There’s nothing like kicking it back old-school with a beer while you listen to super-talented musicians jam it out. Live music in the city has really picked up in Kolkata over the last few years with many cafes, restaurants, and pubs hosting regular gigs featuring local musicians and bands as well as those from across the country. Here’s a list of a few places in the city where you can enjoy live music.
Head To These Cafes And Bars In Kolkata For The Best Live Music
Someplace Else
No list on live music places in Kolkata can be complete without a mention of Someplace Else. It’s one of the first few places in the city to have started the trend with the best of bands and musicians playing at the pub every day. The tradition still continues with local bands like The Urban Monkz, Span, Palindrome, The Grooverz, Orient Express, and more, doing live gigs at Someplace Else every night. No wonder it was and is still called the Mecca of Music in Kolkata.
TopCat CCU
This place needs no introduction. TopCat CCU is probably one of the hottest and most happening music gig spots in Kolkata that hosts popular bands and singers from the city and country and, at times, from across the globe too. Singers like Plastic Parvati and Pulpy Shilpy, composer Tajdar Junaid, metal bands like Gutslit, What Escapes Me, and super popular and amazing Kolkata-based jazz band Bodhisattwa Trio have performed at the venue. The frequency of the gigs may have reduced a bit but TopCat is still one of the best places to go to for live music.
Jam House
Located in the same lane as Shri Shikshayatan College, Jam House organises live music gigs every day from 6.30 PM onwards. The space is quite small but the vibe of the place is oh-so-cool! Not just through the evening, the music lounge hosts gigs at midnight as well. Awesome, right? The bands/artists (a lot of local, upcoming talent) sing only Bollywood music or Hindi songs. But, trust us, live jamming sessions at Jam House are worth going for! You will not return disappointed.
Monkey Bar
Head to Monkey Bar for a refreshing night featuring amazing live gigs that will leave you swooning and dancing. The pub hosts Stirry Nights every Thursday with artists from across genres performing timeless tunes and fresh sound sets all night. It hosts both local and national artists and bands, who play a mix of English Retro and Bollywood music. Popular bands like Paloma Adil, All Square, The Yellow Taxi, Aamir RiZvi, Inside Out, and many more have performed here. Perfect way to beat the mid-week blues, we think!
Broadway Hotel
The iconic Broadway Hotel hosts live gigs every Sunday and, if you wanna listen to some really good music featuring some of the most amazing and talented musicians, bands, and artists, then we would definitely recommend that you head to this place. Expect a lot of jazz music along with folk, pop, classics, and soft rock. Bands like Srinjoy Ghatak Trio, The Riz Connection, and The Minor Fall, to name a few, have performed here. The hotel usually hosts two gigs—one in the afternoon around 1.30 PM and the other in the evening at 7.30 PM.
The Lords And Barons
The Lords and Barons in Park Street is known for hosting some super fun and scintillating live music gigs. The pub has bands playing every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Different bands and singers perform at this gastropub every week. You are sure to fall in love with the music here. Some great music along with food and your favourite drinks—what else does one need after a hectic work week?
Vertex
Head to Vertex, the liquid restaurant at Fairfield By Marriott, for enchanting and captivating evenings featuring soothing melodies and soulful classics performed by Arka and Ankan, the property’s super talented resident band members. The open terrace area adorned with twinkling fairy lights and a pool just makes the whole experience so much better. The gigs are usually a mix of Bollywood, Sufi, and Tollywood music and are held every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday from 7 PM onwards.
The Empty Head
This Salt Lake pub has fast become one of the most happening places to head to for live gigs. The Empty Head hosts Bass and Booze every Sunday evening featuring solo artists and musicians as well as bands that play all kinds of music but predominantly Bollywood. Super awesome bands like Cactus, Alfaaz - The Band, and Soulful Melodies, among others have performed here. So, gather your gang and head to the pub for a musical night.
Five Mad Men
Five Mad Men has always been a favourite when it comes to live music. They host some of the best gigs in town featuring both local and international artists. Expect a lot of rock and metal music. Bands like Hybrid Kolkata, The Aristocrats, Lakkhichhara, and Cactus as well as musicians and artists like Tom Fountainhead, Jason Richardson, Arko Mukherjee, and more have performed here. Keep a hawk’s eye on their Instagram page for updates on live gigs. They usually do it on a weekly basis.
Warehouse Cafe
The Warehouse Cafe hosts live music gigs every Friday night. This means that you get to enjoy a lively and entertaining evening filled with live music performances every week at this pub located inside South City Mall. Most of the artists and bands here play Bollywood or Sufi music. Bands like S Factor, Wagah Road, Bolly Sufi, Bandeh, Urban Monkz, and All Square, to name a few, have performed here as well as artists like Kaushik Roy Chowdhury and Devesh Lal have performed gigs at the Warehouse Cafe.
M Bar Kitchen & Cocktails
This popular Park Street bar hosts live music gigs every month from 10 PM onwards. So, prepare yourself for scintillating performances by Bollywood singers like Anirudh Bhola, Gurashish Singh, Juggy Sandhu, and Sameer Walizada, among others, as well as sufi bands like Humsufi and Saaz E Mehfil. Several rock bands like Tarkash and local bands like ARC Project, All Square, Tamojit Trio, and many more have performed at M Bar. The gigs go on until 2 AM. The cover charge of INR 2,000 for a couple is completely redeemable.