blank canvas by local and regional promoters to host touring acts as well as literary and theatrical performances.
Ace Cafe, 100 W. Livingston St., 407-996-6686, acecafeusa.com
The legendary former Edge space in downtown Orlando hosts shows and dance nights, both within those storied walls and a lawn space (Backyard at the Ace) which has seen all manner of local and national concerts and DJs.
Addition Financial Arena, 12777 N. Gemini Blvd., 407-823-3070, additionfiarena.com
The arena on the UCF campus is much more than just a student venue: It seats roughly 10,000 and hosts pop, rock, Bollywood singers and hip-hop, as well as stand-up comics and other events.
Amway Center, 400 W. Church St., 407-440-7900, amwaycenter.com
Countless national acts have made the Amway a tour stop — not to mention a red-hot selection of young Latin music superstars and comedians — and the downtown arena is also home to the Orlando Magic and the Solar Bears.
The Beacham, 46 N. Orange Ave., 407-648-8363, theblockorlando.com
The downtown concert venue provides a much-needed home for concerts and DJ nights in the center of the city — an increasingly rare commodity as downtown Orlando might be moving away from fostering nightlife.
Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, 1905 Kentucky Ave., Winter Park, 407-636-9951, bluebambooartcenter.com
Intimate, seated venue hosts a full sonic spectrum of jazz, classical and world music, as well as theater and literary events.
Camping World Stadium, 1 Citrus Bowl Place, 407-440-5700, campingworldstadium.com
If you want to see the likes of Paul McCartney, Billy Joel or Guns N’ Roses here in Orlando, Camping World Stadium is the place to be.
Celine, 22 S. Magnolia Ave., 407-801-7005, celineorlando.com
Downtown Orlando nightspot is a great destination for dancing and hosts touring hip-hop, EDM, drum & bass and techno heavy hitters.
Conduit, 6700 Aloma Ave., Winter Park, no phone, conduitfl.com
Formerly the Haven Lounge, rebranded and revamped by an ownership troika that includes folks behind Will’s Pub and Endoxa booking the room. Now boasts more floor space to check out the bands and a robust calendar that crosses genres with glee.
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., 407-358-6603, drphillipscenter.org
Boasting two theaters and the “acoustically perfect” Steinmetz Hall, the Dr. Phil is busier than ever, with a mix of theater, ballet, classical music, comedy and touring rock acts. They even have the bragging rights of hosting Kraftwerk on their recent tour.
Grumpy’s Underground Lounge, 1018 N. Mills Ave., 407-678-1122, facebook.com/grumpysunderground
Mills 50 bar/venue next door to Uncle Lou’s hosts concerts, stand-up, DJs and karaoke nights.
Hard Rock Live, 6050 Universal Blvd., 407-351-7625, hardrock.com/live
Venture deep into the heart of Universal’s CityWalk entertainment complex for entertainment that straddles big-time, nostalgic and comedy all-stars.
Henao Contemporary Center, 5601 Edgewater Drive, 689-221-5171, thehenao.com
The Henao Center soldiers on with a mix of hip-hop, electronic, dance parties and punk shows.
House of Blues, Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista, 407-934-2583, houseofblues.com
Shows may start on the early side, but that’s the only overt sign that this concert venue and restaurant is nestled in the middle of family-friendly Disney Springs. The sightlines and sound system are recommended, the slate of touring acts is formidable.
Orlando Amphitheater, 603 W. Colonial Drive, 407-295-3247, orlandoamphitheater.com
This outdoor amphitheater space connected to the Fairgrounds hosts a bevy of big-name headliners and festivals all year round. From Florida Groves to WJRR’s Earthday Birthday, to headlining shows from Kevin Gates to Cody Jinks, you can vibe outdoors with an army of your new closest friends.
The Plaza Live, 425 N. Bumby Ave., 407-228-1220, plazaliveorlando.org
This Milk District mainstay and home to the Orlando Philharmonic hosts shows by the Phil’s smaller ensembles plus a multi-generational slate of ’80s icons, guitar legends, YouTubers and comics. Lately this venue has become ground zero in the governor’s war on drag.
The Social, 54 N. Orange Ave., 407-648-8363, theblockorlando.com
Mainstay downtown venue is the very definition of “intimate”; most nights this small room is packed to the gills with the devoted, straining to get as close as possible to their favorite touring artist, be it Lightning Bolt or Laura Jane Grace.
Soundbar, 5043 Edgewater Drive, no phone, instagram.com/soundbar.orl
After being evicted from their downtown environs followed by a short stint booking at the Henao Center, the saga of Orlando music venue Soundbar looks to have a happy ending. The brains behind Soundbar are now based out of Level 13 Event Center and back at it in earnest with a busy slate of events including hip-hop, metal, punk, Emo Night Brooklyn and even the No Peace Underground wrestling fed.
Stardust Video & Coffee, 1842 Winter Park Road, 407-623-3393, stardustvideoandcoffee.wordpress.com
This eccentric Orlando institution is back to hosting shows — in fact, the coffeehouse/bar is currently hosting more shows than any other point in recent memory. One night you might be enveloped in fog for a Mother Juno show and the next watching teen rock bands (and their very enthusiastic fans) on the rise.
Tanqueray’s Bar, 100 S. Orange Ave., 407-649-8540, facebook.com/tanqueraysbar
Downstairs dive with a generous booking policy that provides an entry point for locals to downtown stages, especially of the more jam-oriented variety. Keep an eye peeled for adventurous jazz upstarts Thomas Milovac and Syoma Klochko holding it down.
Timucua Arts Foundation, 2000 S. Summerlin Ave., 321-234-3985, timucua.com
A unique live music experience nestled in a quiet SoDo neighborhood. The home of Benoit Glazer and Elaine Corriveau and family (which is in fact their home) offers incredible acoustics courtesy of a pristine sound system, a near cathedral-like setting complete with pews for seats, and an adventurous events slate.
Tin Roof, 371 International Drive, 407-270-7926, tinrooforlando.com
I-Drive hotspot the Tin Roof hosts music and performances of all kinds in their Green Room live-music space. Sounds-wise, expect a heady mix of tribute acts and locals on the rise, regardless of genre.
Tuffy’s Music Box, 200 Myrtle Ave., Sanford, no phone, tuffyscider.com
Tuffy’s Bottle Shop’s Music Box space has become a live-music hotbed for a community that’s always down for stepping out on the town. It’s an attractive space with a rough-and-ready calendar that leans toward the rock and Americana end of the spectrum.
Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall, 1016 N. Mills Ave., 407-898-0009
There is nowhere else like Uncle Lou’s in the City Beautiful — or, we’d wager, Florida at large. A close-quarters, gritty staging area for DIY music both local and national, where (almost) anything goes. Impromptu karaoke nights are a new staple.
The Vanguard, 578 N. Orange Ave., no phone, thevanguard.live
The storied former Firestone space downtown is once again pulsing to the beat of live music, mostly (but not exclusively) of the EDM variety.
Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., no phone, willspub.org
The Will’s/Lil Indies/Dirty Laundry compound is an essential component of the local scene—building as well as providing a stage to touring acts of all adventurous stripes. The booking calendar often reads like a genre collage, and that’s a very good thing. Even by their bustling standards, Will’s has been busier than ever show-wise over the past year.
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